Builds A New 55 Owner Intro (cgn1976 thread) (2 Viewers)

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Well, I'm stupid...not that everyone hadn't aready figuered that out based on this thread! I went to HF to buy a hydrolic portable press thing today to push the pins out on the shackles, but they were out of stock, so I went out to give it hell by hand at lunch with the torch and hammer! Turns out the shackles are not stock but are a 2 piece unit with both pins welded to one side and then a removable plate on the other. All I had to do was take off both nuts (which I didn't do yesterday) and hit it with a hammer a few times. lol! Took me 30 minutes to do both sides and I didn't even have to take the wheels/tires off. hah! Anyway, the bushings in the spring were a little crusty but the top ones were pretty decent. They likely were replaceded back in 2012 when the current overhaul took place. I sort of doubt this is the source of my noise. Either way, it has been a little shifty when I hit the brakes, so I'm guessing this should help that a little and if not, at least it's piece of mind and one less thing to worry about! Bonus is I already ordered a set of greasable shackles so I know how to put those in real quick now!
Drives way better! No more darting to the right then left as I hit the brakes! I got so used to it, I almost didn't notice anymore, but I sure do now. Night and day!
 
Sweet! Great to hear man👍
So it was just bushings?
Not 100% sure if that's the only issue or not. It was so good the other night when I hit the trials and it never made that noise out there. I pulled into the driveway a little faster yesterday and it didn't happen either, but I think I need to try to replicate it today and see. Either way it's steps in the right direction for sure. I wonder if this thing has been sitting and not pushed so long that just getting on it and flexing the suspension a little is working some of these creaks out on their own, if that makes any sense.

I did see that the steering drag link has one of the ball joints looking a little beat up, but it it doesn't grind and moves fine. Other than that I just am not seeing or feeling anything that looks like an issue, but I'm far from an expert! Gonna keep at it, but like I said, it already so much better
 
Big day for the rig. Got the gumption to try to do the valve stem seals today. Deepest I've ever ventured into an engine. I didn't even know what a valve seal was when I bought this thing 8 months ago! 😂 Put the 60 style metal spring jobs in. Not one of the plastic crappy ones that were in there were even seated at all.l! No wonder I've been burning oil! Only had the HF spring tool too. Shockingly it all worked great! Went just like all the threads in here said. Using some monster channel locks helped get the spring tool seated right and I had to get it all the way under the first lip of the spring. Took me a bit to figure that out, but once I realized how to line the spring up before I tried to put the tool on, it went great. Even adjusted the valves!

Just ran it. Valves are quiter for sure..it ran smoother all around. And the oil seemed to burn off and then the exhaust was way cleaner! This noob is pretty happy, and the only bad thing from the day is a tweaked wristed from twisting that damn knob on the spring tool all day!
 
Question for everyone. Can you install a new braker booster without removing the brake lines? Mine is wooshing during pedal push down and for a bit after I take my foot off, and the pedal went pretty soft at the top the other day. It goes pretty much to the floor and I get brake power but only about 80%. I looked down by the floor and the rubber boot inside is pretty much gone and when I squeeze whats left of it, I can get some whoosh just by playing with it down there. I can also hear what I think sounds like a steady vacuum leak coming from the booster when I put my ear close to it. It looks to be the original unit, so no big deal to replace it either way.

That said, I'm so new to all of this it would be my first time ever playing with the hydrolic part of a brake system. Done pads and shoes a handfull of times sucesfully. I read a few threads where people seem to be able to do the booster by just letting the brake lines loose form the fire wall and pulling it forward enough for the booster to clear. Is this a terribble idea? Has anyone here done it this way? I've never done a brake system bleed, although the videos I've watched seem straight forward enough and I understand the concept. If I have to pull the brake lines, do I bleed the cylander then move to the rear, then fronts? Thanks in advance to everyone.
 
and could possibly be considered beneficial to flush out the old fluid and replace it with new.
iu
 
I would argue that if you are taking the time and effort to replace the booster, go ahead and replace the MC and bleed the system while you are at it. A new MC is under $100...good brakes are priceless.
 
Remember to go from furthest to closest when bleeding, which isn’t as obvious as you might think on a 55.

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Driver rear
Passenger rear
Driver front
Passenger front

(**** US models)
Now that's some good advice..I would have screwed that up and gone as the crow flies for sure! Thanks for lookin out.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. The old master was pretty shot. When I go it off, the spring inside had no push back from the internal spring, so a new one or a rebuild was clearly in order. I guess just the pressure from the fluid was getting it to return. I managed to get it installed with the new booster last weekend. I bled the brakes and flushed it with all fresh fluid. Working great! Count that as another job done that I never thought I'd be doing myself!

I am having to do some adjustments at the wheels now, as the pedal is way higher and firmer and has actaully caused a little rubbing of the shoes on the drums. Back when I bought the truck I quickly ordered new drums and shoes for the front thinking that was a problem. Turned out it was just way out of adjustment, so once I got it adjusted, I never installed them figureing I had life in the existing stuff. Needless to say since I'm having to tinker with all of it now anyway, I'm going to install the new front stuff this weekend so I'm 100% fresh up front.

While I'm here, I have a question. I'm noticing what I can only describe like the sound of deisel engine clacking when I'm at low RPM and when under load. It goes away at higher RPM and mostly happens when I shift into 3rd on an uphill, but sometimes while in 1st. Kind of reminds me of the pinging I used to get in my old supercharged Tacoma sometimes. I'm sure this is a simple, everyone who knows anything about engines learned this forever ago type issue, but is this something I should be concerend about or is this normal? The memory of the Tacoma ping issue has me thinking it's a fuel/air mixture issue? too lean? I'm probaly way off. lol

Lastly I wanted to comment that I've been digging back into some of the old build threads on here. Man some you dudes are even more impressive than I already thought. Rush, Scapdaddy. Damn guys! SOOOOOOOOO much to learn....also so glad I have my rig in the condition it's in. Feel pretty lucky to have what I have!

Thanks again for all the effort you guys make to help the new guys out
 
I'm noticing what I can only describe like the sound of deisel engine clacking when I'm at low RPM and when under load. It goes away at higher RPM and mostly happens when I shift into 3rd on an uphill, but sometimes while in 1st. Kind of reminds me of the pinging I used to get in my old supercharged Tacoma sometimes.
Yeah that does sound like pinging, check your overall advance, maybe a tank of better fuel...see what difference it makes?
 

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