WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Jstitts]

9 years!?!?!? Wow! Has it really been that long?

Are you bringing the truck to the show on the 16th? Don't forget the dinner the night before for forum members.

And yes, you shoulda bought way back then. Those parts aren't being made any more and there are fewer in the wild than earlier.

I finish a training class 9/8 and then I'm fair game to go back out in the field.

If I'm home I'll be there!

And at least 9! possibly even more.

Been too long, that's for sure.

[Gary Lewis]

I finish a training class 9/8 and then I'm fair game to go back out in the field.

If I'm home I'll be there!

And at least 9! possibly even more.

Been too long, that's for sure.

Hope you can make it. Let me know as we get closer as I need to make a count for the Mac's BBQ on Friday night.

[351FUN]

Jeff - While I like the plastic ones I've found that almost all of the used ones I've seen are broken. And apparently that is because if you are standing outside the truck and the door swings shut the pocket is the first thing to hit your legs. That puts a lot of force along the top edge of the pocket where it is weakest and it cracks.

I've repaired & upgraded some of them by epoxying a strip of metal under the top lip, laid in horizontally where it cannot be seen but offers considerable strength. I've not done it on new ones but vowed I would if I found new ones.

So the truck has been at a friend's house since last week. My apartment had several cars broken into and one stolen, and a beatiful dodge flatbed had the dash torn apart trying to steal it too. I haven't been able to get it to start so I had it towed where I could work on it, and today was my first day off so I got started with the basics because 15 years of heavy industrial maintenance taught me the clues are important but not to only follow them, check everything. Quickly found I was not getting fuel, chased it back and the mechanical pump had failed in a way that it was also blocking the electric booster pump. Just pure coincidence on the timing. Bypassed it and it's running great, but again I had no brakes. I went and got the calipers and pads I had already bought and decided to swap them out now. What suprised me was the old pads look almost new. It makes sense with it being a somewhat light truck with brakes rated for 8600#+ GVWR that never tows anything. I left the old pads on for now until it's time to do rotors, but at this rate that's a long way off.

[Jstitts]

Jim - Cool! I want pics as that may be the way I go.

As for what I did with, not to, my truck today - drove it to 16 places in "my little town", to borrow a Paul Simon phrase. I was taking the flier for the get-together around, and I got them posted in 14 of those places. But it took me almost two hours as I got into several conversations about trucks.

In fact, I think I recruited someone for this forum today. DeWayne, from Skiatook Auto Parts, if you are reading this you found the right place.

However, going to 16 different places meant a lot of low-speed turns, and I noticed a repeated clunk as I was turning. Seemed like it was pretty much straight ahead of the driver, and happened as I was changing directions with the steering. Guess I need to check things out. Maybe the frame at the steering box, or a rivet, or.... Wish I knew where there was a TSB on that.

Pretty sure my a/c blower module has been broken the entire time I've had the 2011 (10 years).

Finally got around to google'n the issue, and today I replaced the blower module!

Wild how much better full blast is than level 2! I just thought the a/c was poorly made. Just the module!

[Gary Lewis]

Pretty sure my a/c blower module has been broken the entire time I've had the 2011 (10 years).

Finally got around to google'n the issue, and today I replaced the blower module!

Wild how much better full blast is than level 2! I just thought the a/c was poorly made. Just the module!

Why would you need anything more than 2 here in Okiehoma?

Anyway, glad you got it fixed, and so easily.

[Shorty]

Why would you need anything more than 2 here in Okiehoma?

Anyway, glad you got it fixed, and so easily.

Ordered a replacement grille for a hundred bucks. Current grille has a couple of cracks and I'm stockpiling shiny new bits to put on after I get this thing painted. Hope it arrives as depicted in the listing photo ('80-'81 style without oval).

 

[Shorty]

Ordered a replacement grille for a hundred bucks. Current grille has a couple of cracks and I'm stockpiling shiny new bits to put on after I get this thing painted. Hope it arrives as depicted in the listing photo ('80-'81 style without oval).

Installed my Ebay used but good ashtray to replace cracked original. A lot of money for something I'll never use but it has bugged me for a while.

 

[ARM Ashby]

Installed my Ebay used but good ashtray to replace cracked original. A lot of money for something I'll never use but it has bugged me for a while.

Replaced upper and lower steering shaft bearings.

[Frank Wyatt]

I have had a few other bullnoses with the plastic ones, and I think they just got old and brittle and broke when pushed on with a foot.

When searching for some used ones, there was one carpeted pair on eBay (tan color).

Not that I don’t like them, but my «as close as stock» sickness made me hesitate… and you should not hesitate too long about rare items.

After 3-4 days, they were sold.

Since I consider that it will be very useful for my road trip, I finally ordered these plastic repro.

You are right, I am wondering about their fragility.

My new engine is in the truck, in fact since last Thursday. I have been sort of piddling along but I did get out there today and finished the things I could do until I get the head back from the machine shop. Speaking of which I am waiting on the second head as the original head, which came from my truck had cracks in five of the six exhaust seats and was unusable. The salvage yard where I usually get my used parts from wanted me to buy a whole engine, so the guy doing the head gave me a number of a fellow he thought might have one. One phone call later I went and took a look at what he had and we made a deal for $100 and I got my tools from the house and went and pulled a head from a 1968 F 100. I got it off and turned it over and it was the head from a 240 CI that I was wanting. So far this one isn't cracked and will be getting new exhaust seats installed.

[Gary Lewis]

My new engine is in the truck, in fact since last Thursday. I have been sort of piddling along but I did get out there today and finished the things I could do until I get the head back from the machine shop. Speaking of which I am waiting on the second head as the original head, which came from my truck had cracks in five of the six exhaust seats and was unusable. The salvage yard where I usually get my used parts from wanted me to buy a whole engine, so the guy doing the head gave me a number of a fellow he thought might have one. One phone call later I went and took a look at what he had and we made a deal for $100 and I got my tools from the house and went and pulled a head from a 1968 F 100. I got it off and turned it over and it was the head from a 240 CI that I was wanting. So far this one isn't cracked and will be getting new exhaust seats installed.

That's great! The smaller combustion chambers will raise the compression ratio a bit and give the engine a bit more torque.