Various things I'm looking for to restore a truck I'm taking to college

[powderfinger]

36 minutes ago, Joecar said:

I’m going to buy new tires soon so would the stock 215/75r15 be best tire size for that truck?

For drivability, yes. If you want to go a little larger for looks like I did you can run a 235/75/r15. Looks better without robbing too much power, but will still likely be noticeable. I wouldn't know because I have never driven my truck with the 215/75s.

 

This is an older pic of my truck with the 235/15s on it before I got it road worthy.

 

[Joecar]

1 hour ago, powderfinger said:

For drivability, yes. If you want to go a little larger for looks like I did you can run a 235/75/r15. Looks better without robbing too much power, but will still likely be noticeable. I wouldn't know because I have never driven my truck with the 215/75s.

 

This is an older pic of my truck with the 235/15s on it before I got it road worthy.

 

Is this stock ride height or did you adjust the torsion bar

[datzenmike]

2 hours ago, Joecar said:

I’m going to buy new tires soon so would the stock 215/75r15 be best tire size for that truck?

 

That is the correct tire for your truck.

 

 

1 hour ago, powderfinger said:

For drivability, yes. If you want to go a little larger for looks like I did you can run a 235/75/r15. Looks better without robbing too much power, but will still likely be noticeable. I wouldn't know because I have never driven my truck with the 

 

 

 

235/75R15s are 28.8" tall and 9.25" wide. Nice width but that's 9.3% difference in height or 9.3 MPH faster at 100 or 4.65MPH faster at 50 MPH....

 

A 235/70R15 is 9.25" wide but the height is only 1/5" taller. Go wider but keep the same height.

[ElliotV]

On 3/20/2024 at 1:52 PM, datzenmike said:

The '83 and up 4x4 had 4.11 gearing. If you can find an earlier 4x4 the gearing is 4.375 so you could go 10% larger diameter tires with out affecting the performance. That's ony a 31" tire.

one thing I am wanting to look into is instead of going to a earlier 4x4 what about later 4x4 meaing hardbodies I believe you can get up to a 4.56 ratio(take that number with a grain of salt). They are more plentiful and use esentially the same front diffs except they have the same length cv axles on each side(can always just have 1 spare). I know the rear ends are swappable out of them and the front suspension is almost identical except the control arms on the hardbody are exactly .5in longer than the 720 and the torsions bars are a few inches shorter on I believe the hardbody. Only reason I know this is because I saw a d21 pathfinder posted online and they have the exact same auto locking hubs that came stock on a 720 4x4.

[datzenmike]

In H-190 there were 3.364, 3.545, 3.700, 3.889, 4.11, 4.375, 4.625, 4.875. Generally the H233 in the D21s were 3.70 to 4.625.

[powderfinger]

On 3/20/2024 at 5:35 PM, datzenmike said:

235/75R15s are 28.8" tall and 9.25" wide. Nice width but that's 9.3% difference in height or 9.3 MPH faster at 100 or 4.65MPH faster at 50 MPH..

 

Yep. I was just throwing this size out there if he insisted on a taller tire. If so, this is as tall as I would go. When I wear these out I will likely drop down to the 235/70R15

[frankendat]

Adding to your options, I snuck in an inch on the wheel. I liked the 215/85R16 and still think that size in a Cooper Discoverer STT PRO is awesome, but in the last couple years Cooper prices keep going up. I went with used off brand 235/85R16. I will see how they perform and they were cheap enough, if they suck then I won't snivel..well, too much. There is also a 225 for the 16in wheel that looked promising. 

 

My experience has been the wider the tire (from stock) the worse the mpg, but this is my first 4wd 4 cylinder, perhaps without the extra power/torque to turn the taller tire, more fuel is needed. I like aggressive meaty tires, road noise is why God invented stomping stereos. 

[Joecar]

Next thing I was also looking at was installing a new audio system in the truck. I got speakers for the kick panels but they stick out too far. I saw some people cutting holes in their door panels but not sure how to go on about that 

[Thomas Perkins]

My Bluetooth Kenwood and kick panels.Speakers are way bigger than holes,cut some wood to make fit.Get a piece 36x36 diamond plate from lowes for 52 bucks.

