Expanding a Double and adding a Boat-Port in Calgary

jbmatth · Nov 14, 2017

For the ball joint tool I always rent the one from O'Reilly Auto Parts. It has worked for me but it doesn't fit the best and I fight with it a lot especially on the upper arm which is stamped and welded steel. What happens is the ball joint will start to press out of one side and bend the other side of the stamped steel. Honestly this last time I replaced the entire upper arm, it wasn't much more expensive because I had to replace the control arm bushings anyway and saved a couple of hours. Also good luck with getting the tire off of the rim, I've never had much luck with it and only have one tire spoon so that makes it harder. Enjoy the trip, you always seem to visit some beautiful areas.
JB

JohnnieMo · Nov 17, 2017

jbmatth said:
For the ball joint tool I always rent the one from O'Reilly Auto Parts. It has worked for me but it doesn't fit the best and I fight with it a lot especially on the upper arm which is stamped and welded steel. What happens is the ball joint will start to press out of one side and bend the other side of the stamped steel. Honestly this last time I replaced the entire upper arm, it wasn't much more expensive because I had to replace the control arm bushings anyway and saved a couple of hours. Also good luck with getting the tire off of the rim, I've never had much luck with it and only have one tire spoon so that makes it harder. Enjoy the trip, you always seem to visit some beautiful areas.
JB

I decided much as you did the last time I did ball joints on the Avalanche. However the lower arms in the LTZ are actually aluminum. The replacements were steel. That adversely affected the performance of the magnetic ride control system. So I learned how to do the ball joints and reverted to the aluminium arms. I’m pretty sure the DMax won’t have the same problem.

With that being said I’ve never tried to press the top ones. I figure I’m dangerous enough now to try.

. I may regret that decision but at least I have no pressing needs for that truck. I might tackle it Sunday depending on the family situation. (I’m still in London)

And here are some parting pics.

Believe it or not, that cannon was a plastic replica. There were many real ones too.

JohnnieMo · Nov 21, 2017

Okay. Caption contest!!!

GRN96WS6 · Nov 21, 2017

Here, hold my Molson! I got this!

jon72vega · Nov 21, 2017

JohnnieMo said:
Okay. Caption contest!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :lol2:

Robey5 · Nov 21, 2017

(Insert closeup of image of chains on tires of the TA):

Friend #1: "Hey, they opened the winter drag-strip up north"
Friend #2: ...drinks glacier fresh Kokane, "you mean that one in Columbia Icefields?"
Friend #1: "....this is gonna be awesome"

polexican23 · Nov 21, 2017

"finally figured out how to stop exploding goodyears from hurting bystanders"

Guster · Nov 21, 2017

Fast and Furious X - Ice road drifters
Ice road truckers are smuggling seals and the race is on to save a little Inuit boy and his best friend Nuk-nuk, the baby fur seal. The team are back together one more time, still haunted by Brian's(Paul Walker) ghost and a purpose for the better. Can Dom(Vin Diesel) find enough snow chains in time for the crew to save little Nuk-nuk from becoming akutaq? Do Alaska even sell 98RON?
:lol_hitti

JohnnieMo · Nov 23, 2017

Wow.... I laughed out loud at each and every one. Guster though.... you really went the extra mile.

Your versions are far better than reality. All I was doing was moving the car from the lift, over to the other side of the garage. I was originally looking at using the winch and floor anchor, but this was far easier. A buddy had these laying around and they were a perfect fit. It felt a bit like driving over broken bones, but the car didn't slip at all in the snow and ice.

I moved it over to accomodate the Duramax which needed a complete steering overhaul. New pitman arm, idler arm, inner and outer tie-rods. I threw in some new Bilstein 5100s while I was in there.

The project took a couple days, and I wasn't going to post any pictures until it was clear I wasn't laying dead under the truck. As you can see I had to improvise on the lifting approach. That truck is so long that I had to drive it right off the back and hang the rear wheels down.

It worked beautifully, but was clearly a bit dangerous. But then again, I tend to live on the edge.

The job itself was challenging. 4 balljoints to pull plus that pitman arm was a bear. They just don't make a lot of room to work. However it is driving much better now. The 12 year old shock replacement was definitely the biggest bang for the buck.

