Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Other Telephone Information => Off Topic => Automobiles, Trains & Similar Things => Topic started by: 19and41 on October 28, 2017, 03:35:29 PM

Title: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on October 28, 2017, 03:35:29 PM
The steering on my Mustang GT was getting a bit sloppy, So I took it to the shop this morning for a wheel alignment.  I am waiting for them now to complete replacing the tie rods and ends, The ball joints, the brake pads, turning the rotors and a new pressure line on the rack and pinion.  This thing ought to drive me back and forth to work for the rest of the year by itself.  If it was summer and I had some time to take off, I'd be doing it.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: AE_Collector on October 28, 2017, 04:06:33 PM
Sounds like you better try to earn some extra $ working at the McD's across the street while you wait. Good luck.

Terry
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on October 28, 2017, 09:59:37 PM
It wasn't a line it was the rack and pinion.  They sent the wrong one so it will be the first of next week before I get it back.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: AL_as_needed on October 29, 2017, 12:03:57 PM
I hope your 'stang isn't as much a shop diva as my Jeep Commanche.... Went in for some rear end noise and racked up a very very hefty bill getting itself a new drive-line among other things.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on October 29, 2017, 12:58:58 PM
Probably not quite.  The car had run badly for a while now.  I had put it in the shop the day before Irma made landfall and it took a month before they were able to get to it and that was the catalytic converters.  That made such a dramatic improvement in it's performance that it pointed up the handling problems.  It runs like a new car now and it should drive like one now.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on November 03, 2017, 02:34:30 PM
It also required a new power steering pump, which failed trying to pressurize the new rack and pinion.  it runs and handles like new now.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: AL_as_needed on November 04, 2017, 10:00:34 PM
Well that at least tells you the seal are really good on the steering gear! I started running ethanol free 91 octane in my truck  (in-line six 4.0) and its a world of difference. Smoother running and way more power in 4th and 5th gears. Hills arent as much a workout now  :D
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 12, 2017, 12:39:30 PM
I am finding that owning and operating a classic car is a lot more costly than any phone!
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: WEBellSystemChristian on November 12, 2017, 02:45:47 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on November 12, 2017, 12:39:30 PM
I am finding that owning and operating a classic car is a lot more costly than any phone!

Amen! ;D
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on November 13, 2017, 03:44:58 PM
The car had made a chirping sound that has gotten louder as time went by.  I got out the stethoscope to see if an idler pulley might be going south.  The boob that put in the power steering pump bent it's pulley.  I looked up a used pump at a nearby junk yard and went to the shop to get my money back for the botched install.   I got the refund and went to the yard.  To those of you who have ever replaced a power steering pump,  How long into the job does one realize they will need a pulley puller to do the job.  It took this freud an hour to work out he was having problems without it.  The yard guy gave him a wheel puller and he played with that for 30 minutes, whereupon he called for a skip loader to take whe whole Mustang to the office because that was where the tool was.  It would fit in my closed fist.  That dud worked on that pulley for another 45 minutes and I finally got the part.  I went home and got out my auto zone pulley set and pulled the bent one off my car and pressed the true one on and took off the CCRM to access the tensioner pulley and put everything back together in 45 minutes.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: Phonesrfun on November 13, 2017, 07:26:17 PM
Junk yard mentality.  Never use a screwdriver when a cutting torch will do.... I guess the same goes with using a pulley puller versus a skip loader.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on November 13, 2017, 07:44:47 PM
One thing that helps a lot is car-part.com .  It helps locate the parts in the first place.  Here is the list on the pump I got the pulley from.  There is even a picture of the car and what it has.  It's the first pic in the list.

car-part.com (http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?userSearch=int&userPID=1000&userLocation=Georgia&userIMS=&userInterchange=DFE&userSide=&userDate=1994&userDate2=1994&dbModel=27.25.1.1&userModel=Ford%20Mustang&dbPart=553.1&userPart=Power%20Steering%20Pump&sessionID=600000000000000000469291459&userPreference=zip&userZip=30236&userLat=33.5203&userLong=-84.3178&userIntSelect=1395803&userUID=0&userBroker=&userPage=1&iKey=)
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: RotarDad on November 13, 2017, 10:00:42 PM
Thanks for sharing your story.  I just replaced a couple "0" rings in my power steering pump (Lexus  V8) to correct leaks common to these pumps.  No pulley removal required, but still some effort to remove, disassemble, reinstall.  I have found Ebay to be a good resource for all sorts of parts, OEM, aftermarket, and used.  I also get to skip the junk yard experience, which is not as much fun as it was when I was younger....... ;)
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on November 13, 2017, 10:10:00 PM
I've had good luck with Ebay and Amazon as well.  The junkyard works for such parts as the pulley as There really aren't any places to get a new one.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: RotarDad on November 14, 2017, 12:28:23 AM
That makes sense.   What year is your GT?  I used to have a '91 with the 5 speed and 3.08 Traction-lock rear.  It was all stock and still a beauty when I sold it in 2006 with 83k miles.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on November 14, 2017, 12:33:03 AM
A '94 convertible.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: RotarDad on November 14, 2017, 12:48:55 AM
Nice.  One of the last years with the original 5.0....  The new motors are great, lighter and more efficient, but I still like the old cast iron small-block Chevy and Ford V8s.
Title: Re: New Shoes For The Pony
Post by: 19and41 on November 14, 2017, 07:55:53 AM
I like how Ford has worked to keep the brand a credible and potent sports car since it's rebirth in 1979.