WildBlue goes RideTech

[GeoffP]

LOL - I'll try to get some soon.

[GeoffP]

Got some time to work on the car tonight! The PCD lug nuts I ordered came in but I called Wilwood today and the tech guy told me specifically not to use them. He said they have never had a problem running 5x120 wheels on their hubs and told me to use regular lug nuts and make sure they stay tight by checking them a few times. I hope to have pictures of the front wheels mounted later tonight!

[regal454]

He said they have never had a problem running 5x120 wheels on their hubs and told me to use regular lug nuts and make sure they stay tight by checking them a few times.

There is a lot of info on the internet about this topic. There are a few documented failures on different forums.

Here's a good discussion on the topic: https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ubs-Discussion

Check this link out for a solution: http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/wh...t-pattern.html

[GeoffP]

Marc, thanks for the links. I've researched this heavily to make sure I don't have a problem. I even bought very expensive PCD corrective lug nuts. Plus, my car has 1/2" screw in wheel studs front and rear, Wilwood hubs up front and Moser axles in the rear. All of which are much heavier duty than their OE counter parts. Regardless of this, nearly every discussion I've read about failures has been the result of broken lug bolts. It takes a LOT of pressure and sheer to break a lug bolt, even an OE one. Based on the truely educated people who have chimed in along with my own opinion on the subject, there had to be a contributing factor to the carnage. Take this FWIW (not much because I'm not an engineer), I think that the failures were the result of lug nuts that worked loose and broke due to the lack of the friction fit of the hub and wheel being mated together (because this is actually what makes the wheel/hub assembly strong, not the lug bolts), the wheel exerted enough pressure on the lug bolts to break them.

Having said all of this, I'm still going to buy a couple hub centric rings for the rear and am going to use the PCD corrective nuts I bought on the rear axle. The rings are cheap and I've already bought the nuts so there's no reason not to use them. As someone pointed out earlier in this thread, the Wilwood hubs don't have a surface where a hub centric ring will work to center the wheel so the PCD corrective lug nuts can't be used on the front anyway. The Wilwood tech said that hub centric rings could be custom made but it would be expensive due to the complex mating surface of the hub. That's when he then said it wasn't necessary anyway and that their hubs had been used with 5x120 bolt center wheels without a problem. I don't believe Wilwood would allow one of their techs to make this statement because it makes them liable if indeed it does fail regardless of any disclaimers they might make in writing or on their website.

Now that I've beaten this topic to death, lets move on to more interesting and fun topics such as the progress I made on the car last night.

I got the front sway bar fully mounted. One lesson learned, be prepared to make a LONG handle for a wrench so you can get it inside the frame to install the nuts for the frame bracket. Also, having seen a few sway bar brackets torn loose from the factory threads in the frame, make sure you use the washers and backing nuts supplied in the kit and make sure they're tight. This isn't the kind of repair you'll want to make later.

Once I had the sway bar done, I couldn't wait anymore - I mounted the right front tire and sat the car down on the ground, not knowing what to expect. Well the car looked higher than my 2500HD 4x4! There was at least 4 inches of travel between the top of the tire and the fender. So, I raised it back up and put the jack stand back under the car, took all the preload out of the coil over on both sides (it preloaded the spring when I bolted everything together apparently), installed both front wheels and sat it back down on the ground. Woo Hoo!! It's in the weeds for sure now! It's just as low as it was with the Hotchkis springs and coil spacers if not a little lower. I won't be messing with the coil overs anymore until the rear is done, hopefully this weekend. I figure there's no reason to tweak it until the full weight of the car is down on all four wheels. So for now the front suspension is done.

After doing that, I assembled a new pressure side power steering line to replace the leaky old one. I used Russell power steering line and fittings. They're easy to assemble but a PITA to get the fitting clocked right. So anyway, the power steering is fixed too and the engine bay is reassembled. I just need to check for leaks at the water temp gauge adapter because I had to remove it to move the passenger side header to install the a-arm.

I guess that's it for now. Sorry no pictures yet because I didn't have internet last night and no power this morning thanks to the bad weather and I can't post pictures from work. I should get the couple I took posted tonight.

[GeoffP]

Pics - pretty self explanatory





As you can see it's LOW...

[Quickboat]

That is a ton of dish for the front! I like it. Are the rears even deeper?

[GeoffP]

Thanks! The wheel are the same front and rear. If I decide I really like them (They're growing on me), I'm going to have them widened to 11 or 12 whenever the money tree puts out enough to do the mini tub. I agree that a deep tub version of this wheel in an 11 or 12 would be cool looking.

[rchaskin]

uh....wow.

Those do look good. Excellent choice.

[GeoffP]

Not bad for a wheel that only cost $161.00 each shipped. By the time I get the rebate for buying wheels and tires, I'll get $170 back on the purchase. I paid LESS for this set with tires than I did for the 17's I had on it previously. Watta bahgin!

