Rusty's not very quiet cuda progress
- Thread starter mopar_man
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RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
T'was a pleasent surprise, in the real world what someone might fork over for it is another matter, so having it insured for what I have in it is fine by me!
Still no plates yet, still pacing! Rich.
Still no plates yet, still pacing! Rich.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Plates came today!!!:giggedy:
2 RUSTY it is!
Take it out for some gas & a few runs around the hood this weekend, get it in for wheel alignment lube job & safty inspection next week, then I'll gradually start ranging further from the home base, see what falls out along the way[smilie=2: Rich.
2 RUSTY it is!
Take it out for some gas & a few runs around the hood this weekend, get it in for wheel alignment lube job & safty inspection next week, then I'll gradually start ranging further from the home base, see what falls out along the way[smilie=2: Rich.
WhooHooooooooo!!!!!!
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Got home early enouigh to put the plates on & take her around the block for some gas, the good news is I made it, put in half a tank, no leaks so far, the bad news is couple a nasty noises, one I think is the speedo cable, whines pretty good at 15 or so & jumps around at 20, never chanced going any faster with the other more ominous noise, a pretty serious groan out back, suspecting something in the rear end.
Shes going in for service on wed, see how low the gear lube is, I know I lost some , hoping thats it, but I doubt it. Gonna be a long wait till then! Rich.
Shes going in for service on wed, see how low the gear lube is, I know I lost some , hoping thats it, but I doubt it. Gonna be a long wait till then! Rich.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Noises are tough to translate , pretty steady heavy groan after bout 5 or 10 mph, only hit about 20 goingh around the block.
I think all I did back there was put in new outer seals, but I did have the axels out, with a wild guess on the end play(just enough that I could barley moive it in & out.)
pretty sure he rebuilt the rear with the rest of the drive train, have to dig out the pappers to verify that.
I think all I did back there was put in new outer seals, but I did have the axels out, with a wild guess on the end play(just enough that I could barley moive it in & out.)
pretty sure he rebuilt the rear with the rest of the drive train, have to dig out the pappers to verify that.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
My first course of action would be to re-check the axle-shaft endplay. Did you beat the driver's-side shaft into place with a block of wood and a friend with a sledgehammer? You cannot set wheel-bearing endplay easily by yourself, and you have to pound the tar out of the non-adjuster axle (which should be the driver's side, but it can be reversed) to get the axle to seat fully. If it wasn't lost in the multiple updates since I posted it, there's a thread here somewhere about setting up 8¾" wheel (axle-shaft) bearings. It cannot be done with just the adjuster; brute force is needed to do it.
If axle endplay is outside the normal range (which is "I can feel it but I can't see it" or around .008") you can try tightening it up but chances are you'll need new wheel bearings.
It's hard to say since you only drove it slowly, but most ring/pinion setup mistakes result in what would be described as a whine, not a groan. When the gears are set up incorrectly you most often get the noise in one situation only--acceleration/cruise or deceleration. If an incorrectly-set gearset makes noise all the time, the pitch will change significantly between acceleration and coasting.
If axle endplay is outside the normal range (which is "I can feel it but I can't see it" or around .008") you can try tightening it up but chances are you'll need new wheel bearings.
It's hard to say since you only drove it slowly, but most ring/pinion setup mistakes result in what would be described as a whine, not a groan. When the gears are set up incorrectly you most often get the noise in one situation only--acceleration/cruise or deceleration. If an incorrectly-set gearset makes noise all the time, the pitch will change significantly between acceleration and coasting.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Only went a few blocks, I think it got louder as I sped up, think I had to almost stop for it to subside, adjuster is on the pass side & I did not pound in the drivers side as you describbed,not really sure how I did it it was like 4 years ago, a bit foggy ya know! but wouldn't the bolts pull it in ? So if I decide to give it a try sunday(don't think I'll have any time sat) I should loosen the adjuster, head over to the drivers side & pound the crap out of it & then reset the adjuster to the width of a piece of paper & pray that was it ? thanks Rich.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
You probably won't have to loosen the adjuster... just take the lock off. Take up all the slack in the adjuster (meaning tighten it), then beat the piss out of the driver's-side axle with a heavy hammer using a block of wood so you don't damage the axle flange or center register. Being gentle in this arena is not your friend; smack that axle like you mean it.
Go back and tighten the adjuster some more until you have no endplay. Repeat until you have no endplay on either side. If the axle shafts feel overly tight, back the adjuster off a notch at a time until they don't, but not enough that you re-introduce endplay. Drive the car 10-15 miles and re-check your endplay on the RH rear shaft. If it's still zero, back the adjuster off one notch. If it's more than "feel but not see", tighten it and repeat the procedure.
It sounds like a lot of messing around but it's actually pretty easy. Stretch and I got his wheel bearings set on the first try, and that was in 2004. I haven't heard a peep out of him on that subject since.
The reason you want zero endplay at break-in is because tapered rollers love preload, particularly when new. Usually, when set to zero endplay, the short drive will result in perfect bearing clearances, but that's not always the case with used bearings.
