What have you done to your square lately??

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AyWoSch Motors

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350ci V8
I bought the tug today. $200 cash, and traded the guy a set of steel wheels i had.
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He wanted its price in scrap weight, but it was 7000 lbs, which wouldve been about $800 according to him. So i pulled the bed, and both bumpers, and any extra scrap metal on it, and pulled the engine because he sold it to someone else before i got there. Threw any extra stuff i had in my tool bag or my truck.
Got it down to 3200lbs. That bed alone was 3000lbs. Not bad. Gonna pick it up tomorrow.
I have the grill and extra tires, and all the little stuff, took it with me.
Fenders, hood, core, wheel wells, grill, etc, are pristine perfect. Everything is really solid no rust.
Still have the low milage th400, and dually dana 60.
My friend seems to think has the narrow cab and chassis rear end. Does seem alot narrower than normal.
Either way, in happy. Got the world's shortest squarebody now, haha.
My buddy Tedly and I named it Tuggy Bob.
 

AyWoSch Motors

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Not sure how many of you guys have seen a show called Roadkill, but on that show there's a truck Called Stubby Bob.
Named my truck after that one, for obvious reasons, haha.
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Kinda want to do the same thing, but we'll see. Might just make a mini tow truck for around the ranch.
 

Mr Clean

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To be fair... I would almost guarantee that has more to do with them having to replace almost all of the linkages and the steering box in order to accomplish the change to crossover steering than it does with that type being better for normal driving. I have 35's, a 4" lift, and normal stock steering components. The steering got infinitely better in feel and got rid of all of those things when I replaced my ball joints on the drivers side, rebuilt/adjusted my steering gear, and replaced the rag joint on the steering shaft with a jeep one. Most dodges and Fords have crossover steering from the factory and are well known to be prone to death wobble when components start to wear out.

All that to say, my steering box is about done, so it will likely need a replacement soon. It about double the cost between just replacing the one I have and staying standard and changing over to the crossover steering using an ORD kit. I'm seriously considering it... we'll see. If you have the extra $500, then sure. If you go heavy wheeling and need it, then by all means. But don't think you NEED to do it in order to get rid of drift and make your steering responsive. Chances are you just need a quality steering box replacement and to check your steering linkages.
I agree 100%. The push-pull steering is just fine as long as everything is in good working order like you said. The 2wd drive steering box has a fast steering ratio, and that's about it. I'm running 37s they are not that much bigger than 35s. I did this manly because I wanted too. I was having to replace parts anyways so I stepped up to cross over steering. Time will tell if I like it or not. If I don't I still have all of the stock steering components and can put it back.
 

ChuckN

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Not sure how many of you guys have seen a show called Roadkill, but on that show there's a truck Called Stubby Bob.
Named my truck after that one, for obvious reasons, haha.
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Kinda want to do the same thing, but we'll see. Might just make a mini tow truck for around the ranch.
Lol, I have the Stubby Bob Roadkill Tshirt. One of my favorite episodes.
 

SK 99

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Not so much to the square, as for the square. Picked up a vintage Gott Tote 6 road sody and cup holder combo. Holds a sixer or four and two sandos if you prefer. Pull the cooler and you have a massive tray. Almost went with the Igloo Little Koolrest, but this seemed more stable and utilitarian. Bonus it matches my paint scheme lol

That's awesome! How stable is it without having it secured with a seatbelt? Does it seem to tilt/move around easily?
 

89Suburban

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I bought the tug today. $200 cash, and traded the guy a set of steel wheels i had.
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He wanted its price in scrap weight, but it was 7000 lbs, which wouldve been about $800 according to him. So i pulled the bed, and both bumpers, and any extra scrap metal on it, and pulled the engine because he sold it to someone else before i got there. Threw any extra stuff i had in my tool bag or my truck.
Got it down to 3200lbs. That bed alone was 3000lbs. Not bad. Gonna pick it up tomorrow.
I have the grill and extra tires, and all the little stuff, took it with me.
Fenders, hood, core, wheel wells, grill, etc, are pristine perfect. Everything is really solid no rust.
Still have the low milage th400, and dually dana 60.
My friend seems to think has the narrow cab and chassis rear end. Does seem alot narrower than normal.
Either way, in happy. Got the world's shortest squarebody now, haha.
My buddy Tedly and I named it Tuggy Bob.

Freakin awesome!!! There was a guy running around here in one of those last year but it was an early 80's Dodge tug.
 

