Rhythmic vibration at certain speeds

Let me guess - the right one?? Right front braring failure seems to be most common and at 340000 miles I'd say you were getting close to due. On a Ford or a Chebbie you'd likely be about ready for #3 or 4

Nope, this one was on the left front . The same wheel that had a lower ball joint failure* a couple of years ago in Memphis .

The majority of problems I had today were from press setups . The longer I have a hydraulic press* the more odds and ends I seem to accumulate to make it adaptable to the task at hand . I need to add a box for blocks etc .

And for a while now I thought it was a worn rubber bushing on the rear axle lateral stabilizer rod because when I turned left it got worse but on right curves it disappeared.

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I've had two wheel symptoms that turned out to be other than what I guessed.

The first was on the 91 Ford Ranger. I could feel a vibration in the steering wheel at 30 and 60MPH. I suspected wheel balance and built a balancer that supported the wheel adjustably close to its 3 dimensional center of gravity, allowing high sensitivity. When spun it moved from the level static to the wobbling dynamic balance position so I adjusted both. The down side was that the balancing point wore quickly, but it did work well for one balancing, then required remachining and readjusting.

This almost solved the vibration. While installing the wheel I happened to move my head to a position that revealed that the top of the shock had broken loose at its rusty mount, which was hidden behind a flange on the spring and shock mount stamping. The factory manual specifies how to replace the riveted spring mount with a bolted one.

The Honda made scraping/grinding noises when turning while driving, but not when jacked up. After disassembling the brakes and rotor I found that the bearing end play was well within spec; the cause was rust that had fallen into the narrow gap between the wheel hub and knuckle, blowing it out cured the problem. I think the rotor and dust shield may have amplified the scraping sound. The test is driving with the windows open in built-up areas where the buildings reflect back wheel and other noises.

A British classic car show displayed a poster lamenting the worries caused by hearing abnormal sounds and wondering which of several usual suspects needed service.

The majority of problems I had today were from press setups . The longer I have a hydraulic press* the more odds and ends I seem to accumulate to make it adaptable to the task at hand . I need to add a box for blocks etc .

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One of my justifications for buying machine shop stuff was to make custom repair parts and tooling. Since then I found that most car wear parts weren't machined and I could borrow a lot of special tooling like ball joint removers from Autozone, after cleaning up enough to drive there in the other vehicle. Have you been able to make hydraulic press fixtures as needed?

Lawn and garden equipment is more easily repaired with custom machined parts such as bronze bushings that replace stamped or molded plastic ones.

I must say that if one intends to run a vehicle for that many miles, it might be best to go to an airplane-style maintenance approach, where all critical items are replaced on a fixed schedule chosen to eliminate the possibility of in-service failures. There will still be surprise failures, but far less often or consequential.

Having all maintenance being scheduled allows for many economies of time and money.

Joe Gwinn

I must say that if one intends to run a vehicle for that many miles, it might be best to go to an airplane-style maintenance approach, where all critical items are replaced on a fixed schedule chosen to eliminate the possibility of in-service failures. There will still be surprise failures, but far less often or consequential.

Having all maintenance being scheduled allows for many economies of time and money.

Joe Gwinn

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I've tried that with mixed results. If the vehicle is old enough that only aftermarket parts are available the originals may be more reliable, the voltage regulator on my 91 Ford for example. After a spare one failed I put the original regulator back in and just use the brushes from replacements.

Today I replaced the entire after-cat exhaust on my Honda, though only one pipe was bad. The OEM catcon had been replaced earlier this year because its rear flange rotted away. What is your experience with type 409 stainless exhausts? I read that it's what factory ones are made from and may rust on the surface, as the chromium content is lower than for 304.

Yes , for the most part . I'm going to be buying some solid square stock for when I replace the other side . What made this difficult is having the brake disc shield in place and no way to remove it without destroying it . Once I got the wheel hub out of the knuckle I could remove it for the rest of the press work .

I didn't have that experience, but then again I gave up on my old Volvo at 150,000 miles because things were failing faster and faster than I could fix them.

