sh** happens

Kctom · April 29, 2004, 03:09:49 PM

The first long drive in the 38 was a 30 mile round trip to a town south of where I live. It was to have the tail pipes re-installed. With wifey hauling the pipes in her pt cruzer tagging along behind me we headed off heading south. About half way down a rattling sound started. Sounded like it came from the rear brakes. We arrived at the muffler shop at 2 o'clock. They were closed. So I slid under the car a looked the rear brakes over. Started for home. the noise made a real load clunk and * the steering wheel out of my hand. We headed for the ditch on the right with that right wheel locked up. Looked the car over for damage. None to be seen. Went home in the pt chase car and picked up a jack and some tools. jacked the car up and took off the right wheel. The brake caliper had come loose and wedged against the wheel. Cutting two 3/16 deep groves in the wheel all the way around before locking up. With the wheel removed the caliper in question fell to the ground. Turns out that when I put the dropped spindles on I forgot to tighten the bolts on the passangers side up. Nuff said. a 250.00 mistake. New wheel will be here Fri. Chek them bolts twice is the comment for the guy next door. Next time I will, in fact have already done it.
TOM

Crafty · April 29, 2004, 03:23:54 PM

Jeez, glad to hear you and your car is okay, shame about the $250 but coulda been worse..

Sean · April 29, 2004, 06:10:01 PM

Could have been a lot worse.... Glad to hear you got off lucky though.

Dave · April 29, 2004, 06:37:13 PM

Quote from: "Kctom1"The first long drive in the 38 was a 30 mile round trip to a town south of where I live. It was to have the tail pipes re-installed. With wifey hauling the pipes in her pt cruzer tagging along behind me we headed off heading south. About half way down a rattling sound started. Sounded like it came from the rear brakes. We arrived at the muffler shop at 2 o'clock. They were closed. So I slid under the car a looked the rear brakes over. Started for home. the noise made a real load clunk and * the steering wheel out of my hand. We headed for the ditch on the right with that right wheel locked up. Looked the car over for damage. None to be seen. Went home in the pt chase car and picked up a jack and some tools. jacked the car up and took off the right wheel. The brake caliper had come loose and wedged against the wheel. Cutting two 3/16 deep groves in the wheel all the way around before locking up. With the wheel removed the caliper in question fell to the ground. Turns out that when I put the dropped spindles on I forgot to tighten the bolts on the passangers side up. Nuff said. a 250.00 mistake. New wheel will be here Fri. Chek them bolts twice is the comment for the guy next door. Next time I will, in fact have already done it.
TOM

Interesting. Just tonite I went for another ride in the 32 when I got back I noticed the left front shock looked crooked at the bottom. Yup I needed to tighted the axle bolt some more. I just came in after thinking I need to go over all the bolts this weekend or at least next week for sure. Most of em I tightened good but some take a set and need a little more..
Dave

KustomLincolnLady · April 29, 2004, 11:18:08 PM

Dang Tom!!!! Glad your ok and the car too!! That had to be an awful feeling for a while :cry:
BTW, what were you wearing!!! :oops:

Debb

Pope Downunder · April 29, 2004, 11:27:53 PM

Quote from: "Kctom1"snip . . . Turns out that when I put the dropped spindles on I forgot to tighten the bolts on the passangers side up. Nuff said. a 250.00 mistake. New wheel will be here Fri. Chek them bolts twice is the comment for the guy next door. Next time I will, in fact have already done it.
TOM

Glad you didn't get hurt, or do any serious damage.

In the seventies, I worked for a short time at MACK trucks, between other jobs. The mechanics there taught me a lot; one of the most valuable being, on any critical compondents, to either tighten a set of fasteners to spec., or leave them out altogether. This was one of the fundamental 'workshop rules'. We never put anything on finger tight etc. I try to follow that rule now with jobs I do, and generally I think I do so, by habit.

Kctom · April 30, 2004, 08:05:26 AM

Quote from: "KustomLincolnLady"Dang Tom!!!! Glad your ok and the car too!! That had to be an awful feeling for a while :cry:
BTW, what were you wearing!!! :oops:
Debb

Debb, had to change what I was wearing! It was a good lesson that hopefully others can learn from. Will never put a fastener on hand tight again.

Kctom · April 30, 2004, 08:18:30 AM

Quote from: "Pope Downunder"
Quote from: "Kctom1"snip . . . Turns out that when I put the dropped spindles on I forgot to tighten the bolts on the passangers side up. Nuff said. a 250.00 mistake. New wheel will be here Fri. Chek them bolts twice is the comment for the guy next door. Next time I will, in fact have already done it.
TOM
Glad you didn't get hurt, or do any serious damage.

In the seventies, I worked for a short time at MACK trucks, between other jobs. The mechanics there taught me a lot; one of the most valuable being, on any critical compondents, to either tighten a set of fasteners to spec., or leave them out altogether. This was one of the fundamental 'workshop rules'. We never put anything on finger tight etc. I try to follow that rule now with jobs I do, and generally I think I do so, by habit.

I will go by that rule from now on. With my luck I'll leave it out and drive the next day not thinking of putting the bolt in. The CRS thing