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Eyrie Productions, Unlimited
Charter Member
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Dec--, 00: AM (EDT) |
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se%2C try to drill the %28hardened tool steel%29 fragment out. Obviously in this instance that was not an option.%0D%0A%0D%0AFortunately%2C whatever material those brackets are made of %28and they were too heavy to be aluminum%2C so I%27m guessing either mild steel or cast iron%29%2C it was soft and very easy to tap. We were able to get everything together without incident%2C but it illustrates a new variant of the same old theme%3A even with %5Bi%5Dbrand new parts%5B%2Fi%5D%2C it%27s always something. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AWith all that done%2C all that remained was to mount the caliper itself%2C then hook up the hydraulic line%2C and voil%C3%A0%E2%80%94one disc brake on a car that was made before disc brakes.%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2FG-GFX%2Fcars%2Fimpala%2Foverhaul%2520project%2Fsession%25208%2Fdisc%2520brake%2520installed.jpg%0D%0A%5Bfont size%3D%222%22%5D%5Bb%5DFig. G%5B%2Fb%5D shazaaaaam%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AI think you will agree%2C that looks mighty nice.%0D%0A%0D%0ANow the punch line%3A that%27s less than half of the whole job. We%27re not converting the rear wheels%2C but the brakes back there do need to be overhauled and cleaned %28and anyway%2C we have to take the rear end apart to replace a bunch of seals%2C which you can%27t do with the brakes installed%29%3B plus%2C in addition to the same conversion on the other front wheel%2C we also have to remove the old single master cylinder and replace it with a power brake servo and a new double cylinder%2C then replumb the front half of the system. Or possibly the whole thing%2C depending on the condition of the rear lines.%0D%0A%0D%0AStill%21 It%27s a start%2C and it proves that the kit actually does fit together the way the catalog entry said it would%2C despite the iffy instructions. A good afternoon%27s work.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C in the course of doing it%2C we discovered another thing that needs urgent attention.%0D%0A%0D%0ALet%27s go back to that steering mechanism for a second. The tie rods are some of the most important bits of the car%2C and often overlooked. If one of them fails%2C %5Bi%5Dyou can%27t control the car%5B%2Fi%5D. Period. Doesn%27t matter if the other front wheel is still behaving itself%2C you%27re not going to be able to brute-force it with one wheel doing whatever it wants. Lose a tie rod at speed and you %5Bi%5Dare%5B%2Fi%5D going to crash.%0D%0A%0D%0AYou may%2C then%2C imagine our dismay when we got the Impala%27s unhooked and discovered that they were as loose and floppy as the joints on a worn-out G.I. Joe action figure.%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2FG-GFX%2Fcars%2Fimpala%2Foverhaul%2520project%2Fsession%25208%2Floose%2520tie%2520rod%2520end.jpg%0D%0A%5Bfont size%3D%222%22%5D%5Bb%5DFig. H%5B%2Fb%5D drooop%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%0D%0ANow%2C when it%27s not attached at the end%2C it %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D supposed to hang down like that%2C because it%27s jointed at the end where it attaches to the central link. All the same%2C in the process of adjusting it to fit the new geometry of the right front wheel %28the new mount moves the cross link back about half an inch%2C so the rod needs to be shorter%2C and they are adustable for that%29%2C we discovered that the passenger side one%2C at least%2C is wore out%2C as we say here in Maine. And if it is%2C the driver%27s side one is sure to be as well. For safety%27s sake%2C they need to be replaced%E2%80%94inner tie rod%2C outer tie rod%2C and the adjustable sleeve that links them together%2C on both sides.%0D%0A%0D%0AThese parts are not particularly expensive and it%27s not a hard job%2C but it%27s another thing we hadn%27t thought of. We%27ll need to look over the rest of the rigging%2C make sure nothing else up there is flopping around%2C but we always intended to overhaul the actual steering box anyway%2C since the power steering pump is leaking.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe day contained one more little surprise. Remember I noted before that the kit%27s instructions say not to use 14-inch wheels with these brakes%3F We have a set of 15-inch steel wheels to use%2C but Dad was very sad that he couldn%27t use the 14-inch Cragar Super Sports he bought years ago. Well%2C once we had the passenger side front brake fully installed%2C he test-fitted one of the steelies and found a surprising amount of room behind and inside it. So surprising that curiosity overcame him%2C and he went and got one of the Cragars.%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2FG-GFX%2Fcars%2Fimpala%2Foverhaul%2520project%2Fsession%25208%2Fcragar%2520wheel%2520on.jpg%0D%0A%5Bfont size%3D%222%22%5D%5Bb%5DFig. I%5B%2Fb%5D %28not one of the ones he polished%2C naturally%29%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd... hm. It seems to fit just fine. There%27s at least a half-inch of clearance all the way around%2C and nothing touches on the inside face. So... why does the manufacturer say%2C both in the catalog description and the instructions%2C that they %5Bb%5Dstrongly recommend%5B%2Fb%5D at least 15-inch wheels and %5Bb%5Ddo not support%5B%2Fb%5D the use of 14s with this kit%3F It doesn%27t seem to be a problem with caliper clearance%2C which would be the most logical reason not to use smaller wheels. So what%27s the problem%3F%0D%0A%0D%0ADad thinks it%27s because not %5Bi%5Dall%5B%2Fi%5D 14-inch wheels clear%2C and they don%27t want to be responsible if someone uses the wrong ones%2C but that the Cragars will be OK. I%27m not %5Bi%5Das%5B%2Fi%5D sure of that%2C but I can%27t think what other%2C less obvious problem might lurk in that configuration%2C and I don%27t like just being one of those %22but the %5Bi%5Dbook%5B%2Fi%5D says %5Bi%5Dnot%5B%2Fi%5D to%21%22 people. It would be nice if it had been better-explained%2C but%2C well%2C we%27ve already determined that the documentation involved with this kit is not of the best.%0D%0A%0D%0AOn the downside%2C if we %5Bi%5Dcan%5B%2Fi%5D use the Cragars%2C I bought those nice hub caps for nothing...%0D%0A%0D%0AAnyway%2C that was all the time we had. Next time we get together%2C we may do the other side%2C or we might back up and do some more engine tuning%2C now that we have a new dwell%2Ftach gadget to try out. Depends partly on how much time we have%2C now that we%27re working around other commitments and can%27t always spend a whole uninterrupted day on it.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bfont size%3D%222%22%5D%2A My father claims to know the exact temperature below which he can stand to grab something hard enough to move it%3A 140%C2%B0 Fahrenheit. He says this comes from years of working on machinery in the paper mill where he spent his career as a mechanical engineer. I present this information here as I received it and invite the reader to take from it whatever it is felt to be worth.%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D. ""
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version 3.3 © 2001
Eyrie Productions,
Unlimited
Benjamin
D. Hutchins
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RE: Project Impala: Session 8
RE: Project Impala: Session 8
