Starting my Front Suspension/JGC Steering/Disk Brake Project
April 16th, 2010, 04:23 PM
#43
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South River, New Jersey
Posts: 3,515
yeah....
gee ben perseverence does pay off !! nice but geez-us 40 miles? i'll only go that far for a hamburger, and it has to have the fried onion loaf, steak fries, and 3 or a dozen near frozen brews 
nummy!!
nummy!!
April 16th, 2010, 04:36 PM
#44
car guy
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 5,662
I had a guy offer 23K this week but its not gonna be enough. The 26K in am at is super firm and ever that price will go up if I move another project first. There is a huge swap meet in two weeks here. I will put it in the car corral and see what happens.
April 17th, 2010, 02:53 PM
#45
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
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April 18th, 2010, 12:24 PM
#49
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
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In the past i've used krylon Semi-Flat and liked it- this time, i bought a couple rattle can's from NAPA... Napa Self Etching Primer & Napa Underhood Black... I actually like this a little better than the krylon, a few bucks more $$ though.
April 18th, 2010, 12:45 PM
#50
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South River, New Jersey
Posts: 3,515
getting expensive..
Ben I know paint is getting expensive, I have to order a gallon of the gm restoration black, it is 89 bucks, it is premixed. probably work out cheaper then rattle cans as I am paying like 6 bucks a can a paint. never used the napa brand but that looks great.....
April 24th, 2010, 11:21 PM
#51
Ben
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Not much time this week to tinker... So no new pics, but I did make some minor progress...
Spent a few hours hitting the lower frame & crossmember with a 3M stripping disk- got all the rust and off- mostly shiny metal again- still need to get under there and hit it with the some black paint.
Pulled the pitman arm off the stock steering box while it was still mounted to the car it came off really easy with the putman puller. It does take a huge *** breakerbar to get the steering shaft nut off though btw), then pulled the steering box out.
Dug out my JeepGrand Cherokee Replacement box- took some comparison photos, I'll post them later with more details on all that.
I'm going to paint the new box, paint the Frame & lower crossmember- then bolt the new box back in- Then i can start reassembling the suspension stuff.
Spent a few hours hitting the lower frame & crossmember with a 3M stripping disk- got all the rust and off- mostly shiny metal again- still need to get under there and hit it with the some black paint.
Pulled the pitman arm off the stock steering box while it was still mounted to the car it came off really easy with the putman puller. It does take a huge *** breakerbar to get the steering shaft nut off though btw), then pulled the steering box out.
Dug out my JeepGrand Cherokee Replacement box- took some comparison photos, I'll post them later with more details on all that.
I'm going to paint the new box, paint the Frame & lower crossmember- then bolt the new box back in- Then i can start reassembling the suspension stuff.
April 25th, 2010, 10:26 AM
#54
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Rathdrum, Idano
Posts: 9,127
Great Thread Ben, call the Shucks store back and ask then to call you when they convert to O'Reilly's and you'll buy the tool if the price is right. God I hate OReilly's. I did not think any parts could get cheaper then Shucks.
April 30th, 2010, 09:03 AM
#55
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
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April 30th, 2010, 09:08 AM
#56
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
DSC00447.jpg
Jeep Grand Cherokee 12.7.1 Fast Ratio (3 turns) .195 T-bar Steering Box installed.
Here is the link to the full steering box thread in the steering section:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post170993
Jeep Grand Cherokee 12.7.1 Fast Ratio (3 turns) .195 T-bar Steering Box installed.
Here is the link to the full steering box thread in the steering section:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post170993
Last edited by RAMBOW; April 30th, 2010 at 10:02 AM.
April 30th, 2010, 09:58 PM
#59
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
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May 5th, 2010, 01:44 PM
#60
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Been sick all weekend so no real progress...
Friday night i wirebrushed my front coil springs, and cut a 1/4 coil off & shot them with my cast grey paint today at lunchtime...
so thats my lame *** progress...
DSC00448.jpg
DSC00449.jpg
Its actually a little less than 1/4 coil. I don't want to drop the car much, just 1/2" or so, so wanted to be conservative with how much i cut. Can always take off more later.
Also went and had my "free" disk brake rotors turned yesterday too... I guess they are $20 brake rotors now. Still not bad.
Friday night i wirebrushed my front coil springs, and cut a 1/4 coil off & shot them with my cast grey paint today at lunchtime...
so thats my lame *** progress...
