Thursday, June 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
what I have done lately
It has been over a month since my last post. The main reason for this is that I have spent significantly less time on this project recently, with much of my work being non-voluntary problem fixes. here is a short list of the things that have been done since the last post. I have obtained and installed updated seatbelts. I have finished the bucket seat conversion and installed carpet and shifter boots on the floor. I replaced the junk bed with a different used one with a decent tailgate. i installed new wheels and tires. I replaced the fuel pump. I have a new fender and nice trim to install when i really start on body work. I now have a good spare tire and have ideas on how to mount that tire to keep it secure. oh and a new dash pad too.
wow, now that I have written all of that down it doesn't seem like such a short list...
here are some details.
the bed- the bed i got was from a '78 f-250 and is in pretty good shape. it has some pitting and rust in the floor but it is pretty light and much better than my other one. the front panel is in perfect shape and the bed rails are in good shape. the tailgate is in working condition but needs some tweaking to get it to work smoothly. There is the normal light rust over the fender wells but nothing too bad. i spent a little bit of money on the bed but it is a vast improvement over the previous situation. the guy i bought it from helped me remove my old bed and install the new one which was really nice of him.
the interior- pretty self explanatory. i changed the seatbelts out for over the shoulder style, because i believe they are safer and they surely work a lot smoother than the old junk lap-belts that didn't even adjust tightly. I put in a fitted carpet with insulation that has really quieted down the road noise and with the new shifter boots the cab has become far less drafty. One thing I have noticed is that every time I fix the obvious culprit to any problem a secondary/smaller but still significant cause to the same problem shows its face. For example i noticed a cold draft while driving, I assumed maybe it was the holes in the floorboards at my feet, after patching them I find air pouring in through the junk shifter boots, after replacing them I notice a strong draft coming from the corner vents that don't seal correctly. the things that are left on the interior are to clean up wiring and sort out some minor issues. the dash pad needs installed and I plan to paint the instrument panel to hide scratches and dings and instal the new dashpad. At some point I will make a third, center seat that will could house some storage space, a small subwoofer, or at least some cupholders. I plan to eliminate the fuel tank behind the seats and go to dual tanks. oh yeah, i am going to replace the steering wheel and fix the horn eventually too.
the fuel pump- I had noticed a small drip coming from the fuel pump a week before it actually stopped working and expected to be replacing it soon, which just happened to be on the connecting ramp from 6th avenue to I-25 southbound on my way to work. the truck picked a bad place to quit on me. and the silliest time too, because i left extremely early for work this thursday night for no good reason and the same day i chose to take all my tools out of my truck. So when it quit on me the first thing I did was chew a piece of gum, to help me relax and think clearly, said a prayer, and then decided i had a plan that would probably get me to work at least. The previous owner had installed a secondary electric fuel pump on the frame rail to help pull fuel out of the aux tanks, i noticed it when cleanin up some wiring and seeing the shoddy way it was installed i just disconnected all of the wiring and left the pump in place and I am glad I did because i was able to quickly reconnect the wiring and begin pumping fuel again. I had to use the on/off switch to the pump to regulate the flow of fuel into the carb minimizing the excess that was coming out of the failed fuel pump. anyways, i made it to work, on time even. I spent the next morning when I got off at work with borrowed tools replacing my fuel pump. I didn't leave until after 1pm and was only able to get +/- 2hrs of sleep that day. ugh.
wow, now that I have written all of that down it doesn't seem like such a short list...
here are some details.
the bed- the bed i got was from a '78 f-250 and is in pretty good shape. it has some pitting and rust in the floor but it is pretty light and much better than my other one. the front panel is in perfect shape and the bed rails are in good shape. the tailgate is in working condition but needs some tweaking to get it to work smoothly. There is the normal light rust over the fender wells but nothing too bad. i spent a little bit of money on the bed but it is a vast improvement over the previous situation. the guy i bought it from helped me remove my old bed and install the new one which was really nice of him.
the interior- pretty self explanatory. i changed the seatbelts out for over the shoulder style, because i believe they are safer and they surely work a lot smoother than the old junk lap-belts that didn't even adjust tightly. I put in a fitted carpet with insulation that has really quieted down the road noise and with the new shifter boots the cab has become far less drafty. One thing I have noticed is that every time I fix the obvious culprit to any problem a secondary/smaller but still significant cause to the same problem shows its face. For example i noticed a cold draft while driving, I assumed maybe it was the holes in the floorboards at my feet, after patching them I find air pouring in through the junk shifter boots, after replacing them I notice a strong draft coming from the corner vents that don't seal correctly. the things that are left on the interior are to clean up wiring and sort out some minor issues. the dash pad needs installed and I plan to paint the instrument panel to hide scratches and dings and instal the new dashpad. At some point I will make a third, center seat that will could house some storage space, a small subwoofer, or at least some cupholders. I plan to eliminate the fuel tank behind the seats and go to dual tanks. oh yeah, i am going to replace the steering wheel and fix the horn eventually too.
