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1986 K30 - Rapid Learning

Get 'er cleaned up and solid.
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Thanks a bunch guys. I got the alignment tonight. The guys at the shop were nice. They said couldn't adjust anything but the toe. It looks like my toe was super out of whack from the report, so it is good that it is fixed now.

I have a whole list of things to check for death wobble, thanks for sending recommendations. You guys keep telling me to check things and I forget about it and then ask a second (or third) time. Sorry about that.

Here is the alignment report:

001.jpg
 
If you swapped to a set of ORD HD front shackles and bushings that would tip the axle back a hair more to help caster .

Have you check those bushings in the frame yet ? Take a few pics showing them and the bushings . We tell you if there shot ir n o.k t . Most all are anyway .
 
I haven't looked at them yet, will snap some photos tomorrow when I'm out in the garage!!
 
Manufacturing variances. I seen .3 to .4 degree off side to side on spring perches before on axles . Thic can equal a lot in alignment specs .

Wheel not centered you can do . Thats the drag link from box to axle . Just did mine after suspension change out .

Specs your o.k. up to .5 cross difference.

Those adjustable plates are o k. But i never installed them and only seen 2 axles with them in 20 plus years of playing with 60 fronts and doing alignments back in the day .

1 step at a time then we can look at more adjustments if need be .
 
Deviating away from the death wobble for a second... curious what you guys think about this...

I have been trying to start up the K30 every week. Sometimes I miss a week, and it's real hard to get her started up when I get around to it again. Commonly, my battery will die before I can get it started. The battery tends to die after about 5-10 decently long cranks. I pull the choke out all the way, pump the gas pedal 3-5 times, and crank the key. I let it crank for perhaps 5 seconds before backing off.

I know that it would start easier if I ran it every day / ran ethanol free gas / tuned the carb a little better(?) / etc. But I wanted to ask you all about my battery to see what you think.

Here is a photo of the sticker on it:

IMG_20210302_141631731.jpg

The battery is pretty new, but I was wondering if you guys think I should get a "bigger" (stronger) battery or even run two batteries, etc... any thoughts?
 
If the battery is charged 700amps will start it for no colder than it is right now. I'm betting you don't have any fuel in the carb to get it lit off. Could be the crappy fuel evaporating or the Q-jet has the typical leak through the main body of the carb that needs fixed. The other issue is your rubber fuel lines are probably all original and dry-rotted. There could be a hole in one of the lines that the fuel pump won't be able to overcome.

Charge up the battery and the next time you go start it, prime the carb. I like using a ear syringe from the drug store. They can hold 3-4 tablespoons worth of fuel and allow you to put it right in the vent of the carb to fill the float bowl. A couple full shots from one of those and you should be able to hit the pedal a couple times, pull the choke and start it.
 
ZooMad75 said:
If the battery is charged 700amps will start it for no colder than it is right now. I'm betting you don't have any fuel in the carb to get it lit off. Could be the crappy fuel evaporating or the Q-jet has the typical leak through the main body of the carb that needs fixed. The other issue is your rubber fuel lines are probably all original and dry-rotted. There could be a hole in one of the lines that the fuel pump won't be able to overcome.

Charge up the battery and the next time you go start it, prime the carb. I like using a ear syringe from the drug store. They can hold 3-4 tablespoons worth of fuel and allow you to put it right in the vent of the carb to fill the float bowl. A couple full shots from one of those and you should be able to hit the pedal a couple times, pull the choke and start it.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude! I'll give that a go. I found a photo of the vents on a different Edelbrock carb on another forum, I am sure it looks similar on mine.

1614806024792.png
 
Ripping a pic from the web, the vent is the one circled in the pic.
36001jet5-jpg.92348
 
Back to digging in on death wobble. Tie rod is off. When trying to wiggle the threaded stick at each end, I don't get any side to side play like I thought I would. When moving them around, it feels a little crunchy perhaps. They don't move smoothly, I can say that.

What happens if the TRE on the non-threaded end goes bad? Do you have to replace the whole rod?
 
Disconnect the battery between run cycles. Maybe get a battery maintainer to keep up the state of charge.
 
shima said:
Back to digging in on death wobble. Tie rod is off. When trying to wiggle the threaded stick at each end, I don't get any side to side play like I thought I would. When moving them around, it feels a little crunchy perhaps. They don't move smoothly, I can say that.

What happens if the TRE on the non-threaded end goes bad? Do you have to replace the whole rod?
Click to expand...
Yes
 
So when trying to remove my steering stabilizer from the tie rod, I put the nut back onto the threaded end and hit it with a hammer. It wouldn't budge. I ended up having to use a pickle fork to get them separated. I realized later when putting everything back that I destroyed the threads on my steering stabilizer. Stupid mistake.

Anyhow, the one that was on there was a Summit brand steering stabilizer. I looked on their website trying to get a direct replacement, but no Summit brand stabilizers show up for the K30. Anyone have a suggestion on brand / model? For example I know Bilstein makes great products, I just don't know whether a steering stabilizers have high enough difference in quality between the brands to where paying for Bilstein will make a big difference.
 

Skip to the 6:15 mark, I vouch for only the next 45 50 seconds I didn't watch any other part of the video.

This mehod works for tie rod ends, drag link ends, Ball joints, steering stabilizers. Pretty much any tapered stud. Now the rust belt guys need more methods and lots of penetrate oil
 
Got the new steering stabilizer installed, and primed the carb using the trick that @ZooMad75 mentioned (drug store ear syringe). Fired right up. I also tightened my u-bolts. I could turn them easily with a breaker bar, so they were definitely loose.

On my test drive, I hit a few of the same old potholes and manhole covers that would cause death wobble in the past. It didn't happen this time, and I was purposefully going between 35-40 mph.

Definitely an encouraging result but I am going to continue checking some of the other things mentioned in this thread just to make absolutely sure:
1. Check how snug the steering box is mounted to the frame.
2. Check the spring eye bushings... I don't know exactly where these are located but they shouldn't be hard to find.
3. I probably should get my tires balanced. I am assuming they are balanced because they were run on a Suburban before I bought them... but wouldn't hurt to double-check.
 
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