1954 dodge royal 500 convertible Pacecar restoraton part 1

[dodge59]

Then something in the alignment or geometry of the parts is different between having the wheel off the ground and having it on the ground. To me that suggests the wheel bearings and/or as mentioned earlier in the thread the castle nut that adjusts the bearings.

 

castle nut looks fine not stripped or anything  like that . tightens up fine . 

Edited September 22, 2014 by dodge59

[Don Coatney]

castle nut looks fine not stripped or anything  like that . tightens up fine . 

How tight?

[Dave72dt]

What's inside the drum shouldn't know the difference between on the ground or off. The bearings would and the change in suspension parts angles might. Brake shoes used to be designated primary and secondary. Having two of either or backwards might give you that effect. Maybe try loading the suspension by lifting the car as close to the wheel as possible instead of letting eh wheel hang.

[dodge59]

guys ...... 

here is what I observed today on the brakes.

looked at the inner bearing and  that looked fine spun good nothing chewed up. full of grease.

 

switched the drums from sided to side and it still locked up.. so it is not the drums or bearings. 

 

adjusted  the heel toe adjustments top and bottom again on the pass side shoes.  still no diff ........still locking up.

 

Then I opened up both bleeders on the cylinders .. it had pressure  on both and squirted out fluid until the pressure subsided.   then I got  in the car started and tried to move the car  forward  and it moved freely with NO locking up .. so It appears it is the brake hose.  I have  two new ones coming wednesday..  hope that does it.

[dodge59]

How tight?

snug  down .......then back off 1/8th turn or until there is no tension on the nut. drum spins freely  no dragging. .......... then adjust the shoes. 

Edited September 22, 2014 by dodge59

[Dave72dt]

Then I opened up both bleeders on the cylinders .. it had pressure  on both and squirted out fluid until the pressure subsided.   then I got  in the car started and tried to move the car  forward  and it moved freely with NO locking up .. so It appears it is the brake hose.  I have  two new ones coming wednesday..  hope that does it.

pretty much similar to parking brake cables locking up on self centering brakes. You could back up fine and they would lock going forward.

[dodge59]

How tight?

don

not tight and not loose is the best way to describe  it. right in between .

[dodge59]

still waiting for those brakes hoses  thru rockauto.. sloooooooooooooooooooooooow. 

[dodge59]

I  been working on the lights  on the  54 pacecar ...........

 

 Got all the lights  working except  for the headlight.

don't  seem to have any power  from the main lead  under the hood to the junction box on the core support  to  the headlights ..  I assume  the power has to go thru the high beam dimmer switch before going to the headlights  ..... is that correct?  or just a myth..

I have no high beam  or driving lights .  everything  else works .

could I test that foot  dimmer switch ? it is a 6 volt system.

any ideas where to look next ?

Thanks !

john.

[dodge59]

update on the pacecar .

 

 

I'm working on sanding down the convertible top frame ..  getting it ready for paint. 

[dodge59]

I received the convertible black canvas top today..  sweet !

[greg g]

Yes the head lamps go through the dimmer, there should be a junction bar near the radiator, then to the headlamps.

[dodge59]

Yes the head lamps go through the dimmer, there should be a junction bar near the radiator, then to the headlamps.

that makes sense greg 

 

 since  the dimmer switch controls the high beams. power goes thru the foot  high beam switch .

[Mopar]

My guess is that you don't have a good ground on your head lights since nothing works.

If the ground is good check to see if you have any of the panel lights working. If they work then you have power to the light switch from the ign sw.

Power from the ign sw goes to the "IGN" terminal on the head light sw.

 

Power for the head lights comes from the Center tap on the head light switch labeled "H". It then goes to the dimmer switch which has 4 wires on it.

1- goes to the  high beam indicator

1- goes to the Junction block on the radiator support and splits to both head lights as the low beam lights

1- does the  junction block on the radiator support and splits to both head lights as the high beam lights

The 4th wire is power from the head lamp sw

 

Power from the  Ign switch goes to the head light sw.

