My 71 Duster work in progress

[71dusterman]

Try using a floor or bottle jack to compress it while you line it up and push in place. that way it is controllable. You may be squatting or on your back but not stressing yourself in ways us older guys don't bend so well.

I just finished putting a bilge pump with a float valve in my boat today thru an 8" hole and down 9" with a whole compartment over my head and no space with 3 batteries and all kinds of other pumps and hoses to curl myself like a pretzel to get access and screw in place, Not overly easy for anyone to do let alone someone who turned 66 a few months ago. But I did persevere and got it done even with my sore right shoulder that has been getting better with physio.

 

[b-body-bob]

Floor jack won't fit, no bottle jack tall enough.

I got the two rear shocks and the other front one today. No hardware with the front shock. I stupidly told them to send me the missing part, which ended up at if you don't have it from the manufacturer by 4/27, let us know. I guess then I can arrange a return and won't get the replacement until they get the shock with the missing parts back. I don't expect have it to install before the middle of May.

FML.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Well, at least you can wipe your tears with the $15 you saved by not buying it locally.

Seriously, I understand--I buy stuff online all the time, but generally only when I haven't got a local source for it. There's a lot of value in dealing face-to-face in situations like that, i.e. if you'd have gotten them at Jim-Bob's Country-Style Auto But Mostly Tractor Parts, Jim-Bob could've had that situation corrected the next day, maybe two. I've been extraordinarily lucky in my dealings with Rock, but my friend's customer service experience on one part alone leaves them as a last-ditch option for me. A thrice-defective steering box, plus returning the core, has cost him about enough to tool up and start making the damned thing himself. He called the vendor directly; they simply threw their hands up at their inability to provide a good unit. He was literally left with no steering box for his daily. The ultimate solution? He found a decent used part; not easy for an '88 IROC-Z with 10:1 steering.

All that being said, in my experience KYB is a customer-oriented company. I wish our warehouse still carried them. Don't fret too much until you have genuine reason to do so.

 

[71dusterman]

If the floor jack won't fit, raise the rear higher till it will and then use the floor jack to compress the shock.

 

[68R/T]

Not overly easy for anyone to do let alone someone who turned 66 a few months ago. But I did persevere and got it done even with my sore right shoulder that has been getting better with physio.

I passed that milestone of post re-tired-ment some years ago, but still seem to manage 99% of my projects alone un-assisted. Maybe it's because of a different diet. Because you are now of an "aged" variety, you may need to switch to a more aged beverage.

 

[b-body-bob]

Well, at least you can wipe your tears with the $15 you saved by not buying it locally.

Seriously, I understand--I buy stuff online all the time, but generally only when I haven't got a local source for it. There's a lot of value in dealing face-to-face in situations like that, i.e. if you'd have gotten them at Jim-Bob's Country-Style Auto But Mostly Tractor Parts, Jim-Bob could've had that situation corrected the next day, maybe two. I've been extraordinarily lucky in my dealings with Rock, but my friend's customer service experience on one part alone leaves them as a last-ditch option for me. A thrice-defective steering box, plus returning the core, has cost him about enough to tool up and start making the damned thing himself. He called the vendor directly; they simply threw their hands up at their inability to provide a good unit. He was literally left with no steering box for his daily. The ultimate solution? He found a decent used part; not easy for an '88 IROC-Z with 10:1 steering.

All that being said, in my experience KYB is a customer-oriented company. I wish our warehouse still carried them. Don't fret too much until you have genuine reason to do so.

I've had good luck buying online until this project, then it all seems to have caught up to me.

IIRC the problem with the local parts store is that they only listed Monroe and Gabriel shocks. I just double checked myself and they do list KYBs for the rear, at 2x the price. It's not like it's the last thing on the checklist so I'm not all that spun up over it.

 

[b-body-bob]

Now rock auto is sending the parts direct so that's good.

