neohic Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Thanks for keeping things updated. I truly enjoy seeing what’s new with your truck and I enjoy the simple and honest feel to it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 No problem. I'm glad people enjoy keeping up with her Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Big day! She turned 300,000 miles! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete M Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 that IS a big day! congrats! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 Thanks! She's the first one in the fleet that's made it to 300K. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
buxmj Posted November 21, 2020 Share Posted November 21, 2020 That is awesome. I didn't think mine would ever get to 250k, now 268k but just a few thousand a year for mine, it earned its retirement. How much do you drive yours? Buck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 At this point somewhere around 6K miles/yr. She gets driven to work 1-2 days each week, junkyard runs, and whenever I need to haul things around. There have been a few periods where she wasn't driven much due to needed repairs. The longest period was prior to the trans rebuild. Not being able to shift into gear when warmed up and running made it very difficult to drive in any kind of appreciable traffic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 Needed to move the cherry picker around. A few years back I built an easy to assemble overhead beam for the chain fall. It's somewhat time consuming but works great on things that are too heavy for one person to pick up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete M Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 once upon a time I built a similar thing out of wood beams. loved it! except for it didn't move. it was just in the garage. I had to lift the engine up and then push the whole truck backwards. lol. I need to make another, but like yours Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Been chasing some noises in the front end and also a notable deterioration in handling on the highway. New track bar helped a lot with the handling. Time will tell if the popping under the driver's side of the floor pan goes away. The bushing on the old track bar had really compressed although the rubber still seemed to be in decent shape. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Getting pretty deep into both the noise and the odd handling. One of the guide pins for the brake caliper was rusted solid and had to be beaten out of the bushing. Interestingly the pads weren't abnormally worn and the bushing was still in good shape. It was on the driver's side so another possible source of noise. I also replaced the front U joints. The noise is/was an occasional loud bang or pop from the driver's side in low speed, high angle turns (parking lot maneuvers). Handling is still a bit off, although better. The steering damper was replaced in 2013 so that might be next. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fryedaddy Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Nice to see it on the road at 300k Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete M Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 check the track bar bracket for movement and check the frame for cracking between that bracket and the steering box. very common points of noise. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 I checked the bracket and tightened all the nuts about 1/3 turn. I'll check the corner of the uniframe for cracks when I have a few minutes Haven't heard much noise recently but she's been on the highway more than anything. The handling is no longer scary but still not quite right. I got the block for the Cutlass back from the machine shop and those idiots didn't check it for cracks. They should do it as a matter of course but I gave them specific, written instructions to check. I found the crack when I retrieved the block. I inspected it prior to unloading from Georgia. I took it back, argued with them, and made them Magnaflux the area in my presence. Huge crack Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 Last Saturday I took Georgia across the mountains to look for a replacement block for the Cutlass. Regardless of the the seller said this one was not rebuildable. Locked up tight and looked like it had been sitting in a pond: Hit a Pull-a-Part on the way back and found a free spinning donor with the right block. I went back across the mountain yesterday to pull the engine. Long day and it was quite cold out but got it done. It was snowing on the way back but the Jeep brought it home, albeit at 45 mph in some spots. With all that weight in the back of the bed no way I was taking snowy curves at 60-65. I've put 600 miles on her chasing engines in the past 2 weekends... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete M Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 worth every mile Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 Loaded up Olds engine #2 and drove it over the mountain to a different machine shop this week. The trip back with an empty bed was challenging. The interstate has a large downhill section with 50-60mph switch backs and she had moderate death wobble on each right hand sweeper with a bump. Yesterday I did an alignment, had the tires rebalanced, and replaced the steering damper. The reason toe was out by an even amount is due to the steering box swap. I'll find out how she drives now but I'm running out of stuff to check. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 I should also mention the tires were replaced 5/2016 (2) and 11/2016 (2). All 4 have about 6/32" left. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeatCJ Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Curious to see what the toe adjustment does for you. If that doesn't fix it, you could rotate your tires, and see if that changes anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 The steering damper replacement kicked the steering wheel off center so I had another alignment tonight. She's still fairly bouncy. I'll drive her a bit and see what happens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete M Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 define "bouncy" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Quote define "bouncy" Prior to the last tire balance & alignment she'd only start to shimmy/oscillate when excited by a bump when traveling above 60mph, usually on the RF wheel, and more so when in a right handed turn. The oscillations were longer duration and somewhat violent. Now the shimmy/oscillation can start when driving on a fairly level surface between 65-70mph. It doesn't seem to need an external excitation but is of a much lower amplitude. A bump on the RF wheel and the right handed turn at 55mph still exist but the violence of the event it perhaps 1/3-1/2 of what it was. The truck seems less stable overall but, when events occur, the severity is less. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete M Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 you've got some serious issues there. check everything up front for movement while you have someone quickly saw the wheel back and forth. have you rotated the tires with any change in severity? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BeatCJ Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 @1987Comanche As I read your report from your alignment, it looks like it's still adjusted to a slight toe out? I am pretty sure slight toe in is preferred. You can adjust toe yourself, pretty easily. I would bet if you adjusted so you have about 1/8" of difference between you measurement at the front of your tire and the rear of the tire, you would see an improvement. With an inverted Y steering setup, you need to adjust both the drag link and tie rod, and the tie rod will need to be adjusted twice what the drag link is adjusted. I would start with shortening your drag link 1/4 turn, and the drag link 1/2 a turn. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1987Comanche Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 Quote have you rotated the tires with any change in severity? The oscillation at 65-70 mph on level ground seemed to start after the rotate/balance. The alignment and R&B happened almost back to back so hard to say what percentage can be assigned to each. I'd thought about going back to Sam's Club to have the tire balance checked. It wouldn't be the first time I'd had tires balanced incorrectly. Quote With an inverted Y steering setup, you need to adjust both the drag link and tie rod, and the tie rod will need to be adjusted twice what the drag link is adjusted. I would start with shortening your drag link 1/4 turn, and the drag link 1/2 a turn. I can certainly give it a try. I've centered the steering wheel myself a few times by trial & error and, as you've noted, 1/4 turn on the drag link makes a big difference. Quote check everything up front for movement while you have someone quickly saw the wheel back and forth. Haven't done this since replacing the track bar. Last time I could see the old track bar moving a bit against the bushing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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