What have you done to your square lately??

[83Stepper]

I live in Ohio and I've never heard of them. So the sell frame patches then? My stepside is very questionable in the same area of the frame.

Yup, east of Akron and basically in PA they're that far out. Look like they sell tons of different patches as well as mounts etc. Was kind of thinking it was sketchy until I Googled it and they came up in the Summit Racing list. Same price there but free shipping so I'm definitely going through them instead of directly to the vendor. Almost bought an 86 K10 today that had a frame repair done but then it cracked again behind the leaf spring shackle. Was hard passing it up for $400, but the thought was if I went LS in it with a 4L60 to mate up to the 27 spline NP208 in it, didn't want to take the chance of cracking the frame again getting after it in 4 low roasting some goodyears lol.

 

[Travlr]

Toyota's problem was the boxed frame that made the truck so strong wasn't made with any drain holes. That wasn't a brine problem, it was an engineering problem.

Well if it's not a brine problem... why are there 30 year old Toyota frames that are still solid in southern and western states... and five year old frames needing to be replaced in the rust belt? Boxed frame or not... there's a difference in how long they hold up in states that use brine and those that don't.

I suspect in more frozen north states things are a bit different. Because we get heavy wet snows and big temperature swings which seem to require more than sand.

We have mountains and ski resorts that make eastern climates look temperate. High deserts with drifts and cutting winds. The Dakotas, Montana, Idaho are all comparable to Michigan and further east in snow totals and temps.

Also, reading the trucking trade publications they often talk about the different chemicals they use. *** chloride this and such, and how significant the corrosion is because of some of the particular chloride solutions being used in particular areas.

And I suspect there is more rust in the Dakotas/Montana/Idaho than in Arizona, but the rates of rust failures is still nowhere near what it is in the rust belt.

 

[Radiohead]

Here in Oregon, ODOT likes to think magnesium chloride solution is better for the waterborne critters compared to regular ole sodium chloride (which they use as well). It is still corrosive, maybe not AS aggressive as what's used back east, but it still causes problems.

One thing that took many years of colorful metaphors to change was Mrs Radioheads propensity to drive on the beach, wet sand and surf, without giving things a spritz afterwards. Told her I wasn't working on rust belt garbage and if she wanted to keep enjoying the free auto repair labor, she best knock that shyt off. Which, at least, now she asks me to help wash the underside off. It's a start.

I swear to GOD Oregon uses rock. Whenever we go to Ontario, just over the Idaho/Oregon line you have to drive defensively looking out for oncoming rocks

Yer right Perry. If it's not ¾ minus chip, it's too small.

Never understood why they do it like that here. It's like that in the zone west of the cascades too. I hate it - As much as chip sealing roads instead of just putting a fresh layer of asphalt down. Bass turds did our road like this last year and the hardbody picked up a rock chip parked 25' off the road. Behind trees! Lost a headlight in the square out in the carport from the same nonsense. It's really my biggest complaint living here.

 

[Radiohead]

Today was start differential swap day. Yay!

It's been sitting on stands waiting for me to show up since spring. In my defense, I have lots going on at any particular point in time, and I'm putting it off knowing it's extra heavy, a bytch out there in the gravel and the weather seems in a conspirital mood. Well, it won't swap itself.

Someone told someone else in a post about removing bed bolts to take a wire brush to the exposed threads of the fasteners; thats excellent advice concerning differential swaps too. Makes most fasteners reusable, which is a feature for a cheap bass turd like me instead of a bug. So, now I need to follow through in a timely fashion. It's embarrassing having things in limbo like this.

The eagle has landed.

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On to all the clean up and inspection of the other unit prior to installation. That's a job in itself.

Thats what I did (for a change) TO my square today.

 

[shawn57nomad]

Installed the Dorman C3500 steering shaft to eliminate the old rag joint. I had to get a 10mm x 1.50 x 30mm flanged bolt for the gearbox side and a couple of gentle squeezes in the vice to elongate the column end. Easy peasy. 73-80 inner fenders next after the camber and toe get set next week.

 

[idahovette]

Your alignment guy is gonna LOVE you for not having the inner fenders in the way He's gonna set the caster along with the camber and toe....right?

