Argosy 20' MH restoration

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by bkahler

I forgot you were going to eliminate the mechanical fan. If you will be in a lot of stop and go traffic then an additional fan certainly won't hurt.

I relocated my transmission cooler to under the chassis and have a dedicated fan for the transmission cooler. I'm not sure yet whether I'll have a separate fan on the engine oil cooler, I think I'll wait until I have some driving time to see how it responds.

Brad

Yes, yes, yes! I'm going to eliminate the original fan for now.
Probably I'll get an additional fan soon. That's like an insurance!

I think remote mount is good idea.
I interested that effects.


I'm going to mount the coolers in front of a radiator and a condenser like this, and use fluid thermostats on the both lines.
I'm very nervous about overheated the engine and the transmission.
But it seems like "interference mounting" to the radiator and condenser!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I removed tie rods, link rods and bell cranks.


Next is removal a ball joint from a knuckle, but it fixed very firm.
I hammered the knuckle too many times but couldn't remove it.
And torch couldn't solve that as well.


My ball joint pullers cannot reach the ball joint, so I decided to buy pickle forks.


The pickle fork helped it easy to remove the ball joints.


Yes! I've done to disassemble the control arms!
I'm going to remove the ball joints from the control arms.
Stay tuned

[RVH Argo28]

Rock Auto has lower ball joints 11,000 lb axle for like $5 on wholesaler closeouts. Uppers are like $5 too. Raybestos, AC Delco Professional, Moog and Spicer.

I have the 14000 axle -14500GVW, and the lower ball joints were $20 CAD for that axle. AC Delco professional with cool blue neoprene boots, match my new sway bar bushings. Larger tapers but same press-in diameter. I can't find upper ball joints for the 14000 lb axle. Lots of 11000 but no 14000.

Outer tie rods for $5 [Raybestos] or AC Delco Professional for $10 Canadian.

Be sure to measure the tapers of the old ball joints and compare to taper of new ball joints. Even professional shops are shoving wrong ball joints with incorrect tapers in RV'S.

It appears the professional shops are just as good at ordering wrong parts as we are.

[RVH Argo28]

Pickle fork...I was worried they might be tight. I have smaller ball joint separators but no pickle fork. Hello Amazon!

[bkahler]

The tool you really want for removing the control arm ball joints is a Kent Moore J-23742 ball joint separator.

[RVH Argo28]

I have an Astro Pneaumatic ball joint press and all the fittings and adapters but the ball joint is just too big. It will take a shop press and one of the adapters to press out the ball joint from the control arm and press a new one in.

Fortunately I have a cheap 10 ton floor standing shop press for that job. That shop press has been invaluable for lots of jobs, especially press in wheel bearings.

For separating the ball joint from the knuckle in the first place budget says pickle fork. The larger ones with the hammering bar attached are also great for prying out cv axles on front wheel drive cars to overcome the clip.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by RVH Argo28

Rock Auto has lower ball joints 11,000 lb axle for like $5 on wholesaler closeouts. Uppers are like $5 too. Raybestos, AC Delco Professional, Moog and Spicer.

I have the 14000 axle -14500GVW, and the lower ball joints were $20 CAD for that axle. AC Delco professional with cool blue neoprene boots, match my new sway bar bushings. Larger tapers but same press-in diameter. I can't find upper ball joints for the 14000 lb axle. Lots of 11000 but no 14000.

Outer tie rods for $5 [Raybestos] or AC Delco Professional for $10 Canadian.

Be sure to measure the tapers of the old ball joints and compare to taper of new ball joints. Even professional shops are shoving wrong ball joints with incorrect tapers in RV'S.

It appears the professional shops are just as good at ordering wrong parts as we are.

Thank you for the information!

I've ordered Moog upper and lower ball joints already.
Those will arrive in this week.
I'll measure the tapers before install it!
Thank you.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Ball joints removal


The lower part was not hard to remove.
A ball joint was pressed into a control arm so I use a press tool.
That tool is which I removed u joints from a propeller shaft.


