1946 Chevy Bobber Truck Chop Build

[401ton]

I have an update to report on my tire bounce, shake and shimmy.

I think my new hydraulic shocks were crap, but the New Gas Shocks were no help.

Ordered a Socal steering stabilizer, but it came with too small of size clamps, so I don't have that on yet.

I decided to check for heavy spots on the truck up front with just spinning the wheels to see if there was any heavy spots.
I ended up moving the wheel weights around until the tires didn't find the heavy spot on each tire when they quit spinning and then test drove again. No difference.

Then I took the truck up to the local Midas for another tire balance.
They balanced them and moved weights again with maybe still a heavy spot on one wheel a bit. They thought tires were out of round a bit, but they didn't look severe.?
New test drive showed no difference in tire bounce.

Called Summit Racing last week to talk to them about warrantee on the MT front Sportsman that matched the rears. The customer service rep. sent me a couple of return tags to send them back. He said that if they didn't look abused that they would probably credit my account even though I ordered the tires just over two years ago. Keeping my fingers crossed.

After an extensive search of opinions about running radials up front with my MT Sportsman bias ply in the rear and coming up with no definitive answers, I decided to order a couple of 195/65-15" radial front tires. (probably encono box or mini van tires, but same size as my MT front Sportsmans).

First test drive was last night. Drove great, no shimmy, no bounce etc. at any speed I drove.

I went to Fair Grounds cruise night (There must have been 200 cars and 400 motorcycles there last night!) and spoke with a couple others that said don't worry about bias vs radial in most cases. I kinda agree. They had big MT's in the back and radials up front although they had independent suspension.

Happy to have gotten rid of the bounce, shake and shimmy for now!

 

[Dirtyrat]

Thats great news! Glad you found out what the cause was, things like that will drive you crazy until you sort it out!

 

[jfg455]

there are 2 ways to balance tires:

Static = spinning them on a machine, adding weights etc. They will come out to zero on the machine but could be "out of round", have heavy spots or even stiff spots in the tire causing it to shake at speed.

Dynamic = (often called "road force" balanced) this requires a machine that symulates the weight of a car on the tread as it turns, then it spin balances it. This will find all the other issues with tires that the static hbalance missed. most cars these day can have up to about 25 lbs of road force inbalance and you won't feel it. Some are more sensative IE: caddilac devilles etc and some are less sensative like a 1 ton truck. (my K3500 has a rear tire with 119 lbs road force imbalance and you can't feel it. That would shake you off the road in a car!)

Bias ply tires were by nature not very friendly to a smooth ride where radials are more compliant and run smoother. Next time you have a set of tires balanced for a shake have them road forced balanced and you will probably see you have a bad tire.

 

[401ton]

I looked on the net and yellow pages and didn't find a shop nearby that advertised on-car balancing or I would have done that. Maybe I should have tried a truck shop?

 

[RickyBobby]

It's done on the wheel balance machine it has a big drum that is pressed into the tire to simulate load. Discount tire has switched most of the locations I've been to a
Road force machines. The dealership I was a line mechanic at had one, awesome machine.

 

[401ton]

Thanks 455 and RB for explaining "Road Force Balance".

I was thinking I needed on car because the brake drum may have had a heavy spot.
I will have to look for a "Road Force Balance" in this area in the future. We don't currently have any Discount Tire stores near here, but plenty of others to check.

Got news back from Summit yesterday on my bias ply MT front returns.
It was like they changed there tune from when I spoke with the cust. svc. guy on the phone.
They contended I must have stored them wrong, like on the car in one spot for two years which wasn't the case. I also said there was nothing stated that said how to store them which he agreed, so after a good phone debate, they did give me a partial credit on the new ones I bought from them and a $25 gift card for the future which was probably somewhat fair because the tires were bought two years ago. Anyway, time to move on on that deal.

I still haven't made the steering stabilizer clamps to hold the Socal unit on, so a little to do there yet for hopefully even more improvement.

 

[ajs]

I know this is a old thread but just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your build. I plan to be doing a similar build on a 46 Chevy but with a ladder bar rear and a speedway 6" drop spring behind set up. Great looking truck, lines flow perfect.

 

[401ton]

I know this is a old thread but just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your build. I plan to be doing a similar build on a 46 Chevy but with a ladder bar rear and a speedway 6" drop spring behind set up. Great looking truck, lines flow perfect.

.
Thanks.
The spring behind to me looks good, but I lose a little turning radius.
The 6" drop will be low as I can just get the floor jack under the 4" drop with not alot of extra clearance.

The truck has been improving a little here and there.
I just got back from doing (3) days of Hot Rod Power Tour and had a great time!
I may post a few Rat pics when I get a chance.
I went from Des Moines to Madison, WI, Champaign, IL, St. Louis and back, so about 1,200 trouble free miles.

