The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1954 chevy 3/4 ton, new owner and i have questions of course

hi all

yesterday i drove my new 54 chevy home, about 100 miles, and other than some annoying details it didn't miss a beat. i'm pretty sure i need to find a master cylinder as it takes 2-3 pumps to build pressure but once it does they're good (locked up the rear in a mild panic stop!)

the previous owner converted to an alternator but kluged together a bracket for it that doesn't line up correctly, which causes the ting to squeal constantly once a certain RPM is reached. does anyone know of a simple solution i might find in a junkyard?

what size tires are supposed to be on this thing? at the moment there are stock looking 15" steel wheels on the front and some way oversize centerlines with BFG all terrains on the rear. the BFGs almost hit the fender wells. 2 more steelies came with the truck for the rear, but they don't match each other and look pretty chewed up.

does someone make a disk brake conversion for the front of the 3/4 ton trucks. i saw half ton kits before getting the truck, no 3/4 stuff though.

how about a reproduction body part source, the rear fenders have a significant amount of bondo on them and one has a fatigue crack showing.

thanks for any help

-bryan

Welcome to the board. I've been using my 52 for a daily driver, will try to help y'all out.

Master cylinder - If you want to stick with a stock one, your local mom & pop parts store should be able to get you one. If they can't, they are available throught the vendors found in the links section at the top of the page.

Bracket - I assume you're talking the lower bracket and a 235 engine. I was able to extend the slots on my original and make it align. Hopefully someone else knows of where you can buy one.

Disc brakes - No conversion kits for the 3/4 ton. I keep hoping someone will make one.

Tires -- If the same as my 52 originals were 7.00-15 6 ply.

Rear fenders are available from most any of the vendors.

The two major drawbacks to the 3/4 ton are wheels and gearing. Not a good solution for either. The modern wheels set about 2" too deep to use on the front axle. This is more than can be spaced out without custom made spacers to the tune of about $100 each. I have been told of companies that change redo the wheels, but haven't tried that route. It's not cheap, either. I'm running the original size tube tires on the front of mine.

Rear tires I went to modern 16" wheels and 7.50R16 tires. There is about 1" clearance between the tire and the frame. I transferred the hubcap clips to the newer rims so I can run my original hubcaps.

Gearing for the std 3/4 ton is 4.57, which limits your highway speed to about 50. I bought a differential from a 64-72 with 4.10 gears and took the pumpkin (center section) and made a swap. This, along with the taller tires, made an 18% improvement in highway speed.

fred

thanks. i'll have to go look in the links section.

the speedo on the truck doesn't work, but the way i was keeping up with semis and the slower cars i'd say i was doing at least 60. probably a result of the oversize rear tires.

the rear rims you found, what are the width and offeset?

sounds like there is a drop out 3rd member. i have a passing familiarity with the more modern GM cororate axles (10, 12, 14 bolt) is one of those under my truck? nevermind, those are easy to find gears for so it must be something different.

the alternator bracket: PO said it was a 216? engine. i don't know where the bracket came from or if it's original.

thanks for the good info

-b

A 3/4-ton uses an Eaton H052 rear axle -- produced from 1947-1972. '67-'72 3/4-ton trucks can be found with 4.10 pumpkins - often found behind automatics, but not always. Detroit Lockers were available, either as aftermarket or factory installs, but they went out of production around the time the axle was discontinued in '72. Bearings and seals are readily available - ask your FLAPS for parts for a 1972 3/4-ton with the H052 axle.

3.90 gears were (and maybe still are) available from an aftermarket manufacturer -- but were insanely expensive, and required a '64-'72 differential.

You can use the lower alternator bracket from a 250, and re-drill the holes to match those in your block. I did this on my 235 close to 10 years ago. Cheap and easy fix.

54 should have a 235. Way to tell is the lifter cover. If it stops at the head, it's a 235. If it goes over the spark plugs, it's a 216.

A word of warning on these engines. They are not made for continuous operation at high rpm. For highway driving, I consider 2,600 rpm to be tops. Problem is the rods don't like the abuse and will stretch.

My newer rims are 16X6.5, iirc. Setback (from back flange to drum face) is about 4.5", can't recall exactly. The problem comes with hitting the tie rod end.

thanks for the info guys

looks like i have a couple things to check out when i get home.

