WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Gary Lewis]

Gary my diesel was insanely loud. I know exactly what you are talking about with the highway noise wearing on you. I never minded the short runs, but long road trips without even being able to hold a conversation really sucked. That is one thing I am going to fix during my build. When I drove Jan’s truck to Cali it was blissful compared to mine so I know it can be done.

If you are interested in quantifying your gains as far as cabin noise, download the app called NIOSH SLM. That uses your phone’s microphone to establish an instantaneous noise level in decibels. It is used to monitor noise exposure levels in the work place. I wish I had a before and after reading on my diesel, but I can at least see where I end up compared to my Jetta or ‘81 straight six. Just something fun to play with, and maybe compare before and after the ZF swap or sound deadening efforts.

I'm downloading the app now. I have another sound level meter app on the phone, but it is more for tuning speaker systems. This one says:

"The NIOSH Sound Level Meter mobile application is a tool to measure sound levels in the workplace and provide noise exposure parameters to help reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss."

That should be just about right for checking the noise level in the cab. Wish I'd have tested before replacing the glass run and anti-rattle strips, as that is probably the biggest change I'll see. But, now I can check for future gains, which will include mufflers, door weather stripping, door sound absorption and deadening, and a headliner - which I removed due to the rain of yuk I was feeling.

Thanks!

[Gary Lewis]

I'm downloading the app now. I have another sound level meter app on the phone, but it is more for tuning speaker systems. This one says:

"The NIOSH Sound Level Meter mobile application is a tool to measure sound levels in the workplace and provide noise exposure parameters to help reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss."

That should be just about right for checking the noise level in the cab. Wish I'd have tested before replacing the glass run and anti-rattle strips, as that is probably the biggest change I'll see. But, now I can check for future gains, which will include mufflers, door weather stripping, door sound absorption and deadening, and a headliner - which I removed due to the rain of yuk I was feeling.

Thanks!

I did get the iPhone set up to play through the radio - and it sounds GOOD! In addition I got the shutoff valve in the heater hose so the incoming air won't be heated. But, since it will get below freezing tonight I may want to leave it on for the trip over on Tuesday.

I also got things set up so I can align the headlights tonight. They've been atrocious since I got the truck, and there's a chance I'll have to drive after dark on this trip, so I need to align them. Given that I lined the truck up with the garage door, measured over for each headlight, and dropped down 2 3/4" for the 36 1/2' it is away from the door. (Supposed to be 2" for 25'.) We shall see how it goes.

[Gary Lewis]

I did get the iPhone set up to play through the radio - and it sounds GOOD! In addition I got the shutoff valve in the heater hose so the incoming air won't be heated. But, since it will get below freezing tonight I may want to leave it on for the trip over on Tuesday.

I also got things set up so I can align the headlights tonight. They've been atrocious since I got the truck, and there's a chance I'll have to drive after dark on this trip, so I need to align them. Given that I lined the truck up with the garage door, measured over for each headlight, and dropped down 2 3/4" for the 36 1/2' it is away from the door. (Supposed to be 2" for 25'.) We shall see how it goes.

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men. I did get the passenger's side headlight adjusted. But, one of the adjusting screws in the driver's side headlight bucket isn't in the slot and I couldn't get that one adjusted. Hopefully it won't be too cold nor wet tomorrow afternoon and I can pull things apart and either put the screw in the slot or replace whatever is bad.

[BeagleRock]

Brandon was over yesterday while I was installing the passenger's door panel and asked if I was going to install a vapor barrier. The answer was "not right now" as I was pushing to get both doors done yesterday before company came last night - and I made it. But I'll have to go back and install a vapor barrier at some point, which will probably be when I replace the door panels themselves to get rid of the 6x9's as well as the flaking paint. As for the butchered door, the braces in there now do a fair job of providing support, although I can probably do better when the time comes.

But I'm so happy that I installed the glass runs and anti-rattle strips. The upcoming ~250 round trip to get the French truck will now be so much more pleasant. It is amazing how tiring it is to have the constant noise, and with the big gaps in the window runs Big Blue had lots of noise. But, while yesterday's upgrade helped a whole lot, there's more to go as the sound insulation on the back of the door panels is missing. So, when I do go back into the doors I'll replace that as well as apply some sound deadening to the inside of the doors.

But yesterday's change was such a huge step that now it is worthwhile listening to the radio. So maybe I can figure out how to connect my phone to the radio so I'm not depending on radio reception. That and aligning the headlights is about all I can think of to do before the trip this coming week.

Gary is your Radio a Ford or aftermarket .The reason I ask is because Ford radios even when broken will pick up stations the wife's Fusion won't no joke!

