Another Mopar Off My Bucket List - Barracuda Fastback
I spent most of today working on the Sebring. After seeking out the opinion of a much more experienced mechanic we came to the conclusion that the problem was most likely with the right front wheel bearing. There was no noticeable drag or play in it but he thought it was just starting to go bad.
I normally try to avoid working on anything newer than mid-seventies vehicles so I usually don't have all the tools I'd need for the newer cars. My selection of metric wrenches is pretty slim. I had to run to the parts store for an E-14 external star socket that I needed to remove the bearing housing bolts. No big deal but why in the heck do they feel a need to create new fasteners that require new tools?
I think that the incredible Hulk must have been working the assembly line when they attached the big outer bearing nuts. I used a 6' long cheater bar on my 1/2" breaker bar. I didn't manage to get it loose but I did manage to break my breaker bar. I was pretty sure I'd have to resort to heating it with a torch but I called my mechanic buddy up and he suggested I hit it with a product called PB Blaster. I'd already been soaking it down with WD-40. I took his advice and it did work. It was still one hell of a pull but it finally broke free.
The weld shop finally got around to the valve covers. They aren't on the car yet because I decided to buff them again before putting them on. I don't know what you guys are using to keep aluminum from tarnishing but I should coat these things. I'd polished them a year ago and they were already losing luster.
In this picture you can see the top view of the washers welded in place to reduce the hole size.
They didn't make the prettiest welds but it should work. I wish they hadn't melted my baffle stanchions. I'll still need to fabricate those too.
I'm glad we got these to work. I really wanted to reserve those Mickey Thompsons for the Charger motor.
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View attachment IMG_6265.jpg
View attachment IMG_6260.jpg
I spent most of today working on the Sebring. After seeking out the opinion of a much more experienced mechanic we came to the conclusion that the problem was most likely with the right front wheel bearing. There was no noticeable drag or play in it but he thought it was just starting to go bad.
I normally try to avoid working on anything newer than mid-seventies vehicles so I usually don't have all the tools I'd need for the newer cars. My selection of metric wrenches is pretty slim. I had to run to the parts store for an E-14 external star socket that I needed to remove the bearing housing bolts. No big deal but why in the heck do they feel a need to create new fasteners that require new tools?
I think that the incredible Hulk must have been working the assembly line when they attached the big outer bearing nuts. I used a 6' long cheater bar on my 1/2" breaker bar. I didn't manage to get it loose but I did manage to break my breaker bar. I was pretty sure I'd have to resort to heating it with a torch but I called my mechanic buddy up and he suggested I hit it with a product called PB Blaster. I'd already been soaking it down with WD-40. I took his advice and it did work. It was still one hell of a pull but it finally broke free.
The weld shop finally got around to the valve covers. They aren't on the car yet because I decided to buff them again before putting them on. I don't know what you guys are using to keep aluminum from tarnishing but I should coat these things. I'd polished them a year ago and they were already losing luster.
In this picture you can see the top view of the washers welded in place to reduce the hole size.
They didn't make the prettiest welds but it should work. I wish they hadn't melted my baffle stanchions. I'll still need to fabricate those too.
I'm glad we got these to work. I really wanted to reserve those Mickey Thompsons for the Charger motor.
View attachment IMG_6264.jpg
View attachment IMG_6265.jpg
View attachment IMG_6260.jpg