 

[Old Blue 79 Scot]

…..because this is page 1776! Woo!

 

[bucket]

I don't know why you guys in the rust belt put up with the road department using salt. There is plenty of snow in other states and they don't rust their vehicles out. The accumulated dollars and the misery with an entire population involved in having vehicles rusted out must be tremendous considering how many years salt has been used on your roads.

I don't know why they still use the salt/brine BS. I swear they use it heavier and more often by the year too. When the idiots on the TV think we are going to get a foot of snow (but it's only a dusting or a couple inches) they pre-treat the roads with that brine solution (which I absolutely HATE that stuff) and as soon as there's snowflakes sticking to the ground, they start with the salt spreaders. They don't even bother dropping the plows until there's a few inches of accumulation, they just salt the bejesus out of the roads until then.

I think it's because our "mid rank" snowfall accumulation. In areas of the country that get more snow, the drivers are more used to it and can drive in it. But we don't get that much in comparison, and the bozos around here don't know how to drive in it, so they attempt to keep the roads perfectly clear (which is a fail every year). I know in the south, people suck even more at driving in the snow, but when they do get snow, schools and businesses tend to just shut down and not as many people have to drive in it anyway. At least, that's how it was when I spent all those winters in South central VA. If there was even a chance of a dusting, scools closed that day. If there was more than an inch or two accumulation, most of the town shut down. Even the pizza places, on a Friday night.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Oooo I have a good one for page 1776 too!

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[gilby959798]

Well it's time for some repairs again on the old girl. Took a turn on a hill and heard a loud bang that sounded like something let go. Initially didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the ride home except for the extra bouncy left rear corner of the stepside. Got her home and confirmed my suspicions to be right on point.

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Pretty sure she ain't supposed to be that bouncy. Did some interwebs searching and found this company called "Rust Buster" out of Ohio. Anybody ever use any of their stuff and if you have, or know of anyone who has, what was your experience with them? Looking to get the cap for the driver side front spring perch section from them. Price doesn't seem to be overly expensive for what it is. But it's time to get the bed fully off of the truck and while I'm under there do some more things that could get some attention to them done up right.

Also never heard of them when I was in Ohio. Mine was weak in that area but not that bad!

This is right behind the front hanger on the driver side.

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[gilby959798]

Then I made some plates to strengthen the whole area (at least in my mind)

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I put plates at all of the rear spring hanger locations, I think it will be sufficient. These are quite old, I did this back in 2022. Now I need to get all the sheet metal work done on this slow project.

 

[WFarm]

Removed the bumper guards for re-chroming. The guards have pitting and don’t look real good compared to the new bumper.

I was planning on sending them off to Super Chrome in NJ. They did the bed rail ends for my ‘87 and that turned out nice but they do have mixed reviews. Any one here have any recommendations for chrome plating shops?

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Bed rail ends rechromed in 2023:

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[bucket]

Removed the bumper guards for re-chroming. The guards have pitting and don’t look real good compared to the new bumper.

I was planning on sending them off to Super Chrome in NJ. They did the bed rail ends for my ‘87 and that turned out nice but they do have mixed reviews. Any one here have any recommendations for chrome plating shops?

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Bed rail ends rechromed in 2023:

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There's that place in Tennessee that seens to be well regarded. The name escapes me at the moment though.

*edit* Advanced Plating.

 

[Frankenchevy]

I did well on my chemistry finals, but that doesn't mean I know much. What product do they use in other states that isn't corrosive?

Sand and snow plows here…but mostly snow plows. Most of our snow is in the eastern very sparsely populated part of the state though. No population centers to speak of.

You have to zoom in to see my page 1776 contribution…

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[mxer147]

Didn’t want to destroy a newish dash bezel so I’m patching, cutting, drilling, painting the one it came with; the stereo cutout and mount are done. I pre drilled the holes where the accessories light push switches will be located. I’m gonna do some light surgery so those switches look like they belong there. Once the switches are done, I’m gonna start the tedious painting the bezel. Probably do some wiring between the paint colors drying. I’m still working on the courage to restore the wing window rubbers.