 

[BeagleRock]

I'm on a kick to clean things up and put them away in the shop - so I can at least turn around. So, today I put the VV carb on its throne - that's it right in the middle of the pic in my Standard Motor Products carb cabinet: (Thanks, Randy)

And, I got the wiring harnii sorted into totes and labeled. Wow! That's a lot of stuff!

[Gary Lewis]

Gary is your Radio a Ford or aftermarket .The reason I ask is because Ford radios even when broken will pick up stations the wife's Fusion won't no joke!

It is a Sony. Sounds good, but I don't know what the reception will be on the run to/from Grove, so want alternate music.

[FuzzFace2]

It is a Sony. Sounds good, but I don't know what the reception will be on the run to/from Grove, so want alternate music.

3/26:

Last night I ordered poly bushings for the front suspension and KYB shocks for all 4 corners.

Today the axle beams I now need to use I left outside after I used a torch to get the old king pins out as I did not know I would need to use them.

You know what happens when heated metal sits outside for months? Yep it rusts up so the pin bores & lock pin holes had to be cleaned so the pins would fit again.

So what do you use to clean rust from a 1" hole and keep it round and a tight fit to the pin? A wheel cly hone and a little PB Blaster of course. Took little time to clean the bores so the king pins fit again.

For the locking pins I had a round wire brush that fit in my drill and a hand reamer. Both made short work so the lock pins fit.

Also took a flat file to the ends where the pins fit as they also rusted up.

I still need to clean them and knock what is left of the bushings out, paint and when I get the poly bushing I can then install.

Hope this weekend if I get the parts.

3/31:

Well did not get done what I wanted to.

I got the bushings Friday other than radius arm as they are back ordered.

The directions say to burn the rubber out keeping the outer shell so I soaked the old bushings in gas over night.

Put spark to them and up in flames they went. Little screw driver to poke & push and the rubber was gone.

Did some cleaning of the beams before I installed the spindles and new king pins...........this is where it turned to crap!

First the new bushings that were pressed into the spindles where pushed too far to the beam side so you could not get the bearing or shims on.

So using hand files I fixed that part, had to do both bushings on both spindles.

Then crap #2 showed up. Looked like the machine shop reamed each bushing to fit the pin but never reamed both to be parallel so the pin would fit 1 bushing or the other but not fit thru the spindles!

The way I fixed that was to take a brake cly hone that I used to clean the rust out of the beam bores to the bushings.

At this time is when I also found I can not install the seals because the bushings are in too far. There should have been a pocket for the seals to fit in at the top of the beam & spindles.

It took a long time to get the first one done and I fell it is still too tight and going to pull it apart and hone it some more.

The 2nd assy. went faster and I was able to push the pin almost all the way thru. It will turn with just the weight of the spindle unlike the other one.

I hoped to have the spindles on the beams and the beams / spindles painted today so tomorrow I could install the bushings, did not get more grease, and in the truck.

And with all that I found a dent in 1 of the fenders close to a painted edge I thought was ready for paint.

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

3/26:

Last night I ordered poly bushings for the front suspension and KYB shocks for all 4 corners.

Today the axle beams I now need to use I left outside after I used a torch to get the old king pins out as I did not know I would need to use them.

You know what happens when heated metal sits outside for months? Yep it rusts up so the pin bores & lock pin holes had to be cleaned so the pins would fit again.

So what do you use to clean rust from a 1" hole and keep it round and a tight fit to the pin? A wheel cly hone and a little PB Blaster of course. Took little time to clean the bores so the king pins fit again.

For the locking pins I had a round wire brush that fit in my drill and a hand reamer. Both made short work so the lock pins fit.

Also took a flat file to the ends where the pins fit as they also rusted up.

I still need to clean them and knock what is left of the bushings out, paint and when I get the poly bushing I can then install.

Hope this weekend if I get the parts.

3/31:

Well did not get done what I wanted to.

I got the bushings Friday other than radius arm as they are back ordered.

The directions say to burn the rubber out keeping the outer shell so I soaked the old bushings in gas over night.

Put spark to them and up in flames they went. Little screw driver to poke & push and the rubber was gone.

Did some cleaning of the beams before I installed the spindles and new king pins...........this is where it turned to crap!

First the new bushings that were pressed into the spindles where pushed too far to the beam side so you could not get the bearing or shims on.

So using hand files I fixed that part, had to do both bushings on both spindles.

Then crap #2 showed up. Looked like the machine shop reamed each bushing to fit the pin but never reamed both to be parallel so the pin would fit 1 bushing or the other but not fit thru the spindles!

