New guy here!

[Oregon_620_Art]

Hey there Datsun fanatics!  I'm here out of Southern Oregon and recently bought my  "dream truck".  For a mere $500 I bought this 1976 King Cab Deluxe.  My love for Datsun started back in 1979-80, when my older brother (who was then in high school) began to build and restore his Datsun 510. As he progressed,  he ran his car in autocross and slalom at the old Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego  ( now Qualcomm I believe). As I got my first ride in 1986, it was a handed down 1974  1200.  Green, a little beat up, but fun! Second car,  75 B210 Hatchback. As I drove that, in rolls this pumpkin orange 620 that my Dad and Brother picked up. It was gorgeous! So, not long after that I decided that one day I myself, would build and drive a super sweet 620 of my own.  Through the years I stayed true. I kept it all Nissan/Datsun. 

To name a few I've had a Sentra,  Pathfinder,  Hardbodies (×3), 720s,  a 1200,  a B210,  and my pride 2008 Titan Pro4x.  I'm a Store Manager of our local AutoZone here and have always loved the industry.  

 

So to make this long story short,  I now have this 620 KC and a donor 87 d21. I stripped it all down to almost the bare bones and just got my engine stand to throw the old motor on while rebuilding from the ground up. Yes, we are all on budgets (For the most part) so I don't expect to make it a "show truck". I don't want to win awards or trophies.  I just want it cruiseable with a show of my taste and love for all that is Nissan.  I look forward to  opinions and suggestions, looking at your rides and builds.

 

Thanks for adding me to your World

 

I'll try to post some pics when I figure out how to. Lol

 

Art

[banzai510(hainz)]

why strip it all down just fix motor and drive it?

 

[]2eDeYe]

Welcome, looks like you got the makings of a sweet 620. 😄

[Oregon_620_Art]

1 hour ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

why strip it all down just fix motor and drive it?

 

There's a ton of rust. Not cleaning it up for looks, but to prevent it from worsening.  Here on the Oregon Coast, everything rusts. Not just over time, but nearly instantly. More rust would certainly deteriorate the 620 even worse.  

[Oregon_620_Art]

1 hour ago, ]2eDeYe said:

Welcome, looks like you got the makings of a sweet 620. 😄

Thanks, I'll keep on posting as I need coaching now and then as we all do. 😉

[Oregon_620_Art]

first question is, how do I go about buying Beebani's disc brake changeover kit? Does he have a website or eBay account to find his brackets and parts?

[Bluegrass620]

Should be able to look it up on eBay and find it. 

[Oregon_620_Art]

1 minute ago, Bluegrass620 said:

Should be able to look it up on eBay and find it. 

Thanks much!

[banzai510(hainz)]

yeah sometimes too much rust its better just to drive it and find a better one they always pop up

[Crashtd420]

1 hour ago, Oregon_620_Art said:

first question is, how do I go about buying Beebani's disc brake changeover kit? Does he have a website or eBay account to find his brackets and parts?

Here you go...

This is the listing for the front.... 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/193425548205

 

You can get to his other listings from there.....

[74datsun620]

Welcome to Ratsun

[Oregon_620_Art]

8 hours ago, Crashtd420 said:

Here you go...

This is the listing for the front.... 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/193425548205

 

You can get to his other listings from there.....

Thanks much!

[gene knight]

Oregon_620_Art: pm me

[Oregon_620_Art]

10 hours ago, gene knight said:

Oregon_620_Art: pm me

I tried to. It says you cannot receive messages. I'm such a forum noob. Still trying to figure out how to use the sites functions. 

[datzenmike]

 

Usually the problem with the drive shaft isn't the bearing it's the rubber surround support rots away and the drive shaft is free to wobble around. I wrapped a 1.1/2" wide strip of conveyor belt around it till it fit snug when mounted. It worked so well I forgot to replace it. The actual bearing inside caries no load and lasts forever.

 

 

[DatGregsun]

DatsunMike,

Amazing.

Great idea and creative.

Now I guess I'm off to the conveyor belt store...............where's that?

 

Since you're so good at all this, can drum brake adjusters be "rebuilt"?

Better than trying to find replacements?
Thx again.

DatGregSun
 

[datzenmike]

I had some belt and it was 1/4"? so it built up really fast. Thick rubber mat would also work, cut into strips. Too wide is probably better than too thin. Has to be snug when clamped down so it can't unroll. It doesn't spin with the drive shaft it just supports it. The bearing does all the spinning. My truck would vibrate when accelerating and thump when shifting.

[datzenmike]

They have a rubber plug on the back of the backing plate that is often forgotten, lost or left off so you can reach it to get at the star wheel. Road dirt and water gets in rusting the adjuster. Take it out and use heat and WD-40 and get all the parts clean and moving, I used white chassis grease...molybdenum. It's not oily and stays on. Brake grease (probably silicone?) is good too. Brake grease should be on all moving parts that rub .... well other than the linings that is. 

[DatGregsun]

Mike,

Moving on to "the better idea of converting to disc brakes up front",

in your experience which disc brake kit for a '77 620 is the best/easiest to install/cheapest/everyone going with/etc?
What price point should I expect to pay for a complete front brakes conversion from drums to discs?

Everywhere I read says the drums are too soft and junk since they need constant adjusting.  Yes/no?
Thx.

DatGregSun

[wayno]

I just used some rubber hose out of my extra hoses tub, it worked just fine.

[bilzbobaggins]

I have a old leather belt that somehow shrank and wont fit me anymore.  It is slated to go around my carrier bearing at some time.

[datzenmike]

Drums will stop every bit as well as disc brakes BUT

 

Drums need to be adjusted to have optimum stopping, usually every 3 months if driven daily. Discs are set and forget

Drums have way more moving parts that can break, rub, wear, make noise. Not counting the rotor there is a piston and two pads that move on a disc brake system

Drums are much more work to change the shoes. Just hammering the drum off is a job.

 

Disc brakes can operate longer and at very high temperatures than drums.

 

 

 

 

 

Mklotz70 used to sell kits for king pin trucks I think. No matter what you go with to convert to disc it won't be cheap.

 

 

 

 

 

[wayno]

Mike K's kit is the best one, I believe it uses 1985 Nissan 720 disc brake calipers/rotors and uses any Datsun disc brake hub from 1978 on, simple and easy if you work on your own vehicles.

[BOZO]

Concerning the carrier bearing. I used to go through one about every 2 years in my 69 Chevy truck until one day I filled one of my new carrier bearings with silicon rubber and let it set up for about 3 days until it hardened. That carrier bearing has now been in the truck for 12 years. I tried this trick with my Datsun about a week ago and it runs smooth with no vibration. If you are at your wits end trying to make these bearing last, try this trick. Be sure to clean the mold release compound out the inside of the rubber cup first so the silicone will adhere. The job I done on the Datsun, I just used the leftover caulk in the caulking gun from sealing around my sink. 

[mklotz70]

Just to add an option to the carrier bearing fix.  Energy Suspension sells a urethane DIY kit for making your own bushings. It's a two part urethane that you can mix and pour into a mold.  It would be a lot more work since you'd have to take the assembly out of the truck.  I've also heard of guys using the urethane made to clue in front windshields.  It comes in a caulk style tube and can be squirted in without removing the assy.  

 

mudflap material and tire sidewalls might work in place of conveyor belting.

Edited May 10, 2020 by mklotz70