What Did Ya Get Done This Weekend?
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jammersspeed
Well-known member
donsrods
Well-known member
Well, I had a pretty good weekend. Friday night Dan and I took our roadsters and went for a little cruise and out to dinner. Beautiful night, nice and cool. So nice to see Dan's first motor issues behind him.
Yesterday I sold one more of the bikes I had gotten in the Storage Auction........I was worried about this one because it is a really high end bike, sells for between $ 1000 and $ 1400 new, but a couple from Atlanta sent me the money and picked it up yesterday. Can you say MORE CAR GOODIES !!!!
Still have two more to sell, but they are somewhat cheaper.
Then last night I started to disassemble the 46 Ford flathead I bought some years ago from a forum friend up in Atlanta. I was curious about how it looked inside and want to soak it in a tub of mineral spirits to clean it up. It looks good inside, and was evidently rebuilt by an authorized Ford rebuilder at one time because there is a brass tag on the front of it. Not all gunked up like some I have seen, so I might do a ring and gasket job on it, rebuild the carb, and see if it will start. I have no idea what I will use it for, but it is pretty cool looking.
Don
Yesterday I sold one more of the bikes I had gotten in the Storage Auction........I was worried about this one because it is a really high end bike, sells for between $ 1000 and $ 1400 new, but a couple from Atlanta sent me the money and picked it up yesterday. Can you say MORE CAR GOODIES !!!!
Still have two more to sell, but they are somewhat cheaper.Then last night I started to disassemble the 46 Ford flathead I bought some years ago from a forum friend up in Atlanta. I was curious about how it looked inside and want to soak it in a tub of mineral spirits to clean it up. It looks good inside, and was evidently rebuilt by an authorized Ford rebuilder at one time because there is a brass tag on the front of it. Not all gunked up like some I have seen, so I might do a ring and gasket job on it, rebuild the carb, and see if it will start. I have no idea what I will use it for, but it is pretty cool looking.
Don
Worked 2 days
this weekend so I can get up to Steamboat for a few day's this week and put some time in on the Rolls. Need to smooth the firewall and motorize the tilt front end. Also need to relocate the wiper motor off the firewall to under the dash. [S
this weekend so I can get up to Steamboat for a few day's this week and put some time in on the Rolls. Need to smooth the firewall and motorize the tilt front end. Also need to relocate the wiper motor off the firewall to under the dash. [S
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Me, i've just been watching 8 1/2 hours of this and it is changing my life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79_HwQ-92f8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79_HwQ-92f8
Dirtyrat
Got Fins?
Spent most of my free time this weekend working on a 2002 Chrysler Concorde Limited. Now, normally, a 4 wheel strut job is not an issue to do, however, Chrysler engineers have some really stupid ideas when it comes to suspension design, and how things should or should not be assembled/packaged. Also, Monroe as far as quality control is probably the worst I have ever seen for struts.
This project had to be spanned over two days as some of the part's conditions were unknown until dis-assembly, so had to be ordered after things were torn down.
Here is my beef with the front end: Normally, FWD cars use a steering arm tie rod off the spindle therefore tie rod removal is not required to replace a strut, not so with the concorde, there is a steering arm welded to the strut body, which also connects a sway bar end link (ball in socket design on both ends). Now, not a terrible idea, IF you can get the sway bar links apart, but seeing as though they are constantly hit with water, salt and other debris, and the fact that they have only a 5/16 hex to stop the ball from turning while trying to undo the nut, good freaking luck. So those had to be cut off either side. And had to replace said sway bar links.
