Thread: Bad Ast Astro Van Build

Tweet

Sounds like me! But your projects sound waaaaay cooler than mine! With eight grand kids there's a lot of "Oooops! It's OK mom, Grandpa can fix it!", or a downed tree that can be hauled to the sawyer to become lumber which then leads to another project..., or my wife telling a friend, "Oh, Roger can make that for you!" Life's got too many distractions to focus on doing the same thing, day in, day out for me now that I'm free to choose what I use my time on. I enjoy variety.

Now some would say, "I need to raise the doghouse 4"..." but nooooo, let's drop the engine & tranny 4"! As I recall you've already invested a lot of time on the doghouse and associated parts, so it's the right answer, but takes a bit of work. Looking forward to seeing some pictures if you can take time for that hassle. Very glad to see you back, and hope you have a Merry Christmas and flow into a great New Year!

Too many distractions! Exactly that! I have a good time in my shop though so non of it is bad. I noticed a lot more after I got the Frankenmill.


The issue with the doghouse is sealing it up. Plus, that is where the shifter is mounted and cable routing goes right over the top of it. Hvac stuff and gauges are also up there so lowering the driveline really is the easy way out.

It's been a VERY long time getting back on the van. When I picked up the Wagon in early '14 I had no clue how much time and money would be spent getting that car reliable and comfortable to drive. Too much, really... Anyway I am back on the van and will be working on brakes and brake line plumbing.
I got out there this morning though and dusted off (yea, really) the hydroboost unit. I pulled off the original Prop valve and designed a bracket for the new Wilwood Adjustable Unit. Made the bracket out of some scrap .090 aluminum and bolted on the APV.
Took the whole thing in to my local Car Quest and they dug out a couple of fittings for me. A 9/16-18 for the front line out of the booster and a 1/2-20 for the rear line. 4 bucks and I was on my way. The HB unit I am using is out of a '95 Astro Van and the front line was 1/4" so I was happy they had the 9/16-18 for a 3/16th's line.
I also did a lot of cleaning on the boost unit. Now that the bracket is built I will mask everything off and spray the booster with silver ceramic brake caliper paint.
I got pictures but didn't get them uploaded yet. Maybe tomorrow.
Mark

And you thought some one would have worked on it while you weren't. HA HA I have things out in my other shop too but can't find the guy to work on them.... Good to see you back at it.

Originally Posted by cffisher

And you thought some one would have worked on it while you weren't. HA HA I have things out in my other shop too but can't find the guy to work on them.... Good to see you back at it.

Yea, that would be nice wouldn't it? Although they probably wouldn't do it for free...
Here are some pics of what I accomplished yesterday. Mostly getting the bracket designed and fabbed.
After removing the original Prop Valve I had this nice bracket to work with.
http://images54.fotki.com/v1642/phot...MVC001F-vi.jpg
Getting my bearings by holding the new Prop Valve in place.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1637/phot...MVC004F-vi.jpg
I did a lot thinking on the placement. The bottom has two outlets for the front brakes. I could use either one or both. In order to mount the valve where I wanted it the rear "front" outlet will be covered. I will use the forward outlet and plumb a "T" into the line on the frame. This is what I came up with for a bracket design.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC005F-vi.jpg
I cut the shape out of a piece of heavy cardstock and "made" the bracket so I could check the fit of the valve.
http://images16.fotki.com/v378/photo...MVC009F-vi.jpg
Bent up and mounted. The top bolt for the master cylinder and the slot in the bottom of the original bracket are plenty to get this attached.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC010F-vi.jpg
I used the paper template and laid the design onto a piece of .090 scrap aluminum. I cut out the shape with the stomp shear and my scroll saw.
http://images12.fotki.com/v1641/phot...MVC014F-vi.jpg
I sweetened up the profile with the angle grinder and drilled the holes. The dashed lines are the bend points.
http://images54.fotki.com/v1642/phot...MVC017F-vi.jpg
I used a pair of seaming pliers to do the bends. .090 is fairly hard to do by hand so I clamped the bracket in the vise so I could get more leverage.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC018F-vi.jpg
All bent up and bolted in place. I'm happy with it. It will be hidden behind the valve anyway.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1637/phot...MVC020F-vi.jpg
With the valve bolted on. Clear access to both of the outlets on the bottom of the valve and it's not going anywhere. Once the lines are made and bolted in it will be pretty solid.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC021F-vi.jpg
Mark

