My track rod adjuster was rusted tight.. No way to adjust it..
Tried all manner of penetrating oils and what not... One turn on a tie rod end took it way out of alignment in either direction..

Last night I took it off the truck.. Took the far end off of it.. Filled it about half way up with 50% ATF & Acetone...

Threaded a bung into the hole with an air chuck.. Pressurized the pipe and beat the hell out of the siezed up area with a hammer...

This morning I put the track rod in my pipe vise and took a 3' pipe wrench to it... It still wouldn't budge...

So I decided if I was going to need a new track rod it would be because this one was broken...

Got on it with that pipe wrench and tried to break it off. I was completely off the ground when it went "eek"..

Went back and forth a couple dozen times and it finally broke loose..

ATF and Acetone is supposedly the best penetrating oil...

I really thought I was buying a new track rod.. Even emailed Trevor about the parts needed...

When you're servicing those ends and whatnot.. A little waterproof grease or anti sieze will go a long way.

John

 

X2 on the anti-seize.
Been there on the track rod. Wouldn't do if again. For $100 you can get a HD track rod and not have to mess around with that rusty old thing.

 

But that's a hundred dollars I can put towards an alternator..

Got it back together.. Got it aligned properly... Took it for a test drive..

NO MORE DEATH WOBBLE !!!!!

Drove it around for twenty minutes or so. Was very proud of myself... Stopped at the post office, Came back out and......Dead Battery..

So I had to walk 2.5 miles home...

I'll go back and get it tonight when the wife gets off of work...Jeez..

On the good side.. It drove really well and the engine sounds good..
I went over it with the scope and it's not making any bad noises anywhere..

So.. Alternator repair.. Maybe a dash light as well since I saw no indication of the alternator not working.. Didn't notice if the tach dropped out or not..

John

 

Battery light on?? Check the voltage at the back of the alternator while running and check the voltage at the battery while running and turned off.. How old is the battery??

I just had an alternator shop rebuild my RRC's alt. They did an AMAZING job they even blasted it and repainted it, it looked brand new. All of that for $150. Works like a champ now. You can buy new, remanned alts and starters and all of that or pay a couple bucks to have genuine OEM one fixed.. I decided I'd do the later after reading all the horror stories from others.

 

No battery light.. At all.. Ever...

Bulb either out or mia...

I'll get that sorted out.. Minor after what I've already been thru..

John

 

I had to use two massive pipe wrenches, pb blaster and a torch.

 

Luckily I'm in the posession of an old tyme pipe vise... Mounted that on my workbench and went after it with a 3' pipe wrench..

I don't have a torch... Yet.....Didn't think propane would do much good..
Need real heat if you're going in that direction..

Decided it was the battery and not the alternator.. Voltage reads good and tach is working when engine is running...

New battery installed.. Off we go to the next thing on my list..

Pulled the cruise vacuum pump and it runs with voltage applied.. Gotta get some tubing..

John

 

Oxy / Acetylene = Mucho Caliente

 

Yeah, I've had one in the past.. Problem is I'm kind of dangerous with a torch...

We used to fill balloons with oxy/acet and detonate them with a squib..

Big Boom...

John