[ihc] The scout

["Ryan Moore" <baradium@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

After the exciting adventure with my sheared center pin in my scout's
suspension (passenger side front), I've got something else to ponder.   The
only ubolts I could find were 5/8", and they did match up perfectly to the
original ones.  Matched up extremely well as a matter of fact to the grooves
in the axle tubes too.  I came up on a problem when I tried to install them
though.  I already had the spring plate holes enlarged to accomodate the
larger bolts, but I found that the grooves in the axle slant slightly
outward.  This means that the u-bolts don't line up... to the point that the
holes would extend off of the original spring plates if I made them line up.

I was running out of time so I put the original u-bolts back in so I could
come back up here (no I didn't drive it like that, I moved it 15 feet and
it's still sitting there).  First I didn't like the idea of reusing the
bolts, second the holes are enlarged and I didn't like the idea of that
either.

This leaves me in a little bit of a fix now.  I was time limited previously
(I was told it had to be out of the carport before I left, whether I drove
it back or not), which is why I couldn't order u-bolts to fit.  I figured
that since the bolts would fit in the grooves it'd be a relatively simple
fix, which is why I went with the 5/8" bolts (an upgrade sounded good to me.
Now I need to either figure out what I need to do to get the new u-bolts to
fit, or get new spring plates for that side (or both).  I notice that John
Fleck sells 5/8" ubolts, but I still don't see how to make them fit (an
e-mail to him also already bounced back saying his box is full).

At the moment I have just over two weeks before I can make a run back to GA
to change vehicles and go back to the scout, so I'm not quite as pressed for
time as I was previously, but I do need to get moving with the endeavor.

Suggestions or ideas?

This '70 chevy is running good, but it hates the cold starting a lot more
than the scout did and it decided on the trip up hear that electricity is
not always a good thing... I'm getting tired of trying to get under the
dash/ banging on said dash to get the heater blower to run... I'm almost to
the point of running a wire from the battery to a toggle switch and back to
a splice into the blower line as a sort of over ride to give me heat when
the connection at the control switch is acting up, I got to the point today
of taking the glove box apart and it still apparently didn't fix it all that
well.  The presence of a radio in the scout was nice too...  that's
sidestepping the whole issue of my withdrawls.   It just doesn't feel right
not being in the scout, I think I can make it two weeks without it (partly
becuase I can stop by Ed's and play with the panel if I can find the time),
but anything more than that might be pushing it.

Somewhat exasperated,
Ryan