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What did you do to your truck today?


Madness

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Yesterdays project: Brakes.

 

The white '76 KC hasn't really had good brakes since I got it, and it was obvious that the front brakes were not operating without pumping the pedal.

 

Pulled the front tires to realize that these tires were REALLY old- probably early 1990s, badly cracked and both had broken-belt bulges. Well, that explains the vibration. The drums both literally fell off, which is good since usually I have to brat and pry the dang things off. Shoes were OK, lots of lining left, but the driver's side was soaked in brake fluid. Changed the wheel cylinder (it IS possible to do so with the shoes still attached, though it's a pain), bled out the system, and now the brakes actually work.

 

While I was under there I greased (most) of the zerks. Replaced the 2 front tires with a matched pair I was using as spares in other trucks (not nearly as old, and not weather checked at all). Only issue is they are a different size and are on '78-79 wheels so the offset is different, but the stock wheels aren't going to stay there forever. Then went to the inside, and finally changed out the shift lever (the old one was broken off at the threads).

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Messed with the carb, tried to replace the master cyl & speedo cable. The MC didn't happen because the brake line fittings on the underside of the body are totally rounded out.:mad: I need to get some vicegrips on them to even get em out.

 

As for the cable, the old one was pretty beaten up. I replaced it, but the spring inside just doesn't want to sit in the housing behind the dash. It wants to work, but just wont. I'm going to try for round two tomorrow.

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well i drove it around a whole bunch. then cleaned out the cab. i had a whole bunch of trash on the floor. and ive been carrying my sawzall around with me for the last couple weeks for reasons i dont remember. so when i put that in the garage i found some extra carb spray. so i cleaned out the intake some. gave it a little rev and sprayed it down. and then i rebuilt my throttle return spring bracket. pedal feels so nice now. and the truck runs so nice now since i cleaned all the crud out of the carb.

 

tomorrow will entail more driving and trying to locate a higher geared 3rd member.

Edited by Farmer Joe
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The pilot bushing was broken? Was it worn down real thin and then snapped? Must have been making noise when the pedal was down.

 

 

surprisingly it wasn't warn that bad. there was a chunk missing out of it. but i think with the chunk missing it through the input shaft out of wack and i was having massive vibration issues at about 50 and up. hence why i parted the 78.

 

this is how it came out. the bent over edges are from my hydrolic (sp?) pilot bushing remover as i had to crank it in more than it really should have needed due to the missing piece. neat little tool. $3 in a junk tool bin.

 

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th_10-20-09006.jpg

Edited by moparvwfreak
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i found some extra carb spray. so i cleaned out the intake some. gave it a little rev and sprayed it down. and the truck runs so nice now since i cleaned all the crud out of the carb.

 

I think I should do this, my truck runs rich and I think that there may be some buildup in the carb. Did you just pull the throttle and spray into the top of the carb?

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Well I bought a used engine for my chop top. Now I just need to get it in and get the wiring all situated. The truck has sat long enough...time to get it up and going. I want it ready for the drive down to JCCS next year...not going to trailer another truck down...once it is running and seems all good....the body and paint are next....

 

canby07100_5309.jpg

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I am doing some final body line adjusting getting ready for body work . Oh and I am just sitting in her , rubbing her and letting her know that she is loved and the only time she will ever see a junk yard is to pick up parts :lol: she is loved

Edited by slam_dat_sun
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Good news, the tank holds gas, the brakes hold brake fluid (they still need to be adjusted properly), and the wheels are back on it.

 

Today, I made bronze bushings for the gear shift lever because the original one was gone -- I practically had to stick my hand under the dash to hit 5th. Now it's nice and tight. I like tight. :D

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Took her down to the ole' scrap yard again, it's been there 6 times in the last 2 weeks...what a hard working truck!:eek:

 

The thing is...with 3inch blocks and two leaves pulled from the rear pack, I almost forget that this thing was designed to work!!!:lol:

 

Load 1...540lbs.

Load 2...580lbs.

Load 3...640lbs.

Load 4...680lbs.

Load 5...1340lbs.!

Load 6...1000lbs.!

 

Thats just the steel! There were two other loads of copper/mixed/aluminum/radiator...$$$:D:D:D

 

All the money went towards the Youth Group at my church...:)

 

This is what 1300 lbs looks like in the back of a lowered Datsun...

 

Datsun10-1.jpg

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Installed IR alt, removed the voltage regulator. Installed shifter and cover plate, pulled the rear brakes apart, cut off some rotten exhaust, wire loomed a bunch of stuff in the engine compartment, connected accel, brake and clutch pedals, and fabbed up a J13 accel cable from two other stock ones...

 

I think that's it.

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Well I did a lot. First bought some oil, a filter, and 2 bottles of seafoam. Went to my buddies house who actually has tools (mine have to stay at school until I graduate). We poured one bottle in the gas tank, half of the other in the booster line, and the last of it in the oil.

 

She started up a little shaky, then ran high and poured smoke out like nobody's business. There was so much carbon built up that she backfired a few times out the tailpipe. After a while the smoke cleared and the idle was jumping.

 

We thought the filter was black and clogged from gunk in the tank, so we cut it open only to find that it was fine and the rubber was the actual black part.:rollseyes:

 

Then we drained the oil, which came out REALLY fast. Black as hell, and a little bit chunky (about 4 quarts). The drain plug on this truck is a very odd size, so when we finally got it out it was chewed up. Got a new plug, fuel filter, and checked the plugs just in case. All good, put in some castrol High Mileage 10W30, and ran her around the block.

 

There must have been a clog somewhere because she was stuttering real bad, and the throttle was not responding very well. The more she ran though, the better it went. Got all the remaining seafoam out I guess, and now she runs fine. I really think my hitachi hates life, so I might have to just buy a new one. I'm glad I did all these things though, I think it helped more than it hurt.

 

Tomorrow I need to sort out my scissor jack/lug wrench noise from behind my seat. Maybe I'll start painting my valve cover and air intake too.

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Yesterday I picked up 20" Titans, and mocked em up onto the truck :D

Fronts are hitting bumpstops so I couldn't see how they tuck w/o lifting the truck off the jackstands but this would probably be my ride height anyways.

IMG_0135.jpg

 

Also picked up Beebani's control arms and rear isuzu disc brackets from the post office.

 

Today, I removed the sway bar, cut the bump and droop stops off the drivers side, and clearanced the base of the shock tower for the upper bag mount. I then started to mock up the suspension. Bolted up dropped hardbody lower control arms, popped the spindle on but ran into trouble with the upper cross rod. (see my post here) Was still able to approximate where Beebani's arm would get me and initial measurements are looking good so far, but won't be positive till I get crossrods and get my Titans or hubs machined.

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