My Build Thread

[kellen302]

PICTURES ARE HERE --> http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z424/kellen302/

[kellen302]

I has mysterious oil leak, not big, but enough to spot the ground, I'm not gonna worry about it seeing as it still runs like a top and I have an engine swap coming soon, in other news, I finally got someone intelligent at Crutchfield, when another refurbed HD545U unit comes in Monday they will ship it out on upgraded shipping free of charge, when I get it I send the old one back in the same box with a label that is emailed to me. Satisfied with Crutchfield, not so much with Kenwood for their terrible customer support.

[kellen302]

Less satisfied with Crutchfield, during the weekend they decided to stop stocking the HD545U and after 2hours on the phone and online with them, because they wouldn't swallow $25 of extra cost to send the replacement model (HD548U) I finally got them (4th agent I talked too) to send it out, with warranty and Next Day Shipping. Assuming that this isn't discontinued in the next 2 days, I should have a HD548U unit on Friday, free of charge. Finally

[kellen302]

A question for those with fog/driving lights, I have seen a pic of Freshtiva's setup on Jerry I believe, using a factory switch, does this mean there is factory wiring, if so, where is it. If not, what/how do yall wire in your fog/driving lights to? Thanks heaps folks

[kellen302]

Enough of my upgrade talk, I am getting a high pitched squeal at low speeds (under 20mph) it increases pitch with speed, then apparently dissappears, the PO said he did the wheel bearings recently, and the brakes, it sounds more like a brake squeal than a bearing squeal, the Haynes manual agrees with me, My thinking is is that if the handbrake is slightly stuck, it would dag and wear out faster. What say y'all lot, when I have my homework done and it stops raining, I'll get out, jack it up and wiggle the wheels to check that.

[mikeohlh]

Squeal

Usually I would point to disc brakes as a squeal. (high pitch) If the calipers begin to get a bit sticky, they will hang onto the rotor slightly creating too much heat and glazing them. Then add a touch of rain, and dust and they will squeal like little pigs. Easy fix - replace the calipers with some (... Washington State... yea) good Shucks rebuilt ones. We don''t have Shucks here in Tx, I always call O'Reilys Shucks. If you can easy (not enough to effect your speed much) pull up on the E-brake while the squeal is on, and change the noise, it probably is in the back, if not (release the e-brake) and re-start the squeal, and touch the brake pedal just a slight bit to see if it changes, if yes - then calipers else um... mice? Or the Crutchfield stuff needs a noise suppressor.. LOL JK

Interesting, I used to live across the Straights on Camano Island...

[kellen302]

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's definetely the rear brake, because my parking areas are all flat, I just leave the car in gear and don't set the hand brake, and the sound and drag has gone away, I did set the brake the other morning to let it warm up, and the squeal was back for a bit and I could feel the drag while coasting. Good to hear about a fellow islander, although Camano is Whidbey's tiny cousin... lol
Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll keep it in mind if I start hearing the front brakes

[kellen302]

I've decided I need to un stick my ebrake, it's always been a little sticky, but our recent cold weather has made it so I am laughed at as my car squeals through the school parking lot, SO I found the thread explaining what siezes, I pulled the rear wheel today and have found that it is definetly very stuck on the bit inside the drum, I will check with the school shop tomorrow to see if I can leave it there overnight while I got some PB blaster working on it. I will probably do the rear bearings while I have the drum off, and probs new shoes too. Any recomendations on the brakes or bearings as far as brands?
Are the Timken's on rockauto all inclusive for a bearing job or do I need to get other bits, like races, seperately?

[kellen302]

Long time no update. Got the brakes fixed. Went to the Lynwood PnP, got an escort dome light that will need some persuasion to fit in because of the sunroof latch handle. An escort center console that I put in today, looks super ghetto because I only have the front half and cut out part so I could keep the stock center box thing. And I got 2 horns out of a mid 60s fullsize something or other that had been demo derby'd. The horn problem is posted in http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...highlight=horn towards the end of the first page. I'll hopefully borrow my friend's multimeter again sometime this week to check voltage at the connectors. Horns were verified good.

[kellen302]

Horns I blew on the battery, long story short, picked up another horn and got it done. Almost done with my sweet driving lights. New problem possibly. After the 8 mile drive home from school averaging about 50mph I felt the rear hubs when I got home and the left was reasonably warm (not too warm to leave my hand on, but not too far off) and the right one was cooler, but still warm. I realize I was a bad person for not repacking or replacing when I did the brakes, but I did not have the time in the shop, I also probably didn't set the preload right but I got as close as I could with those darn stake nuts (that I didn't replace). I realize this is all my fault for doing it halfway, but how long until they need to be replaced, supposedly the PO said he redid the bearings only a few k miles ago, and the grease was clean when I pulled the drums, but hey. Bottom line, how many miles left?
Thanks heaps bros

[kellen302]

repacked rear wheel bearings, left drum brake is still dragging... I unseized the rear brakes in february, the adjuster arms were sloppy loose. Now the hubs are warm after 3 miles, not 10 like they were before the repack. I might have to call a shop to get a quote on how much to get everything sorted out in the rear hubs these have been bugging the h e double hockey sticks out of me for the past 5-6months.

[leapin]

I think I have a drum hardware kit somewhere in my garage. Could help?

[kellen302]

I may take you up on that if the quote from the shop is high. I'd normally take nothing to a shop but the hub/brake stuff is a safety concern if done wrong. If I screw something up in the engine swap, I'll lose power and pull over. If I screw up the bearings... I lose a wheel. Thanks for the offer

[kellen302]

The Shop guy figured somewhere close to $200 with parts and labor... I'm looking at around $70 for parts and gas to get to the parts store and back. If I don't have a cold chisel to stake the spindle nut, could I use a flathead screwdriver? And How does one make it easy to put the drums back on, it felt like the brake shoes had pushed out while I had the drums off, which means they're probably starting to drag. Do I have to reset the auto adjuster? because that means taking the shoes out which is a pain. OR is there a way to reset the auto-adjuster without taking the shoes out? I wish I had a job (at the shop in question) so I could either A. have them do it or B. use their nice tools and lift to do it. thanks for any advice.

[FestYboy]

auto adjuster is easily reset with a small flat tip set between the knurled areas, if the return spring is in good shape, the adjuster will collapse.

if new drums are being used, the adjusters must be reset. and make sure you lube the pivot points again while you're in there.