Builds Work In Progress aka: Badass

[erse]

Derrrr, I would periodically come inside for a break and look at the fsm on the kitchen table. It wasn’t till I closed up shop that I noticed a bushing mentioned IN the spindle that gets pushed out. Gah.
I did spend a fair amount of time w/ a flat razor gently scraping the papery gaskets from top and bottom of the spindle. I admired the bronze eyeball looking part on the end which honestly looked pristine. And inside the crisscross again, looked pristine.
@Prairie Swamp.... I thought you weren’t a rule follower, why’d you have to go and pop my happy bubble?! Just teasing. Snow coming ahhhhgain tomorrow so I won’t be getting much done plus I pick up the kid in the AM.

FYI, you all, I’ll be 44 Wed... what an interesting way for a woman to spend her birthday eh? I was so in my zone today.
You all said this is a rite of passage but after all I went through w/ my daughter and then having my son at home, this is a cakewalk, sorta.
Thank you to all of you who pitch in w/ encouragement, tips, tools, parts and a belief in me. Best birthday ever.

I was solid as a rock until 45 then it all went to S*** enjoy your next year!!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Don't push out that bushing unless it's bad. They are usually just fine. Check the surfaces and grooves carefully, and if good just keep Cruisin' on.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Bronze bushing looks pristine. And I can’t decifer any real change would/ a dual caliper on that slight wear line at the base of the spindle. I’m running it.

 

[cruisermatt]

Looks perfect. Run it.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Thanks for piping in @cruisermatt! Yeah I checked the axle and I see no score lines on it at all so I’m not making myself any crazier and just gonna go w/ it.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Hey can someone give me a quickie explanation on what exactly that bushing does and why it has the cut outs it has in it and the way they’re shaped? And it’s bronze or brass? And mine is a tad cockeyed in the spindle... I was told it’s okay but I’m hard pressed to find photos telling me for sure (you all know how I like photos best).

 

[Cruiserdrew]

It's oil impregnated bronze. It supports the outside rotational surface of the birfield and helps it spin true and axially in the axle. The grooves are to channel grease into the interface.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Cleaned up the hub as much as I think I will at this point. I’d dumped it into evapo rust a few days ago and have wire brushed it off and on since.
Getting over the flu from this past week... thought I’d simply inhaled some nasty brake dust Mon afternoon but by Thurs I knew something was way more wrong. Burning throat, cough like never before, total out of body fog. Poor kiddo got it too. Both of us on the mend now and he stayed w/ me this weekend since I was out going to work, we figured the germs might as well stay put here.

Weather was amazing today 70 and almost too warm. Put the hub into the new disc just to see how it will look. Am I an ass to not paint it?

Cut my old races to use for pressing new races in. My son loves watching me w/ the angle grinder. I cut them to the point where he was able to smash a hammer on a chisel to break them open fully. And he was pretty impressed at how warm they got after being cut.

 

[Infinity00]

Looks awesome. It’s cool that your son likes smashing things with you! I don’t always paint everything either. Seems like everyone likes the painted look but I like the old look, patina power

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Yeah I kinda like the layers it has from others previous paint. I’m not scouring the knuckle either cuz I think the layer of grease that’s on it will help preserve it. I wonder tho if I should slap some oil on the hub.
And the free wheel hub I’ve yet to pull apart fully. It does irk me that someone sprayed over everything w/ black paint. The gold center caps are at least still gold underneath.

 

[cors]

i was looking for info on your tire size and any lift done ,but some pages didnt load and didnt get through all the pages. Can i ask your tire/lift combo?

 

[cors]

Granted she is lifted (not 100% sure 2-2.5") and is on 35" tires

ok so found this info about the lift , but tires 35/12.5/15 or ?

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

ok so found this info about the lift , but tires 35/12.5/15 or ?

Yes your correct, 12.5... they’re huge. The truck came on the aftermarket rims w/ that size tire. I’m not super sure on the lift, I think it’s at least 2”.
And apparently it had 1/4”
Spacers added as well but that wasn’t helping my poor tre dust boots, they were still getting eaten up by the lack of backspacing the crummy rims gave it.
I’ll be down sizing to stock rims on 31’s BFGs. They’re used but in decent shape.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

ok so found this info about the lift , but tires 35/12.5/15 or ?

Yes your correct, 12.5... they’re huge. The truck came on the aftermarket rims w/ that size tire. I’m not super sure on the lift, I think it’s at least 2”.
And apparently it had 1/4”
Spacers added as well but that wasn’t helping my poor tre dust boots, they were still getting eaten up by the lack of backspacing the crummy rims gave it.
I’ll be down sizing to stock rims on 31’s BFGs. They’re used but in decent shape.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

ok so found this info about the lift , but tires 35/12.5/15 or ?

Yes your correct, 12.5... they’re huge. The truck came on the aftermarket rims w/ that size tire. I’m not super sure on the lift, I think it’s at least 2”.
And apparently it had 1/4”
Spacers added as well but that wasn’t helping my poor tre dust boots, they were still getting eaten up by the lack of backspacing the crummy rims gave it.
I’ll be down sizing to stock rims on 31’s BFGs. They’re used but in decent shape.

 

[Infinity00]

I’ve been triple posting lately too! The site is slow and I keep pushing the post button, lol

 

[Infinity00]

About your hubs, I guess the rust might be of a concern IDK. I’ve put gun blue on stuff before to protect it and it looks great. I wonder if that would be a better option than oil.

I’ve really been liking the fact we have such a great group to share our (love of) mechanical work with. It seems so few people I know want to hear me talk about it! I like it when I have time, but I still get really cranky when I have to do something hard - like the knuckleS. Once again, I’m impressed with what seems like you just go do it. I know you’ve said that not exactly true and I know that as well, because I can tell you research the hell out of everything before you start. It’s a lot of dedication and for me obsessiveness.

I say all this because I still learned something from this thread everyday and kick myself when I find out I didn’t check something that I’ve already completed that comes up. Maybe the next time, since it seems my knuckles are already leaking and so is my radiator, even tho they both have very few hours on them. Also, I had help from a mechanic friend of mine for most of my rebuilds - I would have been even more terrified the entire time than I was, if he wasn’t there coaching and leaving it to me to do the “fun parts” even though he really wanted to jump in there. More props (I’m dating myself) to you doing it on your own!

 

[cors]

Yes your correct, 12.5... they’re huge.

sure they're not 35/14.5/17.
Ive got 33/12.5/15 and the gap between tire and panel is still open .
My rig called monkeybutt HJ60 2H 1982
but yours has minimal gap and without the lift your tire is very close to the wheel well. Only reason im mentioning is that i think your tire is the size the best size ive seen without extreme lift. I just want to make sure what your tire size is.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

It’s the 35x12.5x15, I know for sure. If I still didn’t feel all punky from the flu I’d go take a pix for you. Gads 14 would be a monstrosity.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

gun blue

?? What is that?