It's easy enough, but a little time-consuming.
Go back and tighten the adjuster some more until you have no endplay. Repeat until you have no endplay on either side. If the axle shafts feel overly tight, back the adjuster off a notch at a time until they don't, but not enough that you re-introduce endplay. Drive the car 10-15 miles and re-check your endplay on the RH rear shaft. If it's still zero, back the adjuster off one notch. If it's more than "feel but not see", tighten it and repeat the procedure.
It sounds like a lot of messing around but it's actually pretty easy. Stretch and I got his wheel bearings set on the first try, and that was in 2004. I haven't heard a peep out of him on that subject since.
The reason you want zero endplay at break-in is because tapered rollers love preload, particularly when new. Usually, when set to zero endplay, the short drive will result in perfect bearing clearances, but that's not always the case with used bearings.
It's easy enough, but a little time-consuming.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
K, checked the fluid, not full but I stuck my pinky in there & it's about 1/2 " down, so that should be ok for now. Pulled the wheels & there is end play in the drivers side, pass side I had set pretty good, barley jiggle it ,feel but don't see the motion, so if I"M gettin the idea of this, as you bang in the drivers side it will push back on the adjuster side, going out to give it a whack,litterally!
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
You're correct... since all the adjustment is on the passenger's side, you literally have to beat the driver's axle into place, then take up the slack with the adjuster. The Miller special tool for this job is a BFH and a block of wood. 
For the record, it really doesn't matter on which side the adjuster is placed. Ma just always put it on the passenger's side but if accidentally reversed it will still do its job.
For the record, it really doesn't matter on which side the adjuster is placed. Ma just always put it on the passenger's side but if accidentally reversed it will still do its job.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
All righty, made the adjustments & going out for a test drive:hmmm: if I don't post up in an hour or 2 send out the tow truck! 
Rich.
Rich.
thrashingcows
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing...so I'm
I know it's a silly question....were the axle bearing greased up?
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Okey Dokey, that worked on the groan, to answer mr Cow, yes I did repack the outer bearings. So went a little further & a little faster, tried her in low to bring the rpms up a bit while stil only hitting 30 or so, seems fine for the groan, but I'm getting a pretty good CLUNK every now and then, seems to be mostly when I take off.
Got my hand on the dash side of the speedo cable, seems to be stripped, put a lotta turns on it & it wont tighten up, but won't come out when I yank on it.
Takin my son for a ride around the hood, will check in again later! Thanks for the help,Rich.
Got my hand on the dash side of the speedo cable, seems to be stripped, put a lotta turns on it & it wont tighten up, but won't come out when I yank on it.
Takin my son for a ride around the hood, will check in again later! Thanks for the help,Rich.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
I will check the u joint, it is new & it's not the "normal" reverse to drive & visa versa klunk, it does klunk a bit as I put it in reverse, but the one that bothers me is as I'll taking off(even slowly) as I'm movin it gives the klunk, almost like skipping on a sproket if that gives a better picture of the kind of noise!
I dont feel or here anything after that.
Standard cluster, might be an aftermarket cable, I don't know what they look like, it was on the car, at the speedo it has a round "nut" with ridges & a raised flat ridge on the skinnier part, I'll take a better look with a drop light tomorrow!
Took it out a little further, got on a road I could do 40 45 & she seemed ok,once I get the cable noise out of there I can listen for others! :doh: Rich.
Here she is out of the cage!
& over at chargers mans house, a few blocks away!
I dont feel or here anything after that.
Standard cluster, might be an aftermarket cable, I don't know what they look like, it was on the car, at the speedo it has a round "nut" with ridges & a raised flat ridge on the skinnier part, I'll take a better look with a drop light tomorrow!
Took it out a little further, got on a road I could do 40 45 & she seemed ok,once I get the cable noise out of there I can listen for others! :doh: Rich.
Here she is out of the cage!
& over at chargers mans house, a few blocks away!
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Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
OK, going by your description you've got a bad engine mount... either the driver's side front, or the the rear (the one on the transmission).
A mild thump is expected between forward and reverse, because Chryslers run a little extra backlash in the ring and pinion compared to others, which only widens with age. During the original Mopar RWD era (well, near the end anyways, when I was working in parts in the late '80s), it was commonly referred to as The Chrysler Clunk. People who'd just bought a used Mopar--generally their first--used to come in thinking they needed a U-joint. We'd go out, put the car in reverse, then select drive. "Nope... that's just a Chrysler clunk. You're fine."
A mild thump is expected between forward and reverse, because Chryslers run a little extra backlash in the ring and pinion compared to others, which only widens with age. During the original Mopar RWD era (well, near the end anyways, when I was working in parts in the late '80s), it was commonly referred to as The Chrysler Clunk. People who'd just bought a used Mopar--generally their first--used to come in thinking they needed a U-joint. We'd go out, put the car in reverse, then select drive. "Nope... that's just a Chrysler clunk. You're fine."