Hey im new to ownership (yesterday actually). Got 94 one owner in REALLY good condition for a Midwest car but I have a few questions for the community.
1. Heavy steering…all I drive is Yotas and it feels quite heavy. Pump is working as fluid is moving. Is it heavy cause something is wrong or are they just heavy?
2. Hood heat shield…need?
3. Gas tank shield...probably going to replace unless y’all tell me otherwise.
4. Rear bumper has a small rust spot near the factory hitch bolt holes that goes thru. Fix or replace?
5. Going to dump all fluids and replace just because. Any MUSTS y’all have found. By all I mean engine, coolant, tranny, brake, t case, diffs and the all elusive blinker fluid.
6. Frame…has only one spot remotely worth being cautious about and it is near spare tire rear of rear axle. Going to fix then just hand scrape all surface and POR15. Anyone hate that idea?
More to come…. Very excited!
@harrisonmonroe
All my 80s steer with a finger. My son's '94 is by far the easiest. Not sure what "heavy" means.
The pad under the hood is soundproofing. I've never seen the need for insulation from heat. If you do, you have a cooling problem.
What's wrong with the skidplate under the tank? FWIW, the strap bolts are a true PITA, especially the ones on the driver's side. If they're stuck, you'll have to release the body mounts on that side to make room to get them out - they were put in before the body was bolted on the frame.
There is no rear bumper; the rear metal between the bumper end caps is the frame. Other than treating the rust area, there's nothing to do. You can weld a cover on it if it bothers you. I wouldn't bolt a hitch there now, though.
x2 on fluid replacement, with one caveat: I would not simply drain the transmission fluid from the pan. You'll only get, at most, a couple of quarts that way, and there are gallons in the system. You can use the transmission pump to pump out the old fluid, without pressurizing the system and risking a seal failure. This will get all the fluid out, except what's in the torque converter, and that's only a quart. Pull the transmission cooler hose from the radiator and hold it up so it doesn't weep all over stuff. Place a clear plastic tube on the nipple, place the other end in a graduated (marked) container (milk jug, transmission fluid or coolant containers work well), and run the engine. Add fluid in the dipstick tube as it comes out, stopping the engine to replace containers a they fill up. Easy peasy. FWIW, draining the pan overnight will speed the process, but not by much. And you have to replace the plug gasket. You do stand a chance of getting (some, and I mean very little) loose friction material out of the pan this way, but the metal in there will be on the magnets, so that won't come out unless you remove the pan. Since it's glued in place, I wouldn't unless I had to do it.
POR15 is very popular, but it's very messy. Any rust preventative primer (not rust converter - you should remove rust before priming and use rust converter only as a last resort) will work well, along with any topcoat. Oil based topcoats cover anything, water based topcoats must be used with water based primers.
@roadstr6 used Rustoleum Appliance Enamel, and his axles are mint.
I'm liking Corroless rust preventative primer and topcoat more and more. It's made in the UK, so it may be hard to find stateside, but it's been used for decades to prime and paint oil rigs in the North Sea. The Land Rover guys in England swear by it, and they know rust (have you ever seen the underside of any Land Rover?).
Lastly, pictures! and put your truck data in your signature line (stock, mods, whatever), so we don't have to ask what you're driving. And welcome!