Next up - I need to figure out why the ABS code keeps showing up. Sigh.... old vehicles.

tennesseewj · Nov 26, 2017

Those ball joints are a bear on that series of trucks. I remember them well, and it's not fond memories, haha! Good job turning up your sleeves and getting it done

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Styx · Nov 26, 2017

Great improvising on the jack stands at the back.
As for the ABS codes go to Canadian Tire and have them scan it for you. Or NAPA will usually do it for free, but you get what you pay for with that...lol...

Love the chains on the car. you have that much snow there already???

Cheers Randy

JohnnieMo · Nov 26, 2017

Styx said:
Great improvising on the jack stands at the back.

As for the ABS codes go to Canadian Tire and have them scan it for you. Or NAPA will usually do it for free, but you get what you pay for with that...lol...

Love the chains on the car. you have that much snow there already???

Cheers Randy

I bought a cheap Bluetooth code reader a while ago and pulled the codes. This is what I got.

The truck stops fine until you get below 2 MPH. Then the ABS kicks in and in essence slows your stopping ability on dry pavement. It’s very unnerving.

If the sensor is bad it necessitates an entirely new hub. I don’t know how to test it without the swap.

—

On the weekend front I didn’t do much. I cleaned up a bit and installed my new garage PC! It’s seven years old. My wife let me upgrade the home PC so this fellah moves outside. I’ve now achieved the Sketchup drawing.

New Dell.

Scored a second 23” monitor on a Black Friday deal at Memory Express. $125 CAD.

Now that I’ve got the new computer I need to find better software for video editing. Any recommendations? I see Windows Live Movie Maker is no more. I tried a product called Lightworks but I’m not too deep in just yet.

scooter02 · Nov 26, 2017

Take the sensor out of the hub and make sure that it is clean it off real good. I have done this on my Chevrolet trucks and it has stopped the ABS from kicking in at slow speeds. At least it will tell you if the sensor is good or bad.

jbmatth · Nov 27, 2017

Glad the suspension replacement went off without a hitch. I know it is a pain to do and don't look forward to having to do that again. It would be hilarious to see the TA on the road with chains on it.
JB

JohnnieMo · Nov 27, 2017

tennesseewj said:
Those ball joints are a bear on that series of trucks. I remember them well, and it's not fond memories, haha! Good job turning up your sleeves and getting it done

I ended up getting lucky and the ball joints were still good. I believe they have been fixed before, although my dad has no record of it.

Styx said:
Love the chains on the car. you have that much snow there already???
Cheers Randy

We don't have a lot of snow. In fact, it has been really warm here this week. But any amount of ice and that car just sits still. My alley only gets a few hours of sun a day, so it mostly stays a skating rink regardless of the weather.

scooter02 said:
Take the sensor out of the hub and make sure that it is clean it off real good. I have done this on my Chevrolet trucks and it has stopped the ABS from kicking in at slow speeds. At least it will tell you if the sensor is good or bad.

I didn't realize you could access the sensor by removing the hub. I will add that to the agenda. I've also read that there is a grounding point on the chassis that can get rusty and should be cleaned. I'll try that too. If I can solve that problem, the truck should be mechanically back to 100%.

jbmatth said:
Glad the suspension replacement went off without a hitch. I know it is a pain to do and don't look forward to having to do that again. It would be hilarious to see the TA on the road with chains on it.
JB

So far, so good. I drove it around on the weekend, and other than the steering wheel being ****-eyed it was just fine. Better than before actually. Still need to get that alignment done. As for the Trans Am.... well at least it drove 15 feet. I've got plans for it this winter.... hopefully. It's been neglected too long.

scooter02 · Nov 27, 2017

On my Pick U.P. and Suburban, both half tons, I removed the rotors to access the sensor on my the hub. There is an Allen head screw that holds the sensor into the hub. Remove the screw and pull the sensor out to clean any debris on the magnet. I put a small piece of rag in the hole and wire brushed around the hole to ensure a good clean surface. I then put a little grease on the o-ring on the sensor and the area of the hub. Reassembled it and the problem went away. There was a technical bulletin on this that I got from one of the mechanics from work.

