Front axle off set to passenger side

[iamtherealJayy]

I’m 19, truck is 35(big age difference lol) and I know deep down the truck will never be “perfect” but I want it to be as good as I can physically get it. I’m not rich by any means so yes it’s taken me almost two years to get this far so it’s not a quick project by any means. I’ve done all the work myself except change the clutch since I didn’t have the equipment to do so. I know majority of things about these trucks but some stuff is above my head. Or as I’d say above my pay grade lol. Some stuff I’ll cheap out on and some stuff I want to do it right. Drivability is most definitely a do it right, kinda like with audio. I got a USA-230 in the truck because the factory radio got like two stations and I didn’t want to hack the dash up, now I have Bluetooth lol. I’ll do pretty much any modification that can be reverted to factory at any time. I recently did door seals and so far I’m hating it. I only did passenger side but you have to slam the door… I didn’t miss having to slam the door lol both of my doors shut easily but now the passenger side the new seal hasnt give way any yet so the door is tight shutting. I didn’t do drivers side yet since I don’t necessarily have an easy way of slamming the door from inside.

 

[Grit dog]

If you haven't already, get a small piece of pex pipe and make a sleeve for the door strikers. Won't help with the new seals, per se, but they will latch easier.
On the shake thing, I didn't see where you'd rotated tires yet. It's free and it will help root out an issue if its a bad tire.
And, I agree with Redfish. Some of us went through these things when the only advice was an old friend or the guy at the parts store. You're doing fine. I think I have a better than average mechanical comprehension (in general, not specific to this forum. This place is a wealth of information about these vehicles) and I started working on these trucks before your truck was born and still have many questions.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Pex hack was in use but with the new seal it didn’t help but apparently new seals are a common issue with shutting doors. You have to shut it aggressively to even make it latch but you have to slam it to get it to shut completely. I did cut a couple holes in it to let the air out easier and it helped a little

 

[Frankenchevy]

Pex hack was in use but with the new seal it didn’t help but apparently new seals are a common issue with shutting doors. You have to shut it aggressively to even make it latch but you have to slam it to get it to shut completely. I did cut a couple holes in it to let the air out easier and it helped a little

Your doors will be a bit more difficult to shut with fresh seals. I had to push pretty good at first, but now it’s normal.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

You can’t just push mine and make them completely shut, you can’t get them to latch once by pushing. How long did it take yours to “break in”

 

[Keith Seymore]

You can’t just push mine and make them completely shut, you can’t get them to latch once by pushing. How long did it take yours to “break in”

You'll never be able to just swing the door and have them latch from the momentum. There's just not enough mass in the door.

And - as you've already noted - the regular cab is such a small volume that it can't vent the air quickly enough. Cracking the window a little helps with this.

K

 

[AuroraGirl]

A couple of Redfish thoughts here...

You are probably about 20 years old? Your truck is about 35 years old? When I was 20 years old there was no way I could afford to Do Everything Right on a truck like yours. Honestly, right now I am working on my old truck in stages, there simply isn't enough play money to just dump into it. You appear to live in rural Tennessee so I am guessing that job opportunities are somewhat limited, especially for a very young man like yourself.

We do need to "Cut you some slack" because you are making one helluvaneffort to get this old beast road worthy. I respect what you are doing and I suspect the other folks answering all your questions feel the same way.

If you keep this up you are going to be an Expert on these trucks before you are done.

<3 @iamtherealJayy Redfish is on the right track here, if i sound defeated or annoyed I assure its not you, but whats important is that youre learning and your trucks are coming along I wouldnt check back in if I was mad mad lol.

