Charlie69's 66 520 Build

[Charlie69]

Bory your build is moving fast and turning out great.  I have parted out half a dozen 720's over the years and never saved the hardware I am in need of..

[Bory]

Ya I know, and if you save it, God only knows where it ends up. We need a full time invintory girl that's on payrole

[Charlie69]

A tiny bit of progress. The left front hub On my 520 is warped and as a result there is tight spot when the wheel is turned so I am replacing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New to me hub with new Timken bearing sets and Timken seals.  Gene Knight helped.

[Charlie69]

Worked on getting the lower control arms ready for my brother to finish carving on them.  In my haste to get this together for the SWDP barbecue in 2 weeks I forgot to check the lower control arm bushings.  The right side is real bad the left side is OK but I will replace both of them and while I am at it I will go ahead and replace the uppers also.  I have the new uppers on the shelf but will have to order the lowers.

 

My brother rebuilt the front end several years ago but he drives harder than I do.  He actually installed new lower control arms, but I guess he did not change the lower control arm bushings.  The sun bolt on the right side will also be replaced at this time.

 

2 steps forward 3 steps back.

 

This is the carving my brother is doing to my lower control arms for 14" wheel clearance.

 

Stock 720 lower control arm.

 

Carved lower control arm.

 

Gene Knight does not like this so I guess he will be scared to ride in my 520!  That is OK leaves room for a pretty woman!  LOL

 

I will not be driving it or trailering it to the barbecue on the 20th.

[wayno]

I actually thought that was what you were doing, I would not do that to a 4X4 or a race vehicle, but for a driver that is not abused, I suspect you will not have any issues.

I have modifications that would be considered far more controversial than cutting off that little piece of metal that I have had no issues with so far.

I would just keep my eye on it for a while, and then after nothing happened I would forget about it, I am surprised that this mod hasn't been talked about before.

[Charlie69]

This is a minor cut to an area that does not carry any weight.  My brother did a pie cut on the left side but just a square cut will give better clearance on the 14" wheels.  so in the morning I will pull both lower control arms and have my brother clean up the left and cut and cleanup the right.  I checked my Rock Auto order for the 85 720 that has a bent frame and I should have a pair of lower control arm bushings either here or at Gene's house.  I will look in the morning.

 

Wayno I have watched you modify your trucks through the years and have not seen you do anything that would make me afraid to ride in any of your vehicles.  The loads you put on your dually amazes me!

[Charlie69]

Well 2 more steps forward and 2 more steps back.

 

Destroyed new KYB front shock.  Had to cut both sun bolts to get lower spindles out,  Still need to remove bushings from frame.  My brother Garret took the lower control arms to take to his work and do the cuts and the cleanup on them.

 

Cutting out the lower control arm sun bolts.

 

 

 

Carnage

 

 

I need 2 0f Item 6.

 

[Lockleaf]

I've redone the front bushings on 3 720 4x4s. Of the 6 star bolts, Ive had to cut 5 of them off. Usually, both sides of each bolt had to be cut. Pressing out and then in the new steel cased factory bushing was incredibly difficult. So I only did that in the first truck. Since then I burn the old one out and install energy suspensions. The two part bushing is so much better to install that I will gladly accept any additional harshness in the ride.

[thisismatt]

Carlos (konig209) has some of the bolts for sale

[Charlie69]

Thanks for the info guys.  I already have stock bushings and will install those after removing the old ones.

[Charlie69]

Lockleaf, my brother had to cut both sides of both bolts.

 

Thisismatt, talked to Carlos (Konig209) and the ones he has are for 521 and are shorter, so I will order new ones from Nissan.

[thisismatt]

Shoot, my mistake. I forgot you are on a 720 frame!

[Charlie69]

No problem Matt I am asking Carlos (Konig209) to measure his 521 bolts to compare to the length of a set Wayno has to see if Waynos will fit the 620 720 disc brake chassis.