JohnnieMo · Nov 30, 2017

scooter02 said:
On my Pick U.P. and Suburban, both half tons, I removed the rotors to access the sensor on my the hub. There is an Allen head screw that holds the sensor into the hub. Remove the screw and pull the sensor out to clean any debris on the magnet. I put a small piece of rag in the hole and wire brushed around the hole to ensure a good clean surface. I then put a little grease on the o-ring on the sensor and the area of the hub. Reassembled it and the problem went away. There was a technical bulletin on this that I got from one of the mechanics from work.

Thanks Scoot. This is on my agenda for the next time I back the Titanic back in to the work shop. My new rear shocks finally arrived so that is on the list too. I also got the old wheels disassembled at the tire shop and will be plastic blasting them next week.

I don't have any plans for Christmas this year, so I might be tackling a few of these projects then. It's so weird not having a garage build to work on over Christmas.

NelsonLt1 · Dec 1, 2017

Just wanted to say thank you for the detail that you have put into documenting this build, as well as the thought you have put into the details. I have referenced it a number of times while designing, and now currently building my garage extension.

Luke

JohnnieMo · Dec 3, 2017

NelsonLt1 said:
Just wanted to say thank you for the detail that you have put into documenting this build, as well as the thought you have put into the details. I have referenced it a number of times while designing, and now currently building my garage extension.

Luke

Thanks Luke. I learned from many others in here as well so we all need to pay it forward.

---

For those interested I am still at work on my YouTube channel. I downloaded a software tool called Lightworks for video editing. It took me a couple days to get my first video produced. I almost gave up a couple times but now I really like it.

So here it is - how to rebuild the steering on your 2006 Duramax. I know you've all been asking for this [emoji4]

---

I'm working on a garage tour as my next project. Did the filming today. Editting takes about ten times longer.

JohnnieMo · Dec 5, 2017

Garage Video is Complete!

Have a click on the link below to see my full and complete Garage Build in 25 minutes (and spare yourself the 51 pages)

Or you can find it at www.johnniemo.com

Please like and leave comments if you fight through it all

Denwood · Dec 5, 2017

Nice job on that steering video. You thought a bit about lighting which is super important for these vids.

I’ve only used Adobe Premiere (subscription) but i’ll have to check out Lightwoorks.

1949 caddyman · Dec 5, 2017

Very informative video.

JohnnieMo · Dec 5, 2017

Denwood said:
Nice job on that steering video. You thought a bit about lighting which is super important for these vids.

I’ve only used Adobe Premiere (subscription) but i’ll have to check out Lightwoorks.

I literally googled for "what is the best video editing software" and Lightworks came up. I know the creative folks at my business use Adobe, and perhaps I should have looked at that, but Google has spoken.

Lightworks is quite powerful, is free for home use, and appears to do everything that I could ever want it to. It reminds me of learning Sketchup for the first time... pretty painful until you get the hang of it.

I did think a bit about lighting, but not enough. I would like to get a camera with an LED ring on it.... or something like that. I find it hard to get the light where I want it. I am shooting all of this with a 7 year old Canon S95 and an $11 tripod off Amazon. There is plenty of room for improvement. One issue with the camera is that it doesn't auto focus well when you move the camera around. That is a bit annoying. I do prefer a smaller camera as I'm often wedging it into tight spaces. I also need to learn how to trim the videos down.... they are too long. All part of the learning process.

I watch April Wilkerson's videos a lot. She does a great job of making complex projects go quickly on video. No matter the project, it stays between 5 and 8 minutes.... And she's a chick doing wood-working... nothing not to like about that.

I'm learning as I go. I'm an amateur that's for sure. On the plus side I've completely by accident amassed 230 subscribers on YouTube and 200,000 views. I remember when I got the first subscriber, I didn't even know what that meant.

JohnnieMo · Dec 10, 2017

Well another weekend in the books. It sure is nice not having a garage to build [emoji4] However I did have a bit of a touch up to do. A pair of pigeons have started to vacation in my carport. As such, I needed to board up the entry from the carport in to the attic. Those flying rats were even tagged as somebody's pet. No idea why people would want those foul creatures around.

Anyways it is all sealed up now. If they keep perching up there and crapping on the boat more work will be in order.

Next I finished some trim for my wife. She has been asking me to do the baseboards in what I call the "zombie apocalypse" room for over two years now. I figured it was about time to help her out. So there ya go. When the zombies come, we'll be fed, watered, and surrounded by adequate baseboard.

And here is my next project.... These are the "summer" rims from the Duramax. As you can see they are disgusting. And this is what they look like clean!

