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You going to get tires too or leave those on? A bit of extra negative camber all around usually helps, especially when you have tall sidewalls and soft suspension. I would guess the max negative setting on the front will not be excessive, and I think there is an offset bushing set from whiteline to adjust further. And if you do end up wanting to get some struts or bushings or something let me know.
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Jan 15, 2016 22:09
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jamal posted:You going to get tires too or leave those on? quote:And if you do end up wanting to get some struts or bushings or something let me know.
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Jan 15, 2016 22:31
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The bilsteins that have been mentioned fit the same as an oem replacement. All you get is the strut and then you re-use the stock springs and top hats. The front is a coil over strut setup, where the spring is held onto the strut between the lower perch and the bolted on top. So you would have to compress the spring, undo the top nut, transfer it over to the new strut, and then the complete deal bolts into the car between the lower control arm and strut tower. The rear just has a shock and then the spring sits between the control arm and chassis, so you undo like two bolts and the shock comes out. A tire shop and a performance alignment are two different things. Maybe ask for a free check to see where it is currently, and then you might need to add some things to actually get good alignment numbers. -1.5 to -2 degrees of front camber and then a bit less rear camber would be a good starting point, but it doesn't seem like there is much factory adjustment. SPC makes a complete upper control arm that is adjustable as well as some bolts that you can put in different positions to change camber and caster slightly. jamal fucked around with this message at 22:59 on Jan 15, 2016 |
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Jan 15, 2016 22:48
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jamal posted:A tire shop and a performance alignment are two different things. Maybe ask for a free check to see where it is currently, and then you might need to add some things to actually get good alignment numbers. -1.5 to -2 degrees of front camber and then a bit less rear camber would be a good starting point, but it doesn't seem like there is much factory adjustment. Yeah, I'll specifically ask if they can go off the spec to whatever I ask for / whatever the car can provide.
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Jan 15, 2016 23:04
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Had to move a lot of bike parts out of a room at work that they're gonna turn into an office. It was so refreshing to be able to throw a ton of stuff into the trunk and rear seats. The vette could have held this much, but it would have been more of a packing chore. The power steering is becoming really variable effort, with times where I seem to lose assistance. I don't hear any belt squeal during normal turns, but the pump or belt is really chattery at full lock. Fluid level looks fine in the reservoir. Another look at how rough the sprayjob looks:  No dust, no salt, just peely. Closeup of the fender rust:  Some pretty bad surface rust under the driver side rear door:  Not pictured -- standing water and bubbling at the bottom of the trunk under the lining. I'm gonna pull up the plastic lining and unclog if I can, otherwise wipe it down, decide if I want to treat the rust, and throw in a DampRid bucket.
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Jan 18, 2016 02:01
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Found the factory alignment specs: http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/alignment-suspension-specs-2006-10-dodge-charger-police-package/ very mild negative camber front and rear, and mysteriously, slight toe out front and rear. With no available factory camber adjustment, I'm just gonna have them check the alignment to see where it is, and decide from there.
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Jan 19, 2016 05:44
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No matter how many rust pictures like that I see they never fail to surprise me - here that car would have failed inspection and been scrapped years ago.
