The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr The new monitor was 199 at the show, best I saw online was 249. uses the same sensors as the 570, so I just had program the new monitor.

 

[Teamubr]

@Teamubr The new monitor was 199 at the show.

That's a really good price!

j

 

[bama_ed]

Yup, took the annual trip to Hershey again. This time I was unsupervised!!!

Ooooh. You experienced an unrestrained Nirvana!

Kinda wonder what that would be like.

Ed

PS - as in 'free to wander around', look at interesting stuff, etc.

 

[jbrostek]

@bama_ed It is pretty awesome, though DW actually lets me squirrel around the show when she is with me. However, there was way more grunting time spent talking about chassis, suspension systems and fantasizing about the F450 hauler bed they had on display that was a solid 6 figure pricetag when I am on my own.

 

[4077]

My son let me know he would be flying over Disney today, so got a few screen shots….

 

[bama_ed]

My son let me know he would be flying over Disney today, so got a few screen shots….

@4077, since now you and your son have BOTH piloted planes over WDW, that piece of Orange County has now become a 4077 family homestead.

Pretty cool, honestly.

ED

 

[4077]

@4077, since now you and your son have BOTH piloted planes over WDW, that piece of Orange County has now become a 4077 family homestead.

Pretty cool, honestly.

ED

Hah... I think I can live with that (I can't deny that I think it's cool, too )

 

[4077]

Here are his pics… busy flying, so it is best he could get…

 

[jbrostek]

Last week I had a bit of an experience I would want noone else to experience. While towing home from the last race weekend of the season, nothing is more gut wrenching then to hit the brakes and get next to no pedal and grinding on a hill decent on the east side of the Ridge mountain around Bluemont, VA. I had no warning either as prior to the climb, I had stopped at a light and everthing felt fine. Thankfull with trailer and exhaust brakes I was able to maintain control on the decent. The issue turned out to be the caliper carrier bolts in my left front caliper backed out and disappeared.



These calipers where replaced by a Ford Dealership while on vacation. There is some minor damage to the rim, but nothing to make it unsafe. I had it towed the to the dealership I usually use as I trust their truck shop. They looked both front calipers and figured the bolts where not properly tightened. So they installed 4 new bolts, 2 on each side to ensure that neither side is an issue.

They also confirmed at the time that my less then a couple year old front shocks are done. @Teamubr it's a bummer but the right front valve is stuck wide open and started to cause a vibration and bad cupping on my front tire. I decided to go with Bilstein this time and have a set of 5100's on the way for less then the yellow and blue Bilstein 4600.

Anyway folks, I suggest you check nuts and bolts on your vehicles regularly. I think think I am going to overlook putting a 21mm on these at least once a year from now on.

 

[Teamubr]

The issue turned out to be the caliper carrier bolts in my left front caliper backed out and disappeared.

They looked both front calipers and figured the bolts where not properly tightened.

I think "not properly tightened" is an understatement. I've never had caliper bolts back out. It's usually the opposite. Seems with all the heat/cool cycles, they usually get stuck in. I suspect they were finger tight and the tech forgot to torque them.

Sucks on the shocks, but the HD Fords eat them up on the front. If I could get 2-3 years out of the fronts, that was about it.

j

 

[jbrostek]

I think "not properly tightened" is an understatement. I've never had caliper bolts back out. It's usually the opposite. Seems with all the heat/cool cycles, they usually get stuck in. I suspect they were finger tight and the tech forgot to torque them.

Sucks on the shocks, but the HD Fords eat them up on the front. If I could get 2-3 years out of the fronts, that was about it.

j

I am not sure what to think about the caliper bolts. Sheehy Ford says you are supposed to use new bolts every time. However, they said unless horribly corroded they will reuse good bolts. The key is locktite and at LEAST 200ftlb of torque. They think the previous dealer did not lock tite the bolts

Well the first round lasted a long time, over 10 years till the seals gave out. So I was hoping to get 5 out of these. Based on the cupping issue I been having since last winter, I think the shock valve started to stick randomly back then. And now its wide open and zero resistance, even though all seals are good.

 

[Teamubr]

Reusing bolts has been a heated discussion for a long time. If it is a standard grade bolt, I typically reuse. If it is the light weight stretch-to-torque bolts (looking at you BMW), you definitely can't. 200ft/lbs is too much for the front mounting plate. Over torquing runs the risk of distorting the suspension/steering components. My service manual for the F250/350 says: "The front caliper bolts are torqued to 56 ft-lbs. The caliper anchor plate bolts get torqued to 166 ft-lb. The rear caliper bolts are 26 ft-lbs. Anchor plate bolts are listed as 203 ft-lbs."

It also says locktite should always be used on the anchor plate bolts.

Well the first round lasted a long time, over 10 years till the seals gave out. So I was hoping to get 5 out of these. Based on the cupping issue I been having since last winter, I think the shock valve started to stick randomly back then. And now its wide open and zero resistance, even though all seals are good.

10 years on front shocks is amazing. Mine always blew the valving so they just didn't do anything. I think I only had one actually leak down. Cupping is usually the first sign. I hated doing it on the dually, but I always rotated tires at least once a year. Usually twice, generally every other oil change.

j

 

[jbrostek]

well "anchor plate" or caliper carrier. So 160-200ftlb, good chance those big 21mm where nowhere near that and backed out.

As for the tires, I was rotating, but they where still cupping in between. Though when I went to test the shock last time it had vavlving. This time its like wide open. So now going with Bilstein since even the heavy truck shop said they been getting 50-70k on a set of those.

 

[jbrostek]

This past weekend I got the new shocks installed. The front shocks where not as bad as I thought, though clearly easier to compress over the new bilsteins. about half the resistance which would be enough. The rears where a surprising different story. The LR was like new, while the RR was completely shot with zero resistance or rebound.

Only drove area roads, but ill be towing soon enough and get a gauge how well the truck rides.