Nomad C4 chassis assembly

[Custer55]

Seems crazy that is would be that far off now. Can you modify the adjuster rods to make them shorter? or get a longer belt? Assuming your idler pulleys are stationary, not spring loaded like a factory set up.
Brian

[chevynut]

Brian, I can cut the adjuster rods down, but the thing is I already did that and the belt fit as you can see in the pic. I would have to cut at least 1/2" off of each rod! I've only had ONE Goodyear Gatorback belt in my shop or anywhere on my property EVER and this is it. The idlers are mounted solid, on bearings. Nothing has a lot of slop in the mounting so that's not it. Sure I can cut the rods shorter or get a longer belt, I just wonder why it doesn't fit now!!!!

I think I recall cutting the rods to just fit with the heims turned all the way in with the intention of doing some final trimming at assembly to provide adjustability. I just thought the belt would at least go on. It's an easy fix, just wish I knew what was different.

[chevynut]

Okay I went ahead and cut down the adjusting rods....took .450" off the AC rod and .375" off the alternator rod. I still had to stretch the belt a lot to get the adjuster bolted up even with them as short as they go.

But now I have another weird thing going on. After getting the belt to fit I cleaned up all my water and A/C hoses and tried to install the water hoses to the engine. As you can see in the pic, one water hose goes to the inlet of the water pump, and the other goes up to the intake manifold. This was all mocked up when I made the lines, and all the hoses, brackets and belt were installed.

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After trying to install the lower water hose today, I found I couldn't get it to go on. The idler bracket is too close to the fitting for the nut to fit on it. I don't recall seeing this before during mockup, but again it was several years ago. You would think after mocking this all up with EVERYTHING attached it would all go back together.

I have a bad feeling that I'm going to find out why the belt was too short.

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[NickP]

Any pictures of the final mockup from back then? Maybe you could review them to determine where you're off now.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but the water pump somehow appears to be lower in the mock up picture, which would cause the problem.

[chevynut]

I've studied the pics from mockup (I have a lot of them) and I don't see any difference in the way I installed anything. The water pump can't move, and it's the exact same one I used for mockup like everything else. The bolt holes in the block are in the same location.

Still not sure why the belt acts like it's shorter now, but it's all fixed. I loosened up the passenger side idler bracket and got just enough clearance to tighten the nut on the coolant line for the heater. It's an o-ring connection (Aeroquip A/C fitting) so it doesn't really need to be that tight anyhow. I also installed the heater hose on the manifold. After tightening the bracket back up the belt may have gotten a little looser from shifting slightly, but I'm not sure. I adjusted the tension on the belt and it took a couple of turns on each adjuster rod. So the belt and heater hoses are all done for now.

Next I trimmed the bypass hose to length and tried to install it. I fought with it for half an hour before I gave up trying to get it to go onto the fittings. It would go onto one but not the other because of the angle and the sharp machined ends. So I removed the fittings and put them in my lathe and machined a bevel on them. I lubed up the hose and it slipped right on. Now I have to get some Gates shrink clamps for that and the radiator hoses.

Both the upper and lower radiator hoses are stainless steel with rubber connectors. I need to get them beaded on the ends before I polish them and get them installed. I checked the fit and it looks like they fit just like they did during mockup.....thankfully!!!

[55 Rescue Dog]

Although the Gates shrink fit clamps may be great, after too many hose clamp issues, the ideal/tridon style constant tension worm gear clamps are the best, and reusable, IMO. It seems like it would be very difficult to heat shrink a gates clamp when you can't heat it evenly all the way around in so many confined spaces, besides other issues like a roadside repair that would be impossible. FFF

http://idealtridon.com/aftermarket/flex-gear/

[chevynut]

A couple days ago I took my stainless radiator tubes to a local shop to get the ends beaded. My friend said he could bead the 2" lower tube but when he saw the 5 pieces making up the 1.5" upper tube he said he'd just make me a 1-piece tube on his mandrel bender . So he's going to copy my tacked-together pieces and make it out of one solid tube that I won't have to weld. One end has a 45 degree bend and he may not be able to bead it with that short of a leg, so I may still have to weld a short section on with the bead formed on it. But the whole end gets covered with a rubber hose anyhow and the weld won't show.

I installed the Lokar e-brake cables onto the knuckles. I can cut and fit the driver's side cable but the passenger side cable is going to be attached to the vertical part of the floor and I don't know if I can fit it with the body off. So I may wait on that one or see if I can guess close enough .

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Turns out I didn't need to use the springs because of the spring on the caliper. I'm a little concerned the connector/clevis is going to hit the bleeder cover but it is made for a C4 Corvette so I'm not sure why it's so close.

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I realized a while ago that I needed to do some chassis wiring for a rear harness (taillights, backup lights, turn signals, fuel pump and sender) and for my electric cutouts, reverse lockout, etc. around the tranny area. I wanted a rear harness that is attached to the fuel tank, but unplugs at both ends so I can remove the tank. It also hides much of the wiring that way and I don't have to disconnect the pump and sender to remove the tank.

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I installed a Weatherpak connector and a tee for the convoluted wire loom that keeps it really neat and still have to do a little taping. I do have a wire exiting from it for the license plate light and I'll be looking for a chrome license frame with LED lights and backup camera. There will also be a Weatherpak connector where the harness exits the body so I can disconnect it there. The harness will be attached to the rear crossmember with some kind of plastic slide-on clip.....any ideas?

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I built a rough wiring harness set a few years ago but now I have to re-do some of it since I went to the VHX gauges and changed a few other things inside. At least most of it's still going to work.

[chevynut]

Still don't have my radiator tubes back and it looks like it's going to be another week . I should know better than to believe what people tell me when they say they'll do something.

Anyhow, I finally pulled my exhaust back out and cut the 3 1/2" pipes just behind the header collector to install the stainless flex joints. During assembly I was concerned about the rigidity of the exhaust system and decided it was a good idea to add them. We welded them up last night and I polished everything again and got it back onto the chassis today.

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Now I can finish up the last 2 feet of tailpipes and exhaust tips and get them welded. Then the headers can go for coating.

[NickP]

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Being one dimensional in a photo, I assume there is sufficient room for heat dissipation or a shield to protect those two lines or is it felt that the open road will supply enough cool air?