DSC00448.jpg
DSC00449.jpg
Its actually a little less than 1/4 coil. I don't want to drop the car much, just 1/2" or so, so wanted to be conservative with how much i cut. Can always take off more later.
Also went and had my "free" disk brake rotors turned yesterday too... I guess they are $20 brake rotors now. Still not bad.
Last edited by RAMBOW; May 5th, 2010 at 02:04 PM.
May 13th, 2010, 09:22 AM
#61
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Just a quick update...
Basically made no progress in a week and a half.
I finished filing down my upper spindle bosses to make them perfectly flat & true- bolted up the steering arms, caliper brackets & dust shields. Started packing bearings- was going to throw the rotors & calipers on & ensure the pads & rotor are straight (because i did the manual hack to the spindles)
Unfortunatly- thats when i noticed that i have the wrong Rotors.
Part of my whole "cheap disk brake" concept was that i got some stuff free, etc which would make this all cheaper than the kits.
Unfortunatly the brand new in the box rotors my friend had were actually for a 73-77 A-body. Not even close to fitting..
So yeah. After a few days waiting, down in my car is another set of CORRECT 68-72 brake rotors. Unfortunatly, now i've spent more than i would have on a kit- not even mentioning the time wasted hacking the spindles, trips to the parts strore... Arg. @#%@#%@#
Be smart- buy the damn kit next time.
Anyway, So i should be able to finnaly finish mocking up the brakes, get them back on the car and the springs re-installed. Bend some new hard lines & be back on the road.
Basically made no progress in a week and a half.
I finished filing down my upper spindle bosses to make them perfectly flat & true- bolted up the steering arms, caliper brackets & dust shields. Started packing bearings- was going to throw the rotors & calipers on & ensure the pads & rotor are straight (because i did the manual hack to the spindles)
Unfortunatly- thats when i noticed that i have the wrong Rotors.
Part of my whole "cheap disk brake" concept was that i got some stuff free, etc which would make this all cheaper than the kits.
Unfortunatly the brand new in the box rotors my friend had were actually for a 73-77 A-body. Not even close to fitting..
So yeah. After a few days waiting, down in my car is another set of CORRECT 68-72 brake rotors. Unfortunatly, now i've spent more than i would have on a kit- not even mentioning the time wasted hacking the spindles, trips to the parts strore... Arg. @#%@#%@#
Be smart- buy the damn kit next time.
Anyway, So i should be able to finnaly finish mocking up the brakes, get them back on the car and the springs re-installed. Bend some new hard lines & be back on the road.
May 14th, 2010, 07:04 AM
#62
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Glendale, Az
Posts: 242
May 15th, 2010, 10:40 AM
#63
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 99
The coils look new. Nice. Job. Can I bring my car to your house please :-)
________
bald ***** Webcam
________
bald ***** Webcam
Last edited by Axeni; August 12th, 2011 at 04:10 PM.
May 16th, 2010, 05:20 PM
#65
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
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DSC00457.jpg
DSC00462.jpg
DSC00454.jpg
stayed up real late last night and made a bunch of progress... brakes mocked up- everything looked good- installed the springs & spindles- then started bolting up all the steering linkages.
Tonight will finish misc front suspension stuff, get the brakes fully installed (minus hardline work) remove teh old master & hardlines and start mocking up the new manual MC & prop valve
:thumbsup:
Progress finnaly!
DSC00462.jpg
DSC00454.jpg
stayed up real late last night and made a bunch of progress... brakes mocked up- everything looked good- installed the springs & spindles- then started bolting up all the steering linkages.
Tonight will finish misc front suspension stuff, get the brakes fully installed (minus hardline work) remove teh old master & hardlines and start mocking up the new manual MC & prop valve
:thumbsup:
Progress finnaly!
Last edited by RAMBOW; May 16th, 2010 at 05:24 PM.
May 16th, 2010, 06:40 PM
#66
Ben
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Just had to post a couple more pics.
I hate spring compressors with a passion, swear by the floor jack removal method now after having fought iwth compressors before.
Unfortunatly, unless you have lowered springs, often when REINSTALLING, you don't have a choice but to use a compressor as teh spring is way to long to get the arm under it.
When re-installing my springs last night, i used a method i had read about- and it made it MUCH easier than all the other times i've messed with the compressor.
here are the pics...
