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New tires installed. Definitely better but I got these used off an suv for cheap. Will be putting brand new LT tires that I can fill to 80 psi when I get my OT check from working xmas.
Hey guys, back with a little update. So the wheels are "weld sidewinders" which is cool looks like they go for $800+ on flyaway, considering I got the truck for $1300 all together not bad.
I finally have this rig well supported now, after the air bag install I also installed some gabriel load carry coil over rear shocks, as well as had new leaf packs from sdtruckspring installed. These are the 2450lb heavy duty Springsteen, and I got my ride height back and then some.
Now all that's left is to get some real truck tires on that can hold 80lbs of air..
After suspension Before suspension New spring load carry shock and airbags Old spring
Great results. Looks fantastic.
Should be pretty fun to drive once you get the tires you want on there. Drive well and none of that bit of worry in the back of your mind of a tire failing at a bad time.
Yep Yep, absolutely. It feels real solid now, and acceleration has improved immensely with out it shifting all the weight on saggy springs and blown shocks.
Couple things I still need to do are add a rear sway bar, and most importantly is getting my front discs installed, cause this thing does NOT want to stop now, I also discovered the hubs are leaky in the rear end. I once had a camper special parts truck and I was able to scavenge the front discs, and calipers from. I have new pistons in the calipers as the old ones were shot, but I'm having trouble finding out what other parts I will need to complete the install. I think I need a proportioning valve? Is that right? To help with the pressure difference?
Any link or info on that would be helpful if you have it handy.
Personally I would not use an off-the-shelf pre-set proportioning valve (combination valve) on a truck that has a camper in it full time.
If you can find one specifically that is load sensitive, or somehow automatically adjusts to the weight, go for it. Otherwise one of the crop of manually adjustable types, such as you could mount just about anywhere, but especially conveniently up at the master (https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/catego...rtioning-Valve) that's what I'd do.
In the meantime, you can absolutely keep your factory "H-block" distribution block if that's what you have? I ran a Bronco that way for many years and never did get around to installing a proper prop valve.
It's nothing to experiment with it at least, since it does not require any modification on your part to keep it initially. Since you had a dual master already, you probably have a standard distribution block between the front and rear systems. Just install the disc brakes, along with any new hoses up at the calipers, and see how you like how it stops. I would personally prefer having more braking power available at the rear than is probably tuned into a proportioning valve. They're designed to reduce the rear pressure, especially in an unloaded truck where weight transfer to the front is much larger. With big rear drums and all that weight, there's nothing wrong with keeping full power to the rears while you get it set up and see if the rears lock up too early or not.
If they still lock up too early for your tastes, you can install one of the manually adjustable ones and slowly dial it down until you're happy. And then you can dial it back up for those times when you remove the camper for hauling stuff.
The pre-set valves do have an additional feature that's pretty clever. It's the "delay valve" or "hold-off valve" part. That's the bit that delays the application of the front brakes until the rears have built up a little bit of pressure. Assuming a setup that's not too biased to rear lockup, this delay stabilizes the vehicle during braking by letting the rears apply just a tiny bit before the fronts. Think "trailer brakes" and that's how I see it.
But even without that nice feature, I'd rather be able to dial in my rear brakes the way I want. It's how I'm setting up my '79 pickup.
WOW! Thanks for all that info, now i'm more confident about getting the brakes on. Also it looks like the previous owner already installed the manually adjustable style as I do have one of those right near the master, i've never noticed much difference when adjusting it up or down and i'm not sure why he added one since this is still 4 way drum.
that's great! One less thing to hassle with.
Maybe the person that installed it drove around primarily with an empty bed (like most of us I bet) and got tired of the rear tires locking up. The prop valve was a way to turn it down some.
In your case, I would not really expect you to notice a big difference with the camper. You are not likely to get rear tire lock-up so often as an empty truck. I was recommending this type of valve so that you don't have to lose any of your braking power in the back, such as would be the case with a standard pre-set valve like your truck would have come with had it been equipped with disc brakes from the factory.
Once you get the front set up, I would just dial it down all the way to wide open and see how it goes. If you never lock up the rears then you won't need to adjust it any further. If you're running around without the camper someday and your normal braking pressure results in locked up rears, then you can fiddle with it to see if it helps.
I suppose there's always the possibility that it no longer works, and that's why you're not feeling a difference. But I'd be more inclined to believe it's because your bed it loaded down.
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