I decided to refinish them before installing new tires. That involved a trip out to the plastic blaster. He did a great job. (Autobahn Auto Works, www.plasticblast.ca) Why plastic instead of sand? Honestly I don't know much other than I liked his website and with aluminium, I was a bit more comfortable with the plastic. They look great now.

The next step is a daunting one..... I want to refinish these myself, so I picked up one of these high volume, low pressure (HVLP) gravity fed paint guns. Three days ago I didn't even know they existed, so I am seriously in over my head here.

This particular gun is a 1.4mm and came from Princess Auto. Reviews were decent. I've been spending hours watching videos and trying to learn. I really don't know what I don't know.

So if any of you Garage Journalers know a thing or two about auto refinishing, or HVLP paint guns, I'd love a tutorial... maybe some YouTube links.

At this stage I don't know what kind of paint to use (single stage or base/clear), what tip to use (1.4mm?) what pressure and flow to use, what kind of paint to buy, how to mix the paint, how to spray the paint etc. I could really use a hand.

This also means I am already looking to mod the garage to build a paint station. I know I said once before I wasn't going to paint, and I'm already wrong. I see a lot of folks just use a box fan with a furnace filter on it, but others say that is an explosion risk. I really don't know either way. So again - GJ to the rescue!

I think it will be a while before I get to painting.... which is sad too as today was +15C in Calgary..... in December. I could have painted outside, but I am too dumb to start this project yet.

Oh and here is mini-me enjoying the shop PC.

Also added a keyboard slide. Much fun.

1949 caddyman · Dec 10, 2017

Look into powder coat for the wheels.

JohnnieMo · Dec 10, 2017

1949 caddyman said:
Look into powder coat for the wheels.

I did. They want $150 per wheel. And part of this, as always, is to learn. It would have been cheaper to buy new wheels instead of refinishing these if I wanted the easiest way out.

Robey5 · Dec 11, 2017

I have really enjoyed following the thread. No real reason to have to chime in, until now.

Regarding the wheels and your re-finish project. OEM wheels typically use powder coat; but because you're not going to powder coat, and these are not OEM wheels, I have a couple tips for you (for the sake of longevity of your work).

Consider a color which is uniform throughout; meaning: the less masking you have to do, the less possibility of the future corrosion to occur. Those wheels look like they are (in the factory) painted/PC'ed, then sent to the (giant) lathe to create the shiny face, then possibly polished after machining. My suggestion is to - instead of trying to replicate the original look - that you choose one color regardless of the original shiny face and colored pockets/features. Regarding a paint suggestion your best bet will be a prime/base/clear situation instead of an enamel.

Lastly regarding safety - when you are painting these wheels: the area where the lug nuts seat is very important not to have any paint on it for long term clamping load when installing on your car.

I've enjoyed the trip thus far!

JohnnieMo · Dec 11, 2017

Robey5 said:
I have really enjoyed following the thread. No real reason to have to chime in, until now.

Regarding the wheels and your re-finish project. OEM wheels typically use powder coat; but because you're not going to powder coat, and these are not OEM wheels, I have a couple tips for you (for the sake of longevity of your work).

Consider a color which is uniform throughout; meaning: the less masking you have to do, the less possibility of the future corrosion to occur. Those wheels look like they are (in the factory) painted/PC'ed, then sent to the (giant) lathe to create the shiny face, then possibly polished after machining. My suggestion is to - instead of trying to replicate the original look - that you choose one color regardless of the original shiny face and colored pockets/features. Regarding a paint suggestion your best bet will be a prime/base/clear situation instead of an enamel.

Lastly regarding safety - when you are painting these wheels: the area where the lug nuts seat is very important not to have any paint on it for long term clamping load when installing on your car.

I've enjoyed the trip thus far!

Well thanks for picking this opportunity to chime in! I appreciate you following, and the advice.

My plan was to paint them a uniform silver colour. My hope was that this would "seal" the wheel better. I also chose to remove the tire to get up and around the lip completely.

Great hint for the lugs. I've seen in other videos guys are covering the front and back of the "hub" area. I can do the same. It will of course create a break from the continuity of the paint.

These wheels were cheap and from China. I think about $250 each at the time of purchase. However they are rated for the weight of the truck, and I've always liked their look.

