Customer Service isn't dead...yet.

Hello to "all" my blog fans out there.

So this week, I got my Disc Brake kit from Speedway Motors. Pretty nice kit, the caliper brackets are beefy and the spindle adapters are way trick. So to finish out the kit, I need Volare rotors, Camaro (ewwww!) calipers, a couple bearings and a a couple seals. Went to the nearest AutoZone which is still 20 miles away since they are still the only parts store which carries Timken bearings. Got prices on the rotors and calipers as well. As far as the seals go, I couldn't get the part # that CPP (the kit maker) gave me to cross to a real part. Tried the Timken book and the Chicago Rawhide catalog as well. So since I had my cell phone on me at the store, I decided to give the CPP "Tech" line a call. After spending 15 minutes on hold Ronnie came on the line and I told him my tale of woe. I told him I thought the part # for the bearing seals might be incorrect on the parts list. I think I got Ronnie confused since he told me if it's on the parts list it should be in the kit. I said no this is a required parts list, not a packing list since the rotors and calipers weren't in the box either. Ronnie took my name and number, but to be honest I was less than hopeful about resolution and was making plans to ship the entire kit back for a refund. I got home a couple hours later and there was a message from my main man Ronnie. Turns out I am a genius! The part number listed 94065 is actually 9406S. 9406S is a normally stocked part just about everywhere so now I'm ready to rock. Since I'm usually quick to complain when I'm getting the shaft in customer service, I feel it's important to praise as well when someone helps me out. I called Ronnie back and personally thanked him for solving my problem.

So now all I have to do is put it all together. I'm going to take lots of pics of the install for everyone to see. Looks like a pretty straightforward deal, the only interesting things will be drilling my spindles to relocate the grease zerk fittings. Simply take a #3 drill bit...wait wait Time Out! What in the heck is a #3 drill bit? Well, I'm glad you asked it's time for a little history lesson. Numbered drill bits are numbered from #1 to #80 with #1 being the biggest (0.228") all the way down to #80 (0.0135"). So a #3 has a diameter of 0.213" and is the required size for tapping a 1/4"-28(NF) hole. So off to the local orange big box store I go. No number drill bits there, let's try Sears...nope. Finally I remember there's a little industrial supply place in town that has a little bit of everything, if they can find it. Dude starts digging thru envelopes...Eureka! $3.50 lighter, we get back in the car and feel thankful that the Mom and Pop store still has its place in the world.

Also yesterday, my new pinion crush sleeves arrived in the mail. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow. I'll bring my torque up in smaller increments this time to prevent overshoot.