[Joecar]

5 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said:

My Bluetooth Kenwood and kick panels.Speakers are way bigger than holes,cut some wood to make fit.Get a piece 36x36 diamond plate from lowes for 52 bucks.

What is the size of the speaker and what is that black mounting bracket? Custom or is it like something I can 3D print

[Thomas Perkins]

The speakers are 6.5 inch.It is connected to a 1/2  inch thick piece of wood with the center cut out with it screwed into the side where the kick plates are.I have pictures of it on my home computer.I will post it when I get home from work.The guy that sold me the truck back in 94 made the wood pieces.On the inside of the speakers put some plastic on it so the speakers won't ground out.If they touch the metal,they will.Mine did ,my Kenwood stereo told me it was a faulty connection.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27 by Thomas Perkins

[Thomas Perkins]

The wood is 1/2 thick and 6 1/4 inch by 6 1/4 inch and speaker hangs 1/8 over on the sides.I will send pics.

Edited March 27 by Thomas Perkins

[Thomas Perkins]

Here are some pics.

Edited March 28 by Thomas Perkins

[Joecar]

14 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said:

Here are some pics.

Do you know by chance how big the inner circle is? I’m going to 3d print a few and see how they hold up. Thanks

[Joecar]

Looking to get 6-1.2” speakers or 6.5”

[Thomas Perkins]

The inner circle is 4 and 3/4 inch.

Edited March 28 by Thomas Perkins

[Joecar]

Thank you!

[Thomas Perkins]

Here are the speakers.My Diamond plate panels I made.I made them a little bigger than the stock one's.Here are the fasteners I used to secure the Diamond plates.A good place to get these and Nissan clips is at clips and fastener's. These clips are for our cowl too if you ever remove it to hunt down a leak. I had a stereo shop here install my Kenwood and 4 speakers and new antenna cable. They did it in a hour and a half.https://www.clipsandfasteners.com/default.asp?Click=180200&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzKT6k_CXhQMVWrZaBR1gTg68EAAYASAAEgLxtfD_BwE

Edited March 28 by Thomas Perkins

[Joecar]

Any good options for a muffler for the 2.4? Need to get a new one cause it’s rusted like hell and sounds loud. I been wanting something that’s gonna make it sound good but not obnoxious.

[Thomas Perkins]

The last one I got it came with the tail pipe connected to it from Auto Zone, they don't sell them any more.I had a muffler shop that put it on,mine don't have a cat and he charged me 60 bucks and added a piece that was worn out.Major shops make you have a cat to work on exhaust systems in Georgia.

 

[bottomwatcher]

I put a welded thrush turbo muffler on mine. I went the welded route because I used to do childish things and intentionally backfire in crowded areas. The pinched seam mufflers would blow apart at the seams.

[datzenmike]

It's a ruck so (relatively) lots of room for options. California, so you must keep the Catalytic converter, which does slightly muffle. I find truck mufflers don't 'muffle' as much as car ones so get something for a larger engine Ford or what ever that has the same pipe diameter to fit and is as large as possible to fit the location. Myself, I just ran a slightly down turned pipe on my car to direct the exhaust below the rear axle. It has, by most laws, to exit to the side or at least behind the axle but I'll leave that up top you. A tail pipe reduces the sound. My replacement was similar to the original being oval but larger and the inlet ans outlets were 1/4" larger diameter. I used a 1 7/8" to 2.1/8" expander joint to join to my stock pipe. Mufflers 'muffle' by using restriction so get something for a larger displacement engine. One side from a dual exhaust V8 should be less restrictive and still sound ok.

[Joecar]

Just found a TBI at the junkyard and it’s missing the fuel injector cover. Is it necessary to have it on or am I okay running it without it? Also it didn’t have the injectors so I’m going to have to source some.

[datzenmike]

Make sure they are for the 720 and not the injectors for the Z24i in the D21

[Joecar]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

Make sure they are for the 720 and not the injectors for the Z24i in the D21

How can I tell which one is for the 720