DSC00458.jpg
DSC00459.jpg
DSC00460.jpg
First off- there is the spring compressor
Take off the "Floating" fingers (the one next to the bolt head)
Take the Bolt and drop it through your front shock hole
thread the lower fingers onto the bottom of the bolt
Lift the spring up into place in the upper perch, and extend the compressors fingers to grab it about halfway up the spring (you don't want to be at the bottom or its fingers will get caught in the lower control arm pocket)
Have a frient hold the spring & compressor, and start cranking on the bolt from above with a wrench. As soon as the slack is taken out, no need to hold the spring any more.
Crank on the bolt for about 5 mins until you can lift the control arm up and push the spring into the pocket.
Lift & support the the arm with a floor jack
Install spindle & balljoint castle nuts
Start to loosen the compressor bolt from above. When you have the bolt out completely, pull the compressor fingers out the bottom
Bingo you are done
Much much easier than trying to deal wtih two sets of fingers, the rod getting cockeyed in the spring, and having to lay on your back while cranking on the bolt.
hope that tip helps someone else.
It may not sound like much of a difference, but if you've ever done one with both set of fingers and the bolt pointing down, you will definitely appreciate this!
I hate spring compressors with a passion, swear by the floor jack removal method now after having fought iwth compressors before.
Unfortunatly, unless you have lowered springs, often when REINSTALLING, you don't have a choice but to use a compressor as teh spring is way to long to get the arm under it.
When re-installing my springs last night, i used a method i had read about- and it made it MUCH easier than all the other times i've messed with the compressor.
here are the pics...
DSC00458.jpg
DSC00459.jpg
DSC00460.jpg
First off- there is the spring compressor
Take off the "Floating" fingers (the one next to the bolt head)
Take the Bolt and drop it through your front shock hole
thread the lower fingers onto the bottom of the bolt
Lift the spring up into place in the upper perch, and extend the compressors fingers to grab it about halfway up the spring (you don't want to be at the bottom or its fingers will get caught in the lower control arm pocket)
Have a frient hold the spring & compressor, and start cranking on the bolt from above with a wrench. As soon as the slack is taken out, no need to hold the spring any more.
Crank on the bolt for about 5 mins until you can lift the control arm up and push the spring into the pocket.
Lift & support the the arm with a floor jack
Install spindle & balljoint castle nuts
Start to loosen the compressor bolt from above. When you have the bolt out completely, pull the compressor fingers out the bottom
Bingo you are done
Much much easier than trying to deal wtih two sets of fingers, the rod getting cockeyed in the spring, and having to lay on your back while cranking on the bolt.
hope that tip helps someone else.
It may not sound like much of a difference, but if you've ever done one with both set of fingers and the bolt pointing down, you will definitely appreciate this!
May 16th, 2010, 07:09 PM
#67
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,003
Just had to post a couple more pics.
I hate spring compressors with a passion, swear by the floor jack removal method now after having fought iwth compressors before.
Unfortunatly, unless you have lowered springs, often when REINSTALLING, you don't have a choice but to use a compressor as teh spring is way to long to get the arm under it.
When re-installing my springs last night, i used a method i had read about- and it made it MUCH easier than all the other times i've messed with the compressor.
here are the pics...
First off- there is the spring compressor
Take off the "Floating" fingers (the one next to the bolt head)
Take the Bolt and drop it through your front shock hole
thread the lower fingers onto the bottom of the bolt
Lift the spring up into place in the upper perch, and extend the compressors fingers to grab it about halfway up the spring (you don't want to be at the bottom or its fingers will get caught in the lower control arm pocket)
Have a frient hold the spring & compressor, and start cranking on the bolt from above with a wrench. As soon as the slack is taken out, no need to hold the spring any more.
Crank on the bolt for about 5 mins until you can lift the control arm up and push the spring into the pocket.
Lift & support the the arm with a floor jack
Install spindle & balljoint castle nuts
Start to loosen the compressor bolt from above. When you have the bolt out completely, pull the compressor fingers out the bottom
Bingo you are done
Much much easier than trying to deal wtih two sets of fingers, the rod getting cockeyed in the spring, and having to lay on your back while cranking on the bolt.
hope that tip helps someone else.
It may not sound like much of a difference, but if you've ever done one with both set of fingers and the bolt pointing down, you will definitely appreciate this!
I hate spring compressors with a passion, swear by the floor jack removal method now after having fought iwth compressors before.