 

[Bextreme04]

I didn’t replace pads or calipers or anything so I just slid them back on the rotor, yes axle nuts torqued 50ft lb back off quarter turn then 35 and outer nut torqued to 120.
Edit: the truck doesn’t pull either direction when braking. It has a slight pull to the right when going “straight” and has a vibration when decelerating that increases when braking. It’s only a certain range of speeds

I hope there was another "back off 1/8 turn" before you torqued the outer nut to 120 ft-lb. If not, that's probably why the right is pulling, because you did say you did the backing off on the left. If you left the inner nut torqued to 35 lb-ft, then that is going to be why it is dragging and pulling to the right.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

I don’t remember about the bearings, it’s been a long week working most of the day, although I have been daily driving the truck. I’ve put over 100 miles on the truck this week(the most I’ve ever put on this truck lol I’ve had it over a year and a half and I’ve only put <3500 miles on it) the shake has gone away and the truck rides amazing, on perfect pavement. Any bumps and it’s like I’m in a low rider with hydraulics how bouncy it is lol. And if I hit different layers of pavements it’s awful. It feels like I pop a quick wheelie going down the road. The shake went away but there is an occasional slight vibration depending on road conditions, so overall I’m pleased so far. I’m glad the rub is gone and most importantly the blocks are gone. Sorry for not putting out any updates I worked close to 16 hours yesterday lol.
Edit: door shuts a little easier but it’s about as easy as slamming it without pex to get it to latch. I haven’t done the drivers side since I have no way of slamming it from inside and I just don’t like slamming my doors.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I don’t remember about the bearings, it’s been a long week working most of the day, although I have been daily driving the truck. I’ve put over 100 miles on the truck this week(the most I’ve ever put on this truck lol I’ve had it over a year and a half and I’ve only put <3500 miles on it) the shake has gone away and the truck rides amazing, on perfect pavement. Any bumps and it’s like I’m in a low rider with hydraulics how bouncy it is lol. And if I hit different layers of pavements it’s awful. It feels like I pop a quick wheelie going down the road. The shake went away but there is an occasional slight vibration depending on road conditions, so overall I’m pleased so far. I’m glad the rub is gone and most importantly the blocks are gone. Sorry for not putting out any updates I worked close to 16 hours yesterday lol.
Edit: door shuts a little easier but it’s about as easy as slamming it without pex to get it to latch. I haven’t done the drivers side since I have no way of slamming it from inside and I just don’t like slamming my doors.

Well hopefully after a little time, get those tires dynamically balanced by a tire balancer (bubble balance only does so much) I Think this should help the occasional issue, it sounds like resonance.
On that door, is your door panel missing a arm rest/pull handle?

otherwise glad to hear it

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Yes when I got the truck the drivers side door panel was in the bed of the truck. Passenger side looks beautiful(other than arm rest screw holes are messed up but it’s solid) and drivers side is all faded but I took an earlier arm rest that has the grip part more centered so it just doesn’t work great lol

 

[AuroraGirl]

Yes when I got the truck the drivers side door panel was in the bed of the truck. Passenger side looks beautiful(other than arm rest screw holes are messed up but it’s solid) and drivers side is all faded but I took an earlier arm rest that has the grip part more centered so it just doesn’t work great lol

If you have junkyards Id say go steal some uptrim door panels with the handles

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Local yard doesn’t sell parts anymore. Sadly they just crush them. I can’t afford $400 for some door panels, well actually that was what they cost forever ago it’s probably double by now.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Local yard doesn’t sell parts anymore. Sadly they just crush them. I can’t afford $400 for some door panels, well actually that was what they cost forever ago it’s probably double by now.

well since yours arent perfect a decorative handle from the home depot or menards or walmart would allow you to pull the door with window shut. sounds trashy but

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[iamtherealJayy]

I thought about making one out of wood since ya know I work with wood all day, but there’s no cushion to that and I catch myself resting my elbow on it all the time lol, that’s why I threw on the wrong one. So there would atleast be some cushion during bumps so my elbow didn’t take too much abuse.

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Also,tailgate is officially IH red,looks better now than in photo, also haven’t touched it since it got painted.. it still needs wet sanded and buffed too much orange peel for my liking lol. Dad sprayed it with an old spray gun I tried to buy a new one at hobo freight but they were cleaned out of all the cheapos