Damn dude!!! You make me feel lazy as hell!! Ol Red is looking way way better than before

 

Well today was craptacular.
Started off by finding a 6ft long by 3 inch diameter tree branch laying next to my daily driver and a nice dent on my roof.


I suppose it could have been worse and been my windshield but it still hurts.

Wrapped up the drivers side rear brakes and tossed in my HD rear axle shafts only to find neither my hubcentric spacers nor my stock alloys would fit with them. Ugh.

Then I dropped the y pipe. You know, the one I just installed. 😉 Spread the frame with a porta power and tossed the frame crossmember. Then I got to reinstall the y pipe. 🙄

My Jam nuts from RTE came in yesterday so I figured I'd were the night up with something easy by installing the track rod . Yeah right!!!! I was supposed to get 1 left and 1 right land thread nut. Well despite the R and L written on the nuts I received 2 right hand thread jam nuts!!!!! RTE is supposed to be sending me one tomorrow.


Just one of those days!!! 😁

 

That's the way to get after it. Sorry bout that branch.

Nice long weekend to get stuff done in between grilling and drinking beer!

 

Original BFG KO's? Treadwright?

 

It. Is. Alive.
Busy weekend but I got it on the road!!!! Got the brakes bled but they're still spongy, will have to have my assistant give me a hand tonight. Bled the clutch.
Installed the Harbor Freight winch and mounted the front bumper.

Mounted the HiLift to the front bumper.
Made up a D2 cruise ECU adapter.

Got the driver seat installed.
Installed the track rod using some jam nuts I was saving for another project. Thanks for nothing RTE!!!


First impressions driving. Quite a bit of smoke coming off the y-pipe. I'm guessing its oil/grease/etc and just needs to finish burning off. My steering is off, will need to adjust the rods to get everything lined up properly.
Shifting is good, except going from 1st to 2nd is trickier than anticipated. A bit of Googling reveals this is a pretty common problem and given that the R380 I put in was just used and not reconditioned I guess I'm ok with that. Still, I need to check the fluid level in the trans now that its been run and fluid has gone through the cooler lines.


My Bilstein shocks won't be here in time which pisses me off. They're on backorder and the ship date keeps getting pushed back. So I cancelled the order from Summit Racing and will most likely be getting some lowered upper front and rear mounts and run the existing OME shocks. Not ideal but at this point I need to start "going for done".
Still need to finish a bunch of other things like:
Spark plugs, and wires, temp gauge wiring/install, oil change, cargo area shelf, HD rear axles, passenger seat bottom and install, trans tunnel trim, etc.

 

Fish, I'm proud of ya. Gotta feel good to get er roll'n. That first gear thing actually turned me off on a 95 I replaced head gaskets on. The guy offered it to me and let me drive it a couple of days (cuz it was here at home I did the work). Never got the pattern down, pogo'd the damn thing all over to get it to relax into first, 2nd through 5th and reverse like liquid butter smooth. I knew it was a drop job and didn't have the ambition. From what I'm reading it's syncro tooth key on main shaft worn, I dunno.

 

Getting into first is pretty easy, even for my inexperienced clutch foot. Into second from first is tricky and second from third I haven't accomplished yet, LOL.

 

All the important external stuff is pretty much done now, with the exception of HD rear axle shafts. So I'm starting in on the interior to piece it back together.

Lots of wiring in the cargo area. PUMA compressor tucked in its new home. Used old shock bushings for rubber feet to dampen vibration.


Power distribution block taped up and secured. Wires running up to 12v socket and switch for compressor.


Trim back in place. Still have to pull it back off to mount a dog gaurd and shelf brackets.


Temp gauge up and running.


And someone asked about how the D2 resr seat locks into the floor.

 

Do you have room to get at the winch cable release ****/handle from above, or is it reachable from underneath?

Also, are you adding another battery? I've heard the amperage draw on those 12000 is pretty steep.

Anyhow, looks like you been pretty busy, keep up the good work.

Brian.

 

Have to give it the old reach-around from underneath to turn the freespool handle.
No second battery for now.
The HF winch was never part of my plan and just kind of a last minute acquisition. The MileMarker winch that was in there needed new cable, contactor, amd fairlead. And my Viking GS-9 winch with synthetic line was too wide to fit. If I end up keeping this truck I'll probably end up swapping out the bumpers and winch.
Good enough for now!! 😁