WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Gary Lewis]

I have documented it, just not here. I think it was covered pretty well on FTE.

Wasn't my truck. Instead, it was my neighbor's Jimmy. He ordered in a "bed bar" from Go Rhino that looks essentially like the one below. However, it also has on top of it an electrically-controlled light bar. With a push of a button the lights lay down.

Anyway, we got it all unpacked and started installing it, only to discover that the left rear "leg", the one closest to you in the picture, was the wrong part. In fact, instead of pointing down as the right one does, it pointed up. What had happened was they'd sent two right rear legs. Boy was he bummed! You wouldn't think that a boxed system would have wrong parts in it, but it sure did.

However, I gotta tell you that a "bed bar" and a "headache rack" are very, VERY different things. The legs bolt onto the cross piece with 3/8" bolts - one per leg. Compare that with the headache rack Hamm0ckjames is selling here, where he says "The rails are 4x4x1\4 angle iron, the pipe headache rack part is 2 inch pipe and the square tubing is 1 1\4."

[85lebaront2]

Wasn't my truck. Instead, it was my neighbor's Jimmy. He ordered in a "bed bar" from Go Rhino that looks essentially like the one below. However, it also has on top of it an electrically-controlled light bar. With a push of a button the lights lay down.

Anyway, we got it all unpacked and started installing it, only to discover that the left rear "leg", the one closest to you in the picture, was the wrong part. In fact, instead of pointing down as the right one does, it pointed up. What had happened was they'd sent two right rear legs. Boy was he bummed! You wouldn't think that a boxed system would have wrong parts in it, but it sure did.

However, I gotta tell you that a "bed bar" and a "headache rack" are very, VERY different things. The legs bolt onto the cross piece with 3/8" bolts - one per leg. Compare that with the headache rack Hamm0ckjames is selling here, where he says "The rails are 4x4x1\4 angle iron, the pipe headache rack part is 2 inch pipe and the square tubing is 1 1\4."

Well, someone got two left sides then, so it should get interesting.

[BeagleRock]

Wasn't my truck. Instead, it was my neighbor's Jimmy. He ordered in a "bed bar" from Go Rhino that looks essentially like the one below. However, it also has on top of it an electrically-controlled light bar. With a push of a button the lights lay down.

Anyway, we got it all unpacked and started installing it, only to discover that the left rear "leg", the one closest to you in the picture, was the wrong part. In fact, instead of pointing down as the right one does, it pointed up. What had happened was they'd sent two right rear legs. Boy was he bummed! You wouldn't think that a boxed system would have wrong parts in it, but it sure did.

However, I gotta tell you that a "bed bar" and a "headache rack" are very, VERY different things. The legs bolt onto the cross piece with 3/8" bolts - one per leg. Compare that with the headache rack Hamm0ckjames is selling here, where he says "The rails are 4x4x1\4 angle iron, the pipe headache rack part is 2 inch pipe and the square tubing is 1 1\4."

Although I have a severe case of bronchitis now and am on 2nd round of antibiotics, I thought I'd share last weekend's work. Installed new brake booster in hope's of correcting the ongoing vacuum leak. No dice! Better braking though so not a complete waste.

Installed a 3rd intake manifold gasket with success this time! Unfortunately it did not resolve the vac. leak either. Got a propane btl. And some half" fuel line and went hunting for leak. Bingo carb base area. Took off carb. Put new gaskets on top and bottom of spacer. Light bulb went off while putting carb back on. It has an ever so slight rock to it,but in my mind more than enough to let air in between the phenolic spacer. In other words it's warped! and all this time 3 different carbs,3 intake manifold gaskets, numerous brand new vacuum hoses etc. etc.

Now having said this, I won't be convinced of anything until I'm able to confident to drive it to next year's show!

Time for medicine and bed

[Gary Lewis]

Although I have a severe case of bronchitis now and am on 2nd round of antibiotics, I thought I'd share last weekend's work. Installed new brake booster in hope's of correcting the ongoing vacuum leak. No dice! Better braking though so not a complete waste.

Installed a 3rd intake manifold gasket with success this time! Unfortunately it did not resolve the vac. leak either. Got a propane btl. And some half" fuel line and went hunting for leak. Bingo carb base area. Took off carb. Put new gaskets on top and bottom of spacer. Light bulb went off while putting carb back on. It has an ever so slight rock to it,but in my mind more than enough to let air in between the phenolic spacer. In other words it's warped! and all this time 3 different carbs,3 intake manifold gaskets, numerous brand new vacuum hoses etc. etc.