Unfortunatly, unless you have lowered springs, often when REINSTALLING, you don't have a choice but to use a compressor as teh spring is way to long to get the arm under it.
When re-installing my springs last night, i used a method i had read about- and it made it MUCH easier than all the other times i've messed with the compressor.
here are the pics...
First off- there is the spring compressor
Take off the "Floating" fingers (the one next to the bolt head)
Take the Bolt and drop it through your front shock hole
thread the lower fingers onto the bottom of the bolt
Lift the spring up into place in the upper perch, and extend the compressors fingers to grab it about halfway up the spring (you don't want to be at the bottom or its fingers will get caught in the lower control arm pocket)
Have a frient hold the spring & compressor, and start cranking on the bolt from above with a wrench. As soon as the slack is taken out, no need to hold the spring any more.
Crank on the bolt for about 5 mins until you can lift the control arm up and push the spring into the pocket.
Lift & support the the arm with a floor jack
Install spindle & balljoint castle nuts
Start to loosen the compressor bolt from above. When you have the bolt out completely, pull the compressor fingers out the bottom
Bingo you are done
Much much easier than trying to deal wtih two sets of fingers, the rod getting cockeyed in the spring, and having to lay on your back while cranking on the bolt.
hope that tip helps someone else.
It may not sound like much of a difference, but if you've ever done one with both set of fingers and the bolt pointing down, you will definitely appreciate this!
Thanks for posting this. I wish I would have had this info before I did mine. I got it done, but with a little more headache than I wanted. I'll be ready the next time I have to replace them. Thanks again.
d1
May 16th, 2010, 08:00 PM
#68
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South River, New Jersey
Posts: 3,515
Nice Work!!
Nice Work Ben!!! yeah using the spring compressor is another Ugly Dance!! LOL... I had no motor in the car, and the frame isn't attached to the body yet so I had screw around with the two sets of fingers... but wasn't too bad..
Thanks for posting this..
Thanks for posting this..
May 31st, 2010, 01:25 AM
#69
Ben
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Still slowly plugging away as time permits...
All front steering components are installed, torqued, pinned & greased.
Started working on the disk/drum prop valve this weekend.
There are 4 holes down on the frame behind/below the z-bar and they happen to line up almost perfectly to teh prop valve. I tapped them and mounted the prop valve down there.
Did a bunch of double flare practice on the bench, then got under the car and cut back the rear line to the new location, cut & flared it- then bent it into its new position.
Rebent the pass side line by hand, and bent up a short new peice and spliced them together wtih a F/F flare fitting, and did the same thing on the drivers side peice.
So all thats left now is to bend up the lines that go up to the MC.
Getting REALLY REALLY close now.
All front steering components are installed, torqued, pinned & greased.
Started working on the disk/drum prop valve this weekend.
There are 4 holes down on the frame behind/below the z-bar and they happen to line up almost perfectly to teh prop valve. I tapped them and mounted the prop valve down there.
Did a bunch of double flare practice on the bench, then got under the car and cut back the rear line to the new location, cut & flared it- then bent it into its new position.
Rebent the pass side line by hand, and bent up a short new peice and spliced them together wtih a F/F flare fitting, and did the same thing on the drivers side peice.
So all thats left now is to bend up the lines that go up to the MC.
Getting REALLY REALLY close now.
June 2nd, 2010, 12:11 AM
#70
Ben
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Finsihed the brake line work tonight!!!
Pics were hard to take at the right angles to show stuff....
brakeline1.jpg
brakeline2.jpg
Basically, Since i am running a manaul Disk master cylinder w/o the booster, the bracket i got with the prop valve to mount it under the master had it hitting the inner fender. So rather than fight with that, i figured mounting it down on the frame would be cleaner. I'm really happy with how it all turned out. Now i just need to hope all the ends I had to double flare turned out ok and won't leak.
The to do list is getting really short now... Listing this out more for my own benifit, but here it is anyway...
* R&R the drivers side rotor & caliper to clean BJ grease off the back of it that spooged out while greasing the new joints-
* Bench bleed the master & re-install (already adjusted the new pushrod)
* Tighten down all the brake fittings & install rubber lines to calipers.
* Bleed brakes & check lines for leaks
* PUT THE WHEELS BACK ON!!! HOLY CRAP WE ARE THERE PEOPLE!!!
