Model A Noobie journal

[1955cj5]

I did balance the wheels, this time I used the left front hub. I just backed off the brake and looked for the heavy spots.

At first I used a few weights with double sided tape so I could move them around easily and hopefully find the best location.

A couple wheels took well over an ounce but one only needed 1/4 ounce, and yes it was noticeable.

I used the flat stick-on weights from the local O'reilly's...

There are threads here where others have made dedicated balancing fixtures using an old hub.

I'm still looking for a shop with a bubble balancer...I think the wheel balance could still use a little tweaking

 

[Art Newland]

I had noticed that a lot of guys use a battery disconnect switch in their cars and started shopping around for one. Then I was at Harbor Freight (aka Hazard Fraught ) and found that they sell one.
http://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty-battery-cutoff-switch-66789.html

For $8 bucks (and a 20% coupon) I thought I'd give one a try. There isn't any mention of how much current it can handle, but it looks hefty. I chopped and ground on a bracket normally used for framing wood structures and used a rear motor mount bolt to secure it. If it doesn't hold up, no biggie, I'll try something elese. It was a fun project non-the-less.

 

[Art Newland]

A few days ago I decided to go looking for the mystical "third brush" in the generator that I've heard about. I noticed that my amp meter was pretty much pegged while driving down the road at over 25 mph. I wanted to get the current down to 10 or so as I don't do any driving at night. When I pulled the cover off of the brushes, one wire came popping out of the opening and was just bare copper. I cut that wire off back to some good insulation, covered it with heatshrink and added a piece of silicone insulated high temp wire and a new eyelet. The commutator looks great, but I did clean out the grooves between the bars with an exacto blade. Charging at 12 amps max now, might turn it down a little farther.

 

[Art Newland]

I ordered 4 $99 tires from Lucas tires in California. I don't know if the tires are any good (yet) but the service was great. $530 for 4 tires, tubes, and liners, and they were here in 3 days.

 

[CWilson]

Fits like a glove! The rubber mat will lay on top of the felt, this should help seal up the cab a bit from drafts and odors.

Welcome! That looks great!

 

[Art Newland]

Thanks CWilson, was nice to get the wife involved in the project, she did a nice job. I started in on the new tires yesterday... four hours later finally had the first one on. After damaging two of the new tubes. 1955CJ5, remind me never to arm wrestle you! Now that I have a little technique and a couple special tools I made to make things go more smoothly, I put the second one on, from start to finish in about 40 minutes. Live and learn!. Now I'm waiting for a few new tubes to show up so I can finish the job, could probably patch one of them, but I don't think it would be worth the trouble. The new tires certainly look the part.

 

[Mitch//pa]

Looks much better with black walls, very good choice...
I would deep six that HF switch....the problem is with a generator system if the switch fails and disconnects you'll smoke the genny cause it is not seeing the battery.... Spend a little more and get the heavy duty real deal from one of the suppliers...

 

[1955cj5]

The first one was a bear, second not so bad and the last was a breeze!

I had to patch one of my old tubes and it was still fine when I replaced it with new...I would not be afraid of using a patch.....

They do look nice!!

Randy

 

[Fred K-OR]

Thanks CWilson, was nice to get the wife involved in the project, she did a nice job. I started in on the new tires yesterday... four hours later finally had the first one on. After damaging two of the new tubes. 1955CJ5, remind me never to arm wrestle you! Now that I have a little technique and a couple special tools I made to make things go more smoothly, I put the second one on, from start to finish in about 40 minutes. Live and learn!. Now I'm waiting for a few new tubes to show up so I can finish the job, could probably patch one of them, but I don't think it would be worth the trouble. The new tires certainly look the part.

Art, go down to HF and buy some stuff that you dip the ends of your tools in and it forms a "rubber" (actually plastic) coating on the ends of the tools you stick in your tires. It keeps you from trapping your tube between the tool and rim. Also HF has some longer tools, 18 in or so, that work well doing tires with this "rubber" stuff on the ends. Found this idea on FB-thanks guys.

Also grind down the corners of your tools. This keeps you from putting a hole in the tube. And don't use a screw driver.

How do I know all this stuff-been there done that!

 

[1955cj5]

And use dish soap and water....windex just wasn't slick enough for me.....

 

[Fred K-OR]

Looks much better with black walls, very good choice...
I would deep six that HF switch....the problem is with a generator system if the switch fails and disconnects you'll smoke the genny cause it is not seeing the battery.... Spend a little more and get the heavy duty real deal from one of the suppliers...

I agree with Mitch about the switch. You don't want to be stuck with the thing not working. I originally purchased one of that type of switch you have then decided to order two good ones from one of the vendors.

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

And use dish soap and water....windex just wasn't slick enough for me.....

I used to use liquid dish soap to mount tires, until I found it corroded aluminum rims and caused rim leaks.
Now I only use Vaseline.

 

[Art Newland]

I did use a little Windex here and there, but a solution of 25% dishsoap and 75% worked really well. I'm using HF 24in tire-irons, they really work great, if you weren't dealing with tubes it would be a non-issue. What has ended up working is to add a little air to the tube to round it out a bit, then I can easily discern the tube location and make sure I don't grab it by mistake. Probably helps it not get wadded up inside the tire as well.

