Bobby (2 Viewers)

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Targa 2021 is a wrap. 1,000 miles of driving in 100+ degree heat up and down the Sierras and didn't miss a beat. Engine temp topped out at 206 stuck in a traffic jam outside Oakhurst on the 49, 109 outside with the A/C running. Made it over the Sonora Pass without issue (26% grades!), though ran into a scary case of brake fade coming down the 190 out of Sequoia. Learned a lot about engine braking on this trip. Next project is a brake flush, meant to get to that before leaving.

Got it off road once we made it to Mammoth for half a minute, cannonballed back to LA yesterday morning. We are definitely going back to Mammoth for camping and general hanging out. Some highlights.

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June Lake loop, Silver Lake. This didn't suck.

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Lake George

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Why are you doing this ??? Looks like no fun! I have to ask; what up with the claw hammer bud?
 
baldilocks said:
Why are you doing this ??? Looks like no fun! I have to ask; what up with the claw hammer bud?
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The Last Baseline Project on the 80. Ball was just less than half full of grease, and no record of when it was done last. Plus, the front rotors had some pulsing and it pulled to the left while braking, so I rebuilt the calipers and replaced the rotors / pads. Have only gotten done with the caliper rebuild (both sides) and the tear down and cleaning on the passenger side knuckle. Will knock the rest out tomorrow am.

Claw hammer was just the first thing I grabbed. :) I need a better set of hammers for working on the cars / trucks.

Edit - also, two of the bottom studs holding the tie rod arms to the knuckle were finger tight. Yikes.
 
As much as you did a few months ago I would have figured the knuckle service was already done.

My favorite tools are hammers and pry bars.
 
baldilocks said:
As much as you did a few months ago I would have figured the knuckle service was already done.

My favorite tools are hammers and pry bars.
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Got busy with other projects and it wasn’t pressing. Brake job kind of forced the issue, plus I have some time while I wait for the BMW to get back from paint. Still working on the FJ40, will take that down for smog (fingers crossed) maybe next weekend.

Can’t have too many of either. Just added a brass hammer and drift for this job and used a pry bar from the 02 project on the rear hub seal. Need some smaller ball peen hammers for detail work.
 
About time you got greasy ;) :cheers:
 
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Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. Boogered up the tie rod end on the driver’s side on removal, so that will get replaced tomorrow. Everything else is done except bleeding brakes, gear oil, and (now) alignment.

This wasn’t a hard job, but a really, really messy one. Actual work was probably only 2-3 hours for both sides working at a decent but cautious clip, the rest of the time was cleaning, wiping, cleaning, and more cleaning. And f*king up the tie rod end, which I was able to remove earlier tonight. Thank goodness for PB and pipe wrenches. I thought I’d learned my lesson about crappy tools, alas.
 
Finished. Not thrilled about the parts store tie rod end I wound up putting on there, but it works just fine and it’s aligned. Brakes are bled, fresh gear oil in the front axle, even got some OE brake pad shims from a dealer in town that had them in stock. Tracks straight, but I’ll probably redo the brake bleed over the weekend as the brake pedal is still a little spongy. It stops fine, even hard stop, but I’d like it to bite a little higher on the pedal. We’ll see what that’s about. I see a lot of brake fluid in my future.

BUT - the good news is this was the last big project on my list for the 80. At least, until the next big project. :)
 
majdomo said:
Finished. Not thrilled about the parts store tie rod end I wound up putting on there, but it works just fine and it’s aligned. Brakes are bled, fresh gear oil in the front axle, even got some OE brake pad shims from a dealer in town that had them in stock. Tracks straight, but I’ll probably redo the brake bleed over the weekend as the brake pedal is still a little spongy. It stops fine, even hard stop, but I’d like it to bite a little higher on the pedal. We’ll see what that’s about. I see a lot of brake fluid in my future.

BUT - the good news is this was the last big project on my list for the 80. At least, until the next big project. :)
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Did you have to bleed for days before you decided it was good enough? My bleed process took two nights and a ton of fluid. Brakes are tight though.
 
FMC80 said:
Did you have to bleed for days before you decided it was good enough? My bleed process took two nights and a ton of fluid. Brakes are tight though.
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I’ve read the horror stories doing the research online. It was one round, but with my vacuum bleeder attached to a compressor. Went through about half a quart doing the 4 corners, then the rest through LSPV. The junk that came out was basically black. When I topped it up after the LSPV, there wasn’t much left in the reservoir, leading me to think I may have gotten some air in the MC. I’ll start over including the MC on Saturday and just do it manually, will employ my son to assist.
 
majdomo said:
Thank you! They are the 6 ton with the newer SKU and not using the pawl, just sitting below the lowest setting. I had a set of the 3 ton stands which I had refunded a while back.
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6 ton is also on recall ( even the new SKU)
i got a refund on ALL my HB jack stands
just want you to be safe
 
sockeyesalmon said:
6 ton is also on recall ( even the new SKU)
i got a refund on ALL my HB jack stands
just want you to be safe
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Thanks for the tip! I will get them swapped out asap, as I have the 2002 coming back in a few weeks and it'll be living on jack stands for the time being. I will be spending plenty of time under that car with new brake lines, new 5 speed transmission, etc etc.

Drove the 80 to work and back today, brake pedal feel is much, much better than yesterday. Wondering if the issue was just bedding in the new pads / rotors that I installed? Seems as good or better than before and I'm reluctant to mess with it. Tracks straight and on-center. Even my steering wheel is centered, which soothes that particular OCD issue. Thinking I'll go with it for now, check in a week or so.
 
A Bobby haiku:

D light is replaced
P light decides to die next
80 ownership

I also made an attempt at fixing my tripmeter with some JB Weld, we'll see how / if that holds up. One of my blanks on the dashboard gave up the ghost, so $10 later at the dealer and I get to do this all over again.

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Been a while! Not much to report, running like a top. Drove to Vegas and back last week. Needs to be washed.

Saw a super clean 80 on the freeway this afternoon, but it had a Toyota hood ornament on it. Never seen that before, might be a ROW thing?

Edit - found on Mud - love the 4 headlight setup, the hood ornament looks extra weird to me.

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