No Lien!

Got my California title back from DMV today. No more lien holder listed on it. It's all mine and the state knows it. Should get Bob added as an "or" owner sometime but he wasn't available when I went over to AAA to get this done.

Wheel Find!

Hey! I found a wheel that works! This is a Cragar 3975750 - Cragar Black Soft 8 397 Series Wheel. Scarebird says their kit requires 1972-85 GM 1/2 ton truck or equivalent rims, usually 15 x 7". I've been trying to reconstruct how I found this wheel and I think I found it at Discount Tire by searching on a "1985 CHEVROLET K-BLAZER 235/75R15 2WD". Once I had a part with specs, I went over to Jegs and looked it up.

They will accept the stock deluxe wheel covers but NOT the poverty hubcaps that I don't have. It's OK, I think if I didn't have the deluxe covers I'd get something in chrome and call it good.

I've ordered a second wheel so I'll have two for the front. I'll try using the other two previously mounted tires on the back. Maybe eventually I'll get 4 + spare as a full set.

Meanwhile I've started putting the steering rack cradle back together. I need a big wrought washer for one bolt on the left side. I had to use spacers to take up the slop of shifting the cradle to the right. Just by eye, the cradle looks much closer to level now. I think I'll be happier.

Wheel Spacers

Awhile back I had to put spacers on the front wheels to clear the calipers after I found that they were banging on the inside edges of the wheel once I got the car's weight on them. I'm using BilletSpecialties WSG5L375. But while I've never liked the idea of spacers, I can't seem to find an alternative. If I buy a wheel with an offset that loads the bearing to one side, it has the same negative effect as the spacer. It does reduce the possibility of putting strain on the lugs and potential loosening, but Locktite would pretty much fix that too.

I'm also frustrated with wheel sales web site that have crappy fitment guides. The rotors for this car come from a 1995-99 Chevy WT1500 (same as C1500?) and when you can find either a C1500 or a WT1500 listed, they seem to insist there is nothing smaller than a 16" rim available. Not going to work with my new 15" tires. I found a used stock steel wheel on eBay... for $65 plus $30 for shipping. Not! I'm not even sure the wheel will work since the rotor is for that vehicle but the caliper is for a 1969-78 Eldorado. Not going to bother even thinking about Eldo wheels. (Even though I have a pair.)

I suppose if there were any serious interest, I could find a shop that sells wheels and ask them to come up with something that would work. But that would pretty much mean I'd have to use custom mag-type wheels. A classic Cragar would be OK with me, but I really just like the stock deluxe hubcaps.

260-3975750

Soft 8 397 Series Wheel Size: 15'' x 7'' Bolt Circle: 5 x 5'' Rear Spacing: 4'' Offset: 0mm View this item

$51.99  Ships 01/09/12

Steering Revisited

Got motivated to continue... at least for today... the rework of the steering cradle. I've been thinking about if I even want to keep the rack setup and I pulled the Saginaw box out to do a little eyeballing. I think I will continue with the rack for now. I noticed that I can't use the right-angle exhaust elbow for the left side of the dual exhaust because it points right to where the lines come into the rack. I can only use it if I switch to using the Saginaw box. I got the cradle pulled loose to where I could get to the end that needs re-drilled. Kinda nutty how many holes I've put in that thing. But might do some reinforcing when I get the angles sorted out. Drilling done, ready to put it back together.

Title Released

Awhile back I paid off the loan on this car and they sent me the released title. I took it over to AAA today and submitted it for a new title sans lien holder since I had to get some notarizations done anyway. Should arrive in a couple of weeks.

Front Wheel Bearings

Today I took a shot at tightening the two front wheel bearings. They were indeed too loose, especially the right side. I thought I might have to take the outer bearing apart and cut down the sleeve insert that came with the disc brake kit, but I just needed to tighten them very tight and them back them off a bit. The right may still be a bit tight, but I will let it ride for now.

Started to measure for the adjustment to the rack so it will end up more or less level and centered. It needs to come over to the right about 1/2-3/4 inch so I will need to shim the left side out. I'm still not sure how I want to proceed with the worm gear steering, but it's here if I want to go to it. I'll adjust this and see  how I feel about it.

Steering Redux?

So I need to do some fixup work on the steering, since I did not get the rack mounted level. Starting to think about doing that now. The weather is still too hot but it seems like I've gotten lazy and I want to get back into the cars. The rack and pinion system is nice in some ways but I am unhappy with it in others... for example, the rack seems to fight back just a tad when you turn the wheel very suddenly. Almost like the fluid on the one side of the ram can't get out of the way of the pressurized side of the ram fast enough. I can't say I've ever experienced that on the '49er's rack. Then there is the issue of turning radius... or the lack of it since the rack went in. With the '49er, the kit came with replacement steering arms. This rack was supposed to not need them, but that would have been while using the rack on the car it was designed for, which is not this Pontiac.

Thinking I might want to return to a conventional worm gear box... I just happen to have the one I started to prep for this car sitting out in the back garage. I'd need a set of tie rod ends and maybe an idler arm... or maybe not. I'd have to look over the original parts to see if they are at all worn or damaged. The car is low mileage but these parts are not expensive, so maybe I should just replace them anyway. Either way, I would retain the Flaming River pump and steering column. I can just sell the rack and it's cradle, or park it on a shelf.

Hmmmm...