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Jan 19, 2016 06:05
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Ran some errands tonight with the Charger. Between the torque and the decent automatic, the car responds quickly to gas pedal inputs, which is really nice. The steering isn't very quick, but inputs definitely adjust the car. No handling surprises. the IRS also helps. There's no trucklike shimmying like in the P71. When I test drove the Camaro ZL1, I got nothing but the impression that it built speed by pounding the pavement into submission with its massive tires. I think the same applies here. The tires and suspension just eat up potholes and manhole covers. You notice them, but they barely disrupt forward motion. Getting the snow tires mounted Saturday in the middle of the big snow. Will be fun to compare performance before and after. e: also found the service manual: http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php/24486-New-Service-Manual-Download-Link Not sure if the skid plate will use the factory belly pan bolt points. Hopefully putting the front on ramps will be enough clearance to work on it. kimbo305 fucked around with this message at 06:35 on Jan 20, 2016 |
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Jan 20, 2016 06:31
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kimbo305 posted:Getting the snow tires mounted Saturday in the middle of the big snow. Will be fun to compare performance before and after. Well, storm is downgraded to something like 6" tops, probably after I get the tires changed over. I've got a lot of salt dust on the steelies. Should I wash them to make sure no salt gets trapped on the inside of the rim? Does that even matter? I've decided to run rallyx with AutoStick mode on, which lets you let the target highest gear. So if I move it to 3, I think it tries to maintain revs without shifting past 3rd. And might try this, depending on how loose the surface is: http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/charger/2007/long-term-road-test/2007-dodge-charger-srt8-one-touch-burnout-access.html
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Jan 22, 2016 21:18
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kimbo305 posted:Well, storm is downgraded to something like 6" tops, probably after I get the tires changed over. I've got a lot of salt dust on the steelies. Should I wash them to make sure no salt gets trapped on the inside of the rim? Does that even matter? Calling it now -- you're going to start to love the beater-ness of the Charger and the Ferrari is going to be used less and less. At least that's what happened with my Biturbo / Audi 4000 combo... but then again, it was a Biturbo.
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Jan 22, 2016 22:48
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EVERYWHERE 
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That's what happened to me with a WRX and a $1000 Subaru that came pre-dented. Beaters are the best cars. Beaters are the only cars. I give it a month before you start reading my tumblr and collecting a pinterest album of degraded-looking AMCs.
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Jan 22, 2016 23:00
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meatpimp posted:Calling it now -- you're going to start to love the beater-ness of the Charger and the Ferrari is going to be used less and less. The beauty of a beater is that your comfort is the only thing that matters. The road and weather can be completely destroying the car, but as long as I'm warm and toasty, it's all good. Got the tires swapped on. There's maybe 1/2" accumulation around here. Enough to goose the rear tires on tight turns, but otherwise very easy to drive (would have been fine on normal tires, too). Braking performance is great. The ESP is really just an on/off switch, which is refreshing. Couldn't tell a difference with the non-hooning I was doing. The shop only pulled up the generic RWD Charger alignment specs, so I was more out of bounds there than with the police package specs. And since they wouldn't do a custom alignment. I misthought the specs -- positive toe is toe-in, not toe-out, which is as crazy as I thought. Going by the size, these tires might be a tiny bit taller, but really the same. 
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Jan 23, 2016 23:33
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Don't underestimate the emotional pain of losing a beater that went above and beyond and lasted years more than you thought it would though. Nothing feels worse than giving a car years of hard thrashing only to discover that it loves the pain and it's your favourite and now it's dying of rust and your abuse.
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Jan 24, 2016 07:53
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I'm really tempted to get one of those weird police horns that sounds at a higher pitch than a car horn.
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Jan 25, 2016 00:35
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Das Volk posted:I'm really tempted to get one of those weird police horns that sounds at a higher pitch than a car horn. I think that's a function of the siren module.
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Jan 25, 2016 00:51
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8ender posted:Don't underestimate the emotional pain of losing a beater that went above and beyond and lasted years more than you thought it would though. Nothing feels worse than giving a car years of hard thrashing only to discover that it loves the pain and it's your favourite and now it's dying of rust and your abuse. As long as I can pull this off in rallyx before the car crumbles: http://i.imgur.com/Jc9lIfv.gifv
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Jan 25, 2016 02:33
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Am trying out that jump battery -> inverter -> battery tender chain on the Charger right now. I forgot that I'd ordered a new inverter good for 150W off of a cigarette lighter supply. 3 hours in, everything is still cool in the trunk, which has dried out some and showing lots of surface rust and corrosion:   Saw a spot under the engine bay; been pretty dry, so either from the Charger or a previous parker:  There's two overlapping plastic belly pans. The leak seems to be coming off of the one leading from the front fascia:  Those tiny bolts are probably toast if they come off. You can see how nice the ground clearance is, at least. Got the skidplate and mounting bolts. Dead simple:  According to the most horrifically spelled install guide I've seen: http://www.pro-gard.com/wp-content/uploads/Charger-Hemi-Skid-Plate-Installation-Instructions-SK56HC06.pdf I'm supposed to discard both plastic belly pans. I'd rather keep the front one if I can -- keep dirt from entering the front. e: oh yeah, I found this pile of scent things under the right front seat:  Took em out and moved the Air Sponge there. The official story is now that a trooper pissed himself. kimbo305 fucked around with this message at 23:06 on Feb 2, 2016 |
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Feb 2, 2016 23:00
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Seat Safety Switch posted:collecting a pinterest album of degraded-looking AMCs.
