What did you do to your truck today? Chapter II

[paul blair]

Nice clean organized job You are doing Phil. Thanks for the pics...inspiration for us all.

[mike16]

I am sooooo desparate to find the correct firestone style "split rims" for my 68k20 that I drove all the way to Tucson to get just one. only 35 bucks but well thats what I did.

[NoStopN]

Originally Posted by mike16

I am sooooo desparate to find the correct firestone style "split rims" for my 68k20 that I drove all the way to Tucson to get just one. only 35 bucks but well thats what I did.

I swear that the one in the back of my truck isn't a split rim, just based upon the location of the valve stem. But now you've got me wondering. I'll double check that the next time I go outside.

[JustToxic]

Originally Posted by mike16

I am sooooo desparate to find the correct firestone style "split rims" for my 68k20 that I drove all the way to Tucson to get just one. only 35 bucks but well thats what I did.

If you wasn't in AZ I have 4 of them laying in my backyard.

[mikecaddy500]

My spare is one. The rest are off a dodge van. Most everybody wants to get rid of them.

[NoStopN]

I would want to be one of those people. Split rims may be period correct, but the danger isn't worth it to me.

[stevenfromtexas]

got a new fuel sending unit put in last night. nearly started crying in the fetal position in the corner of my garage trying to get my needle correct on the fuel gauge. finally figured out to pull the needle off and just move it to the correct "empty" position. all is good......

[Mts67C10K20]

Saturday I started my axle upgrade and 4w disk install
67 K20
D44 and corp 14 From a 76 K20

[mikecaddy500]

Nice looking truck

[mud.man.rj]

Nice 14 bolt swap w disc.
And split rims will split your skull open, way to easily like it did to my boss when I was 16 working in a garage, was chained to, took the top of his skull right off, my coworker put it back on and held it, he lived, got two plates and was never right after that, I never worked on one after that or our shop.
Mudman.

[Steeveedee]

I've done many a split rim tire repair. The training video is pretty gruesome. Just use the cage and you'll be fine. If it blows, you will need a couple less cups of coffee that day. And maybe a change of shorts...

[TCCGRIZ]

Originally Posted by Mts67C10K20

Saturday I started my axle upgrade and 4w disk install
67 K20
D44 and corp 14 From a 76 K20

What reared did you use . Looks good

[Mts67C10K20]

Thanks
It has its ruff edges but it's getting there

[rowdy11]

Agree. Fantastic looking truck. Love the Yellow brackets!

[VWNate1]

Never again for me ! .

Those things are deadly .

I remember watching one fellow fly through the air when a split rim blew .

Not everyone can afford a safety cage .

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

Never again for me ! .

Those things are deadly .

I remember watching one fellow fly through the air when a split rim blew .

Not everyone can afford a safety cage .

If one doesn't have the equipment, one has no business changing a split rim tire. This goes for a whole pile of automotive operations. I will admit to reaching under a suspended engine to free up some hardware in the past. I also know people who have had parts of their body crushed doing the same thing. I wised up while my luck still held.

[Boog]

One of my buddys worked at a service station, back when there were still some, working on one and it blew. It threw him across the bay and broke both his arms. He was lucky to have lived. There are many, many horror stories about those rims.
Or I should say many horror truths about those rims.
Original parts be damned. Be smart and leave them alone. They were discontinued for good reasons.

[VWNate1]

Steve ;

You must be young .

Decades ago when I was a Dealer mechanic no Dealer I ever saw had safety cages, the Mechanics just busted split rims on the shop floor .

Even the factory shop manuals don't mention any special safety precautions, I used chains & padlocks until I stopped doing them .

That's just how it was when split rims were standard equipments .

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

Steve ;

You must be young .

Decades ago when I was a Dealer mechanic no Dealer I ever saw had safety cages, the Mechanics just busted split rims on the shop floor .

Even the factory shop manuals don't mention any special safety precautions, I used chains & padlocks until I stopped doing them .

That's just how it was when split rims were standard equipments .

I'm 65 years young! I never mounted tires when I worked at Chevy dealers on and off from '70 until '72. I worked as a mechanic at a gas station after I got out of the US Navy in '76. We had the equipment to restrain the split ring wheels when inflating there.

[a1vintage69]

The BLZNCST got some wood grain trim today along with a pair of sport mirrors! man this really gave it the finishing touch.

[Jim Boy]

I just finished re&re the steering column. My shifter was getting harder and harder to manipulate. I had the thing out back in 2004 when I did the truck the first time. Over time and dusty roads crap builds up. As I am a grease nut and grease everything even if it doesn't move just in case it decides too, it won't hurt itself, the grease attracts particles. I had the truck in for paint back in the fall and they did a lot of media blasting, above the windshield and all over the engine compartment. When I got it back the stuff was in everything, wasn't too happy but a good job so can't complain eh! The shifter was hard to shift when I took it in and worse when it came back. We got a real cold snap and bingo no ticky no worky. I mean not an inch of movement in the shifter. I thought at first it was in the trany being so hard to shift. I disconnected the linkages and the shifter wouldn't move. It was in the column. I thought by the linkage arms was pretty sick looking with grease and media mixed to a perfect sludge reminding me of valve grinding compound but it turned out to be at the top where the shifter arm enters the column. Yes the media crap got in there as well. Works like a dream now and there was two lessons learned. One is to take the sterring wheele off and do a check at the top of the column, could save one a heck of a lot of work and two is to ease up on the grease gun which is going to be hard to do as I try to build a wall to keep out the salt from the roads. Have a good day eh!

[stevenfromtexas]

placed my new Lectriclimited.com 01513321 temperature sender this evening. temp gauge is "in the middle" now. temp gun always showed good to go but the orielly's sender showed hot at 195

[NoStopN]

Originally Posted by VWNate1

I have multiple jack stands now, most are 5 ton or more rated .

I've had the 3 ton stands for a few years, but I can't recall why I bought the 12 ton stands. But, they came in handy when I had to replace my Yukon's fuel pump.

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Yeah, I had a friend in high school who was working under his car using only the bumper jack. It let off and crushed his skull between the frame and the driveway. Not enough to kill him but his head is narrower now.

O-U-C-H. I bet he has a jack stand collection now.

[KQQL IT]

Got the door signs re done on Old blue.

[VWNate1]

This is a common thing, the column shifter gets stiffer to move and then wears rapidly as the driver just yanks ever harder instead of taking it all apart for proper cleaning, lubricating and adjustment .

When I took my 69's column apart I was shocked to see the wear on the detents etc. but after cleaning it Hospital clean I used 'dustless' grease, this is cheap War Surplus as rifle grease, it lubricates really well but some how dust doesn't stick to it readily . great for old sliding sun roofs, door latches and so on .

Best of all, not only does it work as new again, it once again makes that loud GM clacking noise as it goes through each position ~ just like 1969 again ! .