Camar068

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Worked on the transmission cooler lines as they were leaking pretty bad. Couldn’t tell if it was the power steering, or the cooler lines, but it turns out it was both. Got those wrangled in now. P.O. eliminated the radiator transmission cooler and just did an aftermarket one on the front.
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if the first pic is your trans lines, I would put metal lines at least 4" long on those and put a slight bend in them. Then put a clamp on each side of the bend. Last thing you want is one of those lines to pop off the barb fittings. I put the bend so it's harder for the line to slip off if a clamp fails.

I've always made my bends about 12" long.

Just a thought.
 

Camar068

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ordered a pair of Humvee fold down steps to play with. May put them on the rear bumper corners, the front bumper. We'll see.

[edit] ebay $63 shipped.
 

Camar068

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ordered a pair of Humvee fold down steps to play with. May put them on the rear bumper corners, the front bumper. We'll see.

[edit] ebay $63 shipped.
just thought about it, might be good to weld to the inside bed posts for tie downs.
 

ChuckN

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if the first pic is your trans lines, I would put metal lines at least 4" long on those and put a slight bend in them. Then put a clamp on each side of the bend. Last thing you want is one of those lines to pop off the barb fittings. I put the bend so it's harder for the line to slip off if a clamp fails.

I've always made my bends about 12" long.

Just a thought.
Thanks for your input! I welcome all helpful input. I’m having a hard time getting my tiny brain wrapped around what you’re saying, though, if you have a picture, let me know. I’d like to see it.

I don’t know what kind of lines these are, I think the stock lines go all the way from the transmission and plug into the radiator. Mine are clearly much shorter than that, where they terminate in those compression fittings. So that’s where I put those Barb ends in, would you say to put in longer extensions in the lines and then connect the hoses to them? And what ithread Would that be? Perhaps the same as the brake lines?

Also, just out of curiosity, how much psi did these transmissions run through the cooler lines?
 

Camar068

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to keep it short, if using hose for your trans lines, always try to use a longer length of metal tubing and run the hose over it double clamped. As for the bends....bend the metal line a bit and put the hose clamps on different axis.....don't leave the metal line straight.

Try your best to avoid a trans line on a simple barb if possible. Make it longer and double clamp if possible. With aftermarket coolers with barb fittings, it's hard to do.....just something you need to keep an eye on and check periodically. See a leak....fix it right then and there.

I've been through it twice (got lucky no harm) where a one clamp setup failed. A more than 20 minute road trip would have cost me...... twice.
 

Camar068

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Thanks for your input! I welcome all helpful input. I’m having a hard time getting my tiny brain wrapped around what you’re saying, though, if you have a picture, let me know. I’d like to see it.

I don’t know what kind of lines these are, I think the stock lines go all the way from the transmission and plug into the radiator. Mine are clearly much shorter than that, where they terminate in those compression fittings. So that’s where I put those Barb ends in, would you say to put in longer extensions in the lines and then connect the hoses to them? And what ithread Would that be? Perhaps the same as the brake lines?

Also, just out of curiosity, how much psi did these transmissions run through the cooler lines?
forgot to mention. If using hose for trans lines anywhere, you need to check them often for cracks/leaks. If one is looking bad, replace them all.

Good idea to keep an eye out for fluid lines out of your driveway.
 

ChuckN

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forgot to mention. If using hose for trans lines anywhere, you need to check them often for cracks/leaks. If one is looking bad, replace them all.

Good idea to keep an eye out for fluid lines out of your driveway.
Got it, thanks for the description. Hoses are all brand new, I replaced them after I was the cracked ones leaking. The guy before me just had the old hoses clamped on the threads of the lines. I don’t know how they didn’t come flying off.

I’ll treat the barbs as temporary, and get to improving them. As of now, no leaks and the hoses are really on there tight.
 

Soundmound

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That's awesome! How stable is it without having it secured with a seatbelt? Does it seem to tilt/move around easily?
Well, haven't had it on the road yet, but it feels pretty good on the hard vinyl seat, probably good on cloth. I bet it would be easy to glue a sprue or put in a long toggle bolt through the back and then secure it through the seat gap. Might fit on the hump of my 2wd and could put some velcro or deck tape on the bottom for insurance also. If you look at the Igloo it has a big arch in the bottom, the cup holders are elevated and no good way to lap belt it down. I just don't trust it as much when there will be fresh carpet and upholstery present but it was considered.
 

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