SARGE - ROAD WARRIOR

Looks really good.

 

When you step on the pedal the first time, the brakes are fine but if you lift off the pedal and step on it again you cannot "feather" the brakes. They stop hard. If I had to guess, the M/C does not have enough vacuum to allow me to have a controlled stop. As I approach a stoplight I step on the pedal and keep it pressed until I come to a complete stop. If I lift and step on it again, it reacts like I'm slamming on the brakes.

 

I was switching the vacuum hoses (brake booster/PVC valve) to see if that would help cure my brake problem when I found that the carburetor nuts were not "tight". After tightening them the brakes were much better. I plan to get a new gasket and hope it is the problem.

 

Question. Are the front shocks on the Chevy Wagon the same ones that are on the Full Size sedan?

 

I am still looking for front shocks. I have been to several parts sites and cannot find shocks for wagons. I have some Impala shocks on right now and they give me a mushy ride. I need HD shocks. Where are you guys finding shocks?
BTW Sarge is a Chevy 1960 Parkwood

 

What kind of shocks are in there now? Bilstein has a shock that will fit front 58-64 Chevy full size cars. That is the direction I would go.

https://www.performanceonline.com/1...dwUhGJpJai0txGtnbI577L16BRx3iRhZRnQajvTY5v3CU

 

OK, I finally ordered shocks for Sarge. I have been looking for shocks specifically for Station Wagons. It turns out that in 1960 all the full size Chevys used the same shock. To firm up the ride I went to Gas Shocks.
I talked with a guy at Ecklers Classic Chevy parts.

 

Never got the chance to install the shocks. I drove to the golf course Tuesday and came back home without issue. I needed some supplies to repair my wooden fencing after hurricane Beryl so I decided to run to Home Depot. I got about 1/8 of a mile from the house and all of a sudden it quit going. The motor was running but the transmission was not engaged. It was making a dreadful noise and refused to move. Nothing I tried worked.
I call a friend to tow me home. We attached a tow strap and started for home. After about 200 yards, I saw smoke coming from the right rear. We stopped and found that the tire was rubbing against the fender. The axle had slid out of the deferential.
I had it towed home and put it in the Motor Pool. I'm not sure exactly what is wrong but I do know that I won't be fixing it. I stopped crawling under my cars five years ago.

 

I finally put Sarge up on jack-stands to access the problem. When I took the wheel off, the axle slide right out! The bearing is still in the housing. Also, there are metal shavings on the end of the axle. (from me trying to drive it). So, now I need to get the bearing and retainer out and drop the differential to clean it of metal shavings (hopefully it's ok otherwise) The axle looks okay to me but I'm a good "Sub assembly man" not a mechanic. I found a video on youtube that walks you through the replacement process.

I'm not sure of the design that insures that the axle won't slide out again... I'm gonna ask a couple of classic car mechanics just to insure I don't have a bigger problem. I'm open to all advise/ideas.