I'll install new ball joints the same method.
Maybe it will not be difficult. I hope so..


The upper part is a little bit troublesome to remove because it has rivets.


I removed the rivet head then took out the ball joint.
But the rivets stuck on the ball joint so I couldn't punch it out.


I used drills and a cold chisel.


The new ball joints which I bought haven't rivets, it has bolts and nuts.
I will be able to easy install and remove it in future.


I have a lot of work..

[RVH Argo28]

Very nice!

[chevy2man]

Nice work Yuki!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by RVH Argo28

Very nice!

Thank you!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by chevy2man

Nice work Yuki!

Thank you!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I've made a fans bracket at backside of a radiator, so next task is the frontside.
I'm going to put on an AC condenser and extra fan to there.


I bought an Air conditioner condenser from ebay, I was worried about an item will be damaged because it's fragile item and needs long trip to over here.
I requested to packing securely that to the seller, they said "OK" but they didn't do it..


The core had damaged when I have received the condenser.
I was going to buy a brand new radiator from the US but I didn't do that, because I think a radiator will get the similar issue.

Anyway the condenser ejected gas when I removed a blind plug so it might not have a hole on the core. I hope so..


I made condenser brackets with aluminum angle bars.


And I need to make an electric fan bracket as well.
The fan controlled with an AC trinary switch (When pressure at 254 psi) and manual switch.
If engine temperature too high, I turn on the manual switch.
It meant an "emergency switch".


It's almost done to make it.
I'm going to assemble of the whole radiator my spare time.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I assembled the radiator today.


The front side, there is an AC condenser with a 16" electric fan.


And it has two of 14" electric fans on the backside.
Hopefully they would cool enough the engine.


I'm going to make cooling lines with AN hoses, so installed AN fittings to the ATF line.

The radiator got ready to go!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Urethane motor mount inserts have arrived!
So I dismantled the original motor mount then installed the motor mount insert in it.


The first I removed three of rivets with drill.


Next a little bit hammered gap with cold chisel.


The motor mount was disassembled.


An urethane motor mount insert and the original rubber one.
It seems like same width.


I cleaned up the clam shell before installing the insert.




Then installed it.
I didn't use a vise or clamp when assembling the two of shells, I just tighten bolts and nuts.
When I will install it, I use tie wraps to hold the shells together.
But I have to paint the shells, so I don't do that at this moment.


I hope it will be a good result.
I'm going to install the motor mounts when the transmission has arrived!

[bkahler]

Yuki,

Nice job on rebuilding the motor mounts. I'm looking forward to seeing you re-install the engine

Brad

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Yuki,

Nice job on rebuilding the motor mounts. I'm looking forward to seeing you re-install the engine

Brad

Brad,

Thank you.
I can't wait to install the motor mounts and new transmission!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I removed sub floor.
I'm going to redo the all of floors.



Turned over an inner skin then removed insulation.


I needed to remove screws but those are rotted..


I wasn't able to turn it



So I cut the floor then removed wood chips with chisel and cramps.


Outer floor has damaged at above a trans mission bracket. I guess someone made the damage when the bracket removing.


Eliminated the outer floor.
I need to make new holes when 4L80E trans has arrived.


However I cannot remove this bolt..
The frame is interfering with a bolt.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I did to remove an inner skin and a floor at the passenger side as well.


The first, I needed to remove the inner skin, but some rivets are hiding underneath a door frame.
At first I thought need to remove the door assembly when inner skins removal, but I didn't need to do that.



The door frame was just attached with clips.
So I was able to remove it with a ply bar.




I found nuts and a bug from inner of the wall.


I'll remove a generator cover soon.



I can't remove trans mission bracket bolts at this side too.

[bkahler]

Yuki,

When you get a chance google the phrase "Shipwrights' disease".

I think you are suffering from it

Brad