Rocket Man's 2008 Bagged CC Silverado Build AKA "THE MACHINE"

[Rocket Man]

yea something like that or

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Jeezus, which one? That opens a page with all different locking types. I didn’t know there’s that many. I don’t see a crushed top, are those like the ones in my pic? Flex-top on this site? Which would you get?

 

[randeez]

the one you got is good

 

[iamdub]

Jeezus, which one? That opens a page with all different locking types. I didn’t know there’s that many. I don’t see a crushed top, are those like the ones in my pic? Flex-top on this site? Which would you get?

I think he was referring to the distorted thread. It's common in automotive use, particularly suspension components.

Them Flexlocs are like a snazzier, maybe even better version. They all do the same- grip the threads with a lot more friction than the nylon does.

 

[iamdub]

Well f**k. I did my usual grocery shopping this morning and as I was backing into my driveway the truck suddenly stopped going in reverse. I’m in the middle of the road and wondering if I just lost reverse so I put it in drive and pull forward and try again. Nope wouldn’t back up. I pulled forward again, out of the middle of the road and kinda on the side so people can get by. I tried reverse again and nope. Then I try to pull forward more and nope. Wouldn’t budge so I figure I’m out of the way so let’s look under it. As soon as I go to the passenger side I see the problem. The tie rod must have broke I’m thinking because that wheel is supposed to be pointed straight ahead.

I don't think it's even supposed to be able to turn that far. That's almost drift car steering angle!

 

[iamdub]

Well that was an easy fix. It was just a bolt that broke. That side had a 5/8 x 5 1/2” and the other side was a 6” with different markings so I’m not sure if the one that broke wasn’t a grade 8. I’m thinking it was one they had laying around or a Chinese knockoff. I bought grade 8’s and did both sides. I’ll probably look into getting some stronger ones. I’m not a metallurgist so I’m not sure what can be gleaned from the break, if any.

Also while I’m fixing this I notice a socket is missing from my new shallow set. Guess which one is missing?

Good thing you don't beat on this truck. That looks like a lot of leverage against that bolt. You really lucked up with it breaking near your house! They're spaced far away to reduce or eliminate bump steer. I would've used round stock about the diameter of that boss on the knuckle with a 5/8" hole through the center. It'd be just like that tube spacer, but would spread the load out over all the available area on the face of the boss.

 

[Rocket Man]

Good thing you don't beat on this truck. That looks like a lot of leverage against that bolt. You really lucked up with it breaking near your house! They're spaced far away to reduce or eliminate bump steer. I would've used round stock about the diameter of that boss on the knuckle with a 5/8" hole through the center. It'd be just like that tube spacer, but would spread the load out over all the available area on the face of the boss.

I was thinking about having something like that made. Whatever I end up with, it’s gonna be a lot better than what was on there. I tried to get them to swap out the nylocks for some of the flexlocks but they don’t even list a grade on the ones Allen’s Fasteners sells and they didn’t answer my email so the nylocks are on the way. I ordered some grade 8 flexlocks from McMaster and will probably have some bigger spacers made.

 

[Rocket Man]

I don't think it's even supposed to be able to turn that far. That's almost drift car steering angle!

You wanna know something super eerie? A couple weeks before that happened to my truck, there was a Honda car in the EXACT SAME SPOT on the road with a broken tie rod. It sat there until a tow truck came to get it, and I saw snd heard the woman sign the title over to whoever came to tow it away. I had called the city and reported an abandoned vehicle. Was this some kind of bizarre automotive payback voodoo sh*t? I swear it kinda freaked me out when I saw my truck looking just like that Honda, and I had felt bad for that woman. The dude probably lied to her and told her it was totaled. Here’s a pic as proof. You can see my truck in the background.

 

[Rocket Man]

I had the spacers made yesterday and painted them. Then today I installed one and discovered the 2” diameter was too much at the heim joint end when the steering was turned full lock so today I went back and had him take the bottom to 1 1/8”. Dude didn't even charge me for his time today. They work now. The bolts are better, got about 180 ft lbs on them. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[Rocket Man]

Now it looks like I need new heim joints, the driver side is going. I’ll just plan on a steering renovation in the spring I think.

The old spacers were so small compared to the new ones, hopefully I won’t have any more problems.

 

[iamdub]

Now it looks like I need new heim joints, the driver side is going. I’ll just plan on a steering renovation in the spring I think.

The old spacers were so small compared to the new ones, hopefully I won’t have any more problems.

Original setup looked sketch!