The dummy and the diesel.........The Grey Whale

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Today did not get "as far" as I'd hoped. Both knuckle U joints kicked my a$$. I don't think I've ever had so much trouble. The C clips are quite thin and offer little purchase, and all of them were pretty rusted/ stuck in place. Plus, the machining of the yoke makes a "ledge" where the ends of the clip can end up offering little purchase to get ahold of. I finally got the plasma and cut them out of the one yoke. AND the Moog C clips are longer than what was in there, and on one yoke the ends were too long to clear the machined ledge. I had to remove the clip and grind the open ends shorter.

I did get the knuckles / ball joints off, and tomorrow will attack changing all 4 ball joints

AND I FOUND MY really really "tough" little wire brush. This is a small wire brush, perhaps 3-4"? that fits an angle grinder, and it has the twisted "cable" type wire so it is TOUGH I got the faces of the old rotors pretty well clean, and may be able to use them yet!!!

If so this will save me nearly 200 bux

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67Dart273 said:
Today did not get "as far" as I'd hoped. Both knuckle U joints kicked my a$$. I don't think I've ever had so much trouble. The C clips are quite thin and offer little purchase, and all of them were pretty rusted/ stuck in place. Plus, the machining of the yoke makes a "ledge" where the ends of the clip can end up offering little purchase to get ahold of. I finally got the plasma and cut them out of the one yoke. AND the Moog C clips are longer than what was in there, and on one yoke the ends were too long to clear the machined ledge. I had to remove the clip and grind the open ends shorter.

I did get the knuckles / ball joints off, and tomorrow will attack changing all 4 ball joints

AND I FOUND MY really really "tough" little wire brush. This is a small wire brush, perhaps 3-4"? that fits an angle grinder, and it has the twisted "cable" type wire so it is TOUGH I got the faces of the old rotors pretty well clean, and may be able to use them yet!!!

If so this will save me nearly 200 bux

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Love the u joint removal. lol
 
First time in my life I've ever done that. They were "in" there and those are BIG joints.
 
Todays "big fight" with the first ball joints. Of COURSE none of the "adapters" in the Horrid Freight "ball joint press" fit anything, good thing I have tons of ****.
That big socket? I just had it with a bunch of junk I bought at a garage sale or whatever, it's 1" drive, and was "perfect" for the removal tool for the bottom ball

Wind is "up" and it's blowing in dark thick clouds FAST. I expect it to rain "any second". Precip forcast is suppost to "ramp up" about 6PM but you know how THAT goes.

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Below, this old socket is 1" drive. The ratchet and impact are 3/4 drive, "for size"
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Just got in about 5:45 and it is DARK. First, the bad news

1...My back is frickin' hammered. I am thinking about taking a hydrocodone, of which I have some "from another time."
2...The God Damned Spicer engineers who "engineered" the axle seals should be SHOT. The seal on the driver side requires pulling the ring/ differential/ carrier. For anyone who's ever worked on a Dana 60 you know what fun THAT is.

the "deal" is, the axle in the tube is open to grit, sand, grime, mud, whatever else "bad" you can think of. So I devised a "tool" (which also served as part of the driver to remove the pass. side seal) and my theory was that I'd open up the axle disconnect / actuator cavity, and this would allow air to flow for the vacuum. The tube is simply "sorta" sharpened on one end, and the shop vac hose in the other. The theory was to gently scrape the inside of the tube and knock dirt loose while the vac sucks it all in. Worked like a CHAMP on the pass side, got DIRT INTO THE AXLE SPLINES on the driver side. At the least, I'll have to pull the cover and flush out the housing. At the worst, the ring/ carrier/ differential will have to come out.

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The GOOD news.........I got a hell of a lot done today

The axle U joints are done, the ball joints are all changed, and I got both bare knuckles hung, the pass side axle seal replaced, and that axle installed.

I still have to figure out how to flush the dirt out of the driver side seal area. Having done that, I can work on installing the (old) rotors to the new bearing hubs and getting them into the lathe--if I can find it

Also got the tie rod and drag link "loosely" hung, of course they will have to be adjusted, and may have to come off--if I have to open up the differential

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Yet another magic junk piece from the big bucket of mystery puller parts.
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Pass side axle disconnect port. Pulling the seal into place with a modified HF bushing driver puck
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Turned down a HF bushing driver puck to act as a seal installer. 1/2" threaded rod, I didn't even have to cut it!!
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RustyRatRod said:
I have a friend who's the head engine guy at the Chevy dealer in Macon. For some time now, the only way to do serious engine work on the newer trucks is to remove the cab. They had a rash of camshaft/lifter issues and that's the only way around it. He's posted so many of those type jobs on Facebook, I've lost count. I cannot imagine what customer pay would be on that job. lol
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They told a guy I worked for that had a newer Ford 10k for labor.... cab lift off to r and r mill
 
67Dart273 said:
Geez Chrysler/ Dodge/ Fiat/ Peougot/ FCA/ Stellantis can't you spend a BIT more time at the frickin design computer? Went to swap my decent 2WD wheels and tires off the front to the "new" axle under the "new" frame and they HIT THE STEERING ARMS on the axle!!! Everything is 16" tires so I don't know WTF "Ma" couldn't have checked with the 2WD dept. and the 4WD dept. to make sure they were using the same "numbers!!!"
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Different offset?
 