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Feb 3, 2016 23:07
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kimbo305 posted:Saw a spot under the engine bay; been pretty dry, so either from the Charger or a previous parker: That's another one of the beautiful things about a beater -- you see something like that, shrug, and go about your business.
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Feb 4, 2016 00:24
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My $500 beater has no leaks whatsoever, but both my Miata and Camry leak like a sieve 
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Feb 4, 2016 01:45
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Are you planning on removing the rust and sealing it or just treating it? I've been using Fluid Film to treat my Florida flood damage car (salt water) and been rather impressed. So far I've hit all the fasteners and clamps/brackets.
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Feb 5, 2016 00:29
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the spyder posted:Are you planning on removing the rust and sealing it or just treating it? I've been using Fluid Film to treat my Florida flood damage car (salt water) and been rather impressed. So far I've hit all the fasteners and clamps/brackets. For the fender rust, I was seriously contemplating cleaning the rust away and then going over it. For the trunk and any other spots, there doesn't seem to be rot yet, so probably just treat. I've been letting the battery tender run for several hours at a stretch, and the battery still isn't topped off. Either it was pretty low, the tender never indicates a full charge, or using a portable jump battery radically reduces the charge rate.
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Feb 5, 2016 02:00
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I'd put a sixer of your favorite beer on those rust spots turning into holes the second you wire wheel them, unfortunately. Not small holes either, I'd say at least 3-4 inch wide areas of either no metal or swiss cheese.
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Feb 5, 2016 02:21
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kastein posted:I'd put a sixer of your favorite beer on those rust spots turning into holes the second you wire wheel them, unfortunately. Not small holes either, I'd say at least 3-4 inch wide areas of either no metal or swiss cheese. Hmmm, I'd rather have it look like it is instead of forking money over to get it patched and then quarter-assing some paint back on it.
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Feb 5, 2016 02:50
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Yeah that is through-and-through. If you can get behind it you might be able to get a better look. I bet that's where two sheets of metal pinch down into a corner which is packed with salt through some gap in the body. If you do wheel it and get it patched, spray something like the Eastwood interior frame coat or some cavity wax in there. Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Feb 5, 2016 |
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Feb 5, 2016 02:56
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kimbo305 posted:Hmmm, I'd rather have it look like it is instead of forking money over to get it patched and then quarter-assing some paint back on it. Yeah, that will also fail your mass state safety inspection (once it becomes a hole), so I'd leave it the gently caress alone till you have some time to deal with it. You'd want to weld in new metal and then do what SSS said.
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Feb 5, 2016 19:56
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When it's flaking hard and bubbling, is there any point in treating the remains with rust converter? Does that help stop the spread at the edges? This is assuming I can get behind it to the unpainted side.
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Feb 5, 2016 20:00
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I think we all know the solution to this potential rust problem: http://www.dafmobile.ournet.org.uk/index.php/page/34.html
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Feb 5, 2016 20:07
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That car's body on frame, right?????
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Feb 5, 2016 20:12
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kimbo305 posted:When it's flaking hard and bubbling, is there any point in treating the remains with rust converter? Does that help stop the spread at the edges? This is assuming I can get behind it to the unpainted side. Yeah, if you can get the back side of it with rust converter and put something protective on top it'll definitely help. You'll need to knock down the bubbles anyway though since the rust will be on 'both' sides of the metal now. Based on where the rust is I bet if you drop the rear bumper and take a look up into the kind of "L-shaped" bracket that holds the bumper to the quarter, it should be pretty obvious where the trouble areas are without having to pick at anything.
