B-17G at Grissom Air Museum. Click to embiggen. |
Regardless, it's too hot and too late to deal with it now. I'll run it past a mechanic in the morning. In the meantime, I'm going to drink something frosty cold and do something fun, like laundry.
*I just spent a fair chunk of four days on the range. I came THIS CLOSE to typing "strong-side rear wheel".
Hmmm...camera...motorcycle...3hrs 15min there...I can do that. This is officially on my ride list now.
ReplyDeleteLove me some old airplanes, I do...
Damn. No EXIF data.
ReplyDeleteTam,
ReplyDeleteI have a 2007 Subaru Outback, and had the same problem. If yours is new enough to have a wheel hub assembly instead of a removable wheel bearing, it is ridiculously uncomplicated to change on your own.
http://www.scoobymods.com/showthread.php/diy-4th-gen-legacy-rear-14125.html
If your right side is bad, the left isn't far behind. My one piece of advice is to CHANGE THE LEFT SIDE FIRST. It lets you see how it's **supposed** to come apart, because your right side wheel hub assembly may just come apart in pieces.
Garage wanted $400 per wheel to change them out. The assemblies only cost me about $75 as I recall at Partsgeek.com.
And if you had, we'd have understood.
ReplyDeleteGot a pic of the Hustler? My fave as a kiddo and any plane that can deliver a nuke to the reds at mach 2 holds a place in my heart.
ReplyDeleteThat ridiculously easy repair could turn ugly if the Forester has the same problems as a northeast WRX has. The hubs can be had cheap - it's the rust and metal around them that can be fun. The worst thing that happened to mine ( swapped 2005's for rusty 2002's ) is that the axle wont let go of the hub. If it's rusted solid, Hercules can't pull it apart. You will need a new shaft at about $200 or so apiece. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteJoe R.
BTDT.
ReplyDeleteYour year.make/model had an issue with the engineering on the R/R hub bearing. They have a 100% failure rate, and it's not same as the L/R.
Do a little research, and get the redesigned hub bearing assembly installed, if it turns out you have a bad hub bearing.
Oh.... and a LOT of shops will misdiagnose that as a bad CV joint or a failed diff. Both are unlikely.
I can sympathize; I started working in professional audio and lighting about two years ago. No, I think in stage direction.
ReplyDeleteAnd "downstage-right" is confusing when there's no stage around...
And it's a pew pew pew seat because there ain't no seat and there ain't no Martin turret guts.
ReplyDeleteIt's like a Big-Gulp nav blister now.
And to us southpaws that would indicate the wrong wheel. . . .
ReplyDeleteAs for the cost of the parts, once long ago I had a noise diagnosed as bad exhaust manifold gaskets. Cost to replace: $400. I went to the parts house and bought four gaskets for $5.00 and put them in myself. It took me all Saturday, partly because I could not see where they went and had to do everything by touch, but I had new gaskets!
I sure hope there's a Bentley manual for this car.
Wow, I'm constantly impressed with the collective knowledge of the commenters on this blog.
ReplyDeleteAlso,I love to look at WW2 airplanes.Can you imagine being the gunner,sitting in an exposed clear plastic canopy,looking at the fighter bearing down on you from above-and not chickening out?Greatest generation indeed.
Billf
Angus McThag,
ReplyDeleteI know.
It, like most outdoor museum planes, is gutted to one degree or another. (As you'll see in other photos, the tail gunner position on this particular plane is gone entirely.)
One of my uncles had a pewpewpew! seat on the belly of one of those beasts.
ReplyDeleteHis take was "...well, it certainly wasn't the BEST seat in the house..."
doubletrouble...you reminded me...one of "the old people" living on my block when I was a kid was a belly turret gunner. He was a very nervous guy...small and skinny. All he would tell me was "Yeah, I was a belly turret gunner on a B-17!"
ReplyDeleteOK, I promise:
ReplyDeleteThe story of how I got a free ride on Yankee Lady, B-17 of the Confederate Air Force, during an air show.
July 4th.
My grandfather was a flight engineer on 8th Air Force B-17Gs. I have one of his squadron photos, taken in formation by the waist gunner of a sister ship. His Flying Fortress is in late war natural aluminum finish - I'll have to study up on the tail and fuselage markings to see which squadron. He always referred to my B-52H as "Another fine Boeing product". The greatest generation, indeed!
ReplyDeleteMy dad was a B-17 pilot with the 8th as well (447BG, 711 squadron). On one of his 35 missions, his squadron was attacked head-on by a Me163 Komet. He called to his top turret gunner and asked "Did you get a shot at him?" meaning "Did you attempt to engage?" The gunner's reply--"Get a shot at what, sir?" I'm guessing the closure rate was on the high side of 600 knots.
ReplyDeleteCommemorative bone yards are almost the worst.
ReplyDeleteThey're great that the planes are out there on display where we can see them.
They suck because there's just never enough money to take care of them and mother nature doesn't rest.
I've had several moments of "I know what this is and how rare it is and YOU HAVE IT SITTING OUTSIDE TO DIE!" Like the F-4B that used to be an F-4G (not the German G either) but was painted like an F-4C... I think the City of Marshalltown swapped their Phantom on a stick for a real F-4C.
My dad got a ride over the Med in a B-24 after the war was over. His brother was a bombardier in one and wangled him a ride in the bombardier's seat.
ReplyDeleteWhat they didn't tell him was that the plane was going up for a check flight right after they pulled major maintenance on it.
He didn't care. He got to see the Med in all its glory.
Starboard Aft wheel.
ReplyDeleteMore noise when you make left hand curves? (turns at speed)
ReplyDeleteDifferent volume/pitch for right hand?
Probably correct about wheel bearing.