Dammit Del, you just keep climbing one mountain after another.
 
Ironracer said:
So you just had to switch the tires over? Tires, like everything else these days, are getting stupid prices
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I haven't yet. I have different wheels and tires, but the tires that are on the "wheels that fit" are the lighter duty versions. They will be safe enough "empty" but I would not want to horse around fully loaded. Next spring I will likely do something different.
 
67Dart273 said:
I haven't yet. I have different wheels and tires, but the tires that are on the "wheels that fit" are the lighter duty versions. They will be safe enough "empty" but I would not want to horse around fully loaded. Next spring I will likely do something different.
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Got that. So you need like 12 ply LTs? Or better?
 
Ironracer said:
Got that. So you need like 12 ply LTs? Or better?
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Yeh I think so. I forget what is on the second set, but I had determined they were more like SUV so 1/2 tonnish. I've forgotten the actual rating. Of course I can "mis match" the originals and run them on the rear for now
 
Came in for a break it's noon

Got the old but good rotors installed on the new bearing hubs, just about the far out limit of the toy HF 12T press.

Managed to get the old Ammco brake lathe dug out and working. I don't have a chatter strap anymore, so I used an old touring bike tube. One rotor still has a "track" on the inboard side but that won't hurt anything. I'm thinking about throwing a tarp over the truck hood. Weather is about "lucked out." Raining to beat hell, and this time next week they are predicting a HIGH of about 17F. That is right!! SEVENTEEN ABOVE ZERO F!!!

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Came in at 4PM, miserable, 39F and drippy rainy muddy. WHY am I pushing? Because the temp is now BELOW seasonal average and gonna get colder, and expecting snow this weekend, AND about this time next week, the projected HIGH is about SEVENTEEN F!!!
Got the rotors/ hubs hung, and did not get a photo, but got one caliper hung as well. LOTS of fun working under a drippy tarp!!!
And no, I didn't forget the nuts and cotter keys on the steering!!! I had to drop that so I could turn the knuckle to tighten / torque the hub bearing bolts

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Just got in about 4:30. Threatened rain all day, a couple of sprinkles, had an honest shower near 5PM. Tomorrow supposed to be "dry." Wx is deteriorating and trending colder, we are now some 10F below "average" where just days ago we were more than that "above!"
Got the front axle all together and tires on "permanent" I hope, except anti-sway bar is not installed. Bled power steering, brakes are all plumbed. Pulled fuel sender and YUP!!! float was bound up on side of tank. The outlet and connector both swivel in gromments on the top of sender which "threw me off" for clock orientation. 10 minute job.
I had a HELL of a time yesterday, my suction gun would NOT handle cold, stiff 85-140 gear oil for the front axle. So today I buzzed down to "St Vinneys" thrift and paid 2.50 (half price sale!!) for a weed sprayer. Flushed it out and ----but bad side is internal pickup tube is VERY small. I need to "improve" that. I just pumped it up and lit it dribble
Got the steering shock changed.

Major stuff left..........Bleed brakes, install box, Re-install rear harness and tail lamps, adjust toe and check caster, center steering, come up with some sort of transfer case shifter, front drive shaft, bumpers, front receiver

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Heck yeah Del! You're knockin it on out now!
 
Great progress. I did notice the weather next week in CDA is going to be brutal. Getting cold over the weekend, snow Monday and overnight temps in the teens….. brrrrr!
Sure wished you had her running Del, you could try her out in the snow!
 
Today was an "interestin" day. not much on the diesel EXCEPT it moves under power and I "fixed" an example of complete stupidity.
Spent most of the day tarping the unfinished Valiant, and the boat. I had been thinking "why" didn't the Cummins seem quite right, and got to thinking. So I pulled the intake elbow off, and sure enough, here sits a second towel ON THE GRID HEATER
l didn't get in until 5:30, it's supposed to rain/ snow and blow to beat hell tonight and tomorrow.
Got the bed hung from the hoist and the truck "rough" backed in under it. NO BRAKES!!!! except parking brake, I still need to bleed them. I got under before letting the truck down, and locked the transfer into 4W low (no front shaft) to make it easier to control moving

Below, the towel "I didn't see" ---I pulled one out--and this was sitting on the grid heater

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"Rough" backed in under the bed which is hanging from the hoist
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It moves!!! No brakes!!! (parking brake works!!!) No front shaft, it's in 4WD LOW
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