September chat thread. 2.0
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
When my uncle fixed my rear drum brakes on my truck, the difference was like night and day. Now I can stop on a dime and get a quarter back.
Still has an uncomfortable shake to it when I stop, though I think that's due to the front suspension needing attention.
Still has an uncomfortable shake to it when I stop, though I think that's due to the front suspension needing attention.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
The outside edges of the tires are more worn than the middle and inside edge, but that's about it as far as wear. The rears are only worn slightly in the center, and I've had these tires for several years. And yes, it wanders to the right pretty bad, but it's been that way for years. What bugs me is the loud "CLUNK" I get whenever I hit a bump in the road. The front-most radius arm rubber "donut" on the driver side has totally rotted out and fallen off, so the arm moves around in the bracket.
I do plan to do the whole deal, radius arms, I-beam bushings, etc. I asked my uncle if it'd be too much work to just go ahead and knock the I-beam bushings out too when we go to replace the little radius arm "donuts", and he just said to get to his place earlier so we have time. :P
But I can say this, despite the non-functioning kickdown rod and jacked-up front end, this truck has gotten my family everywhere we've needed to go. I plan to eventually do a total restoration (or resto-mod, I do have a few custom ideas I want to do), and make a really nice, clean truck out of it.
I do plan to do the whole deal, radius arms, I-beam bushings, etc. I asked my uncle if it'd be too much work to just go ahead and knock the I-beam bushings out too when we go to replace the little radius arm "donuts", and he just said to get to his place earlier so we have time. :P
But I can say this, despite the non-functioning kickdown rod and jacked-up front end, this truck has gotten my family everywhere we've needed to go. I plan to eventually do a total restoration (or resto-mod, I do have a few custom ideas I want to do), and make a really nice, clean truck out of it.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 2
Grant, forgot to mention this when I did my brakes.
The bearings were fine, I did repack them before putting them back on the rotor, but other than that, nothing wrong with them
the only thing that bugs me, is that the wheels are so damn bald, I spend more time trying to keep it in a straight line, than I do enjoying the new brakes
The bearings were fine, I did repack them before putting them back on the rotor, but other than that, nothing wrong with them
the only thing that bugs me, is that the wheels are so damn bald, I spend more time trying to keep it in a straight line, than I do enjoying the new brakes
Modular motor junkie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 8
From: Texas
Grant, forgot to mention this when I did my brakes.
The bearings were fine, I did repack them before putting them back on the rotor, but other than that, nothing wrong with them
the only thing that bugs me, is that the wheels are so damn bald, I spend more time trying to keep it in a straight line, than I do enjoying the new brakes
The bearings were fine, I did repack them before putting them back on the rotor, but other than that, nothing wrong with them
the only thing that bugs me, is that the wheels are so damn bald, I spend more time trying to keep it in a straight line, than I do enjoying the new brakes
I know all about bald tires, my P71 vic has 4 of them.
I slide it daily, about half the time I am trying not to and it does it anyway. lol
$176 per tire, and I go though them really fast.
Modular motor junkie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 8
From: Texas
The outside edges of the tires are more worn than the middle and inside edge, but that's about it as far as wear. The rears are only worn slightly in the center, and I've had these tires for several years. And yes, it wanders to the right pretty bad, but it's been that way for years. What bugs me is the loud "CLUNK" I get whenever I hit a bump in the road. The front-most radius arm rubber "donut" on the driver side has totally rotted out and fallen off, so the arm moves around in the bracket.
I do plan to do the whole deal, radius arms, I-beam bushings, etc. I asked my uncle if it'd be too much work to just go ahead and knock the I-beam bushings out too when we go to replace the little radius arm "donuts", and he just said to get to his place earlier so we have time. :P
But I can say this, despite the non-functioning kickdown rod and jacked-up front end, this truck has gotten my family everywhere we've needed to go. I plan to eventually do a total restoration (or resto-mod, I do have a few custom ideas I want to do), and make a really nice, clean truck out of it.
I do plan to do the whole deal, radius arms, I-beam bushings, etc. I asked my uncle if it'd be too much work to just go ahead and knock the I-beam bushings out too when we go to replace the little radius arm "donuts", and he just said to get to his place earlier so we have time. :P
But I can say this, despite the non-functioning kickdown rod and jacked-up front end, this truck has gotten my family everywhere we've needed to go. I plan to eventually do a total restoration (or resto-mod, I do have a few custom ideas I want to do), and make a really nice, clean truck out of it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
- All-new Autometer gauges to replace the stock ones
- Rebuilding the motor with the best and strongest parts I can find
- Yet to do the research on it, but I might put in a high-pinion third member in the 9" axle. Will possibly replace the gears too for longevity's sake
- Various other upgrades and improvements
The gauges are probably going to be the most noticable deviation from factory. Not sure which gauge line I'll go with (there are some really nice muscle car themed ones, but they're way too expensive), but the main thing for me is that they're as accurate as possible and tell me what exactly is going on with the engine. Middle of the factory Ford oil pressure gauge could mean 40psi (or 20 as Diesel_Brad suggested to me once), plus the gauges are 20 some odd years old, so they're no doubt a bit off.