The outer tie rods came out easily enough, however chrysler uses these stupid sleeves the go inside the steering arm that comes from the rack so its threaded on the inside and outside so they can use one tie rod for both sides, but different sleeves... one side was frozen due to corrosion (they are slotted as well which does not help with moisture making its way into ALL of the threads)
The lower spring isolators were totally gone at all 4 corners, thats one of the parts we had to replace and did so, rears have a nice spring stop to orient the strut top to bottom properly. Fronts did not, even though the stock isolators did, so that was kind of an annoyance, but the factory service manual had an orientation diagram. (We have the manual for other things, not really needed on a strut job however). Fronts, the monroe replacement struts worked well, except for the fact that the ABS sensor wire bracket hole is not tapped, and had to be threaded to run the factory screw in, how do they miss things like this? (they provide you a nut that doesnt fit anything, perhaps they thought it would through bolt the bracket back on? however the stamped hole is too small for that)
On to the rears, rear suspension design (HORRIBLE DESIGN FOR WORKING ON STRUTS). For starters, and I understand that these cars were designed to have them actually make money, which they didn't anyhow as they went bankrupt. But seriously, had to remove the rear seat, package tray, and looking around, there are no covers, or access to the strut tops... hmmm, yep they are under the speakers, with no access from the trunk either, so out come the speakers too.
Lower connection to a strut is normally a bracket welded to the strut housing with two bolts through the spindle, however on the concorde, its a huge hole in the casting with a cinch bolt and a slot in the cinch area. Perfect area for water to get in and corrode the hell out of the fastener and such, bad idea, and the strut sticks down out of the bottom of the cinch area a good 1.5" meaning you have to get that 1.5" of corroded strut body through the cinch portion of the spindle to get it out. I also had to remove the rear toe suspension link because, yep you guessed it, it blocks access to the cinch bolt. Also have to remove the sway bar link which connects to the strut instead of the spindle, as well as the caliper because the suspension will not droop enough to get the strut body out of the spindle with it attached.
The cinch bolts were seized pretty badly and took over an hour a piece to get out without breaking them using heat, and spray and an impact, running them back and forth til they came out finally.
So, day two after getting the isolaters, we put together all the struts as I normally would, fronts compress springs, orient springs properly, put on the strut rod nut, tighten is some, release the springs, and finish tighten with impact til it seats the mount to the shoulder on the strut rod, and done
Rears are easier, as you don't need to compress the springs with the compressor, just by hand, start the nut and impact it down, seems simple enough. (Yes I know they have a tool for holding the strut rod etc, but no one carries them at any parts places generally, and they look at you like they have no clue what you are asking for)
So, re-install the rear they have a metal stamping that is welded to the body to set rotation (small area that goes into the slotted area on the cinch area of the spindle, and also a stop to set the height of the cinch bolt relief so that the bolt can go through when the strut is at the right height). Rotation location good, height stop on both sides was wrong to the cinch bolt height, and it was not corrosion on the spindle causing the spacing as it was 1/2 a hole off on both sides, conclusion: bad quality control.
Finally get the rears installed,wrap up everything, and go for a test drive, immediately stop in the driveway, and turn around to go back to the shop, rears are rattling like mad at the upper strut rod bolt. Now I'm thinking I just didn't get them tight... there is really no access with them in the car, so I pull both sides all back apart (2nd time is easier at least after anti-seizing the tough parts).
I take an offset wrench, and hold the strut rod with a 3/8" breaker bar, they are tight...
I take the strut rod nut off and pull off the upper mount for a closer look, and yep, no relief or very little relief where the thread ends, just before the shoulder on the strut rod. This means the nut bottoms on the area that SHOULD be relieved before the upper mount is seated on the strut rod. NICE QUALITY CONTROL!
I grabbed two thick washers with large enough holes to go over the non relieved area, tightened it all down, and put it all back together.... 5:30PM sunday.... Job took twice as long as it should have... should have been about a 6 hour job total start to finish if I had all the parts, and no quality control issues...
This project had to be spanned over two days as some of the part's conditions were unknown until dis-assembly, so had to be ordered after things were torn down.