I'm skittish about raising one end while the other is on stands. I'm trying to get the wheels cleaned up and hoping for warm enough weather to squirt some shiny on them

I spotted one of the old front shocks and picked it up and a baby could compress it, and it stays compressed on it's own. I'm not complaining about the stiff shocks that actually work, believe me.

 

[b-body-bob]

Of course I got the hardware parts from rockauto right on schedule, so I fought the front shocks again, but no joy.

I looked at it closer for the chance of using a jack, and yeah I can set one up in there, but I can't see how I would get the shock off the jack and do all the moving and bolting that needs to be done all while the shock is expanding because it no longer has the jack under it. I decided that wasn't even worth monkeying with.

I thought I was going to get lucky with the shock in place bolted in at the bottom but without the top bushing and prying down with progressively larger screwdrivers, pry bars, crow bars but don't have the right angles to get it quite down far enough.

I'm probably going to end up accepting there's no way to install those stiff shocks without a lift and putting the old shocks on it so I can finish up the front end. Then once I can drive it, pay a shop to install the new ones. I may even pay them to do the alignment instead of laboring over it myself.

The rear wheels are ready to paint, but the weather's not cooperating.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Make a "limiter" out of some baling wire.

Loop it around the bottom of the shock, between the body and the eyering and twist it like a coat hanger. Figure out your required distance (it doesn't need to be fully compressed) and make another loop that far away. Slip your limiter over the stud while your wife holds the shock compressed. Install the shock and clip the wire, removing it prior to tightening up the stud nut.

These exact shocks weren't nearly the fight on my Valiant that they appear to be on your Duster. Try backing off the torsion-bar adjusters, maybe?

 

[69.5CUDA]

if your trying to compresss them "fast" youll never get t, it needs to just be a slow squeeze

you should be able to use docs bailing wire trick on the bench, the cut it and let them de-compress into place tho youll want the lower seated before cutting

 

[b-body-bob]

if your trying to compresss them "fast" youll never get t, it needs to just be a slow squeeze

you should be able to use docs bailing wire trick on the bench, the cut it and let them de-compress into place tho youll want the lower seated before cutting

Quoting "fast" was the right thing to do. That strongest man in the world from the recent GEICO commercial wouldn't be compressing these fast. I put the eye of the shock on a standing mat on the floor and use my weight to compress it.. If I was standing under the car I could press it up, but no way to do it the way the car is supported right now.

 

[b-body-bob]

Make a "limiter" out of some baling wire.

Loop it around the bottom of the shock, between the body and the eyering and twist it like a coat hanger. Figure out your required distance (it doesn't need to be fully compressed) and make another loop that far away. Slip your limiter over the stud while your wife holds the shock compressed. Install the shock and clip the wire, removing it prior to tightening up the stud nut.

These exact shocks weren't nearly the fight on my Valiant that they appear to be on your Duster. Try backing off the torsion-bar adjusters, maybe?

I thought about trying to do something like that with zip ties but couldn't find enough good strong long ones to get to the point of attempting it.

FWIW The TB adjusters are backed all the way out, the strut rod is loose, and the UCA bumper was out but I put that back in this weekend when I put the used shocks on it. I could pull the TB out of the LCA so it will drop more, but if I do that then I've got the problem of aligning the LCA socket with TB while fighting the shock. Yeah that was anothe flawed idea I came up with.

 

[b-body-bob]

The wheels are far from perfect but they're painted now. The rear wheels were powder coated and I had a heckuva time stripping that stuff. Resorted to a scotchbrite cookie where I could reach, and called it good enough. Also, a bird shit on the freshly primered back side of one of them FTW.

I just pushed buy on $580 worth of new tires, Cooper Cobras, same size as came on it. Got them from Tire Rack, shipped them to a local NTB for installation. Should be there Friday so I'll have the car on the ground this weekend. I would've liked to buy them locally, but all anyone I talked to (including this NTB) offered were BFGs for $100+ more each.

