Harv's FED thread

[Dr Terry]

Silly question time Harv. Did you use a Loctite (or similar) sealant on the NPT threads ?

Also, thinking about long-term serviceability I would be fitting flexible hoses on the calipers, before you go much further. I can hear a lot of cussing every time you need to repair anything associated with the rear axles or brakes. On racecars that occurs a lot.

Dr Terry

[Harv]

Probably should have used the hydraulic Loctite, but didn't. I've never used it on all the NPT stuff I've built.

Good advice on the hoses (the FED chassis guy said the same thing).

Cheers,
Harv

[Harv]

Finally got round to balancing the slicks… kind of. Some people don’t balance, chassis guys recommends it, and I’m glad I followed his advice.

Mickey Thompson says static, not dynamic balance. So ordered the 200mph tape, put the bubble balancer together, lubed the pivot point and had my first go at bubble balancing. Wheels are brand-new 15x10 American Racing torque thrusts, and brand new M/T 28" slicks.

Some trial and error shows the bubble balancer is not the most accurate device in the world (then again, this is only a 10-second 6-banger nostalgia FED, not a 4-second fueller). I can see when a tire is unbalanced, and can also see the point where it becomes balanced (or at least near-enough). The near-enough point is where I can tilt the wheel and the bubble will stay wherever I put it - in theory it should tilt back to centre, but there appears to be enough friction in this thing that it is not accurate (will not tilt) down to the last poofteenth of an ounce.

One wheel wanted 90g to balance. That’s a lot, but not uncommon on cast wheels. Put the stick-on weights on, race tape over them, and called it good.

The other wheel methinks is way off, as it wanted more than 300g to balance. Figured I was stupid enough that I couldn’t operate a bubble balancer, so stripped the weights off the first wheel and took both wheels to a regular tyre shop. They dynamic balanced them. The first one needed some weight, about where I had bubble-balance it, and about the same amount. So far, so good.

They mounted the second wheel, and spun it up. The young tyre tech went a pale shade of grey, and called his supervisor. The machine was asking for 800g of weight... more than I thought, and horrible. Dismounted the tyre, and spun up just the rim - it asked for 3oz, so close to OK for a cast item.

The problem is in the tyre. Didn't know whether to laugh or cry when the supervisor put the tyre on the flat, polished concrete floor and it slowly rolled until the heavy side was down.

Took my receipt off to Rocket to discuss a replacement M/T slick. Did I have video evidence the tyre is unbalanced? Sure, sit it on the floor. They did, multiple times, and watched it trundle away until the heavy spot was lowest. Still not convinced, but they will check with M/T to see if they will warranty. I will be patient.

For something that will spin at 140mph next to my ears, 800g of inbalance is frightening.

Cheers,
Harv

[Errol62]

They must be pretty heavy. The bubble balancer might work better on lighter stuff. If you were able to set the centre of gravity somewhat above the pivot point it might increase the sensitivity. Just a thought.


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[Blacky]

Just do a Bert Munro and shave the heavy bits off the tyre - what could possibly go wrong .............

[Harv]

One step forwards, two steps back.

Mickey Thompson approved the warranty replacement, so off to Rocket to pick up the new slick. Care needs to be taken when buying slicks that they are the same circumference. The old ones were 88½ ". The new one was 89½". Got them to check their stock, and they had an 88½". All good so far.

Off to the tyre mob to get it mounted and balanced. Then it all came unglued. New tyre wants 805g of weight (similar to the old one). Dismount tyre, and wheel on it's own wants 115g (same as last time). At least they didn't charge me this time. I now have $100 and two trips invested in balancing these wheels . Funny that this one is out by about the same weight as the old one. Certain that they did not just give me the old tyre back, as this one has different scuff marks on it and has factory stickers that I had taken off the old one.