Here is my beef with the front end: Normally, FWD cars use a steering arm tie rod off the spindle therefore tie rod removal is not required to replace a strut, not so with the concorde, there is a steering arm welded to the strut body, which also connects a sway bar end link (ball in socket design on both ends). Now, not a terrible idea, IF you can get the sway bar links apart, but seeing as though they are constantly hit with water, salt and other debris, and the fact that they have only a 5/16 hex to stop the ball from turning while trying to undo the nut, good freaking luck. So those had to be cut off either side. And had to replace said sway bar links.
The outer tie rods came out easily enough, however chrysler uses these stupid sleeves the go inside the steering arm that comes from the rack so its threaded on the inside and outside so they can use one tie rod for both sides, but different sleeves... one side was frozen due to corrosion (they are slotted as well which does not help with moisture making its way into ALL of the threads)
The lower spring isolators were totally gone at all 4 corners, thats one of the parts we had to replace and did so, rears have a nice spring stop to orient the strut top to bottom properly. Fronts did not, even though the stock isolators did, so that was kind of an annoyance, but the factory service manual had an orientation diagram. (We have the manual for other things, not really needed on a strut job however). Fronts, the monroe replacement struts worked well, except for the fact that the ABS sensor wire bracket hole is not tapped, and had to be threaded to run the factory screw in, how do they miss things like this? (they provide you a nut that doesnt fit anything, perhaps they thought it would through bolt the bracket back on? however the stamped hole is too small for that)
On to the rears, rear suspension design (HORRIBLE DESIGN FOR WORKING ON STRUTS). For starters, and I understand that these cars were designed to have them actually make money, which they didn't anyhow as they went bankrupt. But seriously, had to remove the rear seat, package tray, and looking around, there are no covers, or access to the strut tops... hmmm, yep they are under the speakers, with no access from the trunk either, so out come the speakers too.
Lower connection to a strut is normally a bracket welded to the strut housing with two bolts through the spindle, however on the concorde, its a huge hole in the casting with a cinch bolt and a slot in the cinch area. Perfect area for water to get in and corrode the hell out of the fastener and such, bad idea, and the strut sticks down out of the bottom of the cinch area a good 1.5" meaning you have to get that 1.5" of corroded strut body through the cinch portion of the spindle to get it out. I also had to remove the rear toe suspension link because, yep you guessed it, it blocks access to the cinch bolt. Also have to remove the sway bar link which connects to the strut instead of the spindle, as well as the caliper because the suspension will not droop enough to get the strut body out of the spindle with it attached.
The cinch bolts were seized pretty badly and took over an hour a piece to get out without breaking them using heat, and spray and an impact, running them back and forth til they came out finally.
So, day two after getting the isolaters, we put together all the struts as I normally would, fronts compress springs, orient springs properly, put on the strut rod nut, tighten is some, release the springs, and finish tighten with impact til it seats the mount to the shoulder on the strut rod, and done
Rears are easier, as you don't need to compress the springs with the compressor, just by hand, start the nut and impact it down, seems simple enough. (Yes I know they have a tool for holding the strut rod etc, but no one carries them at any parts places generally, and they look at you like they have no clue what you are asking for)
So, re-install the rear they have a metal stamping that is welded to the body to set rotation (small area that goes into the slotted area on the cinch area of the spindle, and also a stop to set the height of the cinch bolt relief so that the bolt can go through when the strut is at the right height). Rotation location good, height stop on both sides was wrong to the cinch bolt height, and it was not corrosion on the spindle causing the spacing as it was 1/2 a hole off on both sides, conclusion: bad quality control.
Finally get the rears installed,wrap up everything, and go for a test drive, immediately stop in the driveway, and turn around to go back to the shop, rears are rattling like mad at the upper strut rod bolt. Now I'm thinking I just didn't get them tight... there is really no access with them in the car, so I pull both sides all back apart (2nd time is easier at least after anti-seizing the tough parts).
I take an offset wrench, and hold the strut rod with a 3/8" breaker bar, they are tight...
