Green69rt's suspension, steering column. fuel tank

[green69rt]

I know this seems simple but just thought I would throw this up.

Pic #1 -  Here's before and after.
Pic #2 - I used a 1/8" drill to make a pilot hole it the bracket and then thru the bushing so the grease could get to the sway bar surface.  I also ran the drill thru the bushing a few times to make sure the passage was open and clear.  Make sure you drill on the back side of the bracket AND bushing.  The front of the bushing is split, don't drill that side!
Pic #3 - I camfered the bushing hole with a 1/4 drill because the bushing would compress and cause the hole to go out of alignment and I wanted to make sure the grease had a path to the hole.
Pic #4 - Finish drilling the bracket with 7/32 drill.  A better way would be to use the correct tap but I didn't have one.
Pic #5 - Both done.
Pic #6 - You can see that the fitting now hides behind the bracket.

[lukedukem]

I never thought about that. I didn't realize people had issues with them breaking off. 

Luke

[green69rt]

It's in this thread.  You have to read carefully.  Read reply #5 and from there on.  It's only a passing comment but it caught my attention.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,112375.0.html

[green69rt]

So I got my rebuilt steering box back from Firm Feel.  Probably cleaner than it has been in 40 years.  Should go right in, just three bolts.  But where are the bolts?  Search and search, finally CDR came to the rescue with a set that are correct.  Then mount it up and bolt it in.  Not so fast, can't get the box to set flush on the mounting pads and if I get the bolts in then can't get them to screw in all the way.  Now what.

Turns out that one of the K frame reinforcement plates I added sticks up far enough to interfere with the steering box.  Take the box back off, grind down the plate and weld bead. and now try again.  Why can't anything be easy

Pic #1 shows the plate that caused the problem.
Pic #2 is the inside view showing the ridge that caused all the problems.
Pic #3 ground off.  That steering box is a close fit to the K frame!!!

[CDN72SE]

Very nice thanks for posting. 

[green69rt]

I'm getting to the point that I need to think about wheels/tires.  I feel that I want the car on its feet so I can check stuff like pinion angle, rough front alignment, thrust angle, etc.  Disc brakes on the front, rear drums.

So, thinking about just some 15x8 road wheels with 4.5" BS and about 245/60 tires.  

So the question is where to get the wheels.  I found Classic Industries has them with 4.5 BS but I don't know the manuf of quality. Other option is Wheel Vintiques with the same.  Prices are comparable.   Any experience out there?  I've heard about pealing paint or bad chrome but it's all old news.

[green69rt]

Got the new box from FF installed and attached the tie rods, center link, idler are and pitman arm.  175 ftlb torque on the steering box output shaft bolt was a job!  Engine bay is a little more normal looking now.

[green69rt]

Got down under the car and started checking the alignment.  Started with establishing the center line of the car.  I used the center of the rear end case and the center of the K member as reference.  In the attached picture you can see it.  I checked that center line with the center of the trunk key slot and the hood point and everything was as within 1/8".  Considering my crude measurements I calling it dead on.

Then I dropped a plume line from the center of the front K-member bolts and snapped a chalk line on the floor (line A-A).  Measured out 30.5 inches from the center (a guess of 61 inches for the track width.)  Did a triangle measurement to a random point on the center line and got 44 1/2 on both sides.  Call that square.

Did the same on the back and found the diagonals were 1/2 difference.  Checked the front to back diff and got 132 1/2 inches on driver side and 133 inches on the pass side so it looks like the rear is cocked about 1/2 inch.

Question:  if I shim the driver side spring hanger by about 1/4 and get the measurements within 1/4 inch is that close enough?  All the specs in the manual say + or - 1/4".  Given the length of the bolts on the spring hanger, I don't think I can go much more than 1/4 inch on the shims.

[cdr]

yes it can be shimmed , but I would 1st put a long straight edge on the rear tires & confirm the direction they are pointing

[green69rt]

yes it can be shimmed , but I would 1st put a long straight edge on the rear tires & confirm the direction they are pointing

Yeah, that's what I did to get the line across the back.  Must have gone over it 10 times to make sure I got it right.  Hardest part was to measure those diagonals under the car.  A lot of crawling around under the car with the tape measure.  Got the wife to help.  Still came out about 1/2" off.  So, I shimmed the driver side back about 3/8" and now everything is as close to even as I can measure.  I'll have to take it to an alignment shop if I want it any better.

[cdr]

sounds like you got it good !!!! 

[green69rt]

Gettin stuff ready to put the gas tank in and started looking at the old hanger bolts.  These look really strange.  So much stuff was screwed up, I'm wondering of these are stock??   The place where my fingers are have two big globs of weld metal.  I'm wondering if someone took a couple of bolts, welded them together, cut off the heads and then bent the end for the hook?

[cdr]

those are homade junk

[green69rt]

those are homade junk

That's what I think, just ordered a set from 521 Restorations.