 

[b-body-bob]

The tires are out for delivery today, and my appointment is on Sunday at 1. I wasn't willing to just drop my wheels off and come back later so I guess that complicates when they were willing to say they could have them done.

 

[b-body-bob]

The tires are on, and at the closest point I have a finger's width (5/8-3/4) between the tire and spring so ... I've got room above and inside the wheel well to the outside.

Another thing that's practically impossible to do with the car on the ground is to torque the LCAs and strut rods. I've done it here before - I think I set the tires on ramps that time. That isn't ideal. Right now I'm using stacked greased masonite for slide pads but on the ramps the tires will end up where they end up.

I need to pull the front seat - I remembered to remove the nuts before I set the car on the tires - and change the MC and install the e-brake.

I can also hear a tie rod end rubbing the header. I compensated with the TBs and it got better but is still there. The headers on this thing are just a mess of dents and flat spots, but the only way to really fix it is to pull that 400 and replace it with a small block.

 

[b-body-bob]

Am I losing my mind or is a lug nut a lug nut so long as it has the right end and thread size? These 1/2-20 nuts should work, for a steel rallye wheel right?

 

[69.5CUDA]

if the tie rod rubs its going to rub no matter hwat the ride height..best thing you can do is heat and dimple the area

as far as nuts go..for the most part..yes

theres 4 types, wide acorn, narrow acorn, mag uni and mag specific...probably not the correct names but its what ive dubbed them
the narrow acorn is typicaly used on "low clearance" places where a smaller head is desiered for a smaller socket
the wide is useualy "truck and steelies and is what ma used on EVERYTHING(well everyone used em prior to the 80s)
since your not working with mags i wont mention the others

 

[b-body-bob]

if the tie rod rubs its going to rub no matter hwat the ride height..best thing you can do is heat and dimple the area

as far as nuts go..for the most part..yes

theres 4 types, wide acorn, narrow acorn, mag uni and mag specific...probably not the correct names but its what ive dubbed them
the narrow acorn is typicaly used on "low clearance" places where a smaller head is desiered for a smaller socket
the wide is useualy "truck and steelies and is what ma used on EVERYTHING(well everyone used em prior to the 80s)
since your not working with mags i wont mention the others

IIRC there was a flat spot worn or maybe ground then worn smooth on the center link where it's been rubbing so long. Or maybe I'm imagining it. Might have a photo of it, will look but unlikely.

It only has to work until I can get it turned around and have time to tear it down. There's a 4-speed and small block in its future.

That's what I thought it was on the lug nuts, but then I look at the example from above and it says won't fit my 71 Duster, so it seemed prudent to ask before ordering something that will cost more to return than it does to buy.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Another thing that's practically impossible to do with the car on the ground is to torque the LCAs and strut rods.

Ain't no law saying the car has to have the wheels installed. Put a jackstand under the LCA with the wheel off so the car's on its weight and torque away.

I can also hear a tie rod end rubbing the header. I compensated with the TBs and it got better but is still there. The headers on this thing are just a mess of dents and flat spots, but the only way to really fix it is to pull that 400 and replace it with a small block.

Or order TTi headers. They're slightly cheaper than an engine swap.

Am I losing my mind or is a lug nut a lug nut so long as it has the right end and thread size? These 1/2-20 nuts should work, for a steel rallye wheel right?

The nuts pictured will work perfectly. They're simply a wider seat for more-complete contact at the wheel. Chrysler's been using them since at least '79, usually with the irritating stainless caps that work loose or get rust under them so the lug wrench no longer fits. The ones pictured look like Gorilla nuts, which I've been selling for many years. Good stuff.

 

[69.5CUDA]

i wonder if it says it wont fit 71 due to a catalog error thinking its small bolt?

my typicaly LCA torq was to have 3 wheels on the ground and a big pad floor jack under the lowwer balljoint on the side i was torquing