Build The Clustertruck Rides Again - Refurbishing a 1975 Chevota

[RWBeringer4x4]

Small progress report -

After much delay, everything was successfully moved and re-mounted.

* The engine was moved about a half inch toward center. A new driver-side mount needed to be fabricated to accommodate.

* The radiator was returned to its original, centered, mounting points. New radiator struts were installed.

* The reinforcement pipe has been added to the front crossmember, and the previously gaping hole in the crossmember patched. I think it looks vastly improved!

* reinforcement pipes were run through the frame horn as well - similar to the spacer material. The steering box bolts will run through these tubes, which should alleviate some of the stress where the bolts "pinch" the frame horn.

* First coat of primer went down on the frame horns today. They will officially be the shiniest part of the whole truck once the top coat (black) goes down.

Once final paint is applied, it will be time to reinstall the box, hook up the new power steering hoses, and test drive. If all goes well, next comes the replacement TRE's all around, an alignment, and then, hopefully, a couple weeks of driving!

I have to say, that while I am now waiting on week 6 of a job I was told would take 6 days, I am thoroughly impressed with the quality and detail of the mechanic's work. His welding and fabrication skills have been much appreciated in this effort to correct the PO's wrongs. It always takes about 5X longer than expected (this time, it was mostly the truck's fault) but the results are always top notch.

 

[Vae Victus]

Lot of work for a couple inches huh? But, the peace of mind is great.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Lot of work for a couple inches huh? But, the peace of mind is great.

It was indeed. Only disappointing element is I wound up having to pay someone else to do it! Most of this (moving the engine/radiator, replacing the mount, etc.) was stuff that I could have done for significantly less cost. But, when you run into these problems and your truck is disassembled in the guy's shop, what can you do? You shell out the cash and delay some other projects you were hoping to get to.

That said, it solves so many of the Clustertruck's problems, both functionally and aesthetically, that I'm still really happy it was done. It will make my life easier down the road, and provides the peace of mind that it was done by a professional. This process has been a major kick in the wallet, but I am really happy with the results.

The welding quality was beyond my abilities, and far beyond my expectations. I would much rather have had him do that portion of it than me - especially when I discovered the PO's awful welding had burned the driver-side frame horn steel all the way back to the recovery hook. The new results look 100% like the truck was manufactured with this power steering setup. You can really see the difference in the picture above (if you squint) at the weld-boogers hanging off the passenger-side scab plate welded by the PO, and my mechanic's work on the driver's side at the steering-box plate and the patched cross-member. I'll be posting before and after pictures when all is said and done.

 

[DSRTRDR]

reinforcing the frame horns is a good idea - I managed to crack one on my truck

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

reinforcing the frame horns is a good idea - I managed to crack one on my truck

Yeah, I have reinforced them every way I know how. Scab plate on the passenger side. Box-mounting plate on the driver's side. The bolts for the box run clean through the horn, and each bolt is individually sleeved in steel pipe - should help distribute the load across the box-frame, as opposed to pinching it (and potentially causing it to crush in). There's also now a steel pipe through the cross-member where the steering column will run through. This seems to be "standard practice" nowadays, but was apparently not, when the trained ape who used to own my truck installed the saginaw conversion.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Tie rods are in. Final paint laid down. Once dry, final assembly of steering and alignment.

Shiny....

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

It liivveeesss

Picked it up from the shop today. All in all, I'm pleased with the work. The one thing I'm not super thrilled with was how he decided to route the hoses. He said he couldn't fit them under the bib to the right. They run close enough to the cross member that I'm not too worried about it. I figure if something manages to rip off a hose, I've probably ripped off my steering entirely...

As I mentioned previously, the engine was moved over to allow for clearance of the new steering shaft. The Spud shaft that had previously routed through the frame crossmember is gone.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

New Tie-rod ends will be getting paint ASAP.

In order to move the engine, the radiator and battery also had to move. A new battery tray was fabricated.

