Most of us around here aren't hesitant to tear something down, upgrade/rebuild, and press it back into service.
Today was the 3000-ish mile "get under the car and check things" day. I've been chasing an annoying rattle in the Roadster, and today bit the bullet, got it in the air, and started from the nose to the rear bumperette's and checked every bolt.
I think the toughest part of this procedure is I couldn't pass blame on anyone but myself. I built this thing, and if something wasn't right/tight guess who did it. I'm happy to report that everything I touched was still tight, torqued, and good... notice the qualifier "everything I touched"...
As it turns out, the main lock-nut(s) for the rear camber/caster upper A-arm adjustment were loose/finger-tight. The entire rear suspension on both sides could "rock" about 1/16" due to the play in the assembly. Not to point fingers, but I'll point at the last guy to touch these nuts... the guy who did the alignment in Hopkins. The nuts are now tight.
As it turns out the rattle I've been chasing was the hard plastic pressure & return lines from the tank to filter. I didn't make adequate provisions to keep them in place, and they were making contact with the top of the tank, and a frame crossmember.
BLyke said
Jun 7, 2020
Good work in pinning it down.
Derek69SS said
Jun 8, 2020
Did it effect the alignment? Might be a good idea to talk to Jeff about it.
more ambition than brains said
Jun 8, 2020
Karl
John D said
Jun 8, 2020
Did it effect the alignment? Might be a good idea to talk to Jeff about it.
It shouldn't effect the alignment, as the Heim joint cannot move more than 1/16-turn... it was just the cumulative "slop" in the threads that was causing a miniscule amount of movement. Once the locknut was run down tight the assembly is solid.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I was experiencing some very minor clutch chatter, which is now gone.
dashboard said
Jun 8, 2020
John, speaking of the rocket on a popsicle stick car, what’s the status on the paint job?
Derek69SS said
Jun 9, 2020
Any concern of damage to the threads?
John D said
Jun 9, 2020
Still waiting on a "I need the car" date from the painter...
The Heim ends are 1" dia., and thread into the A-arm tube at least 1-1/2". It's not a super precision thread, and the locknut wasn't loose enough to allow a lot of "torque'ing" going on - at least not enough to egg out the tube or damage more that the 1st few threads of the tube... just enough for some slop to be introduced into the assembly.
Most of us around here aren't hesitant to tear something down, upgrade/rebuild, and press it back into service.
Today was the 3000-ish mile "get under the car and check things" day. I've been chasing an annoying rattle in the Roadster, and today bit the bullet, got it in the air, and started from the nose to the rear bumperette's and checked every bolt.
I think the toughest part of this procedure is I couldn't pass blame on anyone but myself. I built this thing, and if something wasn't right/tight guess who did it. I'm happy to report that everything I touched was still tight, torqued, and good... notice the qualifier "everything I touched"...
As it turns out, the main lock-nut(s) for the rear camber/caster upper A-arm adjustment were loose/finger-tight. The entire rear suspension on both sides could "rock" about 1/16" due to the play in the assembly. Not to point fingers, but I'll point at the last guy to touch these nuts... the guy who did the alignment in Hopkins. The nuts are now tight.
As it turns out the rattle I've been chasing was the hard plastic pressure & return lines from the tank to filter. I didn't make adequate provisions to keep them in place, and they were making contact with the top of the tank, and a frame crossmember.
Did it effect the alignment? Might be a good idea to talk to Jeff about it.
Karl
Did it effect the alignment? Might be a good idea to talk to Jeff about it.
It shouldn't effect the alignment, as the Heim joint cannot move more than 1/16-turn... it was just the cumulative "slop" in the threads that was causing a miniscule amount of movement. Once the locknut was run down tight the assembly is solid.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I was experiencing some very minor clutch chatter, which is now gone.
The Heim ends are 1" dia., and thread into the A-arm tube at least 1-1/2". It's not a super precision thread, and the locknut wasn't loose enough to allow a lot of "torque'ing" going on - at least not enough to egg out the tube or damage more that the 1st few threads of the tube... just enough for some slop to be introduced into the assembly.