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Feb 5, 2016 20:25
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kimbo305 posted:That car's body on frame, right????? I'm pretty sure this method would be fine on a frame, to be honest.
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Feb 5, 2016 20:31
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ShittyPostmakerPro posted:I think we all know the solution to this potential rust problem: I think I might still have a copy of that book.
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Feb 5, 2016 20:42
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Just went to push the snow from the storm off the car. I noticed the headlights were a little cloudy, debated very briefly if I should get a polish kit, and then went nahhh, not worth the cash. We're supposed to get another decent snowfall Mon/Tues. I won't be able to work on the skidplate in this slush. I need to get the garage door opener from the shop who has the 348 now and do it indoors if I want to have it on for the 2/22 event.
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Feb 5, 2016 21:11
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kimbo305 posted:Just went to push the snow from the storm off the car. I noticed the headlights were a little cloudy, debated very briefly if I should get a polish kit, and then went nahhh, not worth the cash. Use a bank drivethrough... at night... in Roxbury.
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Feb 5, 2016 21:42
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I'll need a friend also dressed as a plainclothes cop, so sweater over collared shirt and khakis with baseball cap.
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Feb 5, 2016 21:49
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I'm a fan of mall parking garages. When I was still living in Worcester, a friend and I usually used the back corner of the Greendale Mall's parking structure, because there was even an electrical outlet that would run an angle grinder!
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Feb 5, 2016 21:54
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kastein posted:I'm a fan of mall parking garages. When I was still living in Worcester, a friend and I usually used the back corner of the Greendale Mall's parking structure, because there was even an electrical outlet that would run an angle grinder! The local mall has a heated underground parking garage that's relatively well lit, and an awkward back corner that security has to walk very far from the main building to reach. I'm not gonna lie, I've done some minor services in that parking garage when I lived in a condo.
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Feb 5, 2016 22:40
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For those of you really keen on bodywork, Mopar Max magazine had a restore of this very model, including bodywork on the rear quarters, though not the exact rust damage on mine: http://www.moparmax.com/tech/2015/x_2-pasture-1.html Kinda cool to see the auto tech students putting their trade skills to the test. I drove the Charger over to the dealer and got the door opener, and the car is now wedged into my parking spot. Not well heated but should be fine for doing the skidplate work once I get the ramps under the front wheels. If this guy can pass inspection, then so can I, not that I'd push it:  The dark parts in front of the rear wheel is just gone til the frame rail.
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Feb 5, 2016 23:26
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kimbo305 posted:Just went to push the snow from the storm off the car. I noticed the headlights were a little cloudy, debated very briefly if I should get a polish kit, and then went nahhh, not worth the cash. I used the Sylvania kit a while back. 20 bucks and a couple hours' worth of effort and the difference was pretty stark. If you do pick up a kit, I would strongly suggest taking the whole light assemblies out if possible.
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Feb 5, 2016 23:59
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Boaz MacPhereson posted:I used the Sylvania kit a while back. 20 bucks and a couple hours' worth of effort and the difference was pretty stark. If you do pick up a kit, I would strongly suggest taking the whole light assemblies out if possible. I'm coming around on this. Drove my friend at night and the light output was really awful. I didn't expect a lot, but the light seemed weak compared to most cars on the road. When I got back, put the mobile battery tender setup back on. Get back to my computer and sit for 10 min. REEEEEEEEEE. The whole building's fire alarm goes off. I bolt down to the basement expecting to see the Charger's trunk on fire. Nope, it's fine. In fact, the tender showed that the charge was full. Turned out to be someone's fireplace. So I know the tender still works from a voltage monitoring standpoint. I haven't seen any major heat issues with any of the components. I think I'm ready to try it out on the midengine Italian car next. It was still taking several turns to fire up. I wonder if it's a fuel pump issue and not a battery issue?
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Feb 7, 2016 04:52
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