Datsun 521 center support bearing w bushing

[Parker521]

Sounds like the material you used may be too stiff. The 620's bushing looks more flimsy, so I am sure something a tad softer could work.

 

the 521 bushing was pretty hefty-- much bigger looking than the pics of the 620 i saw. and it seemed like it was pretty tough when it was first made. i used something called PMC-780-- it wasn't the softest of the polyurethane rubber nor was it the hardest.

 

i might sell the extra one i made to see how it will work for someone else.

[Parker521]

2eDeYe' date='28 October 2011 - 09:26 AM' timestamp='1319822779' post='568745']

Was the actual bearing replaced? Was it greased (the bearing) before it was installed into the truck? Could be a lack of lube.

 

yeah, ordered it new from nissanparts-- and mechanic installed it (twice, actually)...

 

...i'll ask to make sure it was greased, but jeez... seems like something they couldn't overlook. there is nothing so simple that someone can't eff it up though, right?

 

a friend said they thought maybe the shop didnt balance the bearing right.

 

don't worry! i WILL get to the bottom of this, and share the journey with all.

[Parker521]

NEW NEWS!

you know you're all dying for an update...

 

I searched around SF for someone who can balance driveshafts, as that was suggested as the next step by mechanic. (bonus points to you if you know where this story is heading....)

 

well, i found someone. and let me tell you-- he should have paid ME $300 goddamn dollars for what we went through.

 

Frank Wallace is apparently a drive shaft legend-- and his machine shop at his house is pretty bitchin'. he has like 5000 drive shafts stacked up outside and there is about a trillion assorted parts of cars all over as well as all types of machines on which to fix drive shaft issues.

 

well, i could tell he was an old lech over the phone, but I figured "What the hell do I care? There is not many people who can handle this truck, so I'll deal.."

....let me just clean it up for you by saying that he called my boyfriend "the N word" (as easily as one says 'dude' here on the West Coast) about 75 times. And he said that the PMC-780 I used was "as hard as a honeymoon dick." And the poor kid he's 'mentoring' was so damn tired of his mouth. He got mad at me cause i had a cold (he's old, a germaphobe, and on oxygen--- but believe me that I wasn't trying to get anywhere physically NEAR him); he did offer us coffee and then we sat at his kitchen table while our car was NOT being worked on for about an hour, listening to him tell stories and cuss and call everyone "the N word" as he smoked about 25 cigarettes....... aaaand it was 8:30 in the goddamn morning and we both still had to work-- me for 10 hours.

 

the result, after he finally let us go, was that the u-joints had been ground into oblivion (the sleeves that they fit into with the ball bearings) and the driveshaft was bent and needed to be balanced. His protege fixed all of that, under Frank's watchful eye. I'm gonna try to post pics of the parts here.

 

unfortunately, after all that plus $300, it still doesn't run right. there is still a significant vibration starting at about 47 mph, and as Laecaon pointed out, maybe the material is too hard. Truck needs shocks and tires and probably an alignment/balance and probably tie rods too...so yeah.

 

the vibration of the humming of a million bees is definitely BETTER but not gone. And holy crap: don't bring your African-American friends to Frank's house. And be sure to bring your own giant can of Lysol wipes if you go.

[Parker521]

[Parker521]

 

they look GOOD, right?

 

i'm still trying to figure out if my mechanic charged me to replace them....i really wish i would have taken auto shop in high school.

[motavated]

Shit!!! talk about being wheeled and dealed...

[thisismatt]

 

they look GOOD, right?

 

i'm still trying to figure out if my mechanic charged me to replace them....i really wish i would have taken auto shop in high school.

No, looks like crap.