Friday, July 15, 2022

Car Update: Will the Rust Bucket survive? Rustoleum Rust Dissolver Phosphoric Acid Iron Phosphate Action: Sway Bar Link loose on driver's rear side


 So I used the steel wire brush on the drill on the passenger side chassis frame - since the jack had revealed some rust. A big chunk came off the back but I didn't see any rust - and the rest was surface rust. So my previous phosphoric acid treatment seems to have kept the rust from spreading.

So then I used my new "hose clip pliers" with the super long needles to pull out the big metal chips inside the box chassis. They did not have rust on them - so they had been converted by my previous treatment. But then I found rust hiding underneath those rust chips - so it was a good thing I finally removed those chips of metal!!

So now I was able to spray the phosphoric acid inside the box frame - using the boroscope to see the rust inside the frame. I revealed a big rust patch with big metal coming off straight across from the big hole opening, on the other side of the Catalytic Converter.

This is the definite vulnerable spot on the TrailBlazer Chassis Frame since the hot Catalytic Converter causes the salt to rust the frame and with that big hole the salt is trapped INSIDE the frame. I'm lucky there's no hole yet in that part of the frame - that part of the frame is what destroys the TrailBlazer as "undriveable" when it rusts out.

So I have 1/8 inch steel - with the big chunks of 1/8 inch steel coming off in flakes - in several spots on the chassis. I am treating the left over rust and I just did some painting on the outside of the box frame. I'm still spraying phosphoric acid - inside the frame.

Also the clunking noise going slow over bumps is due to a loose sway bar link on the driver's rear side - I watched a bunch of "clunk" noise vids and most of them were due to a loose sway bar link. I had lifted the Anti-Sway Bar to line up the lower rear trailing arm - to bolt it together "Pre-Loaded" - and so that must have destroyed the last vestiges of the bushing in that Sway Bar Link. The Anti-Sway Bar has a little give - maybe a 1/16th inch while the sway bar link is definitely loose.

But it's not rusted through - and some people REMOVE that whole sway bar link set up for off-road clearance or whatever. So I can live with a sway bar link clunk noise - it's way better than a CV Joint noise!! 

I need to listen for any CV joint "clicking" noises - or wheel bearing noises. I had a bit of that the other day on the wheel bearing but sometimes it's just a little pebble in there that clears out. That noise seemed to go away.

Actually the driver's front CV Joint boot was torn way back a couple years ago - and I should have fixed it then since the local mechanic offered no solution - he just pointed out that it was torn. At the time I didn't know what that implied since I didn't really know much about cars. Amazingly that CV Joint appears to have held up. Not sure.

All I can say is I have learned a lot about cars in the ten years that I have kept my dad's car going and I've also hauled a lot of stuff. I should haul up my "garage in a box" to my mini-forest while I still can!! haha.

I don't have any major cracks or anything in the chassis that I've noticed - so hopefully the frame won't just snap on me. Like I said a 1/8 Inch frame is still technically strong enough based on the Psi rating of steel.

OK I just ordered a rear left sway bar link from RockAuto for $13 - including shipping - a LOT cheaper price than the Dealer charging $107 for the part!!

Now - the Dealer charged $67 for labor - I think I should be able to install it....

The previous rear sway bar link was installed only about 90K miles ago....

I just watched a vid stating he heard 75% of the rear end noise on a TrailBlazer is from the Rear Sway Bar link bushings going bad so.... I guess this is a typical routine part replacement....

It's a SKP part - hmm. I found one review of a similar SKP part - seems ok...

Wow March 2021 - Class Action Lawsuit against ACDelco for charging extra for false "Made in USA" parts claim

 https://www.classaction.org/media/husar-v-general-motors-llc.pdf

 I guess it hasn't gone to trial yet - no ruling.

This person said their MOOG part did not fit - as the Aftermarket Sway Bar link

 So someone said go for the OEM - which is the ACDelco... $75 ? Or on Ebay I think it's $30....

They are nice links and the zerks are easy to get to also. So I really want to keep them. I'd rather not switch to the OEM aluminum ones.

hmm do mine have Zerks or not?

OK that's the MOOG part that's too big - and you can see the Zerk - mine does NOT have a Zerk - at least not like that....

Delphi sells the part without a Zerk also. 

The zerk just makes a groove in the control arm

However the new ones have a hex on the stud bolt which makes holding the stud easier than the also included allen point. The thickness of this hex nut however "kicks" the geometry out a little bit and forces the link to angle very close to the rear trail link bar. ..So my link ends may rub the bar. Not good in my opinion.

Yeah that's really strange!! Moog ADDED an EXTRA hex nut on the other end of the sway bar link!!

for the rear... however if you are doing this yourself beware of the left rear link. If this is for a trailblazer left side is super tight and very difficult to reach. after I gave up on it and took it to a shop to finish the job the grease fitting ended up rubbing a bar and squeaked to the point I removed the fitting. I would go OEM. see less

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019
The tips of the lubrication threads are crooked. Disappointment

 installs easily but on a 2002 Trailblazer, the lower grease fitting rubs against other parts. Had to install flush fittings.

 Stronger than stock. Go easy on the grease. If you put in too much, they will make noise until the grease works out.

tightened 18 mm nuts to 70lb-ft.

The OEM end links have a Torx-40 fitting in the bolt, so you don't end up possibly weakening the boot by inserting a wrench between the frame member and the boot. I actually lubed the joint before installation, so a standard wrench was thicker than the surface provided for the wrench, so the wrench was inevitably squeezed between the socket/boot and frame.

I do understand the possible weakening of the bolt by have a Torx-fitting in it, but...

The factory links rely on putting an allen wrench in the end of the bolt. Well after a few years they get rusty and the hex cutouts quickly strip out and then you're screwed and have to cut the links off.

So that should have the same "allen" hex nut on the bolt - or rod or whatever....

OK I guess those are ZERK grease fittings on the end and the hex allen is on the bolt end. OK interesting.

I just checked out my clunking rear left sway bar  - the driver's side - and that allen hex is rusted out - so it would probably have to be CUT off. Since one vid says how the bolt starts spinning if you can't use that hex allen to get the nut off - going clockwise to pull the bolt out against the nut.

4.5 mm hex allen wrench (is wrong size)

It's a 6 mm hex allen

The inside nut is a 17 mm to hold the bolt while the outside nut is 18 mm on the other side of the frame.

the Zerk fitting is 7 mm

OK so the AFTER market has the "flat" nut on the back side - I'll look for that - so you don't need to saw it off. 

OK I need a 17 mm Ratchet Wrench!!

The new part is being shipped - so I'll go get the wrench...

Then I don't have to mess with any allen hex deal.

OK I just bought the 17 mm ratchet wrench. So that was $20 and the actual part is $13.

The Deal charged $170 for the part and labor!! The local mechanic charged $50.

So far I've spent about $40 if you include gas. So I'm still ahead of the local mechanic - besides the local mechanics don't want to work on my car anymore - too much of a rust bucket. haha.

I still have to check how solid that inner frame wall is - I'm a bit scared to pound a hammer on it...

hmmm.... I didn't really try to remove the paint on the backside - but one big chunk did come off farther down the back (inner) side of the chassis frame towards the rear wheel. I checked that to see if it was solid - but I think I just used my hand to rap on it. hahaha.

Chunyi Lin told this story how he got a flat tire but used his Qi to keep the tire inflated so he could drive home - then as soon as he got home the tire went flat. Kind of crazy story.

I figure I'm using Qi now to hold the car together. hahaha.

The engine runs great and my miles per gallon is better than ever.















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