I did install the aftermarket stainless steel version of that old Volvo's exhaust system, and it never corroded, but I don't know what alloy it was. Hmm. I'd guess 302, which I think was invented for just such things.

I'd bet that fatigue cracks would eventually happen, but could be repaired by welding and annealing.

Joe Gwinn

This is true . But I'm a neophyte in extremely high mileage vehicles . Well , we did drive that '96 Corsica til IIRC around 248k ... But anyway , I do all my own *work except automatic transmissions . I have a well equipped machine shop , and I have the time to do it right . Let's face it Joe , nobody cares about Snag's ass as much as Snag does . And that goes double for Mrs Snag . And especially when it comes to my motorcycles .

Any idea which alloy the shops that bend up their own systems use ? I was given a custom system made for a '57 Chevy , which I cut up and pieced together for a system for my '86 GMC pickup . Never really thought about what it is .

Any idea which alloy the shops that bend up their own systems use ? I was given a custom system made for a '57 Chevy , which I cut up and pieced together for a system for my '86 GMC pickup . Never really thought about what it is . Snag

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I asked around when I need a 2" stainless tube for my tube furnace, to temper a 5160 froe blade. They had no clue and it wasn't labeled. Amazon had a long enough piece grade 304 for beer brewing, with flanged ends, for less than the shop wanted to cut me a piece. It's a second with a defect in the inner wall but the furnace shouldn't care.

The rotor dust shields on my Ford are galvanized sheet metal with the rim flange formed with stovepipe crimping pliers.

Mine are original , and they're pristine . This 4Runner has spent it's entire life here in Arkansas . Only place there's excessive rust is the rear bumper . I should replace it ...

Mine are original , and they're pristine . This 4Runner has spent it's entire life here in Arkansas . Only place there's excessive rust is the rear bumper . I should replace it ... Snag

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Hopefully retirement means I won't have to drive on salty roads any more. Of course there are holidays and appointments to keep, but now I can spray under the car with a gutter cleaner to wash the salt off and not be as concerned with how long the water will take to thaw and let me drive again.

Often the "experienced" parts last longer than the new replacement junk

I think those bumpers would eventually self destruct if the truck was left long enough on the showroom floor. That was ONE part of the 4 runner that was junk (American made I believe)

Just like Ford Ranger bumpers. Mine is likely the only original 1996 ranger rear bumper in Canada that isn't rusted - and someone smashed it for me 4 weeks ago. No OEM, used, or third party replacements available from any known Canadian supplier - should be one arriving from Rock Auto tomorrow.

It's a bugger when the insurance company wants to write off a perfectly good 28 year old truck because the bumper is bent - - - - $2800 repair estimate and no sheet metal samage or even a scratch on the paint - - - I guess the bumper COULD be repaired - all the brackets are like pretzels, 2 welds are torn out and it has about a 30 degree twist in it. The frame mounted hitch appears to have saved the tailgate and tail lights and the back of the box - - -

I think those bumpers would eventually self destruct if the truck was left long enough on the showroom floor. That was ONE part of the 4 runner that was junk (American made I believe)

Just like Ford Ranger bumpers. Mine is likely the only original 1996 ranger rear bumper in Canada that isn't rusted - and someone smashed it for me 4 weeks ago. No OEM, used, or third party replacements available from any known Canadian supplier - should be one arriving from Rock Auto tomorrow.

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Toyotas used to have a terrible rust problem here, reputedly from accumulating contamination in the recycled steel they used. The engines never wore out because they didn't have a chance to. Other Japanese makes weren't much better. Apparently the conditions that make steel good for forming auto bodies aren't the best for other reasons. Google isn't responding well to requests.

I sandblasted the rust from my 91 Ranger's rear bumper well over a decade ago and SEM black trim paint has protected it since.

Today's rustout problem: I'm running out of empty beer cans to press and clamp into models of the rear wheel well curves and bends.

In NH a 2x6 hardwood plank or beam is acceptable as a replacement bumper.