update on Rich's build

[hiball3985]

Thats good news. Do you know what the caster/camber specs were? Did you see the post in the tech thread were is says they have A arms for Tri-5 Chey that are +5 caster. Not that it would help a Chevy handle any better 

[RICH MUISE]

I don't know what the specs were set to, but since it isn't it's final alignment I figured I'd get all that stuff when I bring it back. If I get real lazy...or just plain tired of working on this thing....he said he'd take care of the ride height for me whether I decided to go with cutting the springs or replacing them. Right now it sounds tempting, but I've got other priority things.
I just got back from getting an estimate for finishing up the exhaust. 450. plus whatever I decide on for tips. They're gonna start at the manifolds and redo/modify most of what I did.
Hopefully after I get the rear brakes with e-brake cables installed, I can get it over there.

[Ford Blue blood]

I would ask "why do you have to re-do all"?  Now having said that, the 450 is dead on for around here.  Keep on chugging on that thing....too close to get lazy now!

[Wirenut]

Just curious Rich, how long have you been working on your car? I lost track of when I started on mine and I think I'm going on my 8th year. When I joined the site you were in the early stages on yours. I first noticed the tail lights you retrofitted and thought I might do that too. I ended up going with stock lights but your perseverance has helped inspire me to keep chipping away at mine. Having small grand kids and moving twice it has been easy to get sidetracked but this site, fellow 57 enthusiast, and projects like yours help keep the motivation going. The breaks from them help especially when the gremlins creep in. Keep chipping at it Rich you, your talents and perseverance inspire more than you know.

[RICH MUISE]

Bill...mostly tweaking what I did, some bends, shortening, etc. My joints as is are too close to areas that need bends in the pipes, etc.  I had mentioned when you posted pics of yours mine were not as close to the driveshaft as yours, and that's one of the things they want to change.
I'll definetly keep on chugging now...way too close and getting too anxious. what I was trying to say was that I may want to just have someone else finish things up here and there, like the exhaust, if it speeds things up, and when I can $wise.
Kerby...Thanks for all the compliments. Comments like that help to keep me going too. It's been 11 years I think,about 2004. Alot of the first 4 or 5 were off and on, just something to do to keep me from going nuts with nothing to do after work. I didn't join/find this forum until '09...had no idea there was so much help (from guys like Bill ^^^)out there!
I've got alot of issues to deal with on the car yet. My check engine light started coming on, found an O'Reilly's with a OBD I code reader ('95 was the last year for OBD I, hard to find affordable readers), and found out there were 8 or 10 codes being thrown... they were all related...egr, intake , airflow, etc. car was running smooth, now a little rougher. I stopped at a neighbor/hotrodder's yesterday to say hi, left the car running while we were talking. He said "I hear a vacumn leak". My hearing is really bad, I couldn't hear it, but maybe that's one the problems. I'll get that checked out today. LOL...just cause I built this thing doesn't mean I can fix it!!
I may not get my brake kit today. Checking the delivery tracking, it kept getting notes @ Fort Worth saying "not unloaded from trailer yet, may affect delivery". I'm keeping an eye on it, if it gets to Amarillo today, I'll go to the distribution center and pick it up. The exhaust guy said he couldn't guarantee the exhaust wouldn't interfere with the e-brake cable unless the cable was installed when they did their thing.

[RICH MUISE]

Some  issues I'm dealing with may be related...like not having the stock exhaust system may have something to do with the codes being thrown. At one time yesterday, while I was stopped talking to my neighbor, my brake pedal started pulsating, or actually giving my foot a little thumping. May have another leak somewhere. Note I do not have a vacumn brake booster, so brakes not related to vacumn.
The car has been "talking to me" a little when I turn slow tight curves..like pulling into a driveway or turning a corner. I was kinda hoping it was steering related, but nothing there changed after alignment. I know certain types of posi/trac-loc/lockers can make varying degrees of noise on corners, and I'm now thinking that's where my noise is coming from. It totally disappears as soon as the car is straight. I left it up to the guy that built my differential as to what brand trac-loc to put in. He installed a Yukon unit that is a "copy of the Eaton trac-loc...rebuildable clutches, etc. I've got the spec sheet he gave me somewhere. That's my research for today...find out if what he put in is suppose to be quiet for normal street use. I drove the car so little before I had the rear done, I don't know if the noise was there before.

