Wheel Heating ?

msuguydon · June 03, 2007, 08:03:34 AM

Hey Guys:

The last couple of weeks I have been able to get the front end of the 58 in shape, corrected a lot of issues with the help of my local, friendly mechanic. He gave everything a look see, found lots of nuts and bolts missing, tightened up the steering box, replaced some bushings, aligned it, bleed the brake lines, etc, etc,... ended up replacing the upper control arms... another story!

I am SOOOOOOOOO much more comfortable driving the tuna boat now!

Drove the the 58 with the wife to a little cruise-in, yesterday evening, it rained just as we pulled in, about 40 miles from the house. I started wiping everything down and noticed that the back wheels, both sides were warm, not cherry red hot but had some heat. Front are cool to the touch.

I have reverse chrome wheels, with baby moons.

When I think about it, there is fluid running to the hubs from the pumpkin, and it's steel to steel with no hub cap with air space, so is a little heat okay or do I have a problem?

Dave · June 03, 2007, 08:11:34 AM

Could be just from braking Don. Its possible the rears work a little more than the fronts. If there isnt any noise and no sparks anywhere

Kidding on the sparks i wouldnt worry too much. Keep an eye on it. Id bet if you had mag wheels like 5 spokes you prolly wouldnt notice it cause it would cool better. By the way where you been ? Just working on the car?
Dave

msuguydon · June 03, 2007, 08:19:47 AM

Quote from: "jusjunk"Could be just from braking Don. Its possible the rears work a little more than the fronts. If there isnt any noise and no sparks anywhere Kidding on the sparks i wouldnt worry too much. Keep an eye on it. Id bet if you had mag wheels like 5 spokes you prolly wouldnt notice it cause it would cool better. By the way where you been ? Just working on the car?
Dave

Work has been very busy, been traveling quite a bit, it is the end of the school year so I have been attending year end activities with my kids, had a holiday in there weekend, with out of town guest visiting and a pool party for my son and 16 of his friends... Blah, blah blah...

Life has gotten in the way of living!

58 Yeoman · June 03, 2007, 08:57:03 AM

Maybe your rear shoes are adjusted a little tight. One way to check is to jack up one or both rear tires, and turn them by hand with the trans in neutral. You should hear/feel a slight drag; if you have a real hard time turning them by hand, you should back off the adjustment a bit.

Last year, I installed new brakes all around on the Dodge mini-beater. A few weeks ago, I smelled hot brakes. The right front was too hot to touch. Some of the newer vehicles are using a phenolic (I think that's what it is) material for the caliper pistons, and they seem to be prone to freezing up and sticking in place. Autozone gave me a new one.

LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE MAKING OTHER PLANS!

Charlie Chops 1940 · June 03, 2007, 09:33:37 AM

If your rear brakes are stock on the '58 then they are not self adjusting. Could be your mechanic got the a little tight and they are dragging slightly.

Charlie

Dave · June 03, 2007, 12:11:47 PM

Quote from: "58 Yeoman"Maybe your rear shoes are adjusted a little tight. One way to check is to jack up one or both rear tires, and turn them by hand with the trans in neutral. You should hear/feel a slight drag; if you have a real hard time turning them by hand, you should back off the adjustment a bit.

Last year, I installed new brakes all around on the Dodge mini-beater. A few weeks ago, I smelled hot brakes. The right front was too hot to touch. Some of the newer vehicles are using a phenolic (I think that's what it is) material for the caliper pistons, and they seem to be prone to freezing up and sticking in place. Autozone gave me a new one.

LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE MAKING OTHER PLANS!

I thought they pretty much got away from the phenolic pistons? Years ago when i think it was chrysler was making them they were having issues and at my dads shop we were gringing the od of them on an OD grinder so the could run tests on em .
Dave

sirstude · June 03, 2007, 05:50:52 PM

Just got the Impala running again. Drove it home Wednesday and parked it. Rejetted the carb and changed plugs Friday night and went to start it Saturday and no go. Long story short, the coil shorted out. I have continuity with no resistance between the primary windings and the coil case. I don't have 200 miles on the new coil. Have to see what the manufacturer says.

Doug

enjenjo · June 03, 2007, 06:44:05 PM

On the brakes, if they are not too hot to lay your hand on, they are not too hot. If they are too hot, I would be checking the front brakes, since they should be doing most of the work.

You can retrofit 64 Chevy self adjusters to a 58, no modification.

enjenjo · June 03, 2007, 06:45:41 PM

Quote from: "sirstude"Just got the Impala running again. Drove it home Wednesday and parked it. Rejetted the carb and changed plugs Friday night and went to start it Saturday and no go. Long story short, the coil shorted out. I have continuity with no resistance between the primary windings and the coil case. I don't have 200 miles on the new coil. Have to see what the manufacturer says.

Doug

I have had this happen using a non electronic coil with an electronic ignition. What brand and part number coil you using?

sirstude · June 03, 2007, 07:34:45 PM

Thanks Frank for the info.

I have an Accel 71000 distributor and an Accel 4145c coil. According to the literature from Accel, that is the correct match. I wrote their tech line today to see what they have to say. That was the first thing I checked. I will pull the coil and make sure that it matched the box now that I am writing about it. The box was correctly labeled, but not sure about the coil.

Doug

ps, I see I stuck this post on the wrong one, meant to add to the the "its the weekend" post.

sirstude · June 04, 2007, 12:00:58 PM

Continue on the coil saga. When I removed the coil from the car, you can shake it and it sloshes. Sounds like bottled water. Whatever they use inside the chrome coil can, must have sprung a leak.

Doug

GPster · June 04, 2007, 03:44:16 PM

I can't remember when it happened but if your car ('58) had self adjusting emergenct brakes they may have tightened themselves up. Or your emergency brake pedal wasn't released all the way. Your mechanic probably adjusted the brakes correctly when he put it back together after the axle bearing/seal job but those things with the emergency brake could have changed after the other work. GPster

msuguydon · June 04, 2007, 05:26:01 PM

I talked with my mechanic and he is being a stand-up guy, told me to bring the car back to the shop and they would take a look and get the situation resolved.

That's all I can ask for, will share with him your thoughts on brakes and emergency brakes.

Dave · June 04, 2007, 05:29:57 PM

Quote from: "msuguydon"I talked with my mechanic and he is being a stand-up guy, told me to bring the car back to the shop and they would take a look and get the situation resolved.

That's all I can ask for, will share with him your thoughts on brakes and emergency brakes.

Well i just hope when you tell him the guys or my buds on the internet said .. Doesnt cost you more money..
Dave

msuguydon · June 04, 2007, 05:37:25 PM

I use a negotiation technique that I learned from my father in-law.

I simple tell the person that I am talking with that: "we can do this the easy way and make an agreement OR I can go get my wife out of the car and I will let her talk with you" as I let that comment sink in, I finish with this... "it's really up to you, we can do this the easy way or she comes in here, and both you and I know that we don't want her to come in here"

Works everytime!