[GeoffP]

I did some more work tonight but not nearly as much as I wanted. I ran into a few small problems. First, the u-bolts I bought to mount the lower link brackets are not threaded high enough up the shaft to tighten down properly (ridetech - why not supply the correct U-bolts in the kit - this is a small something that would be a negligible cost increase) so I'm either going to have to buy a die and tap them further or buy different u-bolts. I guess I could use something as a spacer but I'm not big on doing that. Second, my fuel pump and filter are mounted right in the way of where the one of the cross bars for the new cradle runs across from side-to-side so I've got to move it. That's a bummer because there are a couple holes in the trunk floor where the plate is mounted to the floor pan. Oh well! I got the tail pipes cut off which was a little painful since they weren't but a few years old and not showing any wear at all. Again, oh well - that's the price you pay to play! I still have to re-clock the passenger caliper and fix the emergency brake cable brackets where they'll work correctly with the new caliper location. I've got a lot to do if I'm going to get it done by Saturday night - it may not happen but I'm sure going to try! I'd love to drive it to work Monday so I can get the alignment done and be able to debug the car before the Southern Slam. I guess that's it for now.

Anybody want to come help me weld the upper link brackets on the housing on Saturday??? I can get a Miller or Lincoln 135ish sized MIG from a friend but he doesn't know how to weld either. HELP!! I'll buy you lunch and pay your gas (within reason!).

[Quickboat]

Anybody want to come help me weld the upper link brackets on the housing on Saturday??? I can get a Miller or Lincoln 135ish sized MIG from a friend but he doesn't know how to weld either. HELP!! I'll buy you lunch and pay your gas (within reason!).

I dont think you've mentioned where you are located? I have a Miller 140 and it is not as good for thicker materials if you are not careful you wont get proper penetration. The upper brackets must be real solid.

[GeoffP]

I live about 20 minutes from Augusta, Ga. My friend has a friend who can weld very well but he doesn't know if the guy is going to be available on Saturday. I hope so!

[Quickboat]

Good, glad you found someone. I work for a fabricator and have access to any and all fab equipment. It is nice but you do get tired of the fab work all day then going to it at night too, lol. Looking forward to more pics.

[KnightMare]

Great bargain on good looking set of wheels. Wish you were closer, I could of welded your brackets on. We have some 180's/210's at school. Maybe you could swing by a fab shop? I use 140's on my car and I wouldn't trust them on something thick, heck I barely trust them plug welding my car together. I think a 180 is a perfect medium for thin to thick metal

[GeoffP]

No luck on getting someone to weld the tabs for the upper links (yet). I've got a co-worker who can weld as pretty as any of the master fabricators on here - he's just already committed tomorrow and can't do it until next weekend. I was just hoping I could get the car rolling tomorrow since I've got the whole day to work on the car finally.

[makoshark]

Man, if we lived closer to one another, I'd be glad to weld those up for you. Unfortunately, I'm in the Memphis, TN area. Not too close:(

[GeoffP]

Thanks anyway! I've got a guy who will weld the tabs on if I can get them tacked in place good enough to stay to carry the axle across town.

[Quickboat]

Great bargain on good looking set of wheels. Wish you were closer, I could of welded your brackets on. We have some 180's/210's at school. Maybe you could swing by a fab shop? I use 140's on my car and I wouldn't trust them on something thick, heck I barely trust them plug welding my car together. I think a 180 is a perfect medium for thin to thick metal

I like to use Fabshield 23. It is a softer and easier to lay down flux core wire. It has great penetration characteristics on thin and galvanized materials.
http://www.hobartbrothers.com/produc...ld%26reg%3B+23

[GeoffP]

More progress today - the link brackets are bolted to the rear axle, the links are bolted in place under the car, and the cradle is mostly installed. That was a PITA and I have to say that I do not like the 3/8 self tapping bolts that are provided to bolt the cradle in place. Several would not tighten down at all. I was extremely careful and used a 5/16 drill bit just as the instructions said. So whether or not ridetech says it's not necessary I drilled several bolt locations all the way through the frame and used longer bolts with washers and nylock nuts. I doubt the bolts that would not tighten are going to stay in so I think I'm going to get my friend to weld the cradle in place (can you say unplanned expense???). I still don't know where I'm going to put the fuel pump and filter since the cradle is now in the way. I'll figure something out just not today. Got some family time tonight so that's it for now.

[Quickboat]

Geoff, I would at least put nut-certs in those holes. I thought that self tapping screws into 16gage was marginally strong enough, but my trunk floor is out and I am going to put flanged nuts or another layer of material on the inside of the frame rail before I bolt in the brackets. Self taping screws are just so suseptable to stripping that I think the "two plane" attachment is not a long lived attaching method. I will be measuring and making backup plates if any one needs them in the future.