Moderator: Soñadora
BeauV wrote:I need to just stop being a weenie and buy the right metric belts!
Here's the link to the Grainger for all the metric belts you'll ever need.
Ajax wrote:I've been invited to participate in a "Desert Storm" Memorial Day parade in DC. They're looking for period correct vehicles.
I have a good lead on a set of troop seats to convert the 5-ton into a troop carrier. I'll load up a bunch of old vets in the back and drive in the parade.
Ajax wrote:I took a long, leisurely drive around town in the 5-ton today. I brought my father in law a care package of good food since he's not much of a cook.
Easy driving thanks to the very light traffic. The truck ran like a top, as smooth as you could hope for in such a lumbering beast.
Got home and performed my post-drive walk-around. Found one of the torque rods on the rear axles with a failing rubber bushing. These torque rods prevent side-to-side motion of the floating axles. The top 2 torque rods also happen to have long brake lines zip-tied to them. If the bushing fails and the end of the dog bone slips off of its pin, it WILL wipe out the brake lines and instantly destroy all braking capability for the entire truck.
So, no more driving until I replace at least those top 2 dog bones. There's nothing complex about it, just $500 and a special offset wrench and monster torque to pop the castle nuts loose.
Ajax wrote:Yes, single circuit brakes only......
Panope wrote:Ajax wrote:Yes, single circuit brakes only......
I was in the far left lane of a 4 lane, one way surface street in downtown Seattle. Heavy rush hour traffic all hit the brakes. The pedal of my 66 VW bus went right to the floor with zero vehicle slowing. Extreme luck provided me with a driveway entrance (to the left) with a steep uphill approach to a large parking lot. Managed to not tip over during the initial swerve and got the thing to a stop in a regular parking spot with nothing but my under pants damaged.
Quick inspection revealed brake fluid at a rear wheel. In those days I always carried tools so a pair of vice grips quickly crimped the brake line (solid) near the affected wheel and I was on my way.
I then drove around for an irresponsibly long time with a "3 brake bus".
Eventually mustered the gumption to fix the problem. Turned out that a brake pad had worn thin enough to allow the brake cylinder piston to emerge from its cylinder. A better design would have had the brake pad wear completely (and start grinding metal on metal) prior to piston disengagement.
I was a hazzard to society back then. Been trying to do better lately.
Steve
JoeP wrote:I think MacGyver was the name of the chief engineer on the beetle/kombi. At 16-17 I had the use of my sister's '66 beetle in exchange for maintaining it. I was floored and doing 50 going up a hill in it once (SOP). We got to the top and my friend said 'Joe you can ease off on the throttle now'. I said "I am but we're still accelerating". We gave each other an uh-oh look so we turned the engine off and pulled over. It turns out the throttle return spring had broken near the top. I just hand bent a new hook in it and away we went. easy to diagnose, access, and fix.