04-12-2017, 02:02 PM
welp.
got it on the ground, tested the lights, adjusted the hitch, checked the tires. plate is on, i'm ready to go to home depot and pick up some wood and get this show on the road.
checked the tires again....thought i saw something....hmmm? !@#$%#@. the wheels aren't pointing straight. one wheel toed in, the other toed out. the damn axle is bent.
went back and double, triple checked my measurements. surely when i relocated the leaf springs 6 inches aft i probably was 1/4" off on one side or something? i could just notch the holes and slide one side forward and straighten it out. nope, the axle itself is dead perpendicular on the chassis. survey says: the actual hubs were welded on crooked. totally imperceptible to see without a big plane of reference bolted to it, i.e. the side of a tire lined up with the side of the trailer, so unfortunately i never would have noticed until this point in the build.
immediately i'm in worst-case scenario land. gotta get a new axle, what's that cost, oh btw nobody sells and axle in these dimensions off the shelf without going custom so now my $60 hen's-teeth u-bolts are garbage, would my bearings still work with a different axle, etc etc....but thankfully it looks like a new axle is coming my way out of another kit.
bad news: this is bullshit and now i'm delayed, and i just finished beautifully filling, coating, and painting the "U" of the axle to weatherproof it, which took like 4 days.
good news: local Northern Tool is being a boss and will order in a new axle free of charge and just swap out my old one, but that means another 2.5hrs out and back to Columbia to pick the stupid thing up, then more days of filling, coating, sanding and painting the new axle and of course hoping this one's actually straight.
that's a project being projecty i guess. autumn deadline ain't happenin but it'll get there.
got it on the ground, tested the lights, adjusted the hitch, checked the tires. plate is on, i'm ready to go to home depot and pick up some wood and get this show on the road.
checked the tires again....thought i saw something....hmmm? !@#$%#@. the wheels aren't pointing straight. one wheel toed in, the other toed out. the damn axle is bent.
went back and double, triple checked my measurements. surely when i relocated the leaf springs 6 inches aft i probably was 1/4" off on one side or something? i could just notch the holes and slide one side forward and straighten it out. nope, the axle itself is dead perpendicular on the chassis. survey says: the actual hubs were welded on crooked. totally imperceptible to see without a big plane of reference bolted to it, i.e. the side of a tire lined up with the side of the trailer, so unfortunately i never would have noticed until this point in the build.
immediately i'm in worst-case scenario land. gotta get a new axle, what's that cost, oh btw nobody sells and axle in these dimensions off the shelf without going custom so now my $60 hen's-teeth u-bolts are garbage, would my bearings still work with a different axle, etc etc....but thankfully it looks like a new axle is coming my way out of another kit.
bad news: this is bullshit and now i'm delayed, and i just finished beautifully filling, coating, and painting the "U" of the axle to weatherproof it, which took like 4 days.
good news: local Northern Tool is being a boss and will order in a new axle free of charge and just swap out my old one, but that means another 2.5hrs out and back to Columbia to pick the stupid thing up, then more days of filling, coating, sanding and painting the new axle and of course hoping this one's actually straight.
that's a project being projecty i guess. autumn deadline ain't happenin but it'll get there.
2010 Civic Si
2019 4Runner TRD Off-Road
--------------------------
Past: 03 Xterra SE 4x4 | 05 Impreza 2.5RS | 99.5 A4 Quattro 1.8T | 01 Accord EX | 90 Maxima GXE | 96 Explorer XLT
2019 4Runner TRD Off-Road
--------------------------
Past: 03 Xterra SE 4x4 | 05 Impreza 2.5RS | 99.5 A4 Quattro 1.8T | 01 Accord EX | 90 Maxima GXE | 96 Explorer XLT