The one thing that was not changed was the steering damper. I've been told its not needed, but I'd like to get a fresh one underneath nonetheless. This is something I can take care of later.

Most importantly - My steering wheel is now straight, when the wheels are straight, instead of 90 degrees off!

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Last but not least, some before/after for comparison.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Up next, the plan is to finish up some minor projects around the engine bay, with the end goal being getting the new valve covers installed. There may be a new issue here - When the radiator was moved, the support truss-rod was moved to the driver's side of the engine bay. I've only got a couple inches of clearance between this rod and the belt now (see picture). As a result, I may not be able to move the Alternator out as I had planned. Worst case scenario, I track down a set of "normal" valve covers as opposed to the tall ones I was given for free.

* A new steering stabilizer is on the list as well - Anyone have any suggestions here? Any insight as to what size I should be looking for? I guess I could take the old one off, and figure it out.

* Paint for the new tie rod ends - Although now that they're installed, I'm not sure what the best way to go about painting them is...tape off the boots and go to town? My guess is I don't want to gum up the threads with paint, either.

* Figure out where the leak in my front differential is coming from. This could be a big project, or a small one, depending on how bad it is...

* From there will be the next real "project." I'm thinking it's time to crack open the brakes and see what I find. Sometimes they pull, slightly to one side. Other times they are fine. I'm entertaining the idea of an axle rebuild and a conversion to disks up front, but we will see how bad the drum situation is, first.

 

[Cdaniel]

Major improvement over that wart of a steering box you had before

 

[DSRTRDR]

why don't you run it without steering stabilizer for a while and then decide whether you really need one ?

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

why don't you run it without steering stabilizer for a while and then decide whether you really need one ?

Primarily because it seems like a good idea from a safety perspective, and I like the looks. I'm sure, from everything I've read, that I'd be fine without one.

One thing I noticed was that the steering doesn't seem to want to return to center after turning all that much. I've heard that castor shims are often required with the Saginaw conversions... Not a big deal for the time being.

 

[ARCTICMUTT]

It sounds like your steering gear is set "too tight". Saginaw PS boxes have a screw on the top sector cover that sets the "lash" of the gear (clearance between the sector shaft and the worm piston gear rack). This adjustment is critical! If this screw is adjusted "too tight" the gearbox will not "self center". If the screw is set "Too loose" then there will be a lot of "slop" in the wheel before it starts to turn and the car will not track straight

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

It sounds like your steering gear is set "too tight". Saginaw PS boxes have a screw on the top sector cover that sets the "lash" of the gear (clearance between the sector shaft and the worm piston gear rack). This adjustment is critical! If this screw is adjusted "too tight" the gearbox will not "self center". If the screw is set "Too loose" then there will be a lot of "slop" in the wheel before it starts to turn and the car will not track straight

The truck seems to be tracking ok, there's a bit of slop from center before the wheels respond but nothing crazy. Which screw is that, exactly? Might have to mess with it...

That said, the truck didn't self-center with the old box either.

 

[ARCTICMUTT]

http://bangshift.com/blog/driveway-...ering-box-in-five-minutes-with-two-tools.html

This link ^^ is decent enough...you can also google "How to adjust saginaw steering box" for more info

 

[Cdaniel]

Is this rig lifted at all?

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Is this rig lifted at all?

Quite honestly, I don't know...the springs aren't stock, I know that much but they may be "zero lift." Shackles are stock. The springs seem fairly flat. Definitely not arched enough to be 4 inches.

 

[Cdaniel]

Before fiddiling with a new steering box. Might want to look to see if you have caster shims already, possibly installed wrong. If the shackles are longer than stock, that can cause lack if caster problems.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Before fiddiling with a new steering box. Might want to look to see if you have caster shims already, possibly installed wrong. If the shackles are longer than stock, that can cause lack if caster problems.

No shims - I've checked that before. The shackles are stock.