* Set car on the floor and set the toe-in
* Torque the front Upper & Lower control arm bolts with cars weight on the tires
* Check power steering lines (remember, i swapped the box a month ago)
* fill power steering pump
* Bleed Power steering pump & Box
* Alignment
* Strap my 2year old son in the car and go cruise!
Pics were hard to take at the right angles to show stuff....
brakeline1.jpg
brakeline2.jpg
Basically, Since i am running a manaul Disk master cylinder w/o the booster, the bracket i got with the prop valve to mount it under the master had it hitting the inner fender. So rather than fight with that, i figured mounting it down on the frame would be cleaner. I'm really happy with how it all turned out. Now i just need to hope all the ends I had to double flare turned out ok and won't leak.
The to do list is getting really short now... Listing this out more for my own benifit, but here it is anyway...
* R&R the drivers side rotor & caliper to clean BJ grease off the back of it that spooged out while greasing the new joints-
* Bench bleed the master & re-install (already adjusted the new pushrod)
* Tighten down all the brake fittings & install rubber lines to calipers.
* Bleed brakes & check lines for leaks
* PUT THE WHEELS BACK ON!!! HOLY CRAP WE ARE THERE PEOPLE!!!
* Set car on the floor and set the toe-in
* Torque the front Upper & Lower control arm bolts with cars weight on the tires
* Check power steering lines (remember, i swapped the box a month ago)
* fill power steering pump
* Bleed Power steering pump & Box
* Alignment
* Strap my 2year old son in the car and go cruise!
June 2nd, 2010, 05:57 AM
#72
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: duncan bc
Posts: 1,502
looks good ben,maybe leave the two year old at home for the firsttrip of launching and stabbing those new calipers, wes, i thought with all this rain
weve been having your car would be almost done by now
, wes, i thought with all this rain weve been having your car would be almost done by now
June 18th, 2010, 09:33 AM
#73
Ben
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
So... update because its still not done....
So finished all the stuff needed to get the car ready for alignment- last saturday I rolled teh car out the garage and down the driveway to bleed the steering & test the brakes.
Brakes felt great- until the 3rd or 4th pump when the brake piston which had apparently gotten stuck at some point during bench bleeding popped out- which then pushed the pushrod back out far enough that it forced pedal back and popped the brake switch off its holder. Ugh.
This also highlighted a different problem. This whole thing is MANUAL DISK BRAKES.
I ordered an MC that was supposed to be for a 70 442 w/ manual disks. When i got the MC from napa- it looked like a Drum/Drum MC- small body, both resoviors the same size- and a shallow (divot) piston hole.
Manual brake MCs are supposed to have a deep piston hole or some sort of retainer- otherwise there is the possibility that if the piston doen't retract at the same speed as the pushrod, the pushrod could fall out- which is exactly what happened in my driveway when the brake switch fell off. Could have been VERY dangerous.
So... Yanked the MC- back to napa online to search more catalogs. Decided on a 1969 camaro manual disk/drum MC- 1 1/8 bore w/ deep piston hole. Should be a little more pedal effort- but its the single bale style i wanted and has the deep bore so there is no danger of the rod falling out.
That arrived yesterday, so this weekend i get to make a new longer pushrod- bench bleed the new MC, re-bleed all my lines.
THEN... I'll finnaly be ready for alignment.
I've borrowed a fast-trax home alignment tool from a friend, and i'm going to attempt to do my own alignment- so we'll see how that goes.
I was really hoping to have it all done and on the road for a show this sunday, but more likely will be on the road again sometime next week.
Finnaly. This darn thing has fought me every step of the way!
So finished all the stuff needed to get the car ready for alignment- last saturday I rolled teh car out the garage and down the driveway to bleed the steering & test the brakes.
Brakes felt great- until the 3rd or 4th pump when the brake piston which had apparently gotten stuck at some point during bench bleeding popped out- which then pushed the pushrod back out far enough that it forced pedal back and popped the brake switch off its holder. Ugh.
This also highlighted a different problem. This whole thing is MANUAL DISK BRAKES.
I ordered an MC that was supposed to be for a 70 442 w/ manual disks. When i got the MC from napa- it looked like a Drum/Drum MC- small body, both resoviors the same size- and a shallow (divot) piston hole.
Manual brake MCs are supposed to have a deep piston hole or some sort of retainer- otherwise there is the possibility that if the piston doen't retract at the same speed as the pushrod, the pushrod could fall out- which is exactly what happened in my driveway when the brake switch fell off. Could have been VERY dangerous.
