Whatchu Workin' On?

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Got a head start on the weekend. Today the noob tackled some light tie rod work. Some notes to pass on for the next noob... The cheap little popper I got from harbor freight did the job but it was maxed out. Everyone uses a pickle fork this job but I wanted to something less violent. The hook nosed needle nose pliers was great for getting the boot and ring on. Tightening the castle nut to get it back together was tricky. Popping it with a mallet a couple times did not work. I maxed the angle on the ball joint and that was enough pressure to stop it from spinning free. All the joints needed grease so I went through more Molly than Miley Cyrus. The mysterious break noise stopped when I was attempting to isolate it so that project is postponed. The next project for the noob will be a pilot bearing change. Thank God I will have help for that job. I ordered a clutch kit from cool cruisers. Might as well do it all while its out! image.webpimage.webpimage.webpimage.webpimage.webp
 
Btw- tech tip: if you ever decide to go crazy and put a rear locker in your toyota diff yourself, and you find that the side carrier bearings slip off by hand-- technically your carrier is no good anymore, and should be replaced. The side gears need to be a pressed fit. Toyotas are worse about this than any axles I've rebuilt. BUT, the at the off-road shop I worked at, we did what we called "pinging the carrier", using a punch, you can hammer dimples in the journals, and make the bearings a press fit again. With the customers Vincent of course. We never had one come back.

:)

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And if anyone ever needs to borrow my super sweet, homemade diff ring tightening tool, just let me know. Please don't hammer and drift your carrier tensioners.

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Movers should be here soon to start packing up the house. Can't wait for it all to be packed. Wife is stressing out and worried about everything, so it will be nice once it's all packed up. Should be packed up by COB tomorrow (hopefully sooner), then it's time to head out to her parents to load up the Whale on the trailer and focus on Blanca Peak!
 
MrMoose said:
Movers should be here soon to start packing up the house. Can't wait for it all to be packed. Wife is stressing out and worried about everything, so it will be nice once it's all packed up. Should be packed up by COB tomorrow (hopefully sooner), then it's time to head out to her parents to load up the Whale on the trailer and focus on Blanca Peak!
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I was fun having you around man. You'll be missed. Come back often!
 
black95 said:
Btw- tech tip: if you ever decide to go crazy and put a rear locker in your toyota diff yourself, and you find that the side carrier bearings slip off by hand-- technically your carrier is no good anymore, and should be replaced. The side gears need to be a pressed fit. Toyotas are worse about this than any axles I've rebuilt. BUT, the at the off-road shop I worked at, we did what we called "pinging the carrier", using a punch, you can hammer dimples in the journals, and make the bearings a press fit again. With the customers Vincent of course. We never had one come back.

:)

View attachment 1097000

And if anyone ever needs to borrow my super sweet, homemade diff ring tightening tool, just let me know. Please don't hammer and drift your carrier tensioners.

View attachment 1097001
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Looks like I did everything wrong when I did mine.... Hahaha Sounds about right...
 
This is what has been draining my bank account (and since its not going into my 80 the ol' trail snail is not happy with me)

2003 Saab 9-3 Vector
IMG_20150624_234228599_HDR_zps5by0y4bt.jpg

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Bought it for 500 with the thought of flipping it for 2,500. Just had to replace the window regulator and a fiber circuit for the radio. Well I did those two things, de-yellowed the headlights and waxed it. Started looking really good so I think I am going to keep it. Which means it gets new brakes, powder coated rims, a new front lip, new water pump, new battery, new trunk emblem and probably tint. Its a pretty fun driving car.

IMG_20150628_165628086_HDR_zps6mpbqa0w.jpg


Here is a picture of me getting to the water pump, its driven by the timing chain (sprocket on the top left) and is on the backside of the engine (dumb design). Speaking of dumb design, I had to remove the engine mount to get the cover off because I couldn't fully back a screw out..... Freakin GM.... It took me all of Saturday to get to this point and I ended up putting a hole in the oil pan too.. Lots of cursing ensued...
 
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SmokingRocks said:
Here is a picture of me getting to the water pump, its driven by the timing chain (sprocket on the top left) and is on the backside of the engine (dumb design). Speaking of dumb design, I had to remove the engine mount to get the cover off because I couldn't fully back a screw out..... Freakin GM.... It took me all of Saturday to get to this point and I ended up putting a hole in the oil pan too.. Lots of cursing ensued...
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I'm sure that was SAAB's design since they were largely independent of GM. If you think that car is a PITA, imagine what working on a SAAB fighter jet must have been like... lol
 
As far as I can tell the engine was contracted for design by GM, and saab and lotus worked on it (I've heard lotus had more of a hand in the design than saab). Regardless the nonturbo'ed version ended up in saturns and saab slapped a turbo on theirs. It just seems like the engine was designed then the car was designed and they crammed them together... Not at all like working on the 80 where the truck was built around the engine.
 
SmokingRocks said:
This is what has been draining my bank account (and since its not going into my 80 the ol' trail snail is not happy with me)

2003 Saab 9-3 Vector
IMG_20150624_234228599_HDR_zps5by0y4bt.jpg

IMG_20150629_201359364_zpsyumn34dr.jpg


Bought it for 500 with the thought of flipping it for 2,500. Just had to replace the window regulator and a fiber circuit for the radio. Well I did those two things, de-yellowed the headlights and waxed it. Started looking really good so I think I am going to keep it. Which means it gets new brakes, powder coated rims, a new front lip, new water pump, new battery, new trunk emblem and probably tint. Its a pretty fun driving car.

IMG_20150628_165628086_HDR_zps6mpbqa0w.jpg


Here is a picture of me getting to the water pump, its driven by the timing chain (sprocket on the top left) and is on the backside of the engine (dumb design). Speaking of dumb design, I had to remove the engine mount to get the cover off because I couldn't fully back a screw out..... Freakin GM.... It took me all of Saturday to get to this point and I ended up putting a hole in the oil pan too.. Lots of cursing ensued...
Click to expand...

That's the craziest timing chain I've ever seen. Holy nightmare.
 
Nothing says fun like LOWER CONTROL ARMS!!!!

Noticed this along with some tire wear the other day (hint: the close one is bendy, unlike the other):

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So I purchased some used LCA's from a MUD member, cut some angle iron to match, sanded them down, then gave them a soak in some Evaporust (stuff works sooooooooo well):

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Clamped everything down, welded it up, then grinded / flapped disced down all the boogerwelds:

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Best way I've found to shake up a rattle can:

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Self etching epoxy primer, then Rustoleum Professional black (loved how much paint came out of this can):

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