A '54 named Busty

[6DoF]

how is your bump steer? under a heavy bump are the tires steering closer even though you are straight?

[6DoF]

i'm not super familiar with the gen-1 front end ... can you pull that inner upper fender brace and go for a drive? after looking at your pics in the fender more, it's possible under a heavy bump that's what you are rubbing.

[6DoF]

what's your upper control arm angle at ride height?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

what's your upper control arm angle at ride height?

i have too much negative camber at the moment which when corrected will make matters worse I'm sure

I am thinking of mounting a video camera under there and going speed bump jumping again

those speed bumps are fairly mild and 6" tall maybe

the noise is pretty harsh pretty agressive like, and not a smooth rub nor a high pitched one

thank you for trying to help

[layinrocker65]

love the stance but it looks like new wheels are in your future....

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by layinrocker65

love the stance but it looks like new wheels are in your future....

Noooooo, I just bought these American Racing Baja rims and I never buy new wheels, and I just looked and I already have the smallerest they make AR1725761B which is a 15x7 they don't offer a narrower rim, darn it, and they all have basically 3 3/4 back spacing

https://www.americanracing.com/produ...sh=satin-black

so here's what I'm a thinkin' first inflate them to 35 PSI each cause they seem a bit on the flat side, and then consider a narrower Cooper Cobra Radial GT tire than the 245/60R15 which essentially is a 26.5" x 9.5" tire so something like a 215/65R15 which is a half inch shorter and 1 inch narrower tire at 26" x 8.5" might could work

https://us.coopertire.com/tires/cobra-radial-g-t

[layinrocker65]

Originally Posted by Gregski

Noooooo, I just bought these American Racing Baja rims and I never buy new wheels, and I just looked and I already have the smallerest they make AR1725761B which is a 15x7 they don't offer a narrower rim, darn it, and they all have basically 3 3/4 back spacing

https://www.americanracing.com/produ...sh=satin-black

so here's what I'm a thinkin' first inflate them to 35 PSI each cause they seem a bit on the flat side, and then consider a narrower Cooper Cobra Radial GT tire than the 245/60R15 which essentially is a 26.5" x 9.5" tire so something like a 215/65R15 which is a half inch shorter and 1 inch narrower tire at 26" x 8.5" might could work

https://us.coopertire.com/tires/cobra-radial-g-t

It looks like your wheels get pushed out so far because of your backspacing, even a narrower and shorter tire might not solve the issue. A huge amount of your tire is out of the fender when your turning and that’s not even with the suspension compressed.

[Gregski]

so tried the button head bolts, and no dice still rubs and yes in this very area on the inside of the fender

[Gregski]

tried these coil spring fandenglers, two per side, no dice still rubs, but only once whilst going over a speed bump and not twice like before

[Gregski]

alright so I ordered the 215/65R15 tires we'll see what happens with them on, I don't want to start cutting things until we throw some money at the problem

I also did my Homework and found out I bought the Heavy Duty MOOG springs for the 1978-79 5.7L Camaro with AC (aka heavier) part number 586, so I think I'm good there

https://www.moog-suspension-parts.co...aro-67-02-moog

https://www.shockwarehouse.com/site/...e-Coil-Springs

[Gregski]

I took a look at the steering next, since I could turn left on a dime put had to go around Alaska to turn right

as it turns out I could turn the steering wheel 1 full turn plus 3/8ths of a turn one way but not even one full turn the other way

and even so it seems like I got one of them speed steering boxes on my rig

so I tried to make some adjustment and took off the Pitman Arm and I'm glad I did and I'm double glad that I cleaned her up sum

not talking smack just stating facts, this here is the work of the previous owner

this appears to be the part number for a manual steering box pitman arm, yet it is mounted on a power steering one ?! hence the "alteration" I assume

