Project Big Red

[junk]

Yeah, your total looks fine to me. Especially with the purchase price in there. What do you think you got left? I'd have to run the numbers again, but I'm gonna be pushing 20K in my crewcab. And that's not counting the engine, transmission, or initial purchase price. Basically just the redo. It adds up quick.

 

[laserjock]

My estimate at completion with what is a complete new reman engine from promar with all the goodies is currently $20k. Again that's not counting any recovery from selling stuff off. My best guess at recovery from selling things off is $800-1000. Maybe more if I let one of the motors go and somebody wants the axles. If not, lots of scrap weight.

 

[laserjock]

Okay. I got the king pins out. I'm not sure now who gave me the advice on cutting around them but THANK YOU!!!

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It worked great. Trick seems to be cut down real close to the knuckle, then drive it on a little tighter, then it spun right out with the impact. First one took about 30 mins. Second one took 10.

Knocked the dust caps and bearing races out with a stroke of the air hammer.

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Lots of wire wheel and some POR metal prep later, I was ready to shoot some primer.

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Also hit some other parts I had cleaned and zinc plated.

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New painting rack is awesome. Wish I had built it a long time ago.

Next up, is to clean up the axles and spindles and shoot some primer on them then paint all of it. Also need to tear down the front spring packs. Then reassemble with new stuff.

 

[laserjock]

Update time!

Got the housing painted.

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Along with some other odds and ends.

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Front springs torn down, sandblasted and painted.

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Dana spicer fairy visited.

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Went to start reassembling the axle and realized the yoke is worn.

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The correct yoke (2-4-5301) is not available from spicer anymore. It was replaced by the newer version with the straps not u bolts. On the up side it gets rid of one ******* joint (the ubolt yokes use a 1330 joint with 2 different size caps). However, there is still one at the tcase. The newer one is considerably cheaper. Both are available from Yukon. Not sure which way I'm going to go on that yet.

In the mean time, the plastic pads are on order and the tie bolts for the front springs. Btw, they are also 7/16". I thought they were smaller. Wrong.

Next up is to get the stub shafts and knuckles etc cleaned up and painted. Get the spring packs back together and hung so I have more space again.

I set the rear axle under it. Pics of that soon. The ProComp blocks seem to be good. Looks like a straight line to the carrier bearing but we shall see.

More soon.

 

[War Wagon]

Just get a Speedi-Sleeve for your worn yoke. That will save you a little $$$.

 

[laserjock]

Update time. Picked up an intake hat.

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After 2 failed attempts to get the correct spring pad spacers from 4wheel parts, I finally gave up and bought a sheet of 0.625" nylon impregnated with moly sulfide and made my own.

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I put my front springs together complete with new wear pads and urethane bushings.

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The rest of the front axle parts.

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I bought the tough country UBolts for the front and they didn't fit very well so I had to make some relief cuts in the top plates to accommodate the radius of the bolts.

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Set the axle under the truck with the motorcycle jack.

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I bolted the axle up to the springs and then torqued the king pins. Unfortunately, I didn't take pics of that. Built torque multiplier 6 ft long and set the torque wrench to 125 making it 625 ft lbs.

I put the axles together with new ujoints. All was great until I broke one of the caps on my spicer joints.

Ended up getting a Moog joint to finish up. Put the spindles with dust covers and caliper brackets.

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More in a minute.

 

[laserjock]

I went ahead and stuck the hubs and rotors back on. The rotors are getting changed out. When I do that, I'll clean and paint them then install new bearings and seals.

And without further adieu...

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It's sitting on its wheels again for the first time since last fall.

Next up on the list is to torque all the bolts in the frame with a little loctite, then shoot some paint on the bolts for a little rust protection and get the tierod back on so that it will roll easy. Then starts the engine diagnostics to decide what's got to be done there and on to body work.

 

[junk]

Thats gotta feel good to have a rolling chassis again. Always impressive to see a nice clean chassis.

 

[laserjock]

Yes it does. I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen. Next big thing is actually a massive garage cleanup. I can't find anything. Now I can roll it out and actually sweep the floor.

 

[ifrythings]

Nice progess It's always a good feeling when everything goes from a pile of parts to a rolling chassie.

How the pinion angle on the rear diff with those lift block? I'm curious as my 250 2wd is exactly straight with the drive shaft with no blocks.

Did you get new dust sheilds for your dana 60? I've been trying to find them but they want 70 bucks each for tin foil

 

[laserjock]

I haven't put the driveshaft in to look at it but my eyeball says it will be pretty much a straight shot to the carrier bearing. As for the dust covers I got lucky. My donor truck was from TX/OK and they were in really good shape. I sandblasted and painted them but otherwise they were clean. I should have taken the time to zinc plate them but I got impatient. Yes they are pricey and they are really hard to find used. You might look at a set off a D50. The shape has to be fairly similar. The big difference is that the brake caliper holders are part of the ball joint knuckles as far as I can see. They may work but I'm not sure.

 

[laserjock]

So small update. I broke down and ordered new steering parts. All Moog parts. Drag links tierod ends and adjusters. Thanks mblaney for the part numbers.

I pulled the pitman arm off the d60 donor. Link to that adventure.

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showpost.php?p=814793

I went through and torqued all the frame parts with red loctite. That was a few hours.

I installed my new class 5 Curt hitch. I know a couple guys were looking at this hitch so I'll link this over to the towing thread on it. Essentially, it was drill the holes and bolt it up except for the back two bolts. The backing plates had to be modified to fit the frame rails and cross member.

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Here you can see what had to be ground off. They were zinc plated so dropped them in the bucket and replated them after I fitted both of them.

I had to open the holes up on the back of the frame. I used a step drill bit to open the existing 1/2" hole to 9/16" for the bigger bolts.

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I hung the hitch off of those bolts and marked the rest of the holes. Took it down and drilled 5/16" pilot holes then opened them up with the step bit. I got all the holes drilled and hung it on finger tight for now. Way easier to do this now than after everything is in the way.

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So now I'm at a cross roads. I can keep going and finish up the chassis with fuel tanks brakes and lines etc. Or I can roll the frame out and start the engine and body work. I'm leaning toward starting the body work because I'm afraid the weather is going to catch me before I get the paint done.

I want to get the motors out and compression test them and send for oil analysis. I may try to get that done this weekend just so I get an idea of what I have.

 

[junk]

I put that same hitch on my 93. Very nice hitch fits well. That is looking awesome.

I agree I would probably try to get the body work further along before the weather sets in. Wrenching in the cold is doable. Body work in the cold is a no go.

 

[laserjock]

Small update. After massive garage cleaning, I rolled the engine out of big red into the floor and pulled the gps and did a compression test.

Results are here:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showpost.php?p=815056

Long story short, I think it's reasonably solid, so in interest of trying to get paint on before it snows, I pushed it back into storage and scuffed the frame lightly to shoot another coat of black on it to catch som spots missed before and hit the fasteners so they don't rust so bad so fast. Now, I'm ready to tear into the cab. Priced sheet metal and about passed out. Should have went west and bought a clean truck. Dooh!!!

Lesson learned. Any suggestions for sheet metal parts other than lmc? I have found parts several places but shipping is usually the equalizer.

Going to pick up a crane and weld some lift points onto the cab because it was way to scary moving the cab by myself the last time with just the cherry picker. Here goes nothing!!

 

[Greg5OH]

id make my own. LMK sheet metal prices floored me too. I used a 16 gauge C channel as my rocker, and just fabbed my own A B and C foot pillars out of scrap. Took about a day to do all of em...on one side, i ssitll have to do the other side.