the fuel pump- I had noticed a small drip coming from the fuel pump a week before it actually stopped working and expected to be replacing it soon, which just happened to be on the connecting ramp from 6th avenue to I-25 southbound on my way to work. the truck picked a bad place to quit on me. and the silliest time too, because i left extremely early for work this thursday night for no good reason and the same day i chose to take all my tools out of my truck. So when it quit on me the first thing I did was chew a piece of gum, to help me relax and think clearly, said a prayer, and then decided i had a plan that would probably get me to work at least. The previous owner had installed a secondary electric fuel pump on the frame rail to help pull fuel out of the aux tanks, i noticed it when cleanin up some wiring and seeing the shoddy way it was installed i just disconnected all of the wiring and left the pump in place and I am glad I did because i was able to quickly reconnect the wiring and begin pumping fuel again. I had to use the on/off switch to the pump to regulate the flow of fuel into the carb minimizing the excess that was coming out of the failed fuel pump. anyways, i made it to work, on time even. I spent the next morning when I got off at work with borrowed tools replacing my fuel pump. I didn't leave until after 1pm and was only able to get +/- 2hrs of sleep that day. ugh.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Driving
Just a quick note on how this truck is being used right now to clarify for anyone that I don't see daily. This is my daily driver so it gets used a lot. I live approximately 25 miles from my job and I drive there 4 times a week, not to mention all the other running around Denver I do. I would estimate close to 200 miles a week on average. This means that I cannot leave it torn apart in the garage for a week like many people. I sometimes feel like I am on those car shows where they have a deadline and a big project to complete before time runs out. Except in my case its just me doing the work and the clocks expires at 9pm on tuesday when I have to drive the truck in to work. Happy Easter everyone!
Rear Main seal replacement
I was finally tired of pouring 1 qt of oil through my engine and onto the street every week so I decided it was time to tackle the rear main seal that has been the major cause of my oil leak problems. I did not take pictures because as you can imagine this job is super messy, too messy to take pictures. I am not going to go into extreme boring detail as to how the process went but I will include some pointers for anyone who might attempt a similar project. The seal is actually in 6 pieces, 2 pieces that go around the crank and 2 straight pieces that are located on both sides of the mounting blocks and 2 "nails" that go behind the straight seals.
Here's the tips:
1. GET AN IMPACT WRENCH! If you don't have one buy one-borrow one-steal one! I used an 18" breaker bar but I am not kidding the bolts that hold on the crank are tough! I am a pretty big boy and it was all I could do with the cramped spaces and oil all over the place to get the bolts to break loose. An impact would have saved me sore muscles and tons of time
2. The half of the seal that goes above the crank can easily be removed without pulling the tranny if you loosen each bolt that holds the crank shaft in place -I said loosen not remove- you can rotate the old half of seal out and insert a oiled up new one in its place. To remove the old one I began by screwing a drywall screw into the seal and yanking on it with some pliers to get it out enough to get pliers on it.
3.Disposable gloves are amazing! the ability to shed off greasy nasty gloves when you need to grip something clean or grab the phone or whatever is awesome! It keeps you under the hood working instead of running to the sink to wash your hands.
4. Buy a complete gasket kit for older engines. I could have spent nearly 50 bucks on just the seals I needed but found the complete Fel-Pro gasket kit was only 65 bucks and it includes every seal for the engine. Which was handy when I replaced the thermostat and forgot that I needed a new seal to re-mount the thermostat housing. Good thing I had the complete kit!
5. Clean mating surfaces of gaskets well. Old cork seal chunks or globs of nasty silicone sealant can cause leaks. It also helps detect any imperfections in the mating surface, scratches, dents or cracks.
6. Plan well, gather tools and parts and enough time to complete the job before you start.
cheers, chuck
Here's the tips:
1. GET AN IMPACT WRENCH! If you don't have one buy one-borrow one-steal one! I used an 18" breaker bar but I am not kidding the bolts that hold on the crank are tough! I am a pretty big boy and it was all I could do with the cramped spaces and oil all over the place to get the bolts to break loose. An impact would have saved me sore muscles and tons of time
2. The half of the seal that goes above the crank can easily be removed without pulling the tranny if you loosen each bolt that holds the crank shaft in place -I said loosen not remove- you can rotate the old half of seal out and insert a oiled up new one in its place. To remove the old one I began by screwing a drywall screw into the seal and yanking on it with some pliers to get it out enough to get pliers on it.
3.Disposable gloves are amazing! the ability to shed off greasy nasty gloves when you need to grip something clean or grab the phone or whatever is awesome! It keeps you under the hood working instead of running to the sink to wash your hands.
4. Buy a complete gasket kit for older engines. I could have spent nearly 50 bucks on just the seals I needed but found the complete Fel-Pro gasket kit was only 65 bucks and it includes every seal for the engine. Which was handy when I replaced the thermostat and forgot that I needed a new seal to re-mount the thermostat housing. Good thing I had the complete kit!
