Well there's your problem...
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Ia
Well there's your problem...
Changed the steering rag joint today... here is what is left of the one that came out:
Props to the GM engineers that designed the coupler so even when it fails it still WORKS!
I don't even want to think of how many miles have been put on it it that condition
Props to the GM engineers that designed the coupler so even when it fails it still WORKS!
I don't even want to think of how many miles have been put on it it that condition
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Ia
Not 100%... but at least 121,000... assuming it is the original, and that rhe odometer has only rolled over once
I did the math... thats like two weeks worth of driving around here
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Johnson City TN
Mine has ~147k on it, and I've noticed just a little more play lately. Think I'll get my replacement very soon, might have a similar finding.
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Pro
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From: Ia
Good luck!
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Ia
I had to order a bunch of parts for the wifes Audi, so I ordered from one of the big online parts houses. I'm not sure if it is as stiff as the original.... but at this point Gummi Bears would be an improvement over what I had. Here is to hopping my lap times improve!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Well I hope yours is not as bad as that... but I did read a good thread on here from around 2005 about changing it out. There was debate about whether it was better to loosen the steering box and swing it out of the way. Or drop the steering column. I have all my carpet and padding ripped out so it was pretty easy to drop the column.
Good luck!
Good luck!
when tommy did my chassis swap the column slid out of the rag unit but when he stuck the body back on the new rag wouldnt go in I told him you have to drop the box or pull the column and he argued he could get it to fit without extra work, I am scared to see what he broke to make that happen
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From: Ia
I'm still worried about that subject,
when tommy did my chassis swap the column slid out of the rag unit but when he stuck the body back on the new rag wouldnt go in I told him you have to drop the box or pull the column and he argued he could get it to fit without extra work, I am scared to see what he broke to make that happen
when tommy did my chassis swap the column slid out of the rag unit but when he stuck the body back on the new rag wouldnt go in I told him you have to drop the box or pull the column and he argued he could get it to fit without extra work, I am scared to see what he broke to make that happen
It is a real shame what happened to you an your project... from someone you trusted to boot. I hate to think there might be more WTF moments in your future...
indeed.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
The guy was when he wanted to be a pretty darn good tech and great painter, his biggest issue was he bit off way more then he could chew, next he blamed others not himself for it and last, he had zero people skills, remember I had to threaten to get the law involved to force him to give me my car, nothing was owed on it, he just didn't feel like moving it out of the shop.
I fear he busted who knows what to fit the rag in....him telling me to check it out before I drive it, was spooky.
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From: Ia
That just sounds like an @$$ move to me... "yeah I screwed it up, but it up to you to deside if you trust your life to it"
If I remember/ read the thread I mentioned correctly they said the coupler was designed not to come apart without removing one of the components. That way there were MANY points of failure that had to happen before it unintentionally came apart.
Sadly I have known a lot of brilliant/talented people that have no people skills, and a lot that have no meaningfull skills what so ever and get by on only their shear charisma.... the really successful people have one foot planted in both worlds
Last edited by Madhatr; May 18, 2016 at 04:53 PM.
Race Director
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
I went back looked at the picture you posted, seems if I recall correctly and my mind is not booted up so I could be all askew but didn't some outfits offer replacement rags that did come apart/bolted together for easier installs I and hoping guessing tommy just modded one to come apart and didn't damage anything harder and more costly to fix.
Tommy also was very ego driven I could see him dropping the box and saying he didn't, lol,
By that time at his shop I was so over him I just wanted me car out of there....
Tommy also was very ego driven I could see him dropping the box and saying he didn't, lol,
By that time at his shop I was so over him I just wanted me car out of there....
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From: Ia
I went back looked at the picture you posted, seems if I recall correctly and my mind is not booted up so I could be all askew but didn't some outfits offer replacement rags that did come apart/bolted together for easier installs I and hoping guessing tommy just modded one to come apart and didn't damage anything harder and more costly to fix.
I would be interested to know what you find when you take a look at what you ultimately end up dealing with...
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
I think you are correct, some kits do swap the rivets for bolts... but you have to be careful of 'budget' kits that don't use the correct shoulder bolts, leaving you to Torque on pliable material that will eventually come loose.
I would be interested to know what you find when you take a look at what you ultimately end up dealing with...
I would be interested to know what you find when you take a look at what you ultimately end up dealing with...
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 508
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From: Ia
Diagnosing and fixing of the wife's friends car
Changing b the fyel filter an window regulator in the wife's car
Hopefully reroute a new brake line in the truck
And hopefully fix the passenger seat belt in the vette.
