semlin
curmudgeon


p.s. got your envelope today Matt. thanks

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
buckroseau said:Dropped it down and drove it outSlowly drove out to the asphalt rural county highway, buddy was driving at this time.....I was in the passenger seat with the camera and fire-extinguisher.....just in case?? Down the highway we went, went pretty good. My friend said it was shifting to soon into all the gears, but said that was no big deal, tranny needed to be adjusted. Got it up to about 55 to 60 mph, he even took his hands off the wheel, tracked down the highway just fine. After a few miles we pulled over just to look underneath the hood, make sure everything was ok. My buddy made a couple adjustments to the carb, few pics of him out there digging underneath the hood. So we turn around and were heading back and he says, "lets go a few more miles and see how it goes...." I didn't care, I was grinning from ear to ear at this point... So now here is the part that is funny I guess, or your going to really think I'm the villiage idiot now......
![]()
Just to set the scene here....I live in a very rural area. This particular county highway at 8:30 in the evening sees a car about every hour....needless to say there are never any cars. So were driving along about 45 to 50 mph talking and listening to noises. A vehicle is approaching from behind, no big deal, we figure there going to just pass anyway? We'll it's a county cop......I look behind and notice the light bar on top. Now your saying, "who cares?" Yea, but........No rear tailights.....no license plates.....no insurance.....(this is where you start refering to the villiage idiot part). Keep in mind, we usually don't see a car on this road, let alone a cop so when we left we weren't really that concerned about the things I just mentioned since we were going to just go out for a few minutes and come back.
So now were heading home and my friends in the passenger seat now laughing his ass off of how fricking stupid I am......, about a mile in , 45 mph per and all of a sudden....major death wobble!!!!! So I pull over on the shoulder and the cop pulls over and gets out.....said your tires were just wobbling back and forth, big time......We looked everything over, couldn't find anything wrong at the time. Get back in and keep going, but now at about 30 mph for another 4 miles, no problems at this speed. Turn off at the house, cop keeps going and waves.........Awesome law enforcement official for understanding our cruiser cause!!
Ok, back to lv.....got it back in the shop, checked all the lug nuts first.....maybe a couple needed to be re-torqued, but nothing that we thought would cause that. I grabbed the front tire and moved it back and forth as my buddy looked......then he saw it..... U-bolts were moving!! Not a lot, but they were loose. We had tightened them last year, but obviously not enough!!! Back up on the hoist and hit'm hard with the impact. Sucked them up a lot, they were pretty loose. So, were thinking that's what cause the death wobble?? At least for now, heading back out tomorrow night to try again so we'll see, but I believe that was it??
Well, thats the story for tonight, 10.2 miles on the lv and the first time I have ever seen it drive and driven in it.....last pic is of the cop following us home![]()
Matt
tornadoalleycruiser said:Did you find replacement plugs for the oval holes in the interior panels of the front doors yet? If so could you share your source please.
fjwagon said:Matt,
That's a pretty neat experience thanks for sharing that with us.How did it handle with the new springs? My cousin and I got mine running and drove it for the first time. I have to say I was impressed on how soft the ride was with the orinigal springs....but they do sag. I'm conteplating about getting the same kind of springs.
buckroseau said:But, you mentioned sag.....that is one thing I defenitely am not impressed with. I ordered the 50mm+ springs, which is approx. a 2" lift over stock. Over the course of a year just sitting here the springs have sagged out to probably the orginal height. In the pics with my 40 a page or so back my safari springs are a 2.5" lift over stock....I don't believed they have sagged much if any in the last 2 1/2" years, and that has almost 20,000 miles on it since then. The parabolics have 30 miles on them now and it looks like I need an add-a-leaf.......so overall in terms of lift and ability to maintain the integrity of the lift.....I give it a big 2 thumbs down on that![]()
Matt
usmcruiser said:Could the sagging be due to all of the weight of the cruiser now being on the springs? And this is now the true ride height of the rig with these spings?
Just brain storming.
lowenbrau said:We nearly distibuted these parabolics until our test mule sagged. Once we asked around we found we weren't the first. They were just way to pricy to be less than perfect. Those who got in on the group purchase should ask Paul to make another full length leaf for you. Better yet a thicker main leaf.
Once it gets like this the ride will suck.
Exiled said:Matt, are yuo going to put any sound deadening material on the backside of the panels?
buckroseau said:Wondering if anyone knows and has a pic/part # of what type of fastener I need to use. The one that attaches to the board and also the insert for the door.
Thanks, Matt
cruiserdan said:Matt, in factory door panels the clip holes are "keyhole" shaped and off-set. You insert the clip through the large hole in the trim panel backer and slide it over to the smaller slot that lines up with the holes in the door. This is very difficult to describe but if you will call me we can discuss and I can probably come up with something for you.
D-