I think that you will find the critical maximum backset of wheels for the front is 3 1/2 ". If the backset is larger, they will hit the tie rod ends, etc. This of course is with 16" rims.

You have a good hauler there.

you could put a 1/2 ton frount axel in it and then up grade to disk on it jest a thought

tuckernix, thanks for the numbers

apart hillbilly, interesting.... another thread prerhaps

as far as what engine i have i think it's the 216, as the lifter cover does surround the spark plugs and might make sense if i use this site right:

http://www.chevytrucks.org/don/numbers.htm

my VIN being 6krc-1465 i have a 52 not a 54. does that make more sense having a 216 in there? vin says it's a 3600 series and that is a 1 ton correct?

once i get some other things taken care of i'm going to talk to stockton wheel. what modern tires are appropriate? taller the better, i'd like to get the top speed up and with the granny gear it will never be a problem leaving stop signs.

y'all rock. thaks for the info
-b

Welcome to the board.

A 3600 is a 3/4-ton, a 3800 is a 1-ton.

The 52 came with the 216. It has poured babbit rod bearings, which are more prone to stretching at high rpm. It's also a splash oil crankshaft. Still a good engine, though.

oh boy

i hope i don't have to rebuild it any time soon. what is the likelihood of finding a machinist that can repour the bearings? i'll be sure to change the oil regularly.

splash oil, oh boy. good thing it's just going to be an around town goofing off and odd hauling jobs kind of machine. there is still an oil pump right, to get oil to the top end?

If you're not worried about pure originality, but want to stay close, the '54-early '60s 235 is a good choice. Full oil pressure, modern-style insert bearings, and can be disguised to look almost exactly like a 216. For even more power, you could track down a 261 or GMC 248, 270 or 302...but they're more work to install, and harder or impossible to disguise.

Yes, there is an oil pump for the main bearings, the valve train, and in all actuality, the rod bearings. The splash works at low RPM's, but as they increase, oil is sprayed from a nozzle into each dipper on the end cap. Quite interesting the way it works.

if i accidentally nuke the engine i'll look into those swaps. for now i need to remember to check the oil.

are there schematics around? exploded view drawings? i'm curious about this oiling system now.

baldredhead,
those motors aren't bad, they are just aren't made for high rpm abuse. There were a lot of Chevy trucks doing big time work with those motors.

The shop manual will show you most of the details.

The oil pump provides oil to the mains directly. There is also a parallel path that goes out the side of the block to the oil distributor valve. You will see a little plate down low on the driver't side, and inside there is the valve. When the pressure buils up after startup, the valve opens and sends oil to the rockers, and to the dipper sprayers. These are little nozzles in the dippers troughs that spray directly into the dippers as they pass. You may see a small tube that loops out and back into the block, right behind the oil distributor valve. That tube takes oil from the valve, goes through the block via the water jacket, and comes out in the lifter area. It then goes up to the rocker arm.

Chevy called this oiling system their "exclusive four way oiling system".

thanks tucker

"exclusive four way oiling system"

haha, truth in advertising i guess.

if anyone is interested in some pictures i posted a bunch here

neato

That is a neat old truck. I hope the for sale sign was there before you bought it. What size are the tires on the back?

For a few shots of my 52, go to http://www.thriftauto.com/photos.htm and scroll down a little. Shots were taken in 2000, I had just built and dropped in a 235. That was about 20,000 miles ago.

You've got a start on a good truck there. Needs some work, but appears to be in decent shape. If all the parts are right, it's definitely a 52. Second year for wing vents, first year for push button door handles, only year for hood side label of only Chevrolet with no model number. In 54 the "fat bar" grill was introduced, along with the parking lamps moving to the fenders.

yeah, the for sale sign picture was provided by the PO. i just posted it for, umm, i dunno

it is a 52, the title says 52, the VIN says 52... i think i got 54 from the classified ad i found it in. typo i guess, or short circuit in the ol' noggin.

the rims are 16.5" :mad: that are an upgrade from the "origianls" that are in the bed only because the rims are less chewed and tires are not as cracked. as soon as i find somehting that is closer to original and will fit all 4 corners those are outta here. i don't know the tire size, i'll look tonight. clearance is very close to the fender, not sure about the frame. i'll try to get a couple pictures tonight.

