Wardy
Active Member
Phase 3 is now underway.
I call it phase 3 because it's work that can't be done by me and the other 2 phases were the rear suspension and mounting of the cab. Collins motorsports will be working on the front suspension over the next couple weeks and buttoning up a few odds and ends while it's there. The front suspension is pretty much complete but there is a little binding when the suspension goes through the travel. Not really unheard of if you've ever had a VW beam car, sometimes the beam gets tweaked and it will bind a little, just enough that there is a little resistance. This can still be raced on and for the most part won't cause you any problems.....as long as the binding isn't too bad. The binding isn't too bad and it might just be that the front isn't shimmed yet and a few of the delrin bushings need some love. The lower arms are using the Delrin bushings...
photo credit Lance Barron (1984-ish).
The upper arm is a little more sophisticated as it uses brass bushings inside aluminum blocks that the a-arm rotates on...
There are also brass shims that push the upper arm forward or backwards to fins it's happy place. If thats not enough there are also shims that are located BEHIND the aluminum blocks to push the upper arm in or out for camber adjustments.....there is a lot going on there. This is the reason I have Collins motorsports handling this portion of the restoration. We will find the happy spot for the front suspension and then note all of the shims in the book so we know where everything goes.
I have to mount the trans back in the truck but it turns out that the rear output shaft is the wrong one for this truck. Jeff Field had to change out the rear shaft in the trans (upgrade) to a 30 spline and now I have to find the correct output shaft...
The trans needs to be mounted back in the truck to set the limit straps and remeasure the driveline. After thats all set and done it will come back home.
So here she sits, waiting for the completion of phase 3, very exciting as phase 4 consists of a new top for the cab and then separating the cage from the chassis for bodywork and paint prep.
I call it phase 3 because it's work that can't be done by me and the other 2 phases were the rear suspension and mounting of the cab. Collins motorsports will be working on the front suspension over the next couple weeks and buttoning up a few odds and ends while it's there. The front suspension is pretty much complete but there is a little binding when the suspension goes through the travel. Not really unheard of if you've ever had a VW beam car, sometimes the beam gets tweaked and it will bind a little, just enough that there is a little resistance. This can still be raced on and for the most part won't cause you any problems.....as long as the binding isn't too bad. The binding isn't too bad and it might just be that the front isn't shimmed yet and a few of the delrin bushings need some love. The lower arms are using the Delrin bushings...
photo credit Lance Barron (1984-ish).
The upper arm is a little more sophisticated as it uses brass bushings inside aluminum blocks that the a-arm rotates on...
There are also brass shims that push the upper arm forward or backwards to fins it's happy place. If thats not enough there are also shims that are located BEHIND the aluminum blocks to push the upper arm in or out for camber adjustments.....there is a lot going on there. This is the reason I have Collins motorsports handling this portion of the restoration. We will find the happy spot for the front suspension and then note all of the shims in the book so we know where everything goes.
I have to mount the trans back in the truck but it turns out that the rear output shaft is the wrong one for this truck. Jeff Field had to change out the rear shaft in the trans (upgrade) to a 30 spline and now I have to find the correct output shaft...
The trans needs to be mounted back in the truck to set the limit straps and remeasure the driveline. After thats all set and done it will come back home.
So here she sits, waiting for the completion of phase 3, very exciting as phase 4 consists of a new top for the cab and then separating the cage from the chassis for bodywork and paint prep.