I got smart, and this time I took video of the tyre and wheel-alone balancing process. Called Rocket, who will forward the video to M/T and see what they say. Called the chassis guy to see if there was anything obviously dumb that I was doing - nothing that comes to mind.

Patience grasshopper.

Cheers,
Harv

[Harv]

No word back yet from M/T on the tyre.

Had hoped to have the EKMart motor and head home for Christmas, but now likely in January.

Cleaning up a little, and made me think about the flexplate. Several years ago someone told me you need one of Roger’s Trimatic conversion flexplate to mate a Powerglide to the grey. I bought one, but wondered what the issue is with reusing the old one. Some measurements show that the problem is in the grey crank flange PCD. No matter how you turn the holes, the 4-bolt grey pattern overlaps the 6-bolt red crank pattern. You could redrill the red motor flexplate, but the holes overlap… not pleasant, evening you had the assembly balanced.

IMG_1697.jpeg (3.57 MiB) Viewed 270 times

… which made me think about the forged flywheel I bought for the meth monster project. It will run a grey crashbox, and the rules say I need a forged flywheel. I bought an SFI-certified one many years ago, advertised to suit grey/red/blue/black. Pulled it out of long-term storage, wondering how the drillings would work…

IMG_1698.jpeg (3.12 MiB) Viewed 270 times

… and they won’t. Will fit red and later, but not grey. Suspect there are no returns after so long, but will call and ask them next year.

Cheers,
Harv

[Blacky]

poo - hopefully they can take it back and swap it for one that isn't drilled ??

[Errol62]

In the first photo it looks like you could rotate the four holes about 30 degrees anti-clockwise and get clear metal, no?


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[Blacky]

In the first photo it looks like you could rotate the four holes about 30 degrees anti-clockwise and get clear metal, no?

Maybe - but there would be farkall meat between the holes - i wouldn't trust it .................

[EK283]

You could elongate the east west holes and the north west would be in the middle of the pre drilled ones.

You could also weld the holes up and redrill.

Sorry just realised your new flywheel is forged, you could redrill the crank to suit the 6 bolt pattern maybe ??

Greg

[Errol62]

7 bearing conversion


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Harv]

Holes definitely don't line up. No matter how hard you try (or whether you drill flexplate or crank) some of the holes overlap. Called Extremeclutch, explained to them that their 2015 and 2024 catalogues both show that this thing fits a grey, but obviously wont. They are OK to take as a refund, if I can return it via whoever I bought it off. Some searching, and it must be the only receipt I haven't kept. Bugger. Asked if they could supply one undrilled, and the answer was no .

This may get interesting. The IHRA rules prohibit cast flywheels, and require the forged ones to be SFI 1.1 certified. I'm supposed to have an SFI 6.1 scattershield too. May have to talk to the tech inspector. I had a similar problem with Number One Son's VL, which runs the R33 5-speed "Skyline box". It has an SFI flywheel and clutch assembly, but could not get an SFI scattershield anywhere. Got one fabricated up in accordance to the SFI specs, but not easy. 1/4" plate, 1" forward of the flywheel and 1" aft of the clutch. Fabricator reckons it would stop a 30mm autocannon round, and looking at it I think he is not far from wrong (the SFI spec only calls for testing with .22).

R33 Skyline gearbox scattershield.jpg (926.15 KiB) Viewed 226 times

Might have to get a similar one made up for the grey crashie, and see if I can get away without an SFI flywheel. Don't know anywhere else that would make one.

In better news, M/T warrantied the second off-balance slick. Will get it mounted and balanced after Christmas. Third times the charm.

Cheers,
Harv

[In the Shed]

Scattershield………that is a nice piece of fabrication there. So you have a .22 stashed in the parts department there Harv……. for testing purposes only of course

[Harv]

Scattershield………that is a nice piece of fabrication there. So you have a .22 stashed in the parts department there Harv……. for testing purposes only of course

I live in Western Sydney… a .22 would be seriously under-armed

Cheers,
Harv