 

[Mitch//pa]

Put baby powder on the tube,,,use the plastic bag trick no tools needed
A little air to form the tube as u mentioned

 

[Art Newland]

Looks much better with black walls, very good choice...
I would deep six that HF switch....the problem is with a generator system if the switch fails and disconnects you'll smoke the genny cause it is not seeing the battery.... Spend a little more and get the heavy duty real deal from one of the suppliers...

I agree,I like the black-walls. They are a little skinnier than the tire that came off, makes it look more "old-timey". Really "dooded-up" Model A's always seem a little out of character to me.

A question about the cut-off switch... What is the rational to the complete disconnect from the battery? I can understand wanting to have no power to the car's circuitry, especially since there are no fuses, but what good does it do to have no power to the starter? It's a simple, very robust, set of contacts. I would think extremely unlikely to short. The wiring harness on my car is obviously old, but in pretty good shape, but I'll probably add a fuse or circuit breaker. I would think a 30 amp switch from the starter connection in to the terminal box on the firewall would be just as useful.

 

[Fred K-OR]

I did use a little Windex here and there, but a solution of 25% dishsoap and 75% worked really well. I'm using HF 24in tire-irons, they really work great, if you weren't dealing with tubes it would be a non-issue. What has ended up working is to add a little air to the tube to round it out a bit, then I can easily discern the tube location and make sure I don't grab it by mistake. Probably helps it not get wadded up inside the tire as well.

Art, so you have the HF tire irons. Do get some of that stuff I mentioned in my last post to put on the ends of them-works great to keep from messing up your tubes even if you happen to get them between iron and rim.

Also, an old trick in getting you tubes installed so they don't have any creases in them, is to fill up the tube with air without the valve in it. Pump up the tube/tire a few extra lbs over and above what you would in filling up the tire, and then let the air come out (no valve so it comes out). After the air is out, then bounce the tire/tube/rim on the floor all the way around. Then put in your valve and fill to correct amount. This procedure will get the tube so that it does not have creases in it which over time, can cause a leak. Old tire guys trick.

 

[Mitch//pa]

I agree,I like the black-walls. They are a little skinnier than the tire that came off, makes it look more "old-timey". Really "dooded-up" Model A's always seem a little out of character to me.

A question about the cut-off switch... What is the rational to the complete disconnect from the battery? I can understand wanting to have no power to the car's circuitry, especially since there are no fuses, but what good does it do to have no power to the starter? It's a simple, very robust, set of contacts. I would think extremely unlikely to short. The wiring harness on my car is obviously old, but in pretty good shape, but I'll probably add a fuse or circuit breaker. I would think a 30 amp switch from the starter connection in to the terminal box on the firewall would be just as useful.

There more than just the starter that is hot when the car is off. The small wire that goes to the starter post with the battery cable feeds the electrical system, lights horn coil etc... So in a nut shell there is a lot of circuits that are juiced with the battery connected and the car off... The disconnect eliminates all this

 

[Mitch//pa]

Take a plastic garbage bag and lay it over the wheel (wheel should be setting on some soft base so it dosen't get scratched) Work the tire on the wheel, it will almost fall on. Remove the garbage bag and install the tube. Make sure the stem is secure in the valve hole. Put the bag back on the rim and put the 2nd side on the wheel and carefully remove the bag. Add Air. Good to go.

 

[1955cj5]

I did use a little Windex here and there, but a solution of 25% dishsoap and 75% worked really well. I'm using HF 24in tire-irons, they really work great, if you weren't dealing with tubes it would be a non-issue. What has ended up working is to add a little air to the tube to round it out a bit, then I can easily discern the tube location and make sure I don't grab it by mistake. Probably helps it not get wadded up inside the tire as well.

Yes...I installed the tubes in the tires first, put a few pounds of pressure in them to straighten the tube inside the tire, and also ran my hand around between the tube and tire to straighten out the folds..

Then I deflated the tube again, set the tube/tire assy onto the wheel, stem first..then squeeze the tire bead into the center of the wheel to allow fitting the rest of the tire onto the wheel...

A few magic words which I cannot share, and presto...new tire!

I was very happy when it was "done"..

This is the video that convinced me that I could do it......an old tire that has been on the rim in my opinion goes on easier than a new tire..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8iOSPLXR_4

 

[Art Newland]

Art, so you have the HF tire irons. Do get some of that stuff I mentioned in my last post to put on the ends of them-works great to keep from messing up your tubes even if you happen to get them between iron and rim.

Also, an old trick in getting you tubes installed so they don't have any creases in them, is to fill up the tube with air without the valve in it. Pump up the tube/tire a few extra lbs over and above what you would in filling up the tire, and then let the air come out (no valve so it comes out). After the air is out, then bounce the tire/tube/rim on the floor all the way around. Then put in your valve and fill to correct amount. This procedure will get the tube so that it does not have creases in it which over time, can cause a leak. Old tire guys trick.

I think what you are talking about is called "plasti-dip"?