5. Clean mating surfaces of gaskets well. Old cork seal chunks or globs of nasty silicone sealant can cause leaks. It also helps detect any imperfections in the mating surface, scratches, dents or cracks.
6. Plan well, gather tools and parts and enough time to complete the job before you start.
cheers, chuck
Friday, March 19, 2010
Cold Air Blowing
I spent the majority of the winter driving around in a truck with a worn out blower motor and luke warm air trickling in, I put up with it for too long. I had enough and decieded to replace the blower motor and while I was in there I cleaned out the ducting and did a once over on the linkages and things before re installing it in hopes that it would warm up the cab a little. Well it didn't. It silently blew barely warm air. I also had noticed that the temp gauge in the cab always reads at the coldest reading, there was only one time where it jumped a little bit after driving for a long time, I had assumed that the gauge was just broken but I was wrong again! I decided that the thermostat had to be either broken, and stuck open or there was nothing there at all. I was right, there was nothing in the thermostat spot, hence the "broken" temp gauge and cold air blowing. Now I have a temp gauge that reads in the norm and enough warm air blasting silently into the cab to make it uncomfortable! word!
Before I go 3 things:
1. My tenses in my blogging are all wrong and I know it but whatev, gimme a break! I'll work on it!
2. Thermostats have a right and a wrong way to install them. FYI the spring goes into the engine and the "point" points out at you.
3. I have noticed, and its not a suprise, that the heater core has devoloped a slight leak that I can smell with the heater on. It is not enough to make a mess yet but you can expect an update on the fix. Good news though! I happen to have an extra one of those that came in my box-O-junk I got from a guy on craigslist a while back. YESSS!
Before I go 3 things:
1. My tenses in my blogging are all wrong and I know it but whatev, gimme a break! I'll work on it!
2. Thermostats have a right and a wrong way to install them. FYI the spring goes into the engine and the "point" points out at you.
3. I have noticed, and its not a suprise, that the heater core has devoloped a slight leak that I can smell with the heater on. It is not enough to make a mess yet but you can expect an update on the fix. Good news though! I happen to have an extra one of those that came in my box-O-junk I got from a guy on craigslist a while back. YESSS!
Passenger Floor done
I cleaned all of the rust away from the area and sprayed it down with some rustoleum to prevent further deterioration.
Driver side patched
The black paint around the under side of the patch is some Rustoleum flat black paint to keep the rust away. I used steel rivets with backing plates. The metal I used was very thin so I may end up making new patch plates when I obtain more material.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I lied to you!
Ok well just as I was preparing for a very expensive axle replacement or worse I discovered that by some miracle, literally have no other explanation, the 4 wheel drive decided to work. So I will still service the front end of this thing next but at least it will just be brakes bearings and seals... Maybe u-joints too but they seem pretty tight so far. I'll keep you updated! Word homies
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Rusty Floor Pans
Today I finished patching up the floor boards and sealed it all up. Below is a brief overview of the process. Pictures to follow.
1. I planned.
2. I revised my plan a lot after measuring and checking cost.
3. I remeasured and cut my patch material with a foot shear.
4. I used an air diegrinder with a cutoff wheel to cut a whole 1 inch on all sides smaller than my patch.
5. I used a wire wheel on a drill to remove all of the rust remaining on the floor and rough up the paint for a new coat.
6. With the surface clean I sprayed the exposed surface with rust oleum to stop any rust from reappearing
7. Then I applied a thick line of sealant around the 1" perimeter of the holes. I wanted to use a tar to seal it but I could only find a silicone sealant at the hardware store so I went with that.
8. Starting with one corner I drilled an 1/8" hole and riveted the plate down. I used steel rivets with backing washers.
9. Then I continued around the patch at 2" intervals drilling and then riveting to make sure everything lines up and the holes don't end up moving around as the patch is riveted down.
10. With the patches secure I sprayed the rest of the floor pan area with a heavy coat of rust oleum. I chose a semi-gloss black for the interior because the red looks terrible.
1. I planned.
2. I revised my plan a lot after measuring and checking cost.
3. I remeasured and cut my patch material with a foot shear.
4. I used an air diegrinder with a cutoff wheel to cut a whole 1 inch on all sides smaller than my patch.
5. I used a wire wheel on a drill to remove all of the rust remaining on the floor and rough up the paint for a new coat.
6. With the surface clean I sprayed the exposed surface with rust oleum to stop any rust from reappearing
7. Then I applied a thick line of sealant around the 1" perimeter of the holes. I wanted to use a tar to seal it but I could only find a silicone sealant at the hardware store so I went with that.
8. Starting with one corner I drilled an 1/8" hole and riveted the plate down. I used steel rivets with backing washers.
9. Then I continued around the patch at 2" intervals drilling and then riveting to make sure everything lines up and the holes don't end up moving around as the patch is riveted down.
10. With the patches secure I sprayed the rest of the floor pan area with a heavy coat of rust oleum. I chose a semi-gloss black for the interior because the red looks terrible.
