Lawrence R. Wright
Purchasing Analyst
Andrews Office Products Div. of USOP
larry.wright@usop.com (new)
Ph. 301.386.7923 Fx. 301.386.5333
Bob Palmer wrote:
> Thanks for the informative post. Glad to hear you're feeling
> well enough to undertake this work.
Depending on one's definition of "well"; I'm coughing up much
less phlegm. Don't want to get any on the powder coating, don't you
know. :^)
> First, and it's a moot point in
> your case, but I've had the misfortune to have one of the
> crossmember bolts
> fall out (SNIP) But, to avoid this possibility,
> use a little tape stuck inside the socket to make sure it
> won't come out
> until you really get it threaded into the frame.
Yeah, I mentioned this in Paragraph 5, but forgot to actually
_do_ it myself. Doh! One thing I _was_ doing to ensure that I didn't
drop a bolt, when I had to back one out, was to slip a pair of
Vise-Grips (TM) between the x-member and the frame, as high up as
possible, then tap on the bolt from above. Repeating this meant coming
down in 1/8" increments until it was freed up; I had it in there too
tight to drop down on its own but not quite "catching" the threads and
yes, no way I want to try shaking the whole suspension up and down to
retrieve a lost bolt. BTW, when using Dave Binkley's method, be just as
careful with any nuts & washers on those threaded rods, for the same
reason.
> Regarding the question of positioning of the crossmember
> before you tighten
> it down, you should check the axle-to-axle distances on each
> side to get it
> square with the rear axle.
Rear axle? What rear axle? :^) I guess I could leave it loose
until the rear axle is back in. OR, perhaps I could do something similar
measuring from the "front" rear spring mounts, as they should be
squarish, and if they ain't, I'm scr*wed anyway as that's what the rear
suspension takes off from. There's a plumb bob in the workshop
somewhere; I bought one just to remind me on occasion why I shouldn't
have bought a 50-year old house.
> Another point, I assume you have left the rack
> mounts in the same location rather than having them moved
> back 1/2" as Dale
> and others have done to improve the steering geometry.
??? I never heard of it per se, although there was a passing
mention of moving the rack in Ken Mattice's post of 03/28/99. I kinda
got the impression that this was a substantial modification. Nope,
mine's in the stock location, and it's too late now.
> Sounds like you're in the home stretch. Keep up the good work!!
Susan doesn't think so! BTW, when I got the x-member in, I ran
into the house for the camera, just to get a few shots of the process,
and the camera had eaten another battery. D*ng! Maybe I'll get one
tonight and take a few photos; the shiny silver suspension looks neat
against the matte black finish in the wheel wells. (major loss of
councours points???)
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