interesting tidbits about the push button door handles and the chevy logo. the things that make one year unique from another are what i really like about old cars, especially when a particular feature was only available for one year will the vendors have the hood badge?

edit:
i just looked at the original picture files and blew up the tire picture. it's definitely 33" tall, and i think 10.5" wide. i'll double check width tonight

Here are two links, the first to a seller of trailer items and the second to the manufacturer. I am pretty confident that the items below, which are probably the same item, will fit like a glove on the 1 Ton and 3/4 Ton. This would give a 16" rim and the maybe the possibility of mounting clips for the hubcaps.

http://www.lowcosttrailersupplies.com/Merchant3/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_ Code=OEMSW

item # 17-153

http://aftermarket.hayes-lemmerz.com/html/conventional.html

item 109291T

I have not been able to get the first site to answer my Email. Does anybody have a way of getting a rersponse from them?

Fred

Your master cylinder is probably fine. Multiple pumps often just means the brake shoes need adjustment. Your MC is only bad if it leaks down while you are holding it.

tucker

with a 6 inch width and +.5 offset that makes a 5.5 backspace right? from what was posted above and my limited searching that will cause problems witth the front tierods. if you're talking just for the back, yeah i thnk it would work. did front and rear wheels have different offset/backspace originally?

4onthefloor

how do i adjust the drums? previous owner had someone look at them, though i don't know how competent either of them was. the new master just got to the parts store today, it would be nice to return it

baldred,
the 6" width would give a 3" backset with 0" offset. These have a .5" offset which would give a 3 1/2 " offset. If I could find out how to contact them, I would buy one for measurement. They also sell big halfmoon hubcaps which may look fairly similar to the real thing.

i get it now, the trailer wheels you found are intriguing being off the shelf. they look a bit plain for my tastes though.

i didn't get a chance to take pictures of the minimal clearance on the rear tires but the size is

33x12.5 16.5

there is probably less than an inch of clearance on the front of the wheel well and there is some evidence of contact.

The brake problem sounds like air in the lines to me. Try bleeding the brake lines before you spend money on new parts.

I have the 16x6 wheels on my 3800. they fit fine, with no clearance problems. Have bought clips to install for caps, but havent gotten around to it yet. i bought my wheel from a trailer supply , same as was posted.

Phil,
thankyou for that information. I am getting one this week for trial. Have you tried the hubcaps on to see if they fit inside the circle? They also list a similar hubcap but they are about an inch larger in diameter.

Fred

Thank You Bullet.I agree with you , just bleed the brakes.They have air in them.

I purchased a rim as previously described and it fit perfectly. These are "OEM" type rims, sold by trailer supply places. They are very heavy duty, rated for over 3700 lbs and when installed on the front of my 51 1 Ton, leave over 1/2" clearance to the tierod end. This problem has been addressed many times on several sites, with no previous sloution mentioned, until this thread. I am getting another one for the front along with the baby moon hubcaps. The inside circle is too big for mounting the real hubcap. It would be possible but wouldn't look right.

thanks tucker

i started looking at the wheel problem seriously yesterday, it's nice to have an off the shelf solution. you got the one from your link above correct, a 16"

what tires are you planning to run?

Baldred,
I used a CarQuest outlet to order the rim. I was going to use a truck type tire, like the Yokohama 16x 750 but it is a tube type and I am not interested in dealing with tubes. I guess that I will use an every day light truck 235 x 85 R16 type of tire. When I get it on the road, it will be a pleasure vehicle and I will not be doing serious hauling with it. If you want any more info, let me know. When I get the other rim and hubcaps, I can send you a picture of them.
Fred

tucker

i'm definitely interested in pics and info. my truck will lead a similar life as yours, so if your setup looks reasonable i'll probably just copy you

i finally got to bleeding the brakes this weekend and there was no change.

from searching a bit through these forums i think maybe they're just out of adjustmeny so i'm going to try that. the manual says to use some special tool to turn the adjuster... it looks like a screw driver would work. any suggestions?

Just picked up 4 rims today. Got them from KalTire, $80 Cdn each. Can't wait to get them onthe truck. The bald front tires are the only thing keeping me from getting it safetied and on the road.