The biggest 4x2 truck around!
Ok, so I received the new hubs a couple weeks ago and quickly slapped them on and was excited to finally be driving a 4x4 again! To my disappointment though I discovered another problem, the front driveshaft was spinning but the wheels were not!
This could mean two things, differential problems or axle problems. UGH! that sucks. I'm 90% sure it's the driver side inner axle shaft that is broken but won't be certain until tear into the front axle. Why haven't I done that? I haven't started the front axle because I know the project will be a big one and will include a full brake job replacing bearings and seals and I just haven't had the dough to start it. I have been doing a ton of research though about the axle and decoding the tags to decipher what is inside.
This is what I found regarding the rear axle because it actually has a tag on it with the bill of materials and other info. The tag has this stamped on it:
4.10 D5TA LEB
603583 12 LS
I went to www.spicerparts.com to decode the tag and this is what I found. This website BTW was super helpful! I downloaded a maintenance booklet for the Trac Lok and The parts list and complete info for the rear axle. FOR FREE!!! Thanks Spicer! Also, spicer=dana=spicer interchangeable names one makes the other I can't remember which.
4.10= gear ratio: ring gear teeth/pinion gear teeth = 4.10 gears
603583 12 LS = B.O.M. Bill Of Materials, tells ya what is inside, and where it came from. This axle came from a 1975.5 Ford 3/4 ton HD 4x2 Full Float with limited slip aka Trac-Lok.
This could mean two things, differential problems or axle problems. UGH! that sucks. I'm 90% sure it's the driver side inner axle shaft that is broken but won't be certain until tear into the front axle. Why haven't I done that? I haven't started the front axle because I know the project will be a big one and will include a full brake job replacing bearings and seals and I just haven't had the dough to start it. I have been doing a ton of research though about the axle and decoding the tags to decipher what is inside.
This is what I found regarding the rear axle because it actually has a tag on it with the bill of materials and other info. The tag has this stamped on it:
4.10 D5TA LEB
603583 12 LS
I went to www.spicerparts.com to decode the tag and this is what I found. This website BTW was super helpful! I downloaded a maintenance booklet for the Trac Lok and The parts list and complete info for the rear axle. FOR FREE!!! Thanks Spicer! Also, spicer=dana=spicer interchangeable names one makes the other I can't remember which.
4.10= gear ratio: ring gear teeth/pinion gear teeth = 4.10 gears
603583 12 LS = B.O.M. Bill Of Materials, tells ya what is inside, and where it came from. This axle came from a 1975.5 Ford 3/4 ton HD 4x2 Full Float with limited slip aka Trac-Lok.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
New Hub
Warn Premium Locking Hubs. These hubs are good for a lot of reasons, the biggest though is the metal center dial. They always work... 'nuf said.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Update: Someone's got a case of the Mondays
It has been a few days since I have written about the project so I figured I should keep yall updated as to what has been happening with the ole beast. Since there are many things happening at once I will use a list to talk about individual parts.
- The new hubs will be here on wednesday sometime so expect to see a post about that soon.
-I also purchased a marker light assembly from ebay for only 10$ including shipping to replace one I had broken while climbing under the hood a while back.
-I have been pretty disgusted by the interior of the truck and when you see the pictures you will understand what I'm talking about. I had considered buying a seat cover for $30 but decided that I might as well look around for other seating options. I began looking on craigslist for a new seat and found no suitable bench seats for under $300 but did find a sweet set of seats from a jeep grand cherokee that I purchased for 80 bones. They are bucket style tan, leather, power-adjust seats. They are taking quite a bit of fabrication and frustration to mount but I am certain that I will be able to get them in soon. The drivers seat needs reupholstered but thats cool I have ideas about how to deal with that problem. The final setup will be 3 seats across. both nice buckets and one of the rear seats between them. The center seat should fold for storage and will have a console on it most of the time. The biggest benefit to these seats is that they are high-back buckets with headrests that will prevent my head from going through the rear window when someone rear-ends me. I also plan on upgrading from the stupid lap-belts to the safer over the shoulder style. on Saturday I used my time to (instead of working out my blinker issue) play with the new seats, I started by ripping out the bench seat, easy, 4 bolts and its out. Then I ripped out the floor mat or what was left of it and proceeded to sweep 35 years of dirt and junk out from the interior. I had to use a wire brush to get the caked on dirt and tons of rust out from the floorboards. I was hoping to find some change under that seat but only found 5 pennies and some camel cash. Both floor pans are rusted through in places so expect to see a post about replacing rusty floor pans soon.
-Today before I got started on the bucket seat conversion I couldn't help but notice the entire house smelled like gasoline. The stench was coming from the garage and from a small pool of gasoline under the truck. The rubber hoses that connect the fuel pump to the hard lines had finally deteriorated to the point of failure. With the fuel tank sitting behind the seat, higher than most of the fuel delivery system, any leaks will continue to drip. I had the rubber hoses replaced in no time and was able to move on. I expect to replace every single piece of rubber on this truck. if it isn't cracked and dried it is soaked and dissolved.
