What did you do to your SMB today?

[shenrie]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

...You might get one or two more starts that way.

Ha! Or if you're a cheapskate like me, one or two more years. It's a lot easier with a standard tranny though. You get accustomed to parking on inclines. Even the slightest incline can bumpstart a car in 2nd or 3rd gear.

Good info though. A lot of people don't know what typically goes wrong with starters and alternators is worn out brushes and that they can be replaced for cheap. Brushes for little cars are around 3-5 bucks each. Might be a little more for the bigger starters.

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

Bummer, but at least you weren't 50 miles off road. In the future, if this happens again, often times you can simply tap the starter with a hammer and get several more starts. When that stops working, you can have someone hold the key in the start position while you tap the starter. You might get one or two more starts that way. What normally happens is that the brushes wear out and stop making contact. Tapping the starter jars them loose a bit so they make contact for a while. That trick may get you out of a remote location.

Indeed! Glad it happened when/where it did yesterday. Picked it up today and it's so much quieter starting now...sounds weird to me haha. I should buy a new starting battery soon though; I don't know the battery history. It looks old. I also need a new multimeter which is reading 12.3v-12.7v depending on the setting....it's 25-30 years old. Glad to have a genuine Motorcraft part in there but I'm looking at cheap ass remanufactured starters to keep as a spare.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by gcvt

I'm looking at cheap ass remanufactured starters to keep as a spare.

If you carry one, it's certain you will never need it. I've had a spare on my boat for fifteen years.

[geoffff]

I replaced front anti-sway bar links on my 2004 Sportsmobile 4x4. Note that the old link has acquired a stretched "C" shape rather than the expected "O"

The replacement links from Sportsmobile include two identical bushing halves rather than a bushing + O-ring combo that was installed in 2004. This seems like a better idea.

Unfortunately the additional bushing on each end of the link causes the ends to be a couple millimeters too wide for my suspension. I trimmed off some metal from the "O" ends and trimmed the inside end of one of the bushing pairs using my angle grinder.

[daveb]

Originally Posted by geoffff

I replaced front anti-sway bar links on my 2004 Sportsmobile 4x4. Note that the old link has acquired a stretched "C" shape rather than the expected "O"

The replacement links from Sportsmobile include two identical bushing halves rather than a bushing + O-ring combo that was installed in 2004. This seems like a better idea.

Unfortunately the additional bushing on each end of the link causes the ends to be a couple millimeters too wide for my suspension. I trimmed off some metal from the "O" ends and trimmed the inside end of one of the bushing pairs using my angle grinder.

That's amazing. I've sheared the studs off a bunch of times but the links themselves have held up fine. Thanks for the tip, I need to trim for clearance like you've done. At times I throw some heavy words at them when trying to get the lynch pin in.

[geoffff]

Thinking about it some, I now wonder if the bushing-half only on one side doubled the force onto half of the O ends of the link. All the force goes on one side. The little o-ring occupying the other half of the O where the other bushing-half would go didn't seem to be doing much.

[Gooseberry]

Simple fix of the flip up desk. It was just bolted to the wood but after 17 years and people leaning in it I added a plate then drilled and taped to fix the issue and yes happy


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[berns378]

I gave mine away to a member free

[Jsweezy]

Made some new door panels...

[IMG][/IMG]

[Otter]

These are sure nice looking panels, J. What did you use? (Hey, good pics )

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