Now having said this, I won't be convinced of anything until I'm able to confident to drive it to next year's show!

Time for medicine and bed

Yippee! I'll get to meet you next year!

But, I'm confused. What is warped? The phenolic spacer? Did new gaskets fix it?

And, hope you get well soon!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yippee! I'll get to meet you next year!

But, I'm confused. What is warped? The phenolic spacer? Did new gaskets fix it?

And, hope you get well soon!

I'm willing to bet the carb base is bent.

Bill says he used to see it all the time, and would fix it with a hammer.

But some 180-220 Wet-or-Dry and a surface plate will usually lap it in.

Even if it is the spacer.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm willing to bet the carb base is bent.

Bill says he used to see it all the time, and would fix it with a hammer.

But some 180-220 Wet-or-Dry and a surface plate will usually lap it in.

Even if it is the spacer.

I've used plate glass instead of a surface plate - 'cause I didn't have one. Worked perfectly.

[85lebaront2]

I'm willing to bet the carb base is bent.

Bill says he used to see it all the time, and would fix it with a hammer.

But some 180-220 Wet-or-Dry and a surface plate will usually lap it in.

Even if it is the spacer.

Jim, I never used a hammer on a carburetor base. Holleys I could simply order a new throttle body. The straighten with a hammer was primarily the accelerator pump cover on Holleys, but airhorns/top covers on Stromberg WWC and Carter BBD 1 1/2" carbs on Chrysler products. Depending on the carburetor, Holley, buy a new throttle body, even if you have to buy it bare and transfer the shafts. Carter/Edelbrock, remove the throttle shafts after normal disassembly and use a good hard, flat surface to sand it flat on. You may want to file the worst mounting ears first. Same for an Autolite, Summit or any other carburetor where the main body is also the throttle body. The wide spaced (called a spread flange) bolt pattern Ford and Holley use is very prone to warping the aluminum castings if a soft gasket or gasket stack is used. The Ford thick heat insulating gaskets and the phenolic spacers if they are not sufficiently rigid (non-compressible) at the hold down areas will warp the throttle body/base plate/main body if over tightened.

I have a nice chunk of granite left over from a backsplash a riding mower customer brought me, it was excess from a kitchen remodel.

[Danny G]

Ill be following your progress on this. I would like to put in an aftermarket PDC in mine as well. Found a couple for all different fuse/relay set ups but also for the plug and play fusible links via fusible link wires. Not only will repairs be easier, but troubleshooting as well.

Tell me more about the plug and play fusible links?

Bussman makes fusible links that look like little relays. They come in bladed, or stud mounted formats.

[Danny G]

Although I have a severe case of bronchitis now and am on 2nd round of antibiotics, I thought I'd share last weekend's work. Installed new brake booster in hope's of correcting the ongoing vacuum leak. No dice! Better braking though so not a complete waste.

Installed a 3rd intake manifold gasket with success this time! Unfortunately it did not resolve the vac. leak either. Got a propane btl. And some half" fuel line and went hunting for leak. Bingo carb base area. Took off carb. Put new gaskets on top and bottom of spacer. Light bulb went off while putting carb back on. It has an ever so slight rock to it,but in my mind more than enough to let air in between the phenolic spacer. In other words it's warped! and all this time 3 different carbs,3 intake manifold gaskets, numerous brand new vacuum hoses etc. etc.

Now having said this, I won't be convinced of anything until I'm able to confident to drive it to next year's show!

Time for medicine and bed

Things like this is why I am considering fabricating smoker.

[Gary Lewis]

Ill be following your progress on this. I would like to put in an aftermarket PDC in mine as well. Found a couple for all different fuse/relay set ups but also for the plug and play fusible links via fusible link wires. Not only will repairs be easier, but troubleshooting as well.

Tell me more about the plug and play fusible links?

Bussman makes fusible links that look like little relays. They come in bladed, or stud mounted formats.

Interesting! Do you know if they make a fusible link that plugs into an ATO or Maxi fuse slot? If so that would make the integration of the power distribution center even easier. Just replace a fuse with a fusible link in the PDC and cut out the fusible link in the wiring harness.

I'm Googling for them but haven't found them.