My plan was to do just do a basic silver colour with a semi-gloss type sheen. This is a work truck, so I want it to be durable more than I want it to be stunning.

I do recognize that powder coat is the way to go, and I may settle for that eventually, but I would like to try this project. What they told me was that silver was the most expensive colour to powder coat as it requires two coats instead of one. I'm not sure on the science behind that. Apparently it needs a unique clear coat.

Do you have any suggestions on brand of paint? There is a local shop that sells BASF nearby that I was going to check out. They have some economy lines I am going to look at.

When it comes to painting, is it a paint, then dry for a day sorta thing? Or is rapid coats followed by clear? My biggest concern is cleaning the gun in between. (which I still need to learn how to do).

Last question: Are these automotive paints at risk for explosion if I use a common box fan to ventilate?

Here is a pic of the wheels new.

Robey5 · Dec 11, 2017

I have not run a paint gun in a very long time, but I appreciate your questions.

Regarding brand, I would stick with a high-end-ish brand if longevity is your goal. BASF is a brand that has been around forever, and I would stay with a brand like this or PPG.

Regarding the application and goals for long-term durability, I would strongly suggest that the person at the paint shop would know best about 'flash' times and coats.

With automotive paints and explosion: I am not sure what to advise here, because the last time that I ran a paint gun was in a booth that I rented on a weekend; I am sorry that my knowledge is limited in the arena of home-made booth setups. (...I bet someone on the forum will chime in!)

JohnnieMo · Dec 12, 2017

A bit of a setback with the wheels. I went to the BASF dealer and they said there wasn't a product in their inventory that would stay attached to wheels, particularly aluminium wheels. The senior guy there said that since VOC requirements came in it pretty much eliminated any good product for wheel adhesion.

Their suggestion was to hire a pro that only does wheels. That gives it a fighting chance.

I'm not sure if this problem is because of salty winter roads here in Canada, or if it is just all wheels. I kind of want a second opinion as it seems pretty far fetched that the dozens of youtube videos I watched are ALL wrong.

Robey5 · Dec 12, 2017

Adhesion to aluminum and paints not working ... I'm not sure I am buying this story - I hate when you get blown off because you're trying to figure something out on your own...

I have an idea that may be a little more suitable as an alternative.

what if: you consider a vinyl wrap or a "plasti-dip"? I know you've already made the purchase of a new paint-gun, but this may be an alternative that would (potentially) allow you to have a single color solution at the same time as have a kind of cool color... And: I would think that a wrap has a bit more of a protective quality in nature of it's being...

NelsonLt1 · Dec 12, 2017

Not sure what finish you are going for, but I have used spray on bedliner on a few sets of wheels with excellent results. I like the black rugged look; really depends on what end look you are going for.

Denwood · Dec 12, 2017

Johnnie, I've done a few wheels in my time, and the last (for my VW Westfalia), I stripped myself, and had powder coated. That is the best finish for wheels IMHO.

That said, I've also clear coated autocross rims which were bare aluminum, and they held up surprisingly well. Pretty much sanded them, then straight on with clear.

If you're set on painting, I'd start with cleaning the wheels very well with TSP and water, then coating soon after with epoxy (2 part) primer. If you're looking for a solid color, a two part urethane in silver metallic will likely look good. You can also base/clear, however you'll spend some dollars for good paint. The guys I purchase from locally sell BASF, so that's what I use.

You're biggest challenge will be paint runs, vs dry spray. Use really good lights, and get just enough paint on there to wet the surface. Any more and you'll run. Be patient, and follow the flash time recommendations on the product. For wheels, you'll want to keep the paint layers as thin as possible.

You can set up a plastic enclosure with a fan pushing air in via furnace filters, and filters again on the exhaust side of your booth to catch over spray. I've done this numerous times with no issues as the fan is pushing in fresh air. Winter spraying can be hard as you'll want the garage door open, but heated air coming in. Regardless, you'll need to invest in a good mask with appropriate cartridges for what you're doing.

Painting is a PITA, as well as a lot of work..but it can be quite rewarding too. Page 21 and Page 22 of my thread cover some paint work, and the plastic "booth" I made as well: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=263351&page=21

JohnnieMo · Dec 12, 2017

Robey5 said:
Adhesion to aluminum and paints not working ... I'm not sure I am buying this story - I hate when you get blown off because you're trying to figure something out on your own...

