Well its not quite winter yet, but in light of last weekend (in case you missed it my truck decided to throw a turbo about 400 miles from home, thankfully we got it all taken care of.

I'm starting to put a list together of things I'd like to do while the truck is down for the winter. I'll list the short and then elaborate more on each one.

1. Up Pipes
2. E-Fuel by Rebilld
3. All 4 Door pins and bushings
4. Drivers Door Striker
5. D50 Pivot Bushings
6. Find a D60
7. Fix fuel tank vents/fix pick ups
8. Find a new hood

I'm sure I'll add more as I go along.

1. Up Pipes: When we had the turbo off over the weekend, Aaron and I noticed that the up pipes were leaking around the doughnuts. Looks like one is a little worse than the other, I'm still Diesel stupid on some things, and have no clue where to begin on finding a replacement set. I looked at riffraff and was a little sticker shocked. Not trying to be cheap, just wasn't expecting that. So my question is, is that the going rate for a set of quality units?

2. E-Fuel by Rebilld: Aaron has been on me about this for a while now, depending on how all the monies line up. Aside from a real small leak around the restriction sensor, the present stock set up is working just fine. I know E-Fuel is better, and a necessary step for future upgrades, but I'm not planning on doing sticks right now. Its not a matter of if I'll change it over, but when

3. Door Pins and bushings, every last door pin and bushing is worn on my truck, kinda more annoying than anything.

4. Drivers door striker, I'm guessing this comes with a truck with alot of miles like mine, but mine is cracked on both sides and actually looks swollen, the others are fine, but this one is the worst.

5. D50 Axle pivot bushings. When I got my truck I heard about how everyone bashed the D50, well now I'm starting to see why, I've about had it with this axle, I agree with everyone else, its a great idea, but just too many parts. My pivot bushings have been toast since I got the truck, and I should have changed them when I had it all apart last winter. I know it can be a good unit, but this last time rotating tires, I noticed inside tread wear, I've fixed everything else, which is why I'm debating fix the bushings (literaly the last things to fix and it will be all new) or drop the money for a D60. I have a feeling I know what the majority of opinions will be here.

6. D60 axle swap, still kicking myself for not buying that one a while back.

7. Fuel tank vents/fix pick ups. This is another one thats more annoying than anything, but I would like to do the vent mod to both tanks, and also the shower head in the rear tank is broken. And I noticed I had some fuel leaking from somewhere if the front tank sits with a full tank, so will pry re do the seals in the tanks, debating on upgrading to a bronco tank, but I'm not making alot of cross country trips. Don't get me wrong it would be nice to have the extra fuel, but the tank thats there now works fine.

8. Find a new hood, the hood on my truck is jacked, i think some one pulled down on it and it didn't move, it is definatly sprung. I would like to find a straight replacement, preferably Oxford White... I will pry take it somewhere and have the body work done on it.

Thats it for now! Sorry for the novel, any suggestions are welcome as always. Not quite sure when I'll start on all of it (que large stack of money falling into my lap) but Its been swirling around up in my head the last couple days, and just wanted to get it out and get suggestions. Thanks guys!

 

Get the refuel and bellowed up pipes the same place.if you get my drift lol

its beginning lol

 

Depends on if you were looking at the International for just over $800, or the ones we are building for $496. You won't find a set close to our price that is all new, not trying to reuse old cores, made from 321 Stainless Steel, and 100% made in the usa. The only ones out there that are less expensive are guys who trying to take old pipes and weld bellows into them.

Riffraff Diesel Bellowed Up-pipe Kit 94-Early 99 - Riffraff Diesel Performance

 

Thank you for the response Clay. And please understand I wasn't knocking anything, I was just thinking "oh a couple of pipes, how bad could it be?" I didn't realize there was more to it. Ok this gives me some direction. Thank you again.

And yes Aaron, it's beginning!

 

I am happy to help. I understand that it looks like just a couple pipes, that's what we thought when we looked at making them. Once we got into it we discovered there was way more to it.