- The new hubs will be here on wednesday sometime so expect to see a post about that soon.
-I also purchased a marker light assembly from ebay for only 10$ including shipping to replace one I had broken while climbing under the hood a while back.
-I have been pretty disgusted by the interior of the truck and when you see the pictures you will understand what I'm talking about. I had considered buying a seat cover for $30 but decided that I might as well look around for other seating options. I began looking on craigslist for a new seat and found no suitable bench seats for under $300 but did find a sweet set of seats from a jeep grand cherokee that I purchased for 80 bones. They are bucket style tan, leather, power-adjust seats. They are taking quite a bit of fabrication and frustration to mount but I am certain that I will be able to get them in soon. The drivers seat needs reupholstered but thats cool I have ideas about how to deal with that problem. The final setup will be 3 seats across. both nice buckets and one of the rear seats between them. The center seat should fold for storage and will have a console on it most of the time. The biggest benefit to these seats is that they are high-back buckets with headrests that will prevent my head from going through the rear window when someone rear-ends me. I also plan on upgrading from the stupid lap-belts to the safer over the shoulder style. on Saturday I used my time to (instead of working out my blinker issue) play with the new seats, I started by ripping out the bench seat, easy, 4 bolts and its out. Then I ripped out the floor mat or what was left of it and proceeded to sweep 35 years of dirt and junk out from the interior. I had to use a wire brush to get the caked on dirt and tons of rust out from the floorboards. I was hoping to find some change under that seat but only found 5 pennies and some camel cash. Both floor pans are rusted through in places so expect to see a post about replacing rusty floor pans soon.
-Today before I got started on the bucket seat conversion I couldn't help but notice the entire house smelled like gasoline. The stench was coming from the garage and from a small pool of gasoline under the truck. The rubber hoses that connect the fuel pump to the hard lines had finally deteriorated to the point of failure. With the fuel tank sitting behind the seat, higher than most of the fuel delivery system, any leaks will continue to drip. I had the rubber hoses replaced in no time and was able to move on. I expect to replace every single piece of rubber on this truck. if it isn't cracked and dried it is soaked and dissolved.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Junk Yard Trip
Yesterday my friend John and I went to the U-Pull and Pay salvage yard in north Denver ( www.upullandpay.com ). They have an online inventory that gives you an idea of what whether or not you will find certain parts. It works pretty well because you pay a 2$ entrance fee and they provide you with a wheelbarrow to carry things in and you can spend as much time as you want scavenging parts. John needed a relay for his cherokee, which he found. I found an idle air control for my wifes Metro and a Brake Light for her brothers Contour. For the Highboy... not as much luck. They had a 1976 f-150 on the online inventory that interested me until I found it. It was destroyed! I think it spent a few too many weekends at the WalMart parking demolition derby. I was able to find a brake light fixture and a headlight mounting ring that were in good enough shape but that was it. I found a battery tray to protect from corrosion and an antenna off of a GM car and an antenna wire from an import suv of some kind. The things I really wanted to find were a tailgate, a bench seat (or buckets), and a spare tire. Next time I guess.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Tires, the WalMart and a random dude
I went to the WalMart yesterday, that's right THE WalMart, to have the other set of tires mounted. I used the WalMart because tire mounting is pretty cheap there and they balance them for the life of the tire. I first called ahead to make sure they could handle 37" tires which they can, what they cannot do is make reservations apparently it is a walk-in only setup. Anyways I got in line behind 2 people at just before 1pm and made it to the front of that line 15 minutes later. They remembered me from the phone call and said they would have my truck done in "about an hour". 3 hours later I drove away with only 2 tires mounted, apparently the other 2 had hard bends in the bead of the tire making it difficult to seal. I suspect the damage was caused by the WalMart but I don't really care because I got the 2 worst tires off of the truck and I'm planning on downsizing tires anyways. The 37's show signs of rubbing and I'm sure 35's or 33's would do just fine for my purposes. Moral of the story: Sometimes things are only CHEAP or FREE if your time is worth nothing to you. To me, time is everything. Especially when I have an awesome wife at home waiting for me to return. The way I see it, if I multiplied my meager hourly wage by the time spent at the WalMart plus the price of the service I would say I was ripped off! Especially since I already worked 40 hours this week and those 3+ hours would put me into overtime. ALSO! I would say spending ANY time at the WalMart on a SATURDAY of all days would warrant some sort of hazard pay. Carts packed with junk whizzing by, kids screaming, no one to help you find what you came for, great prices on things you don't actually need, 2 checkstands open, the parking lot(demolition derby) and the strangest mix of people. UGH. Which reminds me of this random dude I met while pondering a possible seat cover purchase. I think this guy lived at the WalMart, his eyes were crossed- probably from trying to find prices for things he had originally wanted to buy on all the mixed up shelves but had long forgotten what they were or where he found them. He was alone, but looking for someone- I think he thought I was the guy he was looking for. Maybe his family is also lost in the WalMart, or maybe they went home and forgot the poor guy there. He hadn't shaved or showered in quite a while unfortunately. Anyways I hope the random WalMart dude finds what he is looking for at the WalMart, even if it's just a friend.
