my grandfather bought the truck brand new so i know the 17" wheels are original. i run the 8 ply tires on the rear because that's the only thing i could find in that tire size and are mud and snow. anything heavier than 6 ply on the front makes it do weird things (balance wise). i still use the truck to haul some heavy loads on occasion, but i don't push it too hard.
i was one of the people who had the machine shop ream the bushings when i replaced the king pins. they had the long type reamer so the bushings lined up perfectly. king pins slid right in.
as strange as it sounds there is such a thing as a "radial" tube. it's supposed to interact better with the greater flexibility you get out of radial tires. cheaper tubes apparently can't handle the heat and deflection.
unless your brake shoes are damaged you can take the brake shoes you have and get new linings put on them. just did the rear brakes and i think it was around $30.00-35.00.
good luck with your project(s)
