Ford Explorer 2011

[Shade Tree Welder]

Now the best part about all this maintenance is that Matt really got his
hands into it. Last night when we were pressing in the new bushing.
He said, "This is a really nice press you built." Yeah, it is nice to get
a complement from a 16 year old. But the fact that he appreciates
the design and workmanship is more important. Also how you can
make your own tooling to get the job done. I showed him my attempt
that did not work and the one that did and we discussed why one worked
and the other did not.

[MetalWolf]

Originally Posted by Shade Tree Welder

But you cant pass on a teachable moment.

Yeah For sure... I try to teach my kids as well as my daughter I tell them it time you learn some of this stuff while I'm around to show you how it's done and teach you. because there are times in life when a person can not always afford to pay someone or a shop to do this stuff when monies are tight...

and any able-bodied person can do it if they have basic knowledge of "How To"
Just know the basics can always pull you out of a bind and save you a tone of money...

I always try to teach the neighborhood kids when they work for me how to weld do auto repair among other trades and skills I have offered...
I've even had their parents stop in and say how much they appreciated me teaching their kids how to do some of this stuff after their kid helped pull them out of a spot or two because they didn't have the basic knowledge their self but knew their kid had been working and learning from me.

And when a parent stops by and says things like that to me it's really a good feeling knowing they have walked away from here and have learned something they can use later in life or even seek to go to trade school to learn even more...

So yeah teaching young people the tips tricks and the how to's of a trade of any kind is a good thing...

[Shade Tree Welder]

Okay so the bearing assy sits about 1.5 inches inside the bore of the
knuckle. But only about .75 inches are a tight fit, not a press fit, but
tight you have to push it in by hand. The deepest part of the bearing
has about a 1/16" clearance all around it, which packed up with road
dust and was corroded pretty well when I removed them normally I
just butter on the never-seez and install, but I was thinking that there
might be a better option and I chose to use an under coating spray
instead. So I sprayed it on both the knuckle and the bearing surfaces.

The coating is the light brown you see in the pictures.

[digr]

Wow what a fiasco!!! Looks like you put a new backing plate, splash guard, or what ever its called. I usually leave them off because they are rusted so bad.

[Shade Tree Welder]

Originally Posted by digr

Wow what a fiasco!!! Looks like you put a new backing plate, splash guard, or what ever its called. I usually leave them off because they are rusted so bad.

Nope not available. I got everything apart on Tuesday night, parts were not
showing up until Wednesday so I sand blasted the shields, zinc primer and
top coated with chassis paint. The lower control arms I just scrubbed well
and painted.

The list of actual new parts:

Shocks
Upper control arm to knuckle bushing (ball joint)
Bearing assembly
Toe control link
Stabilizer bar links
Brakes (a month ago)

Everything but the brakes and stabilizer bar links had 200k miles on it.
So really no complaints. If you use shit it will eventually need maintenance.
I am okay with that. Also no work travel this week and for the most part
the weather has cooperated. Gonna pour rain tomorrow so I have to get it
back together tonight, but that is going okay. Matt is assisting well.

Everything is getting torqued to spec. and Never-Seez'd.

[TEK]

Originally Posted by MetalWolf

So yeah teaching young people the tips tricks and the how to's of a trade of any kind is a good thing...

So, I have 3 daughters, I tried showing them as best I could how a equipment mech and a structural steel guy lived and breathed and worked

They all 3 of them went into the medical field.....(2 RN, 1 LVN)

So, what did I teach them...?

[Scotts]

Originally Posted by TEK

They all 3 of them went into the medical field.....(2 RN, 1 LVN)

So, what did I teach them...?

Confidence to make their own choices, WELL DONE!!

Scott

[TEK]

Originally Posted by Scotts

Confidence to make their own choices, WELL DONE!!

Scott

Haha, yeah, they certainly do that...

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by TEK

So, I have 3 daughters, I tried showing them as best I could how a equipment mech and a structural steel guy lived and breathed and worked

They all 3 of them went into the medical field.....(2 RN, 1 LVN)

So, what did I teach them...?

Probably some good work ethics.

[TEK]

Originally Posted by milomilo

Probably some good work ethics.

Maybe....lol..