I have an idea that may be a little more suitable as an alternative.

what if: you consider a vinyl wrap or a "plasti-dip"? I know you've already made the purchase of a new paint-gun, but this may be an alternative that would (potentially) allow you to have a single color solution at the same time as have a kind of cool color... And: I would think that a wrap has a bit more of a protective quality in nature of it's being...

I have done some plastic-dip before, but I don't think it will hold up on a truck wheel. Vinyl would be better I suppose. I did find a guy who would powder-coat for $100 each, so that's still likely the easiest decision. But since when do I do easy?

NelsonLt1 said:
Not sure what finish you are going for, but I have used spray on bedliner on a few sets of wheels with excellent results. I like the black rugged look; really depends on what end look you are going for.

I love the look of bed liner, and I was even exploring painting my entire truck with it, however I don't like it for the wheels in this case. I want that silver finish.

Denwood said:
Johnnie, I've done a few wheels in my time, and the last (for my VW Westfalia), I stripped myself, and had powder coated. That is the best finish for wheels IMHO.

That said, I've also clear coated autocross rims which were bare aluminum, and they held up surprisingly well. Pretty much sanded them, then straight on with clear.

If you're set on painting, I'd start with cleaning the wheels very well with TSP and water, then coating soon after with epoxy (2 part) primer. If you're looking for a solid color, a two part urethane in silver metallic will likely look good. You can also base/clear, however you'll spend some dollars for good paint. The guys I purchase from locally sell BASF, so that's what I use.

You're biggest challenge will be paint runs, vs dry spray. Use really good lights, and get just enough paint on there to wet the surface. Any more and you'll run. Be patient, and follow the flash time recommendations on the product. For wheels, you'll want to keep the paint layers as thin as possible.

You can set up a plastic enclosure with a fan pushing air in via furnace filters, and filters again on the exhaust side of your booth to catch over spray. I've done this numerous times with no issues as the fan is pushing in fresh air. Winter spraying can be hard as you'll want the garage door open, but heated air coming in. Regardless, you'll need to invest in a good mask with appropriate cartridges for what you're doing.

Painting is a PITA, as well as a lot of work..but it can be quite rewarding too. Page 21 and Page 22 of my thread cover some paint work, and the plastic "booth" I made as well: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=263351&page=21

I didn't even remember that project on your thread. That thread of yours is a gold mine. I have looked in to constructing a paint booth in the garage which uses box fans as such. Most folks concur that you want the input side to be the positive pressure and the output side to be negative. (i.e. don't run paint through an electric fan motor) In most cases though, it you have a soft walled enclosure, you need a fan sucking out as much as in, otherwise your walls all puff out and leak.

The ideal situation here would be for my wife to get on board with turning our 5th bedroom into a painting room. (I can hear the snickers from here). Ever since our oldest moved out, we have this perfect room in the basement we could use for spraying. So far it's only gathered her collection of antique furniture waiting to be restored. I'd be willing to accept her sanding in the garage, if I can paint in the basement.

A few things I've learned about painting.

1) Never work in a dusty environment (i.e. the garage)
2) Make sure it is sealed
3) Make sure it is warm
4) No bugs
5) No sparks

This basement room would be perfect. We could just put down a rubber flooring, put a big filter in the window, and install a fan. Compressor could hide in the closet. You could paint all day in here with no issue. Just plug the heat register in the ceiling and you control the airflow. Best thing is, the light is situated right by the window, which is where you would paint. I could make a swing away window filter with ease.

When we are done with this paint room and want to either turn it into something else, or sell the house, it's already configured for re-painting!

I think its brilliant... but I have my dad's eccentrism. (if that's a word) IP

JohnnieMo · Dec 13, 2017

I called Sherwin Williams as well. Same story. Nothing will bond to aluminium. Looks like this project is dead on the vine. Power coating will have to be the answer. The good news is I've gotten better quotes since.

Now I need a new Christmas project!

yhprum · Dec 13, 2017

Hmm think about how many aluminum jet planes with nice paint jobs are flying around.
Its all in the processes and materials. Here is some light reading: https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation...ding/building-articles/painting-and-finishing

JohnnieMo · Dec 13, 2017

yhprum said:
Hmm think about how many aluminum jet planes with nice paint jobs are flying around.
Its all in the processes and materials. Here is some light reading: https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation...ding/building-articles/painting-and-finishing

To be clear they are saying aluminium is hard to adhere to. They are also saying wheels are hard to maintain adhesion. When you add them together, it's almost impossible. One or the other is challenging, but not impossible... obviously.

