started tearing apart front of motor in order to get timing chain replaced. Removed Alt., A/C, water pump, bracket. Tomorrow I will remove harmonic balancer and then the TC cover. Reason for tear down is that she jumped time.There is a thread here called 96 oil fluctuation....

 

Ever since the first part was replaced in about 2006 it's never been right. This forum was full of track bar threads back in the day and mine had some play. I was young and inexperienced so I had a shop throw in the replacement. Then my steering wheel was crooked. Had them do an alignment. They screwed up the alignment (big surprise) and ever since then, it's been a saga: multiple alignments, wander, play, deadness, weak return, tire wear, tire pull, clunk, loud pumps, leaking pumps, worn gears, you name it. I've replaced everything at least once: two pumps, all hoses and pressure lines, two Redhead replacements, T steering, control arms, belts, pulleys, tensioners, swapping ps fluid, then ATF, then back to ps fluid, and many alignments both shops and myself (gave up on shops knowing what a solid axle is) etc, etc, etc, etc. It has been impossible to get back to the way it steered when I first owned it but it's close.

I got the clunks out going with T steer but it has its own problems if you recall and I wouldn't do it again. Then the wander was finally solved by the second Redhead gear but it's so tight it had no return. It literally felt like pre-power steering from the 60s. Absolute dead and stiff steering. Made my hands cramp up over long trips and I'm a pianist with strong hands. So I've been trying to get actual power steering back for the past four years and it's better now with the new pump. The last pump was good one day, bad the next. I must've bled it a hundred times. New hoses helped noticeably but still not a lot of return power which I don't understand. I know I have the axle set up correctly and alignment is right.

I've driven big lifted diesels with monster tires that you can steer with one finger and I remember it being that good years ago. So now it has a brand new pump but like I said, it's never ending. . .

 

I wonder if going with a high volume pump and another reservoir would do it. Maybe look into hydro assist? My steering is really good but I believe it's all factory (other then my heim steering)

 

Think I would be having a chat with redhead about that. Chrysler was always notorious for their over-powered steering.

If the steering doesn't want to self-center well, try increasing caster angle a degree.

 

Drove it again yesterday and the "power" is much better in "power steering" and seems consistent. Coming home it was very comfortable and nigh effortless. New pump is quieter and smoother operation. I still get tension at sharper turns which might be the T steering binding. Remember those bushings to keep from rolling over? I wonder if that isn't good at tighter turns. Yeah, I was thinking of adding a notch of caster too.

As for Redhead, I might someday call again but I am not that impressed with them. They had kids working in the shop and after the first one was a dud it left a sour taste. They also ship our gears with atf instead of required ps fluid. I've flushed mine several times and it's still pink.

 

FedEx delivered new Cloyes double roller chain assembly. Clean, prep, paint and got everything ready for assembly. Tomorrow is the day after the tree comes down.

 

This morning I’m headed out to mount the other e-fan that I didn’t get to do because of rain the other weekend... today I need to get done early because of heat... gotta love S.Florida weather.

 

Supposed to be in the mid-90s AGAIN today. Been doing tree work with a friend the last several days....... I think I have sweated off about 20 pounds. And to think, I do that for FUN....... I think there is something basically wrong with me.

 

I’ve done my fair share of work in the heat (being from Oz), but these days (being older than I was back then) I try to do less of it.

As for there being something wrong with you, I think you’ll pass as ok... unless you’re a closet Ford guy 🤣

 

Since I didn’t put it up the other weekend when I did the first fan, here’s the three sets of mounting holes I now have.


And the finished job.


For those that want to know, this is a TCP Performance shroud, Flex-a-lite controller, and 2 el-cheapo 16” fans from Amazon.

I’ll update you if there’s any issues with these fans (performance or longevity)... as you may have seen, I haven’t had the best of luck with longevity of brand-name fans.