I guess this is going to take about a week or so



More grinding, scraping and derusting. I guess I really am tweaked in the head..

 

I guess I'm the only one "doing things to their 1st gen today"


Ground down the frame again towards the front of the truck. Got anything loose removed, including any rusty spots, and then scarified all the paint that didn't need to be removed.



Pulled the trans mount to derust the frame behind the crossmember bracket. Found my trans mounts are going bad, so I'm off today to find new ones.



After grinding all the rust off, wire wheeling the whole piece, I doused it with the rust converter... the remaining red areas is "red oxide" primer used previously...

 

On Monday, I ground all the rust / scale / paint off my driveshaft and sent it to the rebuilder. I've rebuilt them myself in the past, but the joints didn't last very long. I ordered a new carrier bearing from chrysler, and gave the shaft to a local rebuilder for high speed balancing after new joints were put in. I've always used the greasable type joints, but the seem to fail quite quickly lately, so the rebuilder said that the only one's he's using are the spicer non greasable types in these conditions. Supposedly, with tighter seals, and synthetic grease, I can possibly get a much greater lifespan than the greasable ones I've used previously.

You wouldn't believe how long it takes to grind down a driveshaft...

Over an hour....

$385 including tax to rebuilt it, including balancing both shafts and installing my carrier bearing. I paid $140 from chrysler. The last one I paid $15 from rock auto, and it didn't last more than a year or so before the rubber started to deteriorate

 

Yeah I went with all spicer joints, and carrier bearing on my driveshafts. Figured they must be a bit better since I pulled the original 20 year old spicer joints out of them during diassembly.

And it's amazing how long it takes to clean a round tube.

 

sort of like scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush.

 

T,

I like the specs on that S-W epoxy, but it's time for you to invest in an abrasive blaster: the spec for salt water immersion is near white metal. . .

Is that what you used on the rear of your frame this time -- you just mixed it & brushed it on?

At least you're staying ahead of most of the corrosion! I'm getting tired of the fight. But I'd be interested in a further review of the Macropoxy.

Thanks,

Alec

 

In an IDEAL WORLD, you're right. I'm not sticking my truck in the ocean anytime soon, so I hope I'm doing good by myself. The cleaning schedule you read on their MSDS Sheet says that it's supposed to conform to :

SSPC-SP10 / NACE 2

Near-White Blast Cleaning
When viewed without magnification shall be free of al
l visible oil, grease, dust, dirt, mill scale, rust,
coating, oxides, corrosion products and other foreign ma
tter of at least 95% of each unit area. Staining
shall be limited to no more than 5 percent of each
unit area, and may consist of light shadows, slight
streaks, or minor discolorations caused by stains of rust
, stains of mill scale, or stains of previously applied
coatings. Unit area shall be approximately 3 in. x 3 in. (9 sq. in.)

But if you look at the beginning of the sheet in the attachment, it also states that "marginally prepared surfaces" are what it's designed for. The fellas at the SW dealer said that from their, and their customers experiences, the stuff wears like iron..



The guys at the SW dealer I use said that the rust converter I'm using helps out a lot. By removing (through abrading) the loose stuff, and leaving behind the stuff that just doesn't want to come off, and then using the phosphoric acid solutions on there, I'm creating a "good" (not perfect) surface to adhere the product to. I had 3 years of decent rust resistance with the rustoleum from homeodeepblow, so I figure if this stuff is that good, and I get more than a few years out of it, I'm ahead of the game.

If I ever come up with any real money, I'm removing the bed, blasting the rear of the frame, and doing this all over again, but just not lying on my back. I would like to install a flatbed on there, as it would be more practical for what I do, vs having a regular bed. I would also be able to keep it in check a little easier as well...

I'll let you know how it lasts.

I will tell you that when it's cured..... it's harder than any paint I've ever used, and very similar in composition to a "rubber ball". you know, the black rubber ***** you would throw against a wall as a kid, and it would take off like being shot out of a gun ?

 

Trans Bushings were toasty....but I needed to disassemble the crossmember and trans brackets anyway..


New vs Old



When this stuff cures, it's like iron......only shiny black...

 

Have you thought about going with the poly trans bushings? I went with a set on the crewcab....you can get them from this guy....

http://www.polybushings.com/

 

Yes, I was thinking of doing just that, but when I got the new bushings in my hand (from napa made by the Anchor manufacturing co), they were extremely dense in composition.... as if they were poly, so for $26 for the set, I bought them.

Chrysler still sells them as OE. I think they retail for $65 for just one of the lower bushings, IIRC. Well worth $26 for all 4 pieces..

 

Grease and oil day.

 

Let us know how they hold up.

 

Finished putting the driveline back together, and I'll tell you..

"What a difference"..

Must have been the combination of the driveshaft not being balanced with a bad U-joint, and the trans bushings being toast, but the truck rides so much nicer. Had it up on the highway, and NO vibrations at ALL. Used to be able to feel it vibrating under my feet, and through the seat and center console. No more. Smooth as a baby's bald head....

 

Napa 2 required each.

Anchor makes them for everyone, so at Advance auto parts, Advance is the same as Napa. Napa pays less for them, as they buy them from Anchor in Bulk (no boxes), and then boxes them. Advance is boxed by Anchor, and is why they cost a couple dollars more through them.

Balkamp 620-1221 Upper
Balkamp 620-1222 Lower

 

Another PS pump replacement.

This one should be the last, as I bought it from Chip @ Powersteering.com. What a great guy, knowing how busy he is with all of his rebuilds, he rebuilt me a pump super fast, as I was having a leaking issue with mine. For some odd reason, the Napa pumps I've been buying leak at the case. I guess it's just bad luck on my part...

Oh well.. that will teach me to buy from Chip all the parts needed for the Next truck. Nothing better than actually being able to personally talk to the guy who's doing the work.