XfbodyX
Well-Known Member
If one was trying to make there F as safe as possible (yea right) would one run a bench or bucket seat setup? Any steering wheel safer then another?
Safer seat config.
- Thread starter XfbodyX
- Start date
How far are you looking to go? I don't think any of the steering wheels are collapsible like the modern stuff, but you could swap an airbag wheel in from a late '88 to '89 5A. As for the seats I think they're fine if the tracks are similar to mid 80's Diplomat. A helped a buddy scrap an AHB that had been hit right on the driver's b-pillar. Seat never moved.
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Also, if you're chasing safety the very first thing I would look at are the brakes. Compared to modern cars these can't stop for beans. 11.75" disc upgrade in the front at a minimum, but even I don't think that goes far enough. Modern passenger cars have 13" rotors in the front though. Anything more and the factory-ish 11.75" and you're looking at larger diameter rims. The 11.75" setup I'm running with the four piston Wilwood calipers supposedly fits a 15" wheel, but I've never tried.
Sway bars too. Newer cars are safer from a standpoint that they're easier to control.
Sway bars too. Newer cars are safer from a standpoint that they're easier to control.
Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
The biggest thing is the unit body is junk in a collision, put a full cage in it...
There's one crash test out there were the drivers feet get caught in the floor.
There's one crash test out there were the drivers feet get caught in the floor.
AJ/FormS
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Put a bucket and 5-point harness in it with an anti-submarine belt. Wear a neckbrace, and say your prayers every time before you turn the key. You'll be fine lol
In a crash, if the K-member moves back, it will kick the steering column up at your chest; don't be there! However, if you are, there are nylon shear-pins in the steering down rod, that are supposed to allow the steering box to come quite far back up the line. That won't make you any happier when your face connects with the horn-pad tho...
The best defense is to pretend that every driver out there is out to get you, and just don't let them. You drive your route and don't let the guy behind you bully you.
In a crash, if the K-member moves back, it will kick the steering column up at your chest; don't be there! However, if you are, there are nylon shear-pins in the steering down rod, that are supposed to allow the steering box to come quite far back up the line. That won't make you any happier when your face connects with the horn-pad tho...
The best defense is to pretend that every driver out there is out to get you, and just don't let them. You drive your route and don't let the guy behind you bully you.
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Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
There's plenty of crazy ass drivers out there...
XfbodyX
Well-Known Member
Good lord, now im skittish about even getting them out. Im lucky to put 200 combined miles a year.
Thanks for the replies and the good points mentioned.
Thanks for the replies and the good points mentioned.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
One of the reasons I put so few miles on my Aspen. Always so afraid something will happen. Not sure why though, I drive the Mustang all summer and Dakota all winter, everyday, without incident and the Aspen is fully insured for everything, but still.......................Remembering the almost 12 years of work it took to build doesn't help either. 
XfbodyX
Well-Known Member
Id be more worried about a large bird here, I can drive 70 miles and see three other cars on most days. And unfortunately ive got spare parts on top of spare parts, the one I do drive from time to time im not even sure what ins. ive got on it, whatever $16 a month gets me to cover my butt if id get stopped. If it gets crashed so be it its just RnR parts and some paint work.
Odd to me of all the years of DD a F and all the crazy stuff done when young, never crashed one, brakes seemed fine then. For me when I get in mine I like my non power steering, manual brakes, carbs... speaking only for myself if I wanted all the new car like features id just drive a different car.
Odd to me of all the years of DD a F and all the crazy stuff done when young, never crashed one, brakes seemed fine then. For me when I get in mine I like my non power steering, manual brakes, carbs... speaking only for myself if I wanted all the new car like features id just drive a different car.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
What really worries me is having a butterfly hit the grille and knock a big hole in it (the brittle son of a b......). Not like you can just buy a new one to replace it. Insurance would cover the damage but just finding a good grille would be a task. Guess I should just get my mind to a point where it doesn't worry me so much and drive the darn thing! Now, if we could ever get a summer where it doesn't rain every other day.........................One thing I refuse to do is drive it in the rain, or when rain is forecast. It hasn't been touched by water of any kind since 1996 and want to keep it that way.
I visited my parents the weekend before thanksgiving (Nov 21), and on way back home, I was driving at night on a recently opened turnpike. I was going 80 MPH (the posted speed limit) with no-one around me, and out of the blue, a small item appeared from the sky and hit my minivan. I first thought it was a small box that squished into a bigger box. I kept going - then my windshield started to get smudged up.
I pulled off the turnpike and noticed van wasn't pulling itself (transmission slipping).
At first glance, it looks like blood - but it is transmission fluid.
There was duck feathers stick in the (now broken) grill. There is also a hole in my A/C condenser/transmission cooler (combo part).
(Pay no attention to the hail dents).
I was 17 miles from home and I ended up going through almost 4 gallons of transmission fluid just to get home.
If that duck hit a bit higher, I'm sure it would have gone through the windshield.
BudW
I pulled off the turnpike and noticed van wasn't pulling itself (transmission slipping).
At first glance, it looks like blood - but it is transmission fluid.
There was duck feathers stick in the (now broken) grill. There is also a hole in my A/C condenser/transmission cooler (combo part).
(Pay no attention to the hail dents).
I was 17 miles from home and I ended up going through almost 4 gallons of transmission fluid just to get home.
If that duck hit a bit higher, I'm sure it would have gone through the windshield.
BudW
volare 1977
Well-Known Member
That looks bad. I thought is was blood when I first saw the pic. Glad it wasn`t too serious.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
I've changed quite a few of those on Caravan and T&C vans at work. Some because of a refrigerant leak, some because of a trans fluid leak, and once in a while one that comes in for a trans leak where the A/C hasn't worked for quite some time (because the condenser leaks). Kill two birds with one stone, no pun intended! Fortunately, they're not that big a deal to change. Takes longer to recover and recharge (or just recharge if it comes in empty) the A/C than to actually change the part almost.
I think it was worse for the duck...
If I wasn't around a town when this occurred, I would have been STUCK.
I took a picture of the oil leak, after I removed the grill:
I tried to take a video of leak, once I could see it (grill removed), but transmission ran out of fluid during the video (by the time I started vehicle, got out to video it). This is a screen print of the video.
The gray line indicates a fluid spray pattern, but is hard to tell in the leaves.
My open tool box - after engine ran for maybe 3 seconds before running out of ATF. The cardboard is only used for "anti-rattle" during transport.
Anyway - a pretty strong leak...
BudW
If I wasn't around a town when this occurred, I would have been STUCK.
I took a picture of the oil leak, after I removed the grill:
I tried to take a video of leak, once I could see it (grill removed), but transmission ran out of fluid during the video (by the time I started vehicle, got out to video it). This is a screen print of the video.
The gray line indicates a fluid spray pattern, but is hard to tell in the leaves.
My open tool box - after engine ran for maybe 3 seconds before running out of ATF. The cardboard is only used for "anti-rattle" during transport.
Anyway - a pretty strong leak...
BudW
I agree. I got the old one out in no time. My new condenser/cooler came in a perfect (undamaged) box, but new condenser was damaged beyond reuse - so waiting to hear back from Rockauto on that. It looks like someone drove over it a couple of times, and put back into the box (almost).
It is kinda odd. There are two almost identical 2010 Town and Country's in my garage (both white). One has heavy hail damage on it and the other one is wifes.
BudW
TonyVolare
Well-Known Member
I feel completely safe in mine.