Email Notifications
Hello to my loyal readers and the random passer by! If you got an email from me regarding my newest post and do not want to receive any more such posts please let me know. Also, if you want an email when I post something new let me know! You can Email me at the address in the bottom-right of the main page or just drop a request in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
New Wheel Studs and Seals
It was a good idea to just replace both wheel bearing seals while I was this far into the project even though only one was leaking. It's a good idea to add some 80-90W to the bearing after you slide it onto the hub especially if you are like me and cleaned all the old stuff out of it while inspecting it for defects. I used a short piece of 1/4" vac hose to extend the tip of my squeeze bottle of gear lube to squirt a little back into the bearing area before sliding in the axle and sealing it all up again.
Rear Differential mud
The fluid inside the rear differential should not look like chocolate milk shake...
Gears looked good so I cleaned it up and sealed it with silicone sealant making sure not to overtighten the cover bolts which squeezes out the sealant and allows leaks to form. And then filled it to the fill hole with 80-90W.
New Shoes?
This was a new set of shoes put on a badly damaged drum. The new drum was only $50. The shoes that were wasted were $20.
Groovy Drum
This is what happens when you continue (for thousands of miles) to drive with that metal-on-metal sound every time you hit the brakes.
Brake drum removed
This is the drum brake system on the rear of the truck, nothing exciting on this side. Leaky seal and detached E-brake cable.
Removing the Axle
The axles were in good shape, there were flakes of rust attached to them and water beaded up in places, thats a bad thing I think!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Rear Axle/Brake Service
Today I finished the rear end of this truck, I did a thorough inspection of the differential, replaced broken off wheel studs and repaired MANY brake problems.
This part of my project started with the intent to just replace a few wheel studs and move on. Unfortunately but not un-expectedly I found some "suprises" that costed me both time and money.
The passenger side of the truck had an almost new brake drum and shoes but broken wheel studs, the e-brake cable on this side was unattached and missing a spring that would have held it in place. The inner wheel bearing seal was leaking a lot on this side.
The drivers side had a functional e-brake and seal. This side had newish shoes but the drum had a terrible gouge (and matching ridge in the shoes) from someone wearing the brake pads to the rivets and continuing to drive for probably years. This drum needed replaced and I'm glad I found it because it was dangerous. (see pics)
The differential housing was filled with fluid that looked a lot like a chocolate shake with bubbles. The differential gears all looked good.
I repaired or replaced all of the above problems.
Also important: Let it be known that I had never before even attempted a drum brake system, specially a 3/4 ton rear axle.
Tips:
-Do one side at a time so you can refer to the other side to see which spring goes where.
-There IS an inner and outer side to each brake shoe (I learned that one the hard way)
-There are some great videos and internet resources that make this kind of job pretty easy. Search for it on Google videos before you start!
-Make sure your bearings are clean and have no obvious damage before putting it all back together. It would be terrible to do the job over again because of a 5 dollar wheel bearing.
-Clean the differential cover seal lip thoroughly before applying sealant, any oil residue will void your attempt to seal it.
-DO NOT OVERTITGHTEN THE DIF-COVER BOLTS.
This part of my project started with the intent to just replace a few wheel studs and move on. Unfortunately but not un-expectedly I found some "suprises" that costed me both time and money.
The passenger side of the truck had an almost new brake drum and shoes but broken wheel studs, the e-brake cable on this side was unattached and missing a spring that would have held it in place. The inner wheel bearing seal was leaking a lot on this side.
The drivers side had a functional e-brake and seal. This side had newish shoes but the drum had a terrible gouge (and matching ridge in the shoes) from someone wearing the brake pads to the rivets and continuing to drive for probably years. This drum needed replaced and I'm glad I found it because it was dangerous. (see pics)
The differential housing was filled with fluid that looked a lot like a chocolate shake with bubbles. The differential gears all looked good.
I repaired or replaced all of the above problems.
Also important: Let it be known that I had never before even attempted a drum brake system, specially a 3/4 ton rear axle.
Tips:
-Do one side at a time so you can refer to the other side to see which spring goes where.
-There IS an inner and outer side to each brake shoe (I learned that one the hard way)
-There are some great videos and internet resources that make this kind of job pretty easy. Search for it on Google videos before you start!
-Make sure your bearings are clean and have no obvious damage before putting it all back together. It would be terrible to do the job over again because of a 5 dollar wheel bearing.
-Clean the differential cover seal lip thoroughly before applying sealant, any oil residue will void your attempt to seal it.
-DO NOT OVERTITGHTEN THE DIF-COVER BOLTS.
