General vehicle thread

[Gman]

I would love to have a true sequential manual gearbox.

Without having a manually operated clutch will make it automatic trans w/ dual clutch shifter. Close, but it will not be a sequential manual gear box.
Those AUTO with sequential shifter that mimics sequential manual doesn't have a manually operated clutch.
Only time they use clutch is when they are about to start/stop , but not when they up/down shift.

The old Porsche Sportomatic from the 1960s is new again?

[Erni]

Just wait until you do the most difficult thing on a vehicle you've ever done, then have to do it again, but in a junkyard with hand tools and no jacks.

Sounds like it's going about as well as it should for a home mechanic.

Today I tightened my wheel bearing retainers for at least the fourth time. Hopefully I did a better job this time.

It?s not that hard just frustrating. I figure a pro would have the right tools for this.
On wheel bearing retainers: torque the nut till snug and then give it a half turn or so. Rotate the hub. Back of 1/4 turn so it?s almost loose or the nut feels like it let go. Done. Unless you pressed in the bearing and didn?t quite seat them right then it might loosen up and need retorquing.

[Irving]

Mine has torque specs and you have to line up a retaining ring to allow the fasteners. On one side I went to something like 9ft/lbs and the other side only 6ft/lbs (otherwise it would have been something like 15ft/lbs). The spec is 4.5-5.5 ft/lbs. After using a fish scale, and a (borrowed) $500 torque wrench. I just went tight, but not so tight that I couldn't spin the hub.

[Erni]

Yeah after I almost stripped an oil pan plug I broke down and got a 3:8 digital torque wrench. Goes down to 5ftlb. You are welcome to use it if you end up having to do it again.
But tight and almost loose works.


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[Irving]

Thanks, my neighbor has me covered for now. I think my issue was that I used the torque wrench with a spanner wrench and set the torque with the spanner. In the manual, it specifies that the tension of the rotation of the hub should be the torque setting. I don't know that those are different, but I'm betting that they are.

In the manual, it says if you don't have a torque wrench, to use a fish scale to measure the torque it takes to turn the hub. Basically you attach the scale hook to a lug stud and measure how many lbs it takes before the hub turns. I have a feeling that measuring the torque of the hub friction, and the torque of the hub retainer are different. As long as the wheel doesn't have any play, that makes me happy.

I would like a better torque wrench though. I definitely torqued my front third member cover bolts to something like 55ft/lbs with my HF torque wrench. I later looked in the manual and saw the spec is only for 13ft/lbs. Now I'm afraid to touch it again.

I did just changed both diff fluids in prep for our outing on Sat. The front because it's been about 1,000 miles since I installed the locker, and the rear because it's probably never been serviced. I went and tested the 4WD in some deep pea gravel tonight and I can tell that both the locker up front, and LSD in the rear are working as they should.

Went through and finished up most other maintenance issues (that I'm aware of) as well. Can't wait to get out on the trail.

Next I need to build sliders and would like to pick up a portaband and plasma cutter. I have the material for the sliders, but as soon as I'm done with them, I want to start on front and rear bumpers.

We are planning a Spring Creek trip soon and I'd really like to try the gate keeper obstacle that I by-passed 15 years ago when I had my last off road truck.

[buffalobo]

Here is the lip that needs machined down. Anyone know of any machine shops I could call to see if they'd do it for me?

Spec Wheels if they are still around. They repair/restore aluminum wheels for folks, dealerships, auto body shops etc. Donald and Adrian, good people.

[Irving]

Thanks for the tip.

[Erni]

Well lessons learned so far. Buy complete a arms don?t mess with pressing. Rubber bushes may look bad but that?s on the outside only. Buy the new grinder if you need cut off disks, because you aren?t going to find the adapter to your old grinder.
Grinder, air chisel, impact wrench are required tools for a Chevy truck. When in doubt cut it. Moog customer service sucks. Right upper a arm PN but wrong bushings pressed in..... ?we will contact you on Monday?. WTF?!??!?
I want a hydraulic press but have no room for it.

Both upper a arm aft bolts were rusted shut. Had to cut of the head to remove adjuster then I could rotate the bush and use a cut off wheel to cut at the right spot of the bushing and remove. Wrong a arms with the right part number from Moog. Those things took an extra 6 hours, a whole day. So I am behind by that much. Plus bushing pressing took way more than anticipated.

Time for dinner with some friends. Then tomorrow cv shaft seals and assembly.

[SideShow Bob]

If you are still needing to remove the ring in the wheel centers, try using a pipe reamer of the appropriate size. I no longer have access to a pipe threader/reamer setup, but if you can find someone with a set, it should cut through the alloy of the wheels like butter.

[Irving]

I think I have a pipe reamer, but, I'd rather see if I can find a machinist to make sure it's square and even and all that jazz.