Towable Work Bench
The plan:
Make slidable hitch for "free workbench" so it can function a my "yard workbench"
Using 1 5/8 and 5/8 unistrut and assorted unistrut parts plus a hitch (clearance item)
Jon's Busted Knuckle Garage
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Cleaning the garage finding all sorts of things to fix:
I have been cleaning the garage so I can get back to work on the car.
After moving lumber I found my headliner with frame that was stashed behind some OSB for safe keeping.
In any case I just have two broken places and I expect to fix it. My thought was to use fiberglass to reinforce the wood but JB weld and window screen seems like it would work as well.
You all can see the quick photos I snapped with the phone. I took a close up of the attachment method (staples) as well as the piping that goes along the edge.
The head liner is dirty from use and storage as done it no favors but I always wondered if I should try cleaning and reuse the material (in the spirit of originality). I figured that even if I should be able to get it clean and white again I would not be able to reattach the channels for the middle support bows neatly so the point it moot unless someone has had any success. By the time the car is back on the road the $$ in paint and other new stuff will make a small expense like a headliner seem minor. Now I just have to search out the visor repair place to get them rebuilt...
Slowly making progress again. It is a '67 so I should try to get it on the road in 2017....
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Miata Front Brakes
Time to replace the front calipers, had to replace the rear calipers last year as they were leaking at the parking brake lever seal.
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| I decided to do the work while still loaded on the trailer for better ergonomics |
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| Forgot to paint the calipers so I have to wait for paint to dry... (also when trying to free a stuck brake piston one can push fairly hard with loose C clamp to use the hydraulics to free it but once the piston moves do not pump the pedal one more time just a bit harder...) |
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| Pressure brake bleeder system will make the bleeding process far easier |
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| A POX on AutoZone - they gave me the wrong rotors (Then again I should have checked...) so I had time for the paint to dry as I made a trip to town for the correct ones. http://www.mossmiata.com/sitegraphics/pages/factory_big_brakes.html |
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| All done and bled - ready for the wheels. Using a lug nut to hold a wobbly rotor is a handy trick when trying to bolt the caliper bracket back on. Also install the new brake line last so you do not need to worry about stressing the hose. (I do not like the Miata front hoses - too short to turn the wheel to full lock when the suspension is unloaded - I thought I got the wrong parts but I checked old to new side by side and they were the same length.) |
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| Last brake job of the day - replace the rear brake proportioning valve - much easier to get to than the pair on the 1800ES - nice Subaru part supplier pointed out I only needed one for this vehicle - the 1800ES needs two for the dual split circuit braking system on pre-ABS Volvo's with 4 wheel disk brakes. |
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Added some stub axles - can roll rotisserie outside
Ok this is a good year late but added some stub axles for a trailer and hubs to the rotisserie. Now I just need to put some tubes in the old tires so I can return the spare to the camper...
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Cross bars for Subaru Outback
I started making a set of cross bars from 3/4 inch EMT - a pool noodle fits over perfectly. I cut some 1 inch pipe by welding some bolts and nuts to make it easy to adjust. After making the first one I thought of a better way to make the cross bars using some uni-strut and 1 inch condiut (3/4 inch would have worked but this was going to be a slightly HD version)
I chose to use 1/2 by 2in long carriage bolts that I ground down so it could fit down inside the unistrut.
I may redo the lower brackets but I am quite sure it is plenty sturdy.
Orginal cross bars, unistrut and 1 inch EMT
Orginail mounts
close up of unistrut mounts
Now I just need to remove the factory cross bars (100 lbs limit - even 1 kayak tied to the bar has broken loose at highway speed) Note the front and rear bars have different widths between the roof rack mounts.
Nice thing is the bars do not extend beyond the width of the car mirrors - I cut the 10' EMT in half. I may make extensions out of 1 1/4 inch conduit. Next will be to paint the welds and ground off area with high zinc "cold galvanizing compound" then I will likely paint the bars black.
If you can weld get some unistrut and EMT and make a set of HD cross bars instead of purchasing $100+ sets.
Labels: home made tools, Subaru Outback
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Why install a block heater?
Any guesses as to why I just installed a block heater in a car I am not going to drive in the winter?
Because it was easier than pulling the engine to replace the freeze plug I lost last week. Luckily if that can be said about a engine failure where a large hike appears in the side of the engine the freeze plug that popped was the freeze plug where the block heater goes.
So while I had an old one in parts that cane with the ES a new one was easy to obtain with a fresh O ring so I put it in and refilled the antifreeze.
No leaks, well the radiator cap has a small leak but importantly no leaks in the side of the engine. The radiator cap can be reseated with vice grips to make it tight. (This is the radiator cap that says "do not remove" not the pressure cap on the coolant tank)
Labels: 1800ES
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Working on a powered bead roller
After searching on the internet I have found many have started with the HF or Eastwood bead roller as the starting point for building a power bead roller. This is becasue the hand cranked version is hard to use and it still had some flex.
Side supports before welding
Some welds, I made 3 passes most times - got decent penetration
Welding the 1/4 angle stock is to keep the two parts from moving back and froth.
So I now need to mount the frame to the stand and the remount the shafts so I can place the pulley on the top and mount the low speed drill. I figured it will have around a max speed of 50 to 60 rpm - might be too slow but I suspose I can always add a larger pulley to the drill.
Labels: Homemade tool construction
Gave up the on the starter
I gave up on the starter - got one of 3 bolts out but my socket extensions could not reach the other two bolts. So I am just going to have it towed to Don's and let someone put fix it on the lift.
Labels: '97 F150
Truck doesn't start...
Back a when the snow had drifted a few feet deep I cleaned off the truck and drove it to get it warmed up and keep the battery charged. I try to do this arround everythree weeks or so - so two weeks ago I went to do the same - no start. I charge the battery, no start. I clean the battery terminals - no start - just clicing. I change the batter terminals - no start (no cranking) - the battery is charge but I try to jump start - no cranking. With the jummers attached - I short the upper starter solenoid - no crank.
So I look underneath - connections look clean and dry so either the start is dead or the plunger solenoid is stuck - I tap the plunger with a hammer - no start. Now I need to replace the starter and lets see if that fixes it.
Labels: '97 F150
Jon@Homer
Previous Posts
- Towable Work Bench
- Cleaning the garage finding all sorts of things to...
- Miata Front Brakes
- Added some stub axles - can roll rotisserie outside
- Cross bars for Subaru Outback
- Why install a block heater?
- Working on a powered bead roller
- Gave up the on the starter
- Truck doesn't start...
- Passenger side "A" pillar base attached to inner r...
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