Friday, January 15, 2010
My cool adventure
I decided to replace the upper and lower radiator hoses the other day. The old soft swollen ones looked like they were just waiting for the right time to burst. I started with the upper hose because it looked the easiest to get to. This prooved to be untrue when I found that I am not tall enough to reach into the engine compartment. So, standing on a box I was able to replace the upper with no problem and only small amounts of coolant dripping on the floor. The lower hose prooved to be easier to get to after all. This truck has a ton of clearance so laying on my back I can easily see and reach anything on the underside. I started by loosening both of the hose clamps and prying the radiator side loose from its home. I decided to not use the drain on the bottom of the radiator since all of the fluid was going to come out anyways and it might as well come out fast as possible so I had a 5 gallon bucket ready. After a few minutes of fighting with it I decided to just slice the end of the hose to make it looser and hopefully come off with no trouble. Bad choice! I created a fan shaped geyser of antifreeze that was expelling fluid faster than I thought possible. The spray was wider than my buckets' opening which caused fluid to leak all over the place, my hands, the floor, my tool-tray. the bucket was filling fast and I was looking forward to it stopping when my hands slipped! The bucket fell on its side and sent three gallons of green chemicals flowing across my in-laws garage. Trish, who was taking pictures of the process snagged some old shirt rags I had and threw them at the mess. Then she said "well, I'm done here" and made her escape before the growing pool of coolant reached her socks. I was stuck holding the bucket beneath the still spewing truck when the pool soaked through my sweatshirt and caused me to flinch and drop the bucket again letting the remaining gallon or so join the rest on the floor. I decided to just set the bucket down and let the rest drain mostly into it so I could concentrate on the flood. The geyser stopped with only 3 inches of fluid in the bottom of the bucket. FAIL. I felt like Lucille Ball when she was working on an assembly line that got backed up and everything she did made the problem worse and worse.
After all that though and a ton of cleanup I finally got the new hoses on pretty simply and refilled the system with a 50/50 water/antifreeze mix. Note to self: USE THE DRAIN PLUG!!!!
After all that though and a ton of cleanup I finally got the new hoses on pretty simply and refilled the system with a 50/50 water/antifreeze mix. Note to self: USE THE DRAIN PLUG!!!!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
ANGER!!!!!
Today was a waste! I spent 5 hours on a 2 hour task. And that is not the worst part! The worst part is that I actually did not accomplish anything. In fact I moved the project in a reverse direction, I am now further away from being ready for the road... Ugh. Here is the story: I went to the parts shop and picked up a new locking gas cap, a flasher and while I was there asked about wheel studs that I need to replace, I was excited to hear that there were 17 of them at the store down the street. I immediately headed over there and paid $43 dollars for a set of 8 new wheel studs and 8 new lug nuts. After I got home I tore into the right rear wheel and 4 hours, 2 calls to my dad for advice, 1 bleeding knuckle and 1 smashed swollen thumb later I discovered that the wheel studs were the wrong diameter! So I called the parts store to verify, and sure enough I had the correct wrong parts, I bit my tongue and thanked him for his help. It took me 30 minutes to slap it all back together so I could park the truck outside the garage before dark (4:40-ish) and 30 more minutes to clean up drips and streaks of 90W of the floor. I hope tomorrow goes better. The good thing is that now I can make that 2 hour job a 1 hour job, and I know that the rear brakes are ready to be replaced.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
1st Drive Home
The first long drive I took in this truck was kinda scary, I haven't gotten my plates yet and needed to get the truck to my house to work on it, needless to say I was watching for cops more than normal! The truck ran well, although I really did get a sense of its age after the drive. It is going to be a long road before this thing is reliable again. On the lighter side it track straight down the road and doesn't seem scary at highway speeds, even with under inflated junk 37" tires on it.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
eBay parts
I am beginning to realize how much I think/obsess about projects I am in the middle of, that sounds like a negative doesn't it?.. I am also seeing just how much satisfaction I get from doing things like this truck project, it is like no other thing I can think of.
SO....
eBay, I am currently winning an auction for a used steering column with tilt steering, this would be a huge upgrade for this truck, I will keep you all posted, one day-12 hrs left on the auction.
Next post: The 1st Drive Home
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Front Axle
This is the front axle. I have been told it is a Dana 44 HD. I can't confirm that though. What I do know is that it has a dual piston disk brake setup that is pretty nice, the brakes on this truck don't pull at all to either side under load, which is saying a lot considering the size of tire on it. The hubs are the big old ford hubs that are notoriously weak and hard to find parts for, this may be a problem in the future as I suspect one of them is not working correctly.
Transfer Case
The divorced transfer case: Divorced refers to the separation between the transmission and the transfer case; this setup has some huge benefits. The most obvious is less extreme drive line angles. With a lifted truck, a common problem is that extreme drive line angles (especially to the front axle) cause added stress on the u-joints at the end of the drive lines. With a divorced transfer case the drive lines to the front and rear axles are nearly the same length and have similar angles. This is accomplished by simply moving the transfer case towards the rear of the truck, or, separating it from the transmission. Hence the name: Divorced Transfer Case.
