Finally getting a bit of a start on the Merkur. A bit overwhelming!

JVL Sooper bitching suspenders in the front. Still awaiting the calipers to attatch the super bitching brakes.. when I have those I'll post pix!

Rear suspension is mostly apart. Seeming like the best bet is to do the Supra dif at the same time, and while I'm in there might as well get the rear brakes ready for some sooper bitching stuff. Those Brake drums are on tight... impact wrench not enough it seems. I hate drums.

Exhaust is out. Any ideas here? Should I get the Stinger 3" stuff and then weld on reinforcement, or fab my own the whole way out?

Engine is a freeking nasty mess. I'm torn between leaving it there and plumbing it up, or heading down the slippery slope of tearing it out so I can clean the thing up and really organize the underhood environment. It runs, but the cooling system is apart, and I don't want to plumb that or the intercooler without the altenator relocation kit.

There's a trick on those drums...just can't remember what it is since I haven't had a functioning XR4 with rear drums in nearly a decade.

[runs down to the cellar to look at shop manual]

Oh, yeah. Loosen the wheel cylinder from the backing plate, then stick a screwdriver inside and wiggle the self-adjuster cam and lever arangement. That should loosen up the shoes enough to get the drum off. You may also need to spray some penetrating oil around the center of the wheel by the big ass nut. If that fails, pry bars and hammers to the back side of the drum may be necessary.

I'm not sure what you're trying to use an impact wrench on....not the big wheel bearing nut, I hope, since that isn't actually connected to the drum.

Good luck!

--Andrew

Yea, the big wheel bearing nut to drop axles for dif swap. One came off, the other isn't budging even with heat. Maybe I don't need to do that anyway... at least for now.
The drums are a bitch though... thanks for looking at the manual, I'll try those little tricks.

Are you turning the nut in the proper direction?

Do you mean the nut on the axle? One side is left hand threaded and one side is right hand threaded. Maybee I'm missing something in your post, but maybee this helps. Good luck OB

Yo doooood, the one that came off---did it unscrew like normal lefty loosy?
If so, the the other side (driver's if my overworked pea-brain recalls correctly) is Left hand thread so righty loosie..

Calipers are in the car for enlarging the holre to 12mm---that's progress but I just spent yesterday and halfa today converting some VW 5 bolt BIG hubs to 4 bolt and also making a buncha weld nuts in M10 and m12...

Now on Tuesday Jason "Xrattiracer" was over and we made a pile of progress jigging up rear discs and did detirmine one important thing: the disatnce from arm face to wheel flange face issame on drum brake and disc brake set ups, that means if I devote time to inventing sumpin it'ss transfer fir both...

It looks like my existing Soooper Bitchin hat will work---also good news, and so as soon as i get some discs in 0.81 we can confirm distances and sizes.


One of the front spindle nuts is also Left hand thread, again i think driver's side.

Remember, you're not Right if you're not Left.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2010 10:44PM by john vanlandingham.

Well, I'd just loosen or cut those cursed Torx bolts on the axle to drop everything instead of messing with the hub assembly. Although both suck to do. I actually think it's probably faster to just take a grinder wheel and cut the heads off all the ones that don't want to come off, and drop the diff to disassemble everything. Once the axles are pulled from the cut out bolts, they almost always wiggle off finger tight.

Of course, this begs the question, if TSS has the square rear beam kit almost ready, why not just drop the whole mess and work on it off the car? You'll have to drop it anyway since I'm sure all the bushings are shit at this point (unless you've replaced them).

And yeah, I think one of those hub nuts is left hand thread.

FOOOOK! You guys are right... didn't even think about the left side being reverse threaded... though it makes sense since there is no cotter pin thing to prevent them from backing off.

Sounds great on the rear brakes JV (and the fronts)! I am a sooper bitchin fan!

Andrew, not sure about the TSS square beam. I see some recent progress there, and if it was going to be ready soon I'd jump on it, but I I'm just going to get the Supra diff in the regular beam and maybe weld in some reinforcement if needed.

He has a few supra kits ready for stock beam, and I have seen with my own two eyes the square beam.... do it!
I have 2.5 inch exhaust on my car and it has plenty of power. 2.5 is easier to package. I did the down pipe, and paid $125 at the local Dan Fast Muffler shop to run it to the rear bumper. Added a 2.5 spun metal cat at the rear.

Sean,
I have the sweet Supra kit for stock beam. Nice looking stuff. TSS fab does awesome work, and I'm very impressed. I'm in for the beam if and when it's ready!
So 2.5=mo betta? That's what I had on my Turbo Talon. Without restrictor it was easily 300hp, so I think it probably makes sense that it would work for a stockish xratty motor.

3" is still big enough once a rock has smooshed it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2010 11:43AM by john vanlandingham.

yes, but 2.5 is easier to route so a rock is less likely to smoosh it.

I am sure a 3" system helps flow, and the down pipe in particular, but my car makes 10psi at like 2400 rpm, so why bother?

Quote
john vanlandingham
3" is still big enough once a rock has smooshed it.

I'll testify to the truth of that statement from working Maine with my street XR.

--Andrew, with the most ghetto DIY 3" system on the planet...

Quote
fiasco

Quote
john vanlandingham
3" is still big enough once a rock has smooshed it.

I'll testify to the truth of that statement from working Maine with my street XR.

--Andrew, with the most ghetto DIY 3" system on the planet...

Oh reeeeeaaaaaallllly?
You should see DJs system. Made out of thick wall fence posts or water pipes or some that is HEAVY! No problems welding it, just turn up the juice!

OK. Dropped the rear beam/diff today. Those bushings holding the thing in place look sloppy. What is the recommended setup here? Mount solid, poly, or rubber?
Anybody reinforcing the rear beam? Now's the time with it sitting right beside the TIG!