Getting a little closer on this winter project.
I had a couple nice refinished 40hp flywheels I got from RIS several years ago and now seemed like a good time to put one in service. Bruce picked the best one and replaced the main seal and drilled a little relief hole below the crank bearing to let oil more easily seep back in to engine case. Fuel lines were replaced and we jettisoned the fuel tap for now since the lever doesn't line up with the outlet on the replacement tank. Nevertheless, I do like having the fuel tap because, even when not hooked up to the cable, you can move it to the center point and it stops fuel from running past that point. Makes it easy when you disconnect fuel lines for maintenance. So maybe at some point I'll put it back on.
One downer was we had "the e-brake replacement from hell" descend on this project. As most are aware, the original brake cables are too short when you put a big nut trans in an early split. The replacement 64-67 cables that you must buy are then too long. I checked with Kirk and a lot of guys usually "McGiver" up some remedy to make them work by cutting the lines up front to shorten them then rigging up a splice system to hold the lines together. Not perfect, but I've never heard people say they fail. Maybe those folks have never had to use them or didn't survive the experience when they did!
Anyway, I thought I'd try a local reputable clutch company that shall remain nameless and after measuring and cutting have them "swedge" new ends on the cables so they would be like stock. $33 later I've got my shortened cables and the installation goes flawlessly until I pull the brake cable and both "swedges" break free. Thankfully it happened inside the shop and not when I was hurting down a hill at 50mph with no brakes.
So while weighing our options, we were staring at the old cables and came up with a "what if." As in, what if we cut 2" or 3" off the cable housing where it enters the body in front of the rear tire to increase the overall length of the actual cables? The harrowing challenge was to cut the steel casing without damaging the cable inside. Like surgery.
Well, by golly it seems to have been a success. Of course we really won't know until I'm on that hill at 50mph, but creativity seems to have paid off for now. We did replace the return springs with a later version that had a little more beef in it.
Bruce got the axle seals all buttoned up with a nice technique of leveling the axles with a gizmo he put together. I would not try this at home!
So we're getting to the home stretch. Bruce has to take a look at the front end. My toe in or toe out is out of whack. I've got pigeon feet and it's wearing my tires. I'm short on the photos because I was too lazy to pull out the camera.
This was Bruce's method of leveling the axles.
This was the replacement threaded end that failed (one on left) (I'm going to buy that mechanic some Jergens.)
Here was the McGiver rear brake cable with earlier spring that we replaced with a beefier model.