The way I fixed that was to take a brake cly hone that I used to clean the rust out of the beam bores to the bushings.

At this time is when I also found I can not install the seals because the bushings are in too far. There should have been a pocket for the seals to fit in at the top of the beam & spindles.

It took a long time to get the first one done and I fell it is still too tight and going to pull it apart and hone it some more.

The 2nd assy. went faster and I was able to push the pin almost all the way thru. It will turn with just the weight of the spindle unlike the other one.

I hoped to have the spindles on the beams and the beams / spindles painted today so tomorrow I could install the bushings, did not get more grease, and in the truck.

And with all that I found a dent in 1 of the fenders close to a painted edge I thought was ready for paint.

Dave ----

Ouch! The dent hurts. But at least you found it before you painted it.

As for the bushings, does the pin still fit nicely after honing? My worry would be that you may make them too large just to get the two to align. But if the pin fits nicely then perhaps not.

All in all, it seems like it is six steps forward and three backward. The back-steps always happen, but to have three happen in one go has to be rough. Hang in there!

[FuzzFace2]

Ouch! The dent hurts. But at least you found it before you painted it.

As for the bushings, does the pin still fit nicely after honing? My worry would be that you may make them too large just to get the two to align. But if the pin fits nicely then perhaps not.

All in all, it seems like it is six steps forward and three backward. The back-steps always happen, but to have three happen in one go has to be rough. Hang in there!

That dent did hurt when I found it but as you said best now and not when I was putting the paint on.

I too was worried about the pin & bushing fitment but I had a hard time trying to turn the spindle. So much so I was thinking if I left it and got the truck on the road the wheels would not come back to center if you were in a turn and let go of the wheel.

When I road tested the truck before I bought it I did not know the pins were frozen. I let go of the wheel and it did not re-center and almost ended up in a ditch!

Other than honing of the bushings like I did I would have had to buy a new set and find another machine shop, few of them around here, or tell them how to do their job and at $100 for pin kit and $75 for the machine work that was not going to happen.

I guess you can say I think I took the lesser of the 2 evils?

Once on the road I will keep an eye on them and if they get too bad either replace them or find a newer front suspension that uses ball joints. Then I could also go with DJM drop beams.

Dave ----

[Gary Lewis]

Ouch! The dent hurts. But at least you found it before you painted it.

As for the bushings, does the pin still fit nicely after honing? My worry would be that you may make them too large just to get the two to align. But if the pin fits nicely then perhaps not.

All in all, it seems like it is six steps forward and three backward. The back-steps always happen, but to have three happen in one go has to be rough. Hang in there!

That dent did hurt when I found it but as you said best now and not when I was putting the paint on.

I too was worried about the pin & bushing fitment but I had a hard time trying to turn the spindle. So much so I was thinking if I left it and got the truck on the road the wheels would not come back to center if you were in a turn and let go of the wheel.

When I road tested the truck before I bought it I did not know the pins were frozen. I let go of the wheel and it did not re-center and almost ended up in a ditch!

Other than honing of the bushings like I did I would have had to buy a new set and find another machine shop, few of them around here, or tell them how to do their job and at $100 for pin kit and $75 for the machine work that was not going to happen.

I guess you can say I think I took the lesser of the 2 evils?

Once on the road I will keep an eye on them and if they get too bad either replace them or find a newer front suspension that uses ball joints. Then I could also go with DJM drop beams.

Dave ----

Dave - That sounds like a good plan.

As for what I did, Big Blue now has an adjustable driver's side headlight and a horn that works. The problem with the headlight was that two of the three Nylon pads were gone so it was the metal of the headlight bucket to the metal of the radiator support. And since both were a bit rusty there was no sliding. I have spare pads so replaced the two missing ones. And, I lubricated them as well as all of the screws with aluminum anti-seize. That way nothing is going to seize and the bucket rotates easily during adjustment.

And, while I was in there I pulled the horn, which has been anemic. (We pulled up at the Pizza Hut drive through the other day and no one was manning it. So I tried honking the horn and it was so pathetic no one came. ) With the auxiliary battery you can't get the horn out except through one of the holes in the radiator support just below the headlight. So, in spite of the temp being right at freezing I decided today was the day.

I originally thought I'd use one of the horns from Huck, but it turns out the bracket on Big Blue's horn has a right angle in it that none of my spare horns have, so they won't work. So I squirted ignition drying spray into the horn and tried it a few times. After the liquid finally got to the points the horn started working quite well, and I put it back in.

Later tonight I'll finish adjusting the headlights and Big Blue will be ready for the outing on Tuesday.