62 Falcon - $5k challenge, how will it rise from the ranger's ashes?

[milner351]

[Bob Holmes]

Ouch

[Russell]

This is a good time to ask, How often do you check the brakes / bearings on your trailer? Mine is 3 years old never had the wheel off except to fix a flat. Do you rotate the tires on your trailer? Mine only has brakes on the back axle and with the dodge the ball was too high so the back tires have less tread. I need to replace one tire its flat spotted down to the threads Good thing I am sticking to street cars so i will not need the trailer at much.

[STINEY]

I try to check mine once a year.

The bearings get a lot more sideways force on them than a car or truck......think of how the tires have to "skid" in parking manuvers, that force ultimately ends up at the bearing.

Mine usually need some adjustment too. And I don't really tow that much/often.

[Bob Holmes]

Agreed, minimum of once a year.

[pintoboy77]

I know what you mean about misplacing parts it seems you start on one project and it gets moved to the side and another comes in and then another and the next thing the parts search is on. Good Luck.

[Beagle]

Yea - that's especially true when you have some tools in at least three places at once.
I'm almost afraid of getting all my stuff to one location - then I will see just how much I've accumulated over the years, I might have a stroke.

That is exactly where I'm at, have them spread out over three locations. I'm gonna need a bigger box.

Nice axle. Yuck. Maybe we should have an annual "Check out your trailer and where is your fire extinguisher" thread. I used to do that with the boat ... check the extinguiser, first thing

Northern Tools?

[1946Austin]

I'm guilty of not checking my trailer bearings every year and repacking them. I even put grease zerk caps on so I could at least shoot some fresh grease in them each year. If I miss a annual, I try not to go over two years without disassembling and checking.

[milner351]

I have to admit I've never taken my trailer axles apart - they were new when we built the trailer and I opted for the " bearing buddy" option.

pretty much every time I used the trailer (about a dozen times a year) I hook up the grease gun and give it a few pumps on each axle - and the damned rubber boots keep coming out that are supposed to seal the ends - and I have grease on every trailer wheel - rust proofing?

The tires I replaced with real trailer tires last year - previously I was using LRE truck tires and since they don't have the proper side wall for a trailer - I had problems with them.

I have drum brakes on both axles - must admit I've never checked those either.

The falcon is in for body/ paint, we've ditched the original paint scheme - pictures to follow.

[pintoboy77]

Sounds like your back at it again that is good.

[STINEY]

I just want to share a story about a boat trailer with hydraulic surge brakes and bearing buddies.

I bought it to convert into a 2-place sandrail hauler, its the yellow trailer in some of my pictures. Conversion went well, works good, nice and light.

Anyways, I went through the brakes and bearings while building/converting it.

When I pulled the drums off, no shit, the drum was packed completely solid with bearing grease. Completely. Can't even SEE the shoes and springs, just one huge blob of grease. These axles even have the drilled axle passages to direct the grease straight to the bearings, gun-drilled with a port to each bearing area.

The rear seal was pushed out of place and the whole brake area was then filled with grease. Must have been 3-4 tubes in there, maybe more. Turns out the brakes hadn't really been doing much for who know how long, with a 28' boat in tow.

Check your brakes.

[milner351]

'60 grille required the procurement of '60 headlight buckets, but sure looks a lot better than the "Norelco 'lectric shave" '62 grille...

[TheSilverBuick]

[STINEY]

Ooooo......I see paint. And panel alignment?

Progress!

[milner351]

I have called in reinforcements - it's good to have talented friends that work on the barter system - and cheap!
;-)