[dodge59]

Thanks mopar .. you are a big help.

 

with the headlight switch in the on position .. none of the wires  have power at the junction block (on the radiator support )  which tells me  power is not coming out of the foot dimmer switch.  correct?   bad  foot dimmer switch ? I'll back track from there then.

 

all the lights work except the headlights. so I don't think it's a bad ground. dash lights , blinkers , parklights  , taillights , stops  all work also.

 

I have compared the wires at the juction terminal on my 54 dodge 4 door  vs. the convertible and they are all wired differently.. do I can't use that as a diagram..

john

Edited September 25, 2014 by dodge59

[Mopar]

I have the wiring diagram for the 54 convertible which is what I was getting my info from. It looks to me like you have a bad dimmer sw. I got the body mount on the left and right side of my trunk rebuilt this week and thought In could get by patching a bad spot in the floor of the trunk. No such luck. I have to replace the floor from the spare tire well to the left side body mounts. That's the way things go some days.

[dodge59]

yeah...  that's the  way some things go ..  10 minute job ,  turns into a week some times.

that floor could be a hard one to fine also. I haven't seen a trunk floor up on the internet anywhere yet. 

 

I  have to take the floor panel off by the  foot pedals   to get at that switch  and see what it looks like to order one up.

thanks for your help mopar.

john

 

 

.

[Mopar]

I have been having to make everything from scratch. I ordered floor pans for the front of my 4 Dr from a place near Detroit but when I got them they were for a Plymouth even though they told me they were for a royal. They didn't fit but I was able to add metal to them and make them work. You will need to unbolt the floor pan under the peddles to get at the dimmer and even then it is a tight fit.

[DJ194950]

Maybe try unscrewing/bolting it to try and move in to a location easier to do your testing/replacement.??

 

DJ

[William Davey]

Before you jump into replacing the dimmer switch, try cycling it vigorously (really stomp on it) a bunch of times.  Sometimes the contacts get "stuck" in between low and high. 

[dodge59]

I have been having to make everything from scratch. I ordered floor pans for the front of my 4 Dr from a place near Detroit but when I got them they were for a Plymouth even though they told me they were for a royal. They didn't fit but I was able to add metal to them and make them work. You will need to unbolt the floor pan under the peddles to get at the dimmer and even then it is a tight fit.

Iv'e had to do the same thing with  repro parts .. they just don't fit correctly.

 

yeah ........nothing is easy on these old cars.. hahaha

[dodge59]

Before you jump into replacing the dimmer switch, try cycling it vigorously (really stomp on it) a bunch of times.  Sometimes the contacts get "stuck" in between low and high. 

william

I clicked it  about 10 times before but I will  really  beat it up now.. see what happens  . good Idea.

[dodge59]

worked on the convert top frame today. sanded all down and painted. looks great !

 

also earlier this week............ installed the rear bumper extensions.

 

I will never buy from rockauto again..  They screwed me around with the purchase of those brake hoses.

over a week to get the parts they said they had in stock .. what gives 

turns out they  had to pick them up at another warehouse on the coast  somewhere .......... then  they send parts to them and then to me.. why could they have just drop shipped them to me  .. no brains there. turns out there main business is only 200 miles away in wi .

Edited September 26, 2014 by dodge59

[dodge59]

Before you jump into replacing the dimmer switch, try cycling it vigorously (really stomp on it) a bunch of times.  Sometimes the contacts get "stuck" in between low and high. 

yeah ......I might get lucky there.. this car sat for 40 years  in california. climate  control .

[fstfish66]

car looks GREAT,,,,, you should have power to one wire at  the dimmer switch,,the switch directs the power to  low or high  so if theres no power at the dimmer,,,start checking backwards... question,,,does your tail lite lift for a gas fill ??  looks like it in  one of your pics,,,,koool car,,,