Fall13 Miles

Last week I carried out another winterizing task on a Sea Ray. Over the last month and a half, every winterization I have completed I have found ways to perfect my work flow. I was also able to familiarize myself with the portable magnetic drill in the school shop and marked a hole with a 1/16th of an inch accuracy. 

w: 34.5

t: 340

 

Fall13 Miles

Last week, one of my more exciting projects at work was to pull the Volvo pictured below out of a yacht. It was was equipped with a V-drive gear. I have been around V-drives before but this one in particular was designed for the propeller shaft to go through the gear and is coupled on the back side of the gear. It is always a learning experience familiarizing myself with new equipment. Overall the project went quite well.

w: 43.5

t: 305.5

Alignment Mastery Miles

Aligning a semi truck can be quite simple by following A Common Man's Guide Truck Wheel Alignment. The first step is to measure and adjust toe. The toe can be measured by using two tape measures and two modified lengths of aluminum channel stock as shown below (not that greatly). Next, measure and observe tire wear. Also, inspect all mechanical suspension components for broken or worn out parts. Check the front axle for caster plates and make sure each side is congruent. Square the steering axle by measuring from a "standard" point on the frame to the axle. 

 Adjusting toe

Measuring and adjusting toe

Checking for caster plates

Adjusting the drive axles are just as simple. The two main adjustments for drive axles are adjusting the thrust angle and centering the axle. Start with the front drive axle by checking the thrust angle using the "string and tape measure" method shown in A Common Man's Guide Truck Wheel Alignment.

Measuring thrust angle of the front drive axle

Thrust angle shims can be found on the front of the leaf spring assembly

Truing the rear drive axle off the already trued front drive axle

Fall13 Miles

Last week was a short due Thanksgiving. I focused most of my time on learning how to align semi-trucks with simple "backyard" techniques. Check out my next post for a more detailed description of how I learned to do alignment.

w: 16.5
t: 262