Got out today and got the lines plumbed. This was a bit of an adventure getting the tight bends that were needed to run the lines.
I ended up making a little bending fixture to get it done. This will be pretty handy for doing the rest of the van.
http://images34.fotki.com/v1633/phot...MVC023F-vi.jpg
I made the clamp block on the mill. Both ends have their uses and I used both getting the bends into the lines.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...MVC016F-vi.jpg
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC017F-vi.jpg
The line for the rear brakes is in.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC020F-vi.jpg
And here is the line for the front brakes.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC006F-vi.jpg
This is one of the double flares I do with my CPP Flaring tool.
http://images34.fotki.com/v1633/phot...MVC003F-vi.jpg
Got a lot done today and I am pretty pleased with the bending fixture.
Mark

Very nice and your double flare is just as it should be.

Thanks Charlie. I use CPP's flaring tool. It is an excellent tool and, for the price, I have not seen or done better flares.

Well, I've ran into a bit of an issue with the prop valve placement. It is too low. The outlet for the front brake line I need to plug is to close to the bracket underneath it. I didn't think it would be a problem finding a low profile inverted flare plug to fill the hole but I have found nothing that will work. The regular plugs are to tall and I do not want to remake the bracket OR the hardlines, so.... I will make a low profile plug.
I puttered around in the shop last night trying to figure out how to tighten the plug and came up with this. I bored a .177 diameter hole in a test piece of aluminum.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...MVC001F-vi.jpg
Then I used a short Torx bit to "broach" a hole for the driver. I started it with a few taps from a hammer to make sure it was straight then just pressed it into the test piece with the 4" vise.
http://images45.fotki.com/v1636/phot...MVC005F-vi.jpg
This worked great! I have some 3/8-24 threaded brass rod coming from McMaster Carr today. Hopefully the technique will work as well on the brass.
http://images61.fotki.com/v1635/phot...MVC011F-vi.jpg
Making the inverted flare side is easy. A 3/16 drill and 90degree c'sink work perfect for that. Getting the "driver" side done will be the challenge.
Mark

Got out in the shop Saturday morning and made a couple of new, shorter, plugs. These go pretty well flush with the prop valve now so I know there will be no issues with fitment. These fittings are much nicer.
http://images45.fotki.com/v1636/phot...MVC005F-vi.jpg
They flush up real nice with the prop valve. The plug on the left is off the shelf.
http://images34.fotki.com/v1633/phot...MVC006F-vi.jpg

With that finally done I started laying out parts to get the brake lines ran. This junction block will bolt under the cross member. Drilling a hole for a 1/4-20 rivnut is next.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC010F-vi.jpg
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC014F-vi.jpg
Rivnut installed.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...MVC016F-vi.jpg
With the block installed I can start routing lines.
http://images34.fotki.com/v1633/phot...MVC017F-vi.jpg