 

For the most part when im working on something, i like to put every thing new on. I know you rebuilt the d50 but if you find a d60 i would go through it too. You could always put the pivot bushing in now and try to find a d60 and rebuild it little at a time. For the hood, if no luck finding a used one, a new one is not that much. mine was around 160 but then you would have to get it painted. When you pull the tanks, make sure the pick up tube on the outside of the tank is not rusted. Tanks are fairly cheap to, so if they are showing age, might as well replace them.

 

The big question is...will I work on Clifford or the t this winter? Thomas has lots of irons in the fire too...

 

Good luck with the list Thomas. I will second the suggestion to get your pipes and e-fuel together. Saves on shipping that way!

One tip I'll offer is in regard to the door pin replacement. Take the hinges off the DOORS, and not off the CAB. The doors are a lot easier to align and the hinges are easier to adjust this way. Getting to the bolts for the front hinges where they bolt to the cab is a major pain in the tush. Mark all the way around the hinges with a fine point marker so you know where they came from before you start the process. Makes the adjusting process a lot less painful after the new pins are in.

 

Subscribing to follow along. You sound like you'll be as busy as I am this winter.

And I too am eyeing up those Riffraff up-pipes. I have some mods in mind and I might just have to grab a set of those for my truck also.

 

Oh yeah, any D60 I find, will get all new parts. I'm just disgusted with myself, I was right there last winter, but I chickened out and didn't want to mess with the pivot bushings.

If Hoods are that cheap, I may as well buy a new one and have the local body shop here paint it all up for me. Cost wise I don't see how there would be much difference, especially if they had to do repair to a old hood.

Definatly will replace any worn parts on the tanks while they are out.

Yes, way too many irons. Hoping to get that car on the road even just for a little bit, then I'll just store it.

Your T deserves the love IMO. Nothing against Clifford, but he runs and drive at the moment.

Thank you, Nate! Yeah I know now where I'll be getting my e-fuel and up pipes. $$$ pending.

I'm still not 100% I'm going to do the doors myself, although I'm sure if I was careful and brave (Aaron and I had that discussion last night) it would be a great learning experience.

Thank You, Bill! I thought I would be done for a while after last winter, but when you have a truck like mine thats closing in on 400K, the work is never done. Don't get me wrong its in great shape, especially mileage considering, and some things show their age more than others, these are definatley great trucks and hold up well for many hundreds of thousands of miles with TLC. And best part is, I know it is all worth the work.

 

I hear that. My show truck (the F150 in my sig pic) is pushing 150k and the OBS is nearing 267k, but both are paid for (i.e., I have title in hand and no loans on them) and with the way I maintain equipment they'll be good for a long time to come. Parts are cheaper than truck payments overall!

 

I'll be watching Thomas...you'll be doing a lot of good improvements for sure. E-Fuel is such a nice upgrade. A little better idle, more consistent fuel pressure, but best of all...NO LEAKS!! I have not seen a drop of fuel in the valley since the install. I did see a drop on the ground the other morning from my filter housing, but it was just a loose hose clamp. 10 seconds of tightening, and no more leaking. I'll be watching!


man Bill, you could not be more right. I wish I had learned this 10 years ago before throwing all the money away on newer diesel trucks I thought I just had to have. I could have paid for a full restoration on a really nice OBS by now!

 

Part of it for me is I just love the older stuff. Easier to work on, less babysitting, which means more "saddle up and drive" time. But I too learned the hard way on payments as well - newer gasser trucks that I just HAD to have...until my ex got one repo'd. I vowed then to not ever deal with payments again unless I had to.

Plus - no payments = more mod money!

I'll be curious to learn more about e-fuel, because that's one I want to do as well.

 

Nice looking list Thomas. I don't mind my 50 at all. When in good shape they work fine. If you've done all that other work to yours and don't have much left I'd finish what you have. You'd have another 1500 bucks if your lucky into a finding a 60 and rebuilding it. Plus then you need different springs.

Just something to think about.

 

I know, I was just mad at myself because I was right there, I'll just suck it up and do it, being I've done everything else. Its seeping too, so I'll pry re do the seal. Should be a good time. I know they can be good units, I just shouldn't have chickened out and done it right then and there.