[Charlie69]

Wayno is sending me a pair of sun bolts, should have them on Wednesday so my brother and I can hit it hard on Saturday.  Thank you Wayno!

 

Tomorrow I will pull the upper control arms for new bushings also.  For some reason on the drivers side there is 2 bolts with nuts on the them holding the upper link spindle (control arm shaft) . I will figure out why this is tomorrow.

[Charlie69]

Pulled the upper control arms on Monday.  The driver side with the long bolts and nuts turned out to still have good threads in the holes so all I need to do is go to a junk yard and get 2 bolts.

 

Worked a little on the wiring.

 

I picked up a small shop cooler and had to do a little tweaking on it, but it sure does help.

 

My brother Garret made a pneumatic hammer bit to remove and install the lower control arm bushings.

 

 

He also finished clearancing the lower control arms for the 14" wheels.

 

Pictures tomorrow.

[Charlie69]

Gene Knight and I drove out to Wittman AZ to get some 620 & 720 parts today.  It is a 50 mile 1 way trip.

 

I pulled a set of Z24 engine pulling brackets, a 720 electric fuel pump with base mount (outer cover was missing, 2 UCA shaft bolts, a brake tee and bracket, and the plastic finisher ring that goes around the ignition switch.

 

We were looking at a 620 that has been there for years and has been pretty well stripped.  I pulled the front bumper 9it looked like it was on a bumper car for the last 50 years), I wanted the chrome bumper bolts for my 520 bumpers but they ended up being small like the 720 bumper bolts so I gave them to Gene.  He also got the straight mounting brackets.

 

Gene noticed the the 620 inner fenders and radiator core support had been bolted to the firewall.  There are no fenders no hood and no engine trans mission or radiator.  So 12 bolts later we had it pulled and loaded in the back of his truck.  He has his eye on another 620 king cab that needs an inner fender well and core support so this will be handy to have.

 

Just What Gene needs is another project!!!  LOL

 

We both have pulled parts of of this 620 over the years and never noticed the bolts holding the inner fenders and core support on.  LOL

[DanielC]

Bumper bolts on a 521 are 5/16-24 carriage bolts, that are chromed.  Probably you cannot find those.  You can get 5/16-18 Stainless steel carriage bolts, and polish the head.

[mklotz70]

But if you do want chrome....they are available.

 

http://www.chromenuts.com/chrome-fasteners/516-18-x-1-10/

 

Our local TrueValue hardware store carries chrome hardware too.

[Charlie69]

Thank you for the information and the link.

 

I will be buying new chrome bolts for the bumpers and bumperettes.

 

Ace Hardware here sells the chrome bolts, did not know True Value Hardware sold them.  I think Cal Ranch and Tractor Supply also sell them.  Only in course thread.

[Charlie69]

Received the sun bolts from Wayno so I have all the parts to put the front suspension back together.  Hopefully Saturday will be a good day.

[Charlie69]

Gene and I worked on my 520 today.  Made mounts to install 720 electric fuel pump on the driver side of my 520.  I will use the bed mounted 520 tank.  Cleaned up the side yard of all the materials that Gene and I collected to help Shawn Draudy on his 521.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When My brother comes over again he will lay finish welds down and clean up my buggers.  LOL

[gene knight]

Dang those are hideous welds, maybe I should have tack them...lol

[Charlie69]

They are ugly tacks but they have penetration and will hold.  Nothing a little grinding will take care of.

[mrbigtanker]

Looking good. Keep it up.

[Charlie69]

Brother came over this morning with my shaved lower control arms and the tool he made to remove the lower control arm bushing needed some tweaking, so he welded up my fuel pump mounts and took the new lower control arm bushing and my upper control arms with him.  He will remove old bushings on the upper control arms and install new.  he will teak the lower control arm bushing tool to fit the hole and the end of the lower control arm bushing.  This tool should work to remove them and install new bushings.

 

Shaved control arms.

 

 

Stock Lower Control Arm

 

 

Installed one release cable holder and moved the coil to make room for brake lines.