Howdy to all here. I've been reading a lot and now I have some questions to ask as I begin to evaluate my 91 D250. (I was told it's a 92 when I bought it- hence the screen name!) I'll number the questions to make responses simpler.

1. I know it needs all new front wheel bearings- what brand should I get (or stay away from)?
2. I'm told it needs new control arm bushings, and I can press them in/out no problem. Do I need to be looking at DayStar or Energy Susp, or will the ones from Napa be fine?
3. If the wheel bearings are badly worn, does it stand to reason that the rotors are probably in bad shape, too?
4. It has a 5spd manual, which means it's a Getrag, right? If so, are there any simple tests I can perform to see what condition the trans is in? It doesn't make any suspicious sounds, but there is enough talk on here about the springs under the top plate that it makes me wonder about them.

My intention for the truck is to use it for A: general pickup truck, B: to haul my Jeep to off road events, and C: an ongoing test facility for vegetable oil conversion/experiments. So far, I can't find anyone willing to part with their veggie oil, and I have THREE buds who own chicken stores!

While I am pretty mechanical, and can fix just about anything, I don't always know what to check on something that is new to me. I have an amazing general mechanic and I'm thinking I'll just take it up to him and ask him to give it all the 'once over'. But before I do, all input from you fine folks would make a great starting point.

So I thank you all in advance and look forward to the responses- let 'em fly!!

Mike

 

TIMKEN is a good old brand of bearing.

The wheel-bearings and rotors have little in common; one can be shot and the other like new.

What DOES get replaced with new bearings are the "races" or "sleeves" or "cones" depending on where you grew up.

As far as the Getrag, drain whatever is in it and MEASURE how much came out; this will give you some idea as to how much the previous owner knew about the care and feeding of a Getrag.

To make the Getrag last forever, research these threads and decide which method of over-filling suits you; then, instead of the factory level of 3.5-qts, OVERFILL the Getrag with FIVE quarts of FULL-SYNTHETIC 5W-30 engine-oil; I use Mobil-One, but Walmart now offers store brand in 5-qt jugs for about half the price.

The simplest quick/effective means of over-filling is to install a 1/2"NPT "street-ell" in the filler-hole, with the "ell" pointing up, then put the fill-plug in the open end of the "ell".





I will also add this :


The Getrag is a TRUCK transmission, not a race-punk quick-shifter; if you want it to last forever, then shift it like you were always hauling a half-load of milk sloshing around.


As far as that goes, the Getrag will stand foolish driving as well as the next transmission; what gives them a bad name is the fact that they are the factory supplied transmission, so of course they are gonna be the first to get destroyed; then, after spending their last dime on a replacement, the driver wises up, and treats his new transmission like a baby, so of course it will "perform" better.

 

Thanks for the info, Bearkiller. I should have been more clear that I did understand I would have to replace the races as well. Very good info about overfilling the tranny, and I built the Jeep to abuse so I don't have to take it out on my other vehicles!

I'll search the sticky and get the Timken numbers.

It's good to be on here- what did we ever do in the dark ages before forums?

 

trial & error