I take the strut rod nut off and pull off the upper mount for a closer look, and yep, no relief or very little relief where the thread ends, just before the shoulder on the strut rod. This means the nut bottoms on the area that SHOULD be relieved before the upper mount is seated on the strut rod. NICE QUALITY CONTROL!
I grabbed two thick washers with large enough holes to go over the non relieved area, tightened it all down, and put it all back together.... 5:30PM sunday.... Job took twice as long as it should have... should have been about a 6 hour job total start to finish if I had all the parts, and no quality control issues...
EnglishBob
Well-known member
Made a couple of hour round trip and Bought a few things for 'Later'.
donsrods
Well-known member
Busy weekend carwise and I am paying the price right now, I can hardly stand up straight. But it was a lot of fun.
Friday Dan and I got back to working on my rpu project. Now that his car is done we can spend some time on mine. Our project this week is to get the triangulated 3 link rear end setup done. We got the lower bars all done and welded the brackets to the frame by the time we quit on Friday night.
Saturday morning bright and early, Don and I went to a local Pick and Pull because he needed some 94-95 Mustang front spindles so he could convert his 84 Capri to 5 lug front wheels. We found a 95 there and after a lot of cussing and working in the dirt we got them off. He got a smokin' deal, paid $ 50 for parts that sell for about $ 100-$150 normally.
I also needed the plastic air control valve that goes on the air intake of my daily driver. I had cracked mine changing the oil one time and the Cadillac dealer wanted about $ 400 for the part, so I just put some big washers on the cracked one and have been using it that way. But I found a car there with the piece I needed and they only charged me $20 for it, so I am pretty happy about that.
Went home, took a shower and grabbed a nap before Dan and I went to the shop to continue working on my rpu project. We got the mounts fabricated for the top bar and next time we are there we can get those welded to the frame and then concentrate on getting the coil over top mounts done. When all that is finished I will have a rolling chassis . It is starting to look like a car, and when I get a little more done I will post some pictures.
Don
But it was a lot of fun.Friday Dan and I got back to working on my rpu project. Now that his car is done we can spend some time on mine. Our project this week is to get the triangulated 3 link rear end setup done. We got the lower bars all done and welded the brackets to the frame by the time we quit on Friday night.
Saturday morning bright and early, Don and I went to a local Pick and Pull because he needed some 94-95 Mustang front spindles so he could convert his 84 Capri to 5 lug front wheels. We found a 95 there and after a lot of cussing and working in the dirt we got them off. He got a smokin' deal, paid $ 50 for parts that sell for about $ 100-$150 normally.
I also needed the plastic air control valve that goes on the air intake of my daily driver. I had cracked mine changing the oil one time and the Cadillac dealer wanted about $ 400 for the part, so I just put some big washers on the cracked one and have been using it that way. But I found a car there with the piece I needed and they only charged me $20 for it, so I am pretty happy about that.
Went home, took a shower and grabbed a nap before Dan and I went to the shop to continue working on my rpu project. We got the mounts fabricated for the top bar and next time we are there we can get those welded to the frame and then concentrate on getting the coil over top mounts done. When all that is finished I will have a rolling chassis . It is starting to look like a car, and when I get a little more done I will post some pictures.
Don
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goose-em
Well-known member
Fixed the brake line that I screwed up a few weeks ago when adding a RPV.
Once that was done I tested the new RPV by turning my rear proportioning valve all the way down so I had no rear brakes.
I then did a few burnouts in the driveway.
I need to adjust my front brakes as they wouldn't hold.
I suppose that will be on todays list of things to do.
Once that was done I tested the new RPV by turning my rear proportioning valve all the way down so I had no rear brakes.
I then did a few burnouts in the driveway.
I need to adjust my front brakes as they wouldn't hold.
I suppose that will be on todays list of things to do.
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Started reading your last post D-RAT but it somehow got deleted. Would you retype and repost that for me? What you described there is one of the many reasons i could never have been a mechanic.