Not to mention the auto-to-manual swap.
- Rebuilding the motor with the best and strongest parts I can find
- Yet to do the research on it, but I might put in a high-pinion third member in the 9" axle. Will possibly replace the gears too for longevity's sake
- Various other upgrades and improvements
The gauges are probably going to be the most noticable deviation from factory. Not sure which gauge line I'll go with (there are some really nice muscle car themed ones, but they're way too expensive), but the main thing for me is that they're as accurate as possible and tell me what exactly is going on with the engine. Middle of the factory Ford oil pressure gauge could mean 40psi (or 20 as Diesel_Brad suggested to me once), plus the gauges are 20 some odd years old, so they're no doubt a bit off.
Not to mention the auto-to-manual swap.
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Modular motor junkie
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 8
From: Texas
- All-new Autometer gauges to replace the stock ones
- Rebuilding the motor with the best and strongest parts I can find
- Yet to do the research on it, but I might put in a high-pinion third member in the 9" axle. Will possibly replace the gears too for longevity's sake
- Various other upgrades and improvements
The gauges are probably going to be the most noticable deviation from factory. Not sure which gauge line I'll go with (there are some really nice muscle car themed ones, but they're way too expensive), but the main thing for me is that they're as accurate as possible and tell me what exactly is going on with the engine. Middle of the factory Ford oil pressure gauge could mean 40psi (or 20 as Diesel_Brad suggested to me once), plus the gauges are 20 some odd years old, so they're no doubt a bit off.
Not to mention the auto-to-manual swap.
- Rebuilding the motor with the best and strongest parts I can find
- Yet to do the research on it, but I might put in a high-pinion third member in the 9" axle. Will possibly replace the gears too for longevity's sake
- Various other upgrades and improvements
The gauges are probably going to be the most noticable deviation from factory. Not sure which gauge line I'll go with (there are some really nice muscle car themed ones, but they're way too expensive), but the main thing for me is that they're as accurate as possible and tell me what exactly is going on with the engine. Middle of the factory Ford oil pressure gauge could mean 40psi (or 20 as Diesel_Brad suggested to me once), plus the gauges are 20 some odd years old, so they're no doubt a bit off.
Not to mention the auto-to-manual swap.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
Mostly for a little extra ground clearance. I haven't looked into it any though, is there a negative side to such a swap?
EDIT: Thanks! I do love that old truck, and I want to make it nice.
And let's not forget that I'll have to get the AC working too.
EDIT: Thanks!
I do love that old truck, and I want to make it nice.And let's not forget that I'll have to get the AC working too.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 6
From: Bay Area, Unfortunately
Yeah, they work great for lifted 4x4's, but you would need to deal with pinion angles and such, along with the fact you would need a different ring and pinion. I think the rest of the plans sound great.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
Oh. Maybe it's not the best idea for me then. Do you have to mess with that stuff if you just put in a Detroit locker or limited slip?
Thanks I'll probably be a number of years getting all this stuff done, but eventually I'll get it done. Then again, is a truck project ever actually "finished"? :P
I just got to thinking last night, if I go from having a C6 to a T18 on a longbed truck, the driveshaft is going to end up being pretty darn long. From the pics I've seen, the T18 is like a third of the length of a C6. :|
Thanks
I'll probably be a number of years getting all this stuff done, but eventually I'll get it done. Then again, is a truck project ever actually "finished"? :PI just got to thinking last night, if I go from having a C6 to a T18 on a longbed truck, the driveshaft is going to end up being pretty darn long. From the pics I've seen, the T18 is like a third of the length of a C6. :|
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 2
well, glad the bearings were ok. I would have thought they would have run out of grease after 8 years.
I know all about bald tires, my P71 vic has 4 of them.
I slide it daily, about half the time I am trying not to and it does it anyway. lol
$176 per tire, and I go though them really fast.
I know all about bald tires, my P71 vic has 4 of them.
I slide it daily, about half the time I am trying not to and it does it anyway. lol
$176 per tire, and I go though them really fast.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
It bugs me when I see mechanics on TV wearing latex gloves when working on stuff like bearings and whatnot. I remember this one car show on the DIY channel on DirecTV where a guy was restoring an early Corvette, and this guy would wear latex gloves when he was working on just about everything. Change the carb, gloves on. Change the fuel pump, gloves on. Change plug wires, I bet he'd have them gloves on. lol
If you're working with precision parts in the motor I can understand not wanting to contaminate them, but still, a little bearing grease or gasoline won't hurt you. Shoot, I've used a parts washer before that had a mix of gasoline and diesel fuel in it, and I coulda had a fit over putting my hands in that, but nope, I just got to work and cleaned up the parts that needed it. When I was done it got my hands squeaky clean too!
If you're working with precision parts in the motor I can understand not wanting to contaminate them, but still, a little bearing grease or gasoline won't hurt you. Shoot, I've used a parts washer before that had a mix of gasoline and diesel fuel in it, and I coulda had a fit over putting my hands in that, but nope, I just got to work and cleaned up the parts that needed it. When I was done it got my hands squeaky clean too!