oliver foster

I will be giving the old truck a little love in the coming weeks to be ready for summer driving.
Things on the list:
Install drivers door panel with the best armrest I can dig up.
Drain Getrag and re-fill with fresh oil. It has 5,000 miles or so on the rebuild. I want to flush out the oil that might have some metal in it from the new parts settling in together.
Front axle u-Joint, I have the Spicer non grease-able joint sitting on my work table.
Then just the standard oil change with a Fleetguard filter, lube down and fluid level check.

oliver foster

Poncho had the tank dropped and swapped with another nice OEM one that I cleaned out and then installed a new filler neck gasket. I also installed a clean "new" OEM sending unit, new fuel lines and clamps installed to fix a half tank fuel starving issue. It would drain the fuel back to the tank from an air leak and make it hard too start if I left it for a day or more with a half tank. The old fuel tank also had a patch on the bottom of the tank, I was just waiting for it to spring a leak from.
The Getrag was run in 4th gear with the NP-205 in N for 30 minutes, drained and refilled with 5 QTs of Mobil 1.
I still have to do an engine oil change, oil filter and lube, followed by working on the door panel and it is ready for summer action!

oliver foster

I had such a good time messing around with the leaf spring packs on my RC project the Gauntlet. I pulled out a set of old Rancho 4 inch front gasser springs I had in my collection and installed it on Poncho. I then threw some big, blingy 18 inch chrome rims along with some pretty fresh BFGs I got for doing some truck work on it. I think it looks great, and only lifted the front end 2 1/4 inches, which is enough to almost level it with the rear. If I air up the rear air bags it still can carry a load and have a good factory like rake. Looks like I have a little project now to finish up the other side. Good as I was running out of things to do in the shop...

thrashingcows

Wonder how the ride will be with the large lift gasser springs in the front....might be an idea for a smoother ride? But also wonder how those springs will hold up long term?

Great idea though!

oliver foster

I am hoping for a softer ride as the old stock springs where 3/4s of an inch away from the top of the springs and rode rough.
If the gasser lift springs sag over time I will add an extra spring just under the main spring.
I also have a set of used four inch diesel springs I could use that are left over, but I was hoping to not have to modify the rear any more than adjusting some air pressure to the helper air bags. I was planning to end up with roughly two inches off those gasser springs. I also wanted to use those fancy rims and big tires on something as they have been sitting around for a couple of years.

BHD

I put a Rough Country 4 inch kit in my RamCharger back when it still had spark impaired ignition. 3 years after converting to CTD I don't have any additional sag.

oliver foster

I got the other side of the front suspension done yesterday. It turns out after both sides were lifted I gained 2 5/8 inches on the drivers side I gained 2 7/8 inches on the passenger side. It sits a little higher in the front than the rear now, about an inch higher. I have a few ideas for solving this.
I could add a 1 inch Zero Rate leaf to the rear springs, or I could modify the front leaf spring pack by swapping out the lowest spring or two out for ones from the old stock spring pack to soften the lift. I was really only shooting for 2 inches.
I looked at the Skyjacker 2 inch Cummins springs, but figured I would save some cash and use what I already had sitting in the shop.

oliver foster

My daughter and I cleaned up and then slapped a little Mothers mag polish on those aluminum rims tonight. They will look very bling and a little out of place on Poncho with the peeling paint. They are at least an old school 8 hole style rim which I like, even though I have never had 18 inch rims on anything before.

MrFusion

Rollin 18's Dawg. Woot WOOOOOT!! Next you'll be wanting deuce deuce's. That spin.

oliver foster

The only deuce deuce I own is my Ruger 22/10 my daughter and I use for target practice and pest control.

oliver foster

I called up insurance and put it back on today.
I then got to put 40 miles on it. Man is it nice to be back on the road in a 1st gen! The dog loved to have the bench seat back so she could rest her head in my lap as we cruised into town to run some errands. The ride felt much improved, granted I have not driven it in 6 months. I am hoping driving it around will help those front spring settle down a bit as it is sitting just a little nose high.

oliver foster

I got the oil and filter changed out with 11 Qts. of Valvoline Blue 15W40 and a fresh Fleetguard filter tonight.

oliver foster

I picked up my daughter from school today in Poncho. It has been running / driving well this spring and the new suspension, rims and tires is an improvement in ride quality.

NJTman

It's a great feeling to have new sneakers on your ride, eh ?


Puddy dogs look sooooooo happpy... because they're going for a ride next...

oliver foster

Thanks T-man!
Those are the new sneakers I put on the white crew cab on Tuesday. I got it out for a test drive on Thursday and the new tires run nice and true. The old tires had been on there for 10 years, but wore very well with no dry cracking. I bought the same 37 inch Dick Cepek Fun Countrys again. They are a bit taller and quite a bit narrower. The 3rd gen 17 inch rims really fixed my tires sticking out past the fender issue I was having with the old 15 inches after the wider Dana 80 rear axle was installed.
The dogs get so happy when they see us getting the crew ready for a trip. They LOVE going for rides in the dog limo! Look at how happy Mitzy is resting on my daughter's shoulder as we cruise the back roads.. Uma is too busy sniffing the fresh spring air and looking out the window. That was a fun family ride out to brunch that day. I took a super NON direct route home with lots to dirt roads. I just put it in 3rd gear and putted along as we checked out the woods coming back to life after a long winter.