Car manufacturers have been able to achieve good results. However I can tell you from experience that every aftermarket wheel I've ever purchased has resulted in corrosion and pitting. Our winter climate certainly doesn't help.

Great link by the way. I've read through a bunch of it. However the parts on HVLP guns is dated 1998. I don't think it is correct anymore. We have places like Harbour Freight and Princess Auto now for all our cheap Chinese equipment.

JohnnieMo · Dec 18, 2017

So I decided to farm the wheels out to the Wheel Clinic from Edmonton. He had a good referral and also came in at $100 per wheel for silver powdercoat. I don't love that I need to farm this one out, but them's the breaks. I guess that means I can get down to some other projects!

First things first, that Duramax is the gift that keeps on giving. I thought I would quickly throw the new rear shocks in. While I was under there I thought it would be easier if the spare tire was down and out of the way.

About 2 hours later, that was complete. I'm glad I didn't start screwing with that mess out on a cold highway. The latching safety mechanism failed and I ended up having to take the entire thing off the truck to clean and lube it up.

It's a clever design with piss poor implementation. I must say it is clear this truck didn't live in Alberta its entire life. The BC precipitation rusted the **** out of the underside of the truck. My Avalanche is in way better shape.

Finally got the shocks back in. It took about 15 minutes of the 2 hour job.

Next I wanted to get my left front ABS sensor fixed. I pulled the front end apart and sniffed around. Here is what the wheel sensor looks like before.

And here it is removed.

I used some emery cloth to polish it up. I also tried hooking up a voltmeter to it to see if it was working at all. I got really inconclusive results.

And here it is re-installed.

And here you can see my next project.

After installing the sensor the ABS light just came on permanently.

I'm pretty sure the sensor is gone. This hub is only 6 years old and has about 80,000km, so I think it is worth it to just replace the sensor.

So if anyone has brake recommendations I am open to them. I put high end EBC stuff on the Avalanche, but I don't think that is needed in this case. I tell ya, this truck is a trojan horse. I'll be $4k to $5k into it before summer gets here. I guess that's not too bad considering the purchase price.

--

Okay time for a new topic! I want to get set up for some welding in the near future. That was one of the goals for this entire garage in the first place, and I have some minor projects to tackle. The problem is, I have no room for a welding table. Soooo, my thought was to just put some sort of metal surface over top of my rolling work bench. Would that work?

I was hoping that I could just get a chunk of some kind of steel and put some stand-offs to work on the only bench I've got. It also happens to be close to the 220V plug [emoji6] So can anyone give me an idea of what type of steel I should get? (JB, I am looking in your direction).

I also need to invest in gas for my Mig Pak 180. I really don't even know how to do that either, but my neighbour is a welder and can help out.

camaroz1985 · Dec 19, 2017

Your sensor looks like it came apart. You can still see the outer sleeve in the hub. Definitely needs replaced.

And for brakes I would look at Hawks. I use their heavy duty pads on my trucks, and the high performance pads on my race cars.

jbmatth · Dec 19, 2017

The spare tire fiasco sure looks familiar, sadly there is no easy way to remove the spare as you found out. On my current truck (3rd vehicle fighting that) I cut the catch off. I know shame on me but I didn't want to take my chances of not being able to remove the spare in inclement weather. I was in a similar boat with my current truck, I had $6,000 in repairs just to get it drive-able and now that I've had it on the road a year I have another $500 worth of other small repair items, and that doesn't even get into the cosmetics of the truck.

As for the welding table top, even a 1/4" (6.35mm) or even 3/16" (4.75mm) plate of hot rolled steel (A36 is really the only common material spec.) will be sufficient and reasonably priced. It will not be dead flat and has the potential to slightly deform with use and heat but should be fine. The overkill way would be 1/2" (12.7mm) or thicker Blanchard ground, you will still get some distortion but should be noticeable unless you are making precision aircraft part.

Enjoy the rabbit hole,
JB

Expanding a Double and adding a Boat-Port in Calgary

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