So... Yanked the MC- back to napa online to search more catalogs. Decided on a 1969 camaro manual disk/drum MC- 1 1/8 bore w/ deep piston hole. Should be a little more pedal effort- but its the single bale style i wanted and has the deep bore so there is no danger of the rod falling out.
That arrived yesterday, so this weekend i get to make a new longer pushrod- bench bleed the new MC, re-bleed all my lines.
THEN... I'll finnaly be ready for alignment.
I've borrowed a fast-trax home alignment tool from a friend, and i'm going to attempt to do my own alignment- so we'll see how that goes.
I was really hoping to have it all done and on the road for a show this sunday, but more likely will be on the road again sometime next week.
Finnaly. This darn thing has fought me every step of the way!
June 18th, 2010, 12:35 PM
#74
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ID
Posts: 398
I know I'm a little late to the party.. The easiest/fastest way to remove the upper bushings is with an air chisel. They will zip out in just a few minutes.
Keep up the good work, you'll be cruisin in no time.
Keep up the good work, you'll be cruisin in no time.
June 21st, 2010, 10:21 PM
#75
Ben
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
On the road again! Well, just enough to test the brakes.
Set the toe in so i wouldn't trash the tires and drove it around the neighborhood tonight to test the new manual disk brakes.
Stops like a champ. Pedal is high & firm- but not TOO firm so to feel like doing a leg press. Had no problem locking up the brakes from slow neighborhood speeds.
No brake pull- which i was a little worried about from my drum to disk spindle hack/mods- stopped perfectly straight.
JGC steering box is awesome. Nice and responsive, & a little firmer (not as much as i would have liked, but better than it was)- There is not much play left- I used to be able to go down the road and turn the steering wheel a couple inches each direction and not even feel a wobble in the car. Now even a small turn of the wheel and the car will respond. Mucho bettero
Now to just finish the alignment. I'm determined to try and do it myself with the FastTrax kit i'm borrowing from a friend. We'll see if i can stay the course of doing it all myself (except for sandblasting the arms, i've done every part of this project myself) or if i'm going to get impatient and take it to les Schwabs down the road for their $55 alignment.
Gonna be hard now that i've gotten a tast of driving again after 2 months of Jackstand jail.
Set the toe in so i wouldn't trash the tires and drove it around the neighborhood tonight to test the new manual disk brakes.
Stops like a champ. Pedal is high & firm- but not TOO firm so to feel like doing a leg press. Had no problem locking up the brakes from slow neighborhood speeds.
No brake pull- which i was a little worried about from my drum to disk spindle hack/mods- stopped perfectly straight.
JGC steering box is awesome. Nice and responsive, & a little firmer (not as much as i would have liked, but better than it was)- There is not much play left- I used to be able to go down the road and turn the steering wheel a couple inches each direction and not even feel a wobble in the car. Now even a small turn of the wheel and the car will respond. Mucho bettero
Now to just finish the alignment. I'm determined to try and do it myself with the FastTrax kit i'm borrowing from a friend. We'll see if i can stay the course of doing it all myself (except for sandblasting the arms, i've done every part of this project myself) or if i'm going to get impatient and take it to les Schwabs down the road for their $55 alignment.
Gonna be hard now that i've gotten a tast of driving again after 2 months of Jackstand jail.
June 22nd, 2010, 07:50 AM
#76
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Rathdrum, Idano
Posts: 9,127
great news back on the road again. Summer gotta start sometime soon and you need to be cruising. You need to show up at the cruise in at the Taco Time in Lynnwood on Friday evenings. Starts at about 5:00 or so. The other NW local Olds guys need to show up as well.
June 24th, 2010, 09:51 AM
#77
Ben
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Snohomish, WA
Posts: 1,827
Just shy of 3 months
(lame I know...)Did the FastTrax alignment on tuesday night, set the toe last night- and drove it 15 miles to work this morning!
Nice, smooth & straight- JGC steering box feels GREAT! Brakes stop great, nice firm pedal feel from the manual disks.
I will double check all my torqe settings again tonight after i get it home, but all in all a job well done- and with the minor exception of paying the sandblaster to blast my arms & misc stuff, Everything was done 100% by me, from the bushings to the alignment. Makes a guy feel pretty good.
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delmontcrusier
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May 28th, 2023 07:37 AM
