OK, my ball joints and upper control arms are shot ...
My front crank seal is shot and leaking oil in the middle
of the harmonic balancer. Both side front wheel bearings
are failing ....

The Porsche guys tell me this is quite common when you
race a lot, and they go through rotors and pads like nobody's
business.

Any ideas? Our trucks are Soooooooo much heavier than a
sports car, that the damage seems to happen quicker.

As it sits, Putnam for two days cost me about $1,200 in repairs.

 

Maybe you are just driving that big old truck too hard!!

 

I know ... But it's sooooooo much FUN !!!

 

Been there done that. I dare you to ask how much Ruslow (Stan) spends to open road his truck.

--Steele

 

Well i spend very little on replacememnt parts but a huge amount on prevetive maintance.IE. repack bearings chance ALL fluids and filters this includes brake fluid.Takes a full day to service the truck afterwards.But it pays off in that my parts costs have dropped to near pennies.Stan

 

Stan,

Have you found replacements for the stock upper control
arm bushings? Energy Suspensions don't show any ...

Thanks,

Cliff

 

I was told its about the same price to just buy new control arms vs buying the ball joints and paying to have them pressed in.

Weather or not thats true I don't know. I am coming up on 28K miles and getting ready to do Springs and shocks. I am curious to see how they are going to look.

 

I guess this question is for Stan and Cliff,

What kind of wheel bearing grease do you use? I had to get my truck on the road fast and couldn't find Mobil1 so I used Castrol. Should I flush and repack with Mobil-1?

Thanks, Randy

 

Teh best you can find ... I fry mine out ... no matter what I use,
so maybe I should just go with dino brand, huh?

 

suitable for racing wheelbearings, but we have tested Shell Albida EP2 for a equivalent lifetime of 20,000+ hrs, in an application where the competition lasted for 8,000 hrs or less. This was a steel, fine pitch leadscrew in a brass nut.

http://www.shell.ca/code/products/commercial/lubricants/tips/tips-header/3-74.pdf

https://services.shell.ca/llutilsp/livelinkutilspublic/wpslivelinkconnector?a=v&i=4941501

The previous product was :

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/NAUSENGRSMOMobil_Polyrex_EP_2.asp#FeaturesAdvantag eBenefitsTitle

 

Thought for the day......if you wanna play, your gonna pay

 

i keep in stock the urethane bushings for the front.As for wheel bearing grease it is one that is made here in AR. it surpasses the timken bearing test like nothing else I have had tested.Its waterproof and I have not even come close to liquifing it.Stan

 

At 23,000 miles and 32 twenty minute on track sessions my bushing and ball joints are still ok. I know they will be gone soon.

Stan,

How much will the urethane bushings help over the stock rubber one's?


Jerry

 

Come drive on New England roads... There isn't 1 smooth surface around here. 28K miles and my stock shocks are Junk.

Can't wait to see how long the Qa1s last around here.

 

KY,
Get Stan to hook you up with urethane bushings for both upper and lower. Huge difference. The rubber bushings are flexing which will change your alignment under extreme braking and corner loading. This can contribute to increased wear on the bearings. Like Stan stated preventitive maintinence. Figure for every 30 minutes of track time you will spend 2-4 hours doing maitinence. Make a check list starting at the front of the truck working to the rear. List every possible wear type item and fluid. After your track sessions start on your list. The more often you do it the faster it will go (maintience). You will find some items need maitinence between sessions and some only after the weekend is over. You may end up with two lists. One to do as soon as you come off the track and a more complete list to do once you get home. Ultimately if you spend a lot in fluids your hard part bills should drop dramatically. Now you get to experience the less glamorous side of road racing. Prepare to get dirty.