"Blanc-Oh!", my distraction

[SteveG]

I only ever used stock pitman arms on the "cut and turn" front ends. I had a lot of people tell me it would drive better with a dropped pitman arm but never tried it... because I never felt the need. In other words, they drove great. Do you have a stock arm you can try?

[ntsqd]

I don't, but JBG claims to have one that they'll sell me for $43 delivered. I guess I'll find out.

[ntsqd]

Going to an OEM pitman solved the bump-steer problem! Mucho Gracias!

On to the other 99+ things that need addressing.....

[ntsqd]

Lacking actual alignment tools I sought out a local shop suggestion and had them align it. They said that the steering box was worn out (didn't seem like it to me, but OK) so I replaced it when I changed out the pitman arm. In the process of popping the linkage loose I found that the LH tie-rod assembly was getting pretty worn, so it got replaced too. The alignment shop told me that they would re-set the toe once the new box was installed. I took it there tonight. 2.5 hours later it now needs a new upper LH ball-joint, the toe still isn't set, the steering wheel is not centered (now worse than it was), and the alignment is worse that it was as it now darts left under heavy braking.

They're ordering a new TTX ball-joint to replace the TTX that I installed ~600 miles ago, but if they can fuck up things that badly with what should have been a simple toe-in setting I know that I don't want them tearing into it as deep as they'll have to go to R&R the ball-joint. Of course it would be the LH side with that odd and spendy axle shaft seal at the diff.

[SteveG]

You shouldn't need to change the seal if it's not leaking (but I get that it's easy maintenance while you're there). Alignments can be a lot of work if there are worn components since you can't really set it that way. As soon as the car moves, drag, gravity, etc., will push it out of alignment again.

600 miles shouldn't wear out a ball joint, obviously, but a big hit could wipe them out... ask me how I know. Haha.

Oh, and big angle alignment eccentric bushings puts more load (in the wrong directions) on ball joints.

[ntsqd]

I had to change out that seal once in this project as I was seeing leakage on that side. Was a new seal, but it leaked. Don't know if it got damaged during the axle shaft install or what. I tried to be extremely careful about it given what's involved in getting to it to replace it. New seal leaked too, but after I locked that hub for ~200 miles of driving it seems to have stopped.

No, the shop attempting to do the alignment eff'd up the threads on the stud and cut the top off of it down to the cotter pin hole to get to good threads. And didn't bother to cover or shield the shock shafts or anything else from the spray of the cut-off wheel.

Local NAPA will have a TTX b-j tomorrow. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend as the better alignment shop (who previously said they didn't work on TTB's) is willing to look at it next Tuesday.

[SteveG]

Ah, ok. That sucks. I’ve been out of parts for a while. Seems like the green boot joints from NAPA are the way to go?

[ntsqd]

No idea, not knowing what to buy I decided to give them a whirl.

AND............

today the H2O pump gasket puked while at lunch.

I've had lots of trouble-free old vehicle miles lately, I guess it was bound to catch up with me. That gasket is 863 miles old, supplied by Stewart Components with their pump. This time no gasket, only The Right Stuff silicone.

[SteveG]

Dang. Bummer. I always use a gasket and a small amount of sealant (I like Motorcraft TA-31). And if the timing cover is even remotely sketchy, I replace it. Good luck, brother!

[ntsqd]

On inspection they nicked the coil spring with their cut-off wheel when they cut the end of the threads off the ball joint stud. The level of incompetence is stunning. They were supposed to set the toe-in, only. Fortunately these are just the ProComp 24413 springs and nothing special. Already got a new set coming.


In other news, the Expedition rear discs are working extremely well with the GM 3/4t front brakes. With nothing in the rear of the truck, and an empty fuel tank, it needs about two turns in from max braking on a wilwood p-valve. I suspect that loaded down with my normal load-out that I might not even need the p-valve at all.

[ntsqd]

Got the BJ replaced and made my alignment appointment. The owner of the alignment shop told me that one of his friends has a FSB with huge beams under it. He told me it was a real bear to get aligned (massive camber change in braking, barely fit on his rack, etc.), but that gave me confidence that I was in the right shop. Now it drives really nicely!

Then I took it over to the smog tester that I've been going to for decades because they're good and they're car enthusiasts, and it passed!
Unfortunately they discovered that the rear service brakes are not functioning as stepping on the pedal didn't slow the rear tires on the dyno rollers. I was careful to test this on jack-stands before driving it anywhere, so this was disappointing news. Their immediate thought was m/c even though it is new. I did make an adjustment the p-valve, which makes me suspicious of it, too.

Snowball continues to live up to it's name.

[ntsqd]

Update: Bled the brakes and got a big bubble of air out of the rears. Brakes were great again. Then it slowly lost rear brake effectiveness. I replaced the m/c. Had great brakes again. Could clearly feel the rears working. Slowly the pedal travel increased and the rear brakes slowly ceased being effective. Again. The saving grace is that the front brakes by themselves are more effective than the whole OEM brakes ever were.

So, how is the air getting in there? No sign of leak anywhere except under the m/c - H-B unit and the film of fluid doesn't feel like brake fluid. It feels like PS fluid. argh.

Working theory is that there is no vent into the volume inside of the front of the H-B unit where the rear of the m/c piston is exposed to. Thinking that when the m/c piston returns that it is slowly forcing air past the seals. As those seals are designed to seal with positive pressure on the other side of them this seems plausible. Plan this weekend is investigate whether there is a vent or not, and if not to drill a small vent hole in the bottom of the casting.

[SteveG]

I found the page below recently... thought it had some great information.

https://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com/brake-facts

[ntsqd]

Thank you. I *think* that I've seen that page in the past, but it has been a long while.

[Becks_Bronco]

Man, you're having a hell of a time with that alignment... If you ever need it aligned again, give Greg at Desolate a call. They do so many installs they have the alignment stuff dialed.

[ntsqd]

Good to know! The guy at Camarillo Alignment did a good job on it. He had commented when I towed the 4rnnr over to him to have it aligned a couple of years ago that he didn't like working on TTB's or I'd have taken it to him first. When I called him after the first shop's debacle (I'm being kind) and explained what was going on he told me to bring it in.

Antioch? One of the leaders of Locos Mocos used to and may still live in Antioch.

What's been giving me fits is the brakes. The rear brakes slowly gain air in them. I've bled them 3 times and replaced the m/c once. I bought this H-B unit new, but I pulled an H-B unit from a 3500 Van in the JY to use on the Wagoneer project. Looking at it and comparing it to the H-B on the truck with the m/c pulled fwd confirmed something that I've been thinking, the H_B on this truck has no vent for the volume right behind the m/c. It's really a reach, but the only theory that I've been able to come up with to explain the air is that in lacking a vent that m/c piston return lightly pressurizes this volume. Since those seals in the m/c are designed to seal in the other direction a little bit of air is pushed past them into the rear of the m/c each time the pedal is released. The H-B for the Wagoneer has a massive notch in the base casting that vents this area. This H-B has nothing. The tech guy at the H-B vendor was really dubious of my theory, and I would be too were I in his shoes, but the notch in this other unit tells me that the volume in question does need to be vented.

[Becks_Bronco]

Man all that goes way over my head, but it would seem to make sense to me. Definitely worth testing out!