 

[401ton]

Hot Rod Power Tour

My yearly update includes new radials for the rear (33 x 21.50-15") Hoosier Pro Streets and mufflers under the cab. Aligned it again and it drove even better.

Last week I did the the whole 3,000 miles Long Haul on Hot Rod Power Tour.
Lots of fun, no issues but the heat and one monsoon.

We may have hit triple digits in heat and speed a time or two.
At least one corvette got a good look at the tail lights on the way by.

Good time if you ever get a chance.

 

[forbigpicture]

Congrats on the long haul..[cl[cl I'm sure it was a blast!

 

[bob w]

Heck of an achievement 40 1 ton. Congratulations.

 

[smallfoot]

^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said!!!

Truck looks good! It's a blast to just cruise without worrying....glad to hear it![cl

 

[DozerII]

Real nice truck, congrats on the Longhaul I would love to do something like that one day.[cl

 

[Old Iron]

Now that's doing it right [cl
We've been on two 2004 2008 but, not long hauler. Will do that one day too

 

[401ton]

Thanks for the comments guys.

The event is ran pretty good as far as big events go.
A little traffic in small towns and routes close to the event to deal with.

I had real good response from all the other participants going down the road and at the event. Probably a lot to do with the big tires and tunnel ram etc.

I kinda figure that the only cars that had it rougher than me were the AC-Cobras that went without a roof unless it rained. I can't imagine that much sun for 7-10 days.

I estimate there was only a couple dozen Rats on the tour.
A couple interesting cummins powered, a copper plated one, a surfboard one and a few bobbers similar mine.
There were plenty of older patina trucks there too.

I changed gears this year to 3.50's from the 4.10's that were in it and improved from 10.5 to as good as 13 mpg. Not too bad for a dual carb tunnel ram equipped blasting down the road. Only got about 12 mpg at 75 mph on the interstate.

I would recommend at least trying it for a few days if one is close to your town. Practice at 75 mph and if you can do that you would be happier.

401ton

 

[05snopro440]

One day I'll get to Power Tour. It's always so far South and East, I would put on over 3000 KM just getting there If my vehicles can't do 75 MPH reliably I wouldn't own them, so that's no issue there.

I'm glad you had a good time. The truck is looking great! Looked like this year there were a huge amount of new Challenger's and Camaro's.

 

[401ton]

There were a few Canadians there.
We had about 1,100 miles to get to New Orleans and took a leisurely 1 1/2 days to get there. Not sure what that is in km's. It should start in KC next year as it usually starts where it ended the year before.

Yea, lots of Hellcats and Corvettes! Camaros and Mustangs too.

Cars changed some everyday as you went to a new town.

 

[401ton]

Look like my yearly update got skipped last year, wth?!

I did make it to Hot Rod Power Tour again last year, but only went from Des Moines to Kansas City then back to Newton, IA. Not all that far, but still cruizen! Had a steering gear box (Vega) going bad on the way back, but limped it home. I think those Chinese boxes are made pourly...grumble. Actually tried to fit a power box of the same on it, but It was too large for my spot.

Last weekend I drove up to Back To The Fifties at MN State Fairgrounds with a buddy for their Hot Rod show.
Weather happened to be great and there was over 11,500 cars registered!
Great show!

I took a few pics of interesting COE's, a few Rats and a few others, but none of my own. I'll post on another thread of those pics when I get a chance.

I think I have about 10,000 miles on it in the last 4 years and still going.
Uses a little oil, changed a u-joint from too many burnouts, but its been pretty dependable overall.

Cheers!
401ton

 

[05snopro440]

Look like my yearly update got skipped last year, wth?!

I did make it to Hot Rod Power Tour again last year, but only went from Des Moines to Kansas City then back to Newton, IA. Not all that far, but still cruizen! Had a steering gear box (Vega) going bad on the way back, but limped it home. I think those Chinese boxes are made pourly...grumble. Actually tried to fit a power box of the same on it, but It was too large for my spot.

Last weekend I drove up to Back To The Fifties at MN State Fairgrounds with a buddy for their Hot Rod show.
Weather happened to be great and there was over 11,500 cars registered!
Great show!

I took a few pics of interesting COE's, a few Rats and a few others, but none of my own. I'll post on another thread of those pics when I get a chance.

I think I have about 10,000 miles on it in the last 4 years and still going.
Uses a little oil, changed a u-joint from too many burnouts, but its been pretty dependable overall.

Cheers!
401ton

Can you fit a unisteer instead of the vega? I don't know your setup, just a thought though. Apparently those repro vega boxes are really good at destroying themselves.