The tie rod ends are correct!After all these attempts, and companies swearing they had the right ones, experts saying the same. Rareparts.com had it right!
So Craig took out the stepped stud from the tie rod ends and installed the tapered ones on the drag link.
The front end can go back together, and the rear end and two major entities will be done. Gadzooks.
The front wheels and tires are on and he quickly did a toe in/out adjustment. Craig roughed that in but will narrow that down later after the driving shake down.
We had the pinion flange torqued down. When Craig tried to reinstall, the pinion unit would not go in. He tried and tried and then took a break. His best resolution was to use three threaded studs that were longer than the original bolts and installed washers. He then "drew" the pinion unit in until he could swap in the actual housing bolts. He had disassemble the rear drive shaft and realigned the slip yoke to the same "place" as the rear U joint. (Someone in the past had it off by at least 30 degrees.)
I reflected on Craig's solution for the pinion unit and only a skillful, master mechanic could have sensed the issue, studied the problem, and figured out a solution as he did. This brother of mine has an amazing mind and I wish I had that ability to his extent.
Finally, Craig was able to finish the rear end and install the drive shaft. He guessed that when this truck ran last, it must have had a terrible vibration going down the road. Along with the bias ply tires and other issues, he found this truck must have been quite a handful.
I asked Craig to mount a plaque that
I had made for him right behind the drivers seat so that when I drive the truck, I will always know he is
right behind me.
In my search for more information on the truck's previous life, the previous owner lived in a town with a population of 27. His daughter Linda and her family live there still. I am hoping I get a response from her.
I did finish the
poster board and even though it is done, I am unhappy at how it came out but will live with it.
The next big project has been the
windshield. Turned out one had a
crack in the corner so we had to re-order.
I asked Craig if he would patch a hole inside the cab by the driver visor. Rust prevalent there and if he could pop rivet a piece in there, he could install the sun visors.
I bought a six volt battery trickle charger today so I can keep the battery charged when it sits in the winter months.
Craig informed me that the clutch pedal will not fully disengage and he does not know why yet. It is possible the transmission would need to come back out to figure this out and that would not be good at all. That transmission weighs a ton. Another big set back.
We did some research on the clutch and got some input from Bob Adler as well.
Craig took the pivot ball out at the throw out bearing and installed a flat washer and a lock washer in hopes of changing the geometry of the clutch pedal free play. Very hard work with the transmission in and trying to work in a very limited space.
He is also having a guy at work weld a short piece on the linkage in hopes of removing free play there as well.
We had put off driving the truck because it was too cold and there was no windshield. Well, by the end of the month, Craig dropped the truck off the jack stands and decided to go for a
short drive.
A few co-workers witnessed the big event. Craig took the truck for a short slow drive to ensure everything worked and then gave each of the co-workers a ride around the neighborhood - no windshields at all.
Craig sent me the link to YouTube to see the truck going down the street. He said the shifting was smooth, steering tight and the brakes very firm. He does need to accomplish some minor items yet and I want him to drive it more to continue to shake it out. After 34 years of not running the wait is over!
Now to make arrangements for mid-April to have the once ugly, non running, beast shipped East to start a new life that will be much easier than its previous hard working farm truck life.
I've had time to think about how this has progressed from a very tired, worn out truck dropped in Craig's driveway, to a truck nearly done a year later. My sister-in-law Ellen made us dinner one night when we were to exhausted to cook; my nephews died their part; my oldest brother took a swing at helping and offering morale support; Rich Price, Craig's "good" neighbor. If you worked on the truck, you
signed your name under the hood. According to Mark, "This body part will be downloaded on demand."
The hero is
Craig who kept the faith and stuck to the plan. It has been a long, hard process for him and the end appears to be near. It is my final project.