I tried using an Allen key to broach the driver hole but it just wouldn't do a clean job. It kept galling as it was pushed in. The Torx driver works great for some reason. I don't really care what it is as long as it works.
I got the threaded rod and made a couple of plugs. Went as easy as I was hoping. The Torx driver pushed in just as easy as it did with the aluminum test piece. I'm happy.
I got a foot of the 3/8-24 rod and used about half of this piece I cut off...
http://images54.fotki.com/v1642/phot...MVC002F-vi.jpg
Dilled a pilot hole and ran a 90 degree chamfering tool into the drilled hole to make the bevel.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC005F-vi.jpg
The beveled hole.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...MVC009F-vi.jpg
For the broaching job, I drilled the hole out to .173 dia. That is the one I used in the aluminum piece.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1637/phot...MVC010F-vi.jpg
I ran the fitting into a 3/8-24 nut so I could get the "broach" tapped in straight.
http://images45.fotki.com/v1636/phot...MVC011F-vi.jpg
Just a couple of light taps with hammer got the broach started.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1637/phot...MVC012F-vi.jpg
I then clamped the assembly into the vise and pressed away...
http://images59.fotki.com/v1640/phot...MVC013F-vi.jpg
Didn't take much to do the job.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC014F-vi.jpg
I ran one into the prop valve.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC016F-vi.jpg
And checked the clearance. We are good to go.
http://images52.fotki.com/v1639/phot...MVC017F-vi.jpg

I made a couple of them while I was doing it. Now that I've made one the whole process only takes about 10 minutes.
http://images54.fotki.com/v1642/phot...MVC018F-vi.jpg
Now, on to bigger and better things!
Mark

I routed the line up and around the forward 4-bar mounts. This should keep it out of harms way with the wrenches. Once I had this done I thought I could route it better. I will probably do that later.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC007F-vi.jpg
The line runs back along the inner rail and follows the kick up back to the rear shock cross member.
http://images61.fotki.com/v1635/phot...MVC013F-vi.jpg
It will run out across the cross member to the junction block for the rear soft line.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...jpg?1483830946
I'll get the front line ran tomorrow.
Mark

Got the rear suspension assembled tonight. It still fits... which is a good thing.
I rolled the housing underneath the frame after rotating it flat on the rotisserie. The better half helped hold the housing while I got the bars slipped into place.
https://images41.fotki.com/v1634/pho...MVC002F-vi.jpg

https://images51.fotki.com/v1638/pho...MVC003F-vi.jpg
With the bars all bolted up and the panhard bar in place I used a couple of tie down straps to get it raised up so I could connect the shocks.
https://images12.fotki.com/v1641/pho...MVC005F-vi.jpg

https://images54.fotki.com/v1642/pho...MVC009F-vi.jpg

I was also working on the upper shock attachments. Right now there is a 1" hole drilled thru both sides of the upper cross member. I went to Durand and picked up a 4' piece of 1" O.D. x 1/4" wall D.O.M. and cut a couple of sleeves for the 1/2" bolts that hold the upper shock eyes. Once everything is pulled back apart I will weld these in.
https://images34.fotki.com/v1633/pho...MVC010F-vi.jpg

https://images12.fotki.com/v1641/pho...MVC011F-vi.jpg
Getting this hung in there tonight was enough for me. Tomorrow I'll start finishing up the brake line stuff.
Mark

It sure does feel good to be back on this.
I got the front line ran Sunday morning. A flare, 2 bends and a few clips and it is in place.
http://images46.fotki.com/v1637/phot...MVC008F-vi.jpg
I made a little sketch to get the bends in the right spot.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...MVC002F-vi.jpg
All clipped in. I put the clips on 12" centers. Seems to support the line very well. I need to terminate the end of course, but I can't do that until the front suspension is mocked up. I'll do that along with the rear.
http://images51.fotki.com/v1638/phot...MVC014F-vi.jpg
Had to a little re-routing to get around the motor mount tubes. Looks okay? or not...
http://images59.fotki.com/v1640/phot...MVC011F-vi.jpg
http://images59.fotki.com/v1640/phot...MVC012F-vi.jpg
I used the tubing straightener I built a while back to get all of the lines straight. It works like a champ.
http://images20.fotki.com/v1632/phot...MVC021F-vi.jpg
I also spent some time figuring out where to put the soft line tabs. I need to weld one to the rear shock cross member but want to verify rear end travel before I do. You can see the layout lines above the shock mount hole in the cross member.
http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...MVC013F-vi.jpg
I will be assembling the rear suspension so I can run it thru it's travels (and finish the shock mounts. ).
Mark

You are sure hitting it hard. All looks good.