[RICH MUISE]

After the fiasco I had with ups on my rear springs, I'm really starting to get annoyed with them. My brake kit arrived in Fort worth on the 30th. It's still sitting there in a trailer waiting to be unloaded!! I can't get a reason why from the local ups center...they just told me to call the useless 1-800 number.

[RICH MUISE]

So I spent an hour on the phone being transfered from one barely-speaking-English person to another. My last conversation was like a replay of "who's on first". The lady kept telling me it wasn't at it's final destination, it was on it's way to Texas. I kept telling her according to the scans it has been in Fort Worth since the 1st waiting to be unloaded. I don't think she had a clue Fort Worth was in Texas. She said when they load it on the truck for delivery they will update the tracking info, but she offered no reason why it was in FW for almost three days waiting, I think at one point she actually said, yes, it's in Fort Worth, when it gets to Texas they will update.
Why do they hire foreigners to communicate with English speaking customers???

[RICH MUISE]

delivery on the brake kit was rescheduled for Monday.
I got some feedback on the Yukon trac-loc. Apparently those and the Eaton versions will talk to you a bit going thru slow turns/corners, so what I'm hearing is normal. I don't like it, but it's normal.
Looked for a while yesterday, couldn't find any vacumn hoses/fittings that even remotly looked weak.
I did notice the same brake line that was leaking before is leaking again. This time I'll remake the brake line.

[57 imposter]

Im with ya Rich Customer service has become an oxymoron. I have been told, don't know if its true, that when you are put in touch with the "off shore" customer service rep. that you can request a U.S. rep and they have to transfer you. Might be a good time for someone to try it out and see if it works. That sure doesn't sound like the way UPS works. I have never had anything but good luck with them.

[RICH MUISE]

My brakes arrived in Amarillo this afternoon. I'm going to check to see if customer service is there tommorrow so I don't have to wait until monday's delivery.
I got a little more feedback on the Yukon trac-loc. I may have put the wrong oil in. I got refered to a Yukon link that recommends not using a synthetic oil, which is what I put in. As soon as I find my paperwork on the Yukon unit so I can determine exactly which one I have, I'll do some more research and probably drain out the $48 of lubricant I put in it. Annoying, but if that takes care of the noise I'll be happy. Also I was told additives can make a big difference in the quietness.

[RICH MUISE]

I did actually get something done today...got the car back up on jacks and got the rear shocks installed. Yeah...finally something that went quick and easy. I did install the Monroe '55 Ford shocks. Tommorrow the front shocks and maybe replace that front brake line that's leaky.

[57 imposter]

There is an additive that GM requires for all posi trac units. If you don't use it you will get noise cornering. Due to the fact that I moved my upper control mount/spring pocket back 3/16 of an inch I have 5 1/2 degrees of caster as opposed to the 2 1/2 degrees we were able we were able to get using shims. trying to get more than 2 1/2 degrees started to affect camber. It was much better with the 2 1/2 than the factory spec but it was still a little darty. I hope to drive it home from the glass shop most of which will be on the freeway so I should get an idea if it was worth it.

[RICH MUISE]

I couldn't get the front shocks on with the ass end up in the air, so that'll have to wait.
I did find out Yukon recommends a 80w/90 conventional oil and an additive. I drained out the synthetic and put in the recommended stuff. I also got the ubolts straightened out.
Went to ups...closed on Saturday, so I'll have to wait until late Monday. Suppose to be nice tommorrow...I may throw the wheels back on and take it for a spin.

[Ford Blue blood]

Going to go back a couple of post in this thread.  (Sorry to hi-jack again Rich) Caster is measured by the arc of light (modern systems) or the change in the bubble (older systems).  Positive caster will give a down curve to the arc as the wheel is turned left and right, negative caster will give an up curve as the wheel is turned.  No caster will give a straight line.

The bubble is mounted on the spindle, actually the hub, and the bubble is set to zero.  Simple turn and read.  The newer stsem, clamped to the wheel, uses light or infared and readers to do the same thing.

I like the new systems because they tell you if the rear and the front are running the same track (no crabing) and if out how much down to the 16th.  When fabbing frames this is really important to know.