[green69rt]

Been plenty hot in Houston so working in the garage was greatly reduced.  But, I did manage to complete the fuel system except for the lines and sender wire.  I had read a  lot, on here, about how the fuel guage sender gaskets give problems so when I put mine on I stood it on end and poured some gas into the tank and left it for a few hours (pic #1.)   Dry as a bone.

The rest was really just assembly.

Pic #2 - I got the SS tank, straps and sender.
Pic #3 &4 - years ago I picked up a chrome filler tube.   Hardest part was getting the tube thru the tank grommet.  I ended up having to file the end a little because the tube was cutting into the grommet rather than pushing thru.  File and a little WD40 and it eventually went in!  I used a rubber grommet from Lowes to get the vent thru the floor.
Pic #5 - and finally got the filler cap installed.  Since the cap was new, trim ring original, AMD quarter and repro filler tube, naturally they were a little off.  I had to hog out the hole in the quarter just a little (5/16" drill) to get enough wiggle room for the screws to line up.  Used the tamper resistant screws that someone did a group buy on a few years back.


Fuel lines next and it's done!

[green69rt]

And fuel lines in and connected.  And I didn't forget the little ground strap on the tank.  Not much to see.

[green69rt]

So, got my steering column out and took it apart.  Several threads on here about this so I'll try not to repeat.  Couple of thing worths mentioning.   I am leaving my car as a three speed column shift.  At one time I was considering converting to a floor shift with a console.  Now I want to leave the buddy seat in and have the wife scoot over next to me when we drive together.

Anyway, stripped the column and painted it to match the dash.  Then stripped the internal shifter tube and gave it a couple of coats of Eastwoods Internal Frame Coating (pic #1.)

Got a bunch of stuff from Y1 to rebuild everything.  As I noted in another thread, the turn signal switch seemed to be an exact replica of my original (pic #2.)

Tried and tried to get the pin out of the coupling end but was afraid I'd damage something so left it in place.  Tried to push the coupling seal down from the wheel end and ended up splitting the seal so ordered a new one and will try from the coupling end.  Anyway it sets waiting on the new seal that I should get today. (Pic #3.)

Finally, here is something I bought years ago when I knew even less than I do now.   It's a retainer for the coupling seal (pic #4.)  For the life of me, I can't remember why I bought it.   Seems like I don't need it now.

[green69rt]

Final note on the brakes.  Been a while since I did anything on the brakes.  Got everything installed and since the engine was not in I knew it would take a lot of pressure to stop the car.  Now I've got the engine in and running it is time to finish the brakes.  Hooked up the vacuum line and start the car.  I got really hard petal.  I've seen others with the same problem so tried to adjust the output shaft on the booster.  Not enough adjustment available to make the brakes work right.  I had to make a spacer to go between the booster and the MC.  Just took a piece of 1/4 plate steel and cut it to fit.  

Pic #1 spacer I made.
Pic #2 no spacer installed.
Pic #3 installed (look closely)

Then test it again, now I got good feeling brakes and travel but no brake pedal return,  Arrrgghh.  Start taking thing apart again and as soon as I loosened up the bolt that goes thru the brake pedal to the input shaft to the booster, the pedal returns to its rest position.  I guess I just tightened everything up too much.  Now all is well.

[mopar4don]

So this is a common problem? And to fix it you add a spacer plate?

[green69rt]

So this is a common problem? And to fix it you add a spacer plate?

I don't know how common it is but I've seen threads, on here, where folks had the problem.  I bought my brake  system from DR Diff.  I suspect he assembles these systems from individual vendors and then sells them.  If the booster and MC are from different vendors, or mismatched in some way, you get the problem I had. I tried several times to make the adjustment but couldn't make it work.  Finally found the tool shown below, it even had a short video of how to use it.  It showed me the problem in a snap and how much I was off.  I knew I needed about an extra 1/4" of adjustment range.

[mopar4don]

Good to know, and I will save this away for future reference. Thanks for sharing.
So how close are you to driving? It sure looks good!

[b5blue]

Hey paint the fuel cap screws mine started rusting. If the fuel cap is repop keep it waxed, the chrome on mine looks crappy after 5 years and the cotter pins for hinge and release coated in something as they rust quickly.

[green69rt]

Good to know, and I will save this away for future reference. Thanks for sharing.
So how close are you to driving? It sure looks good!

Working the interior now.  Biggest thing is to get seats in it.  In a pinch I could just put the old green seats in to drive.  Need to do some front end alignment work and install the headlights.  I can do without the grill if I need to.  I could get a license at that point.  So really close.   Hard working in the heat in Houston.  No AC in my garage.

[green69rt]

Hey paint the fuel cap screws mine started rusting. If the fuel cap is repop keep it waxed, the chrome on mine looks crappy after 5 years and the cotter pins for hinge and release coated in something as they rust quickly.

My cap is a repop but the surrounding ring is original.  Makes me wonder if RPM would help with these problems. 

[b5blue]

RPM?  The heat is oppressive here also. I've a high velocity floor fan for my carport that helps some.  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vie-Air-20-Industrial-Tilting-High-Velocity-3-Speed-Metal-Floor-Fan/198838306