[Gregski]

with the steering wheel centerized at 1 and 3/8ths of a turn either way I had to toe in the driver side wheel beyond what the tie rod end allowed, I actually backed it off some here to show you in this pic, but even when it bottomed out it still wasn't enough

this Second Gen Camaro tie rod measures 8 1/8 from the center of the zirc fitting to the end of the threads

[Gregski]

this in turn [pun intended] required further fandangling

I trimmed about that much off the outer tie rod end knowing I would be replacing it anyway, so this was a practice run

[Gregski]

well this is interesting, these are two brand new inner tie rods and two brand new tie rod ends I bought from NAPA today, don't they look completely different? I realize one is for the driver side and the other for the passenger side but come on man, these look like they are two different brands, I plan on taking them back in and asking for another set

and what do you mean you don't buy your Chevy parts by the bucket?

[Gregski]

it was a long day, so I just sat there in the end and stared her down sum

[Gregski]

doing this part felt really good, my bro got me that license frame

[6DoF]

i've seen welded pitman arms on offroad race rigs take a BEATING and never have an issue ... i've seen ppl break em with a hammer installing them too. cheap insurance to get a new one! also agree on the matchy matchy TREs, at least it was local and not mail-order.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

i've seen welded pitman arms on offroad race rigs take a BEATING and never have an issue ... i've seen ppl break em with a hammer installing them too. cheap insurance to get a new one!

Interesting, I can see that

Originally Posted by 6DoF

also agree on the matchy matchy TREs, at least it was local and not mail-order.

Well took the mismatched tie rod ends to NAPA and got the same counter guy, and showed them to him and he goes WTH totally agreed with me and pulled down another set, this time the new parts came down in two different boxes one yellow and fancy with logos the other in a plain white box (both of mine were in plain white boxes) however when we opened them up they looked mismatched just like mine, and the parts numbers are the same

here is another kicker though, both of the TREs come with Zirc fittings yet only one of them has a hole to screw it in, the other is the "zero" maintenance kind

NAPA Right Front - Tie Rod End Inner - $15.74 Part #ES443L why is this an "L" even the NAPA guy was confused




NAPA Left Front - Tie Rod End Inner - $16.64 Part #ES442L



I don't know what I'm going to do now, I may just spring for two matching MOOG ones and have an entire MOOG linkage, what you all think?

[6DoF]

MOOG is the only thing i buy for TRE and ball joints. i used to use anything cheap and i'd burn thru a set every year in the Jeep on the trail. the MOOG lasted like 10 years after i finally paid up for them. just don't buy the cheaper MOOG, they do have a "Chineseium" line too.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

MOOG is the only thing i buy for TRE and ball joints. i used to use anything cheap and i'd burn thru a set every year in the Jeep on the trail. the MOOG lasted like 10 years after i finally paid up for them. just don't buy the cheaper MOOG, they do have a "Chineseium" line too.

I hear you, and I really hate where the aftermarket is going, you can't even trust AC Delco any more, they all just want to sell you the cheapest part possible, look I'll pay more for quality, just give me quality! I will pay for made in U.S.A. too but not just because it's made in the US but because it is a quality part.

came across this fun read:

Where are Moog parts made? The answer may surprise you!

[Gregski]

the comedy continues - just ordered all MOOG steering linkage parts on the jungle website, and was greeted with this nonsense, I sure hope they actually ship it here

[6DoF]

Originally Posted by Gregski

the comedy continues - just ordered all MOOG steering linkage parts on the jungle website, and was greeted with this nonsense, I sure hope they actually ship it here

this prop 65 BS is on EVERYTHING. i don't think i've purchased something in months that wasn't stamped with it. hell, bare steel has the warning!

[jocww]

Looks like fun. Too bad I forgot you were so close I could have stopped by on the way or down from Jan since she lives in Yuba

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by jocww

Looks like fun. Too bad I forgot you were so close I could have stopped by on the way or down from Jan since she lives in Yuba

Yes, please do next time

[Gregski]

me going to work on the truck wiring while I wait on the steering parts to show up