Ripped metal
This is why I say the bed is junk. One of the previous owners probably had a ladder rack installed that caused this carnage. My plan for now is to beat down the sharpest points and hit it with some primer to stop the decay. Another interesting point is the gas cap, it pretty much just sits there in place.
Lights!!!
New parts: Installed! All external lights now turn on, just need to sort out the blinker problem and we will be good to go! The light sockets and plugs were all packed with years of dirt and bug carcasses!
Also Installed new wiper blades and a new air cleaner gasket, both were beyond dried and cracked.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Today was a weird day
Today has been a pretty weird day. I started it well, with good intentions, got up at 6:30 and made breakfast for Trish and I. Breakfast turned out well but thats about it. I took a very big test that determined whether or not I get my B.S.Degree well I beat the national standard but unfortunately did not reach the level required by my school, so that sucked, I am now $100 poorer and actually 6 months further from my degree than I was yesterday UGH!
On another note I also went to the DMV to get the title transfered for the Ford. The cost was $67.55, kinda steep! I learned a very important little bit of info in the process though: as of Sept. 09 the state has allowed vehicles made in 1975 and older to be classified as "Collector Vehicles" making them eligible for collector plates and making them exempt from all future emissions testing. That is awesome news because it can be a pain to maintain emissions on an older vehicle. Its not all good news though. The bad news is that the collector vehicle plates are purchased in five year increments only. That makes the initial investment pretty pricey. $329. That isn't a lot spread over 5 years but like I said before I am not made of money so that's a bunch of dough to just fork over!
Next Steps:
-fix the Lighting issues
-obtain insurance and registration
-find enough money to buy plates for this beast
On another note I also went to the DMV to get the title transfered for the Ford. The cost was $67.55, kinda steep! I learned a very important little bit of info in the process though: as of Sept. 09 the state has allowed vehicles made in 1975 and older to be classified as "Collector Vehicles" making them eligible for collector plates and making them exempt from all future emissions testing. That is awesome news because it can be a pain to maintain emissions on an older vehicle. Its not all good news though. The bad news is that the collector vehicle plates are purchased in five year increments only. That makes the initial investment pretty pricey. $329. That isn't a lot spread over 5 years but like I said before I am not made of money so that's a bunch of dough to just fork over!
Next Steps:
-fix the Lighting issues
-obtain insurance and registration
-find enough money to buy plates for this beast
Sunday, January 3, 2010
More Parts!
I think it is important to mention that this will not be a "body off" restoration project. If you just like shiny paint check back in a few years, this thing is gonna be ugly for a while, why? I will be using this truck while I am working on it, what that means to you? I will be spending my weekends and downtime to work on the beast and blogging frequently about not only the repairs but the adventures using the truck as a truck. The catch is that I do not have the luxury in time, space or money to just rip it apart and build it from the ground up with all new parts, thats where most guys mess up in my opinion, lack of resources, but excess ambition. THE PARTS: From Checker auto, we need to first get this truck registered and street legal. Picked up new headlights, brake bulbs, some marker light bulbs, upper radiator hose, an in-line fuel filter, 2 gal. oil, oil filter, wiper blades, air cleaner gasket(mine was missing) and Trish picked out a nice air freshener for it, the truck smells like mold in the cab...yuck.
Parts I have obtained
It came with an extra fuel sending unit, a nice extra hood and 4 partially worn tires that will last a little while. I paid 31 bucks for a box of stuff from a guy on craigslist(CL from now on). The box consisted of 2 nice taillights, working starter, heater core, heater blower motor, an ignition switch with keys, a cup of random interior knobs and hard to find little pieces that will come in handy when i get into the interior.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
This Trucks History
Mike, the man that sold me this truck says he really loved it, although the amount of neglect I am finding suggests otherwise. It was used mostly as a farm truck while he owned it. He claimed that he pulled half of a double wide trailer with it once. He sometimes used it to tow his boat to the lake or go hunting. Most recently though it has been not used. It has sat for 5 years on his property near Ft. Carson CO. It was started occasionally just to make sure it would. The rest of the history is unknown, and honestly I don't want to know, if I knew of all the abuse this thing has been through I would probably run the other way!
Ok, Welcome to my project. I will post pictures and commentary as the project progresses. Feel free to comment with tips or suggestions that may help me along the way. I am not a mechanic. I am just a guy that likes trucks and likes doing projects even if they are mostly unrealistic. My dad once said to me "you can't make a silk purse out of a hogs ear" referring to me wanting to turn a 1974 IHC pickup truck into a hotrod. The goal of this truck is to turn a formerly capable 4x4 truck into a currently capable 4x4 truck. I have learned what I know about wrenching from my dad and he's pretty good so hopefully I won't end up with a pile of parts in my garage instead of a sweet 4x4 on the trail. My amazing wife Trish is supporting me in this venture and I'm excited to get started.
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