What you described there is one of the many reasons i could never have been a mechanic.
skull
''SARCASM: just one of his many talents.''
broke down
fixed the freeze plug on the dodge and then driving broke down in the middle of a bridge and have to be towed to a freinds house.
plan today, go fix it (again) and bring it home.
Later
fixed the freeze plug on the dodge and then driving broke down in the middle of a bridge and have to be towed to a freinds house.
plan today, go fix it (again
) and bring it home.Later
Last edited:
jammersspeed
Well-known member
picked up a 28/29 model A cowl and doors from a 2dr sedan from 52stude43 last weekend... it was a build post on here.... saving the A... i think that is what he called it! so this weekend i started to build cab corners and a back for it... dont know if i am gonna build a lakes modified or a roadster pickup out of it yet....
....
Snake Farm
Ol school snake charmer!
Spent Friday finishing up a "Spring Fix-it" list on a friends house. Saturday, hung a new storm door for another friend and then worked on shelving in my work van. Today I finished hanging new interior doors at the in-laws (got paid in home cooking with dessert! ) Car wise the wife and I took the '57 out for a spin, my daughter and I took her Monte out (it hadn't been started since November) and blew the cobwebs out of it.......and did one smokey burnout on a back road [ddd Also terrorized the neighborhood some in the Willys and took a torch to the bed to age it a little.....
) Car wise the wife and I took the '57 out for a spin, my daughter and I took her Monte out (it hadn't been started since November) and blew the cobwebs out of it.......and did one smokey burnout on a back road [ddd Also terrorized the neighborhood some in the Willys and took a torch to the bed to age it a little.....
donsrods
Well-known member
Spent all day Friday and Saturday working with my Son Dan on the rear suspension for my rpu project. Got a LOT done. [cl It is going to be a slightly unconventional setup, triangulated 3 bar with coil overs, but it looks like it will work great.
We were almost done last night and I was heating some steel so Dan could bend it around the upper coilover mounts and my oxygen bottle went dry. Torches don't get very hot without oxygen in the flame so we just cleaned up and will finish up Monday night, after I run to Northern Tool for a full bottle.
The stance is exactly where I wanted it and I will post some pictures after we get it up on wheels Monday night. We also decided we need to lower the mounting point for the front wishbones for cosmetics and a few more degrees of caster, but that will not be a huge job.
Don
We were almost done last night and I was heating some steel so Dan could bend it around the upper coilover mounts and my oxygen bottle went dry.
Torches don't get very hot without oxygen in the flame so we just cleaned up and will finish up Monday night, after I run to Northern Tool for a full bottle.The stance is exactly where I wanted it and I will post some pictures after we get it up on wheels Monday night. We also decided we need to lower the mounting point for the front wishbones for cosmetics and a few more degrees of caster, but that will not be a huge job.
Don
LUCKY DEVIL 13
Greasy Gearhead
Took the truck out for a nice long drive saturday and then sunday I got the rear window in with some help from a buddy And got my new windshield frame cut up and chopped down to where I need it just gotta get the glas cut for it now
And got my new windshield frame cut up and chopped down to where I need it just gotta get the glas cut for it now
Dirtyrat
Got Fins?
not a whole lot but some progress
Primed the rear axle some, still need to disassemble the brakes, and paint the brackets.
Close to finishing up the front of the roof, so that is mostly welded up.
Picked up some paint for things, thats about it...
Primed the rear axle some, still need to disassemble the brakes, and paint the brackets.
Close to finishing up the front of the roof, so that is mostly welded up.
Picked up some paint for things, thats about it...
Clipped the frame on the 36 chevy frame above the rear axle,and redid is to bedder suit the needs of the 46 ford truck.Got my bed built accept for the wood to go in the floor,which will be tomorrows project.Welded in one of my coil springs buckets,shaved the glove box and a few other holes in the dash.And also built my bed mounts on the frame. [
Krooser
Well-known member
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