Repair And Fix it

Some car owners wonder if a vehicle can operate without a power steering pump belt or if this function is safe. Not replacing a PSP belt may save money and hassle at first, but it will eventually cause huge problems.

Function

The movement of the engine drives the PSP belt. The belt then transfers engine power to the PSP itself, which puts power steering fluid under pressure. This pressurized fluid amplifies steering wheel movement to make steering the car effortless.

Removal

Removal of the PSP belt stops the pumps function, and eliminates power steering. Technically, a car could be driven without a PSP belt, but its not a recommended practice.

Warning

With power steering disabled, the steering wheel becomes much less responsive and more difficult to operate. Without the circulation of power steering fluid, the steering mechanism will lose lubrication over time, ultimately causing the entire steering system to fail, endangering the life of the driver and others.

Thread damage commonly occurs when cutting bolts, making the bolts difficult to start in a nut or threaded hole. Bolts made of certain materials, such as stainless alloys, will have a tendency to gall and bind if the bolt threads are damaged during cutting operations. Preserve the shape and pitch of the threads -- particularly the starter thread -- to prevent the bolt from binding in the hole. Maintain the threads during cutting by using proper techniques and tools.

Instructions

1

Install a die of the proper diameter and pitch on the bolt to be cut. Thread the die all the way down to the bolt head or shoulder.

2

Install a nut of the proper diameter and pitch onto the bolt. Thread the nut down the bolt until the bottom edge of the nut is on the desired cut location.

3

Grasp the bolt firmly above the nut and brace your hand against a firm surface to hold the bolt steady for cutting. Cut the bolt off, using a hacksaw. Use the bottom edge of the nut as a guide to make certain the cut stays square and perpendicular to the bolt.

4

Remove the nut from the bolt.

5

Grind a 45-degree chamfer on the cut end of the bolt to remove any spurs from the starter thread, using a grinder. Do not grind the chamfer beyond the first thread.

6

Rotate the die off the bolt to clean up any remaining spurs and make certain the threads are correctly shaped.

7

Remove loose metal shavings from the bolt, using a chip brush.

An auto body repair or restoration project can often come to a sudden halt if welding is required. Welding requires extensive specialist knowledge and expensive equipment that many enthusiasts might not have. There are also instances where auto body panels cannot be repaired by welding because of fire risks. This leaves car enthusiasts with little choice but to find an alternative method to execute the repair and there are some simple fabrication techniques that provide excellent results with the need for welding.

Instructions

1

Take a P80 sanding disc and place it onto the pad of a random orbital sander. Sand the damaged area thoroughly until a surface of bare metal has been exposed around the repair. Ensure that an additional two to three inches of additional exposed metal is sanded back beyond the area to be repaired. Paint edges should be feathered out to assist with the priming process at a later stage.

2

Mark a square two inches outside the damaged area with a metal scribe. Drill a half-inch hole into the middle of the square to allow access and use an air-fed nibbling tool to cut out the square, making sure that the guide stays just within the confines of the scribed line.

3

Take a panel flanging tool and create a flange around the cut area of the auto body panel. The flange needs to be deep so that the addition of a metal patch will produce a flush surface. Apply a light coating of zinc spray to all bare metal as a means of protecting against corrosion and while this is drying, find a suitable piece of scrap metal in the same gauge as the auto body panel and cut out a patch that will fit exactly into the flanged recess. Use a piece of cardboard to act as a template if required.

4

Lay the metal patch into the flanged hole and secure into place on the corners with masking tape. Take the drill and make a series of holes through the patch and the flanged area, making sure the patch stays in place. Two to three holes on each of the four edges of the square will be sufficient. The holes need to be big enough to accommodate the rivets you will be using in the next stage.

5

With the patch still held in place, insert rivets into the holes and activate the rivet gun so the metal patch is secured to the flanged recess. Complete all the way around the square until every hole has a rivet attached to keep the patch in place. Use a panel hammer to tap down any high spots and to ensure the heads of the rivets sit below the surface of the auto body panel.

6

Apply a coat of galvanized body fill over the repaired area. Leave the filler to dry then sand down with a flat block and P80 grit sanding paper. Several applications of body filler may be required before a completely flat surface is assured.