renjaminfrankln
Full Access Member
Hey guys
I made a deal today on a 6.9 IDI 4x4 with a C6 transmission. Pick it up later this week. If that falls through for some reason I am still in the market for an IDI truck.
I need something for mostly around-town use. I used to have an eco-boost F150 and a 8,000lb boat but those days are over, I have a budget of around 4k for a truck that can haul light loads and trailers around, plus the occasional 5-6,000lb load when I rent a piece of equipment or am pulling a tractor around (not often).
Anyway I have been doing a lot of homework and I think the IDI is perfect for what I want to do. I like fixing up old things and I have always wanted to own a diesel truck. It also seems smart from a practical standpoint. Any truck in my budget would be at least 20 years old and chasing down electrical gremlins and dealing with sensors/ecu's on an older gas vehicle is probably going to cause me more headache than the simple and reliable mechanical injection on these engines.
Couple questions -
I could not find a completely rust-free truck. The one I have a handshake deal on has some very minor rust in the rear panels right above the rear wheels. I'd like to fix that and prep the truck for a cheap Maaco paint job. This looks like a common rust spot for these trucks, wondering if anyone has tips for me. I figure I could grind the rust out, tack in some sheet metal behind the existing panel and then use bondo to fair it with the existing panels.
Steering slop - The truck has quite a bit of it. While I know that is normal for these older vehicles to develop, I don't mind replacing a pittman arm or tie rod. I haven't had a chance to find out where it is coming from, are there some common wear spots and are there any tutorials or threads on fixing these?
I'm sure i'll be back with more questions. There are a couple other minor issues with the truck but I think I have a handle on fixing them from reading the tech threads here.
I made a deal today on a 6.9 IDI 4x4 with a C6 transmission. Pick it up later this week. If that falls through for some reason I am still in the market for an IDI truck.
I need something for mostly around-town use. I used to have an eco-boost F150 and a 8,000lb boat but those days are over, I have a budget of around 4k for a truck that can haul light loads and trailers around, plus the occasional 5-6,000lb load when I rent a piece of equipment or am pulling a tractor around (not often).
Anyway I have been doing a lot of homework and I think the IDI is perfect for what I want to do. I like fixing up old things and I have always wanted to own a diesel truck. It also seems smart from a practical standpoint. Any truck in my budget would be at least 20 years old and chasing down electrical gremlins and dealing with sensors/ecu's on an older gas vehicle is probably going to cause me more headache than the simple and reliable mechanical injection on these engines.
Couple questions -
I could not find a completely rust-free truck. The one I have a handshake deal on has some very minor rust in the rear panels right above the rear wheels. I'd like to fix that and prep the truck for a cheap Maaco paint job. This looks like a common rust spot for these trucks, wondering if anyone has tips for me. I figure I could grind the rust out, tack in some sheet metal behind the existing panel and then use bondo to fair it with the existing panels.
Steering slop - The truck has quite a bit of it. While I know that is normal for these older vehicles to develop, I don't mind replacing a pittman arm or tie rod. I haven't had a chance to find out where it is coming from, are there some common wear spots and are there any tutorials or threads on fixing these?
I'm sure i'll be back with more questions. There are a couple other minor issues with the truck but I think I have a handle on fixing them from reading the tech threads here.