Project Brotherly Love

[Buffy]

After doing all that I decided to put some new parts on. I mounted the cleaned up proportioning valve and thought I'd "just bolt up" the front brake lines. No so fast.... we the new stainless lines were sort of bent like the original but in some cases not even close. I pretty much had to re-make the bends on the passenger front and had to do the same at the proportioning valve on the same line. The driver side fit pretty well with just some minor tweaking and little to no swearing.

 

[Buffy]

We decided to replace the old steering box with a rebuilt unit from Red Head. Here's the old box next to the new one.

Been waiting on the new body bolt kit to arrive. I finally got tired of waiting and started cleaning up the originals. Got the steering box bolts cleaned and painted earlier this week so we could install the new box Saturday.

 

[Buffy]

We've been in a bit of a holding pattern lately waiting on parts. I've been disassembling the axles getting them cleaned up before taking them to ECG for rebuilds.

The original braked from 1979 have seen better days

The passenger spindle is pitted pretty bad. I could tell it had water in the hub as the grease looked like mud.

I've been real chummy with my drill and wire wheel getting the rear axle housing ready for paint.

 

[Buffy]

I got the rear axle primed and painted. Then I was on to the front axle. Took the cover off and discovered some nice chocolate milk in there and some rust. According to my brother there were several streams on the ranch. So combine streams and 15 and 16 year old boys and a leaky axle seal and you get rust! Will see what ECG says is salvable.

Rear end all painted up

Front axle before

During

and in primer, will be painting it tonight

ECG will be installing new ball joints while they have the axles. I am sandblasting the knuckles and pressing out the ball joints before I paint them. I will touch up the paint when I get the axles back. Hopefully there wont be much damage to the paint.

 

[Buffy]

I had the axle covers and brake backing plates powder coated. Axles are detailed and read for the trip to ECGS for a rebuild. I've been waiting a a new bolt kit to show up but it has been on back order for like forever, because you know Covid. So I've been raiding my stainless bolt bin and been slowly making progress. Once I get these babies back I will have it back on its wheels in no time!

 

[Buffy]

I got the axles back from ECGS and couldn't be happier. Of course they have yet to let me down. We've been waiting on a stainless bolt kit since August. I finally got tired of waiting and went out and found some 9/16" stainless bolts so I could install the axles. The Bolt Depot had what I needed and got it here in just a few days. Springs and axles are in, currently working on cleaning up the hubs. Once I get them painted nice and shiny black I will get the bearings installed and get the front axle wrapped up.

Kind of nice to see it starting to look like a vehicle again.

Bunches of nice shiny parts.

 

[Buffy]

I finally got all my parts in to complete the front hubs and rear brakes. I can say technically I have a roller if I put tires on it.

Rebuilt hubs, new bearings, spindles, fancy stainless bolts, Warn Premium hubs, and Baer drilled and slotted rotors.

Rear drum brakes. Pain in the butt when you don't have the other side to compare to. Fortunately I have a factory service manual that has some good picture. Have I mentioned I really hate drum brakes.

All new soft lines, emergency brake cables, and stainless brake lines. The axle lines actually fit pretty nice. As you can see in the pictures below the fuel lines are not even close. I am going to looks at the originals to see if I can salvage them.

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

When I have to replace all the parts in a drum assembly, like you, I try to pull the old assembly off, in tact. Pull the drum, pull the shaft, and unbolt the backing plate. Take plenty of pics, and try to leave it together. I know it doesnt always go that smoothly though.

Things are looking good. Any big upgrades planned, or just going back stockish?

 

[Buffy]

When I have to replace all the parts in a drum assembly, like you, I try to pull the old assembly off, in tact. Pull the drum, pull the shaft, and unbolt the backing plate. Take plenty of pics, and try to leave it together. I know it doesnt always go that smoothly though.

Things are looking good. Any big upgrades planned, or just going back stockish?

I have an Edelbrock intake and 4 barrel carb for it. Been contemplating aluminum heads and cam swap. Both are high on the list but the availability of the heads is like April of next year. We did have a Detroit TruTrak installed in the rear.

 

[Buffy]

Man 2022 has been a rough year for the wife and I. Sold the house to downsize and moved. Shortly after the wife became very sick but the doctors couldn’t diagnose what was going on. Spent 5 days in ICU with doctors shrugging their shoulders with no idea what was going on. I was kicked out of the ICU ward due to my lack of understanding of their procedures and my spirited profanity laced pep talks. Go figure…. Well the good news is the wife is now healthy and even better news I am back working in my shop working on my brother’s Jeep. My present project is rebuilding the T150 three speed transmission. Never done it before but hey I’ve got google and YouTube.

Wasn’t too bad disassembling though ther is one snap wring that has been a royal pain in my ass. We power washed everything before I closed up shop so the case was somewhat clean.

Not much to the internals

Reverse is chewed up and the first/reverse syncro hub has been abused. Pretty much spent it’s life in first gear and 4wd.

All the parts laid out on the bench

 

[Buffy]

I sent everything out to be hot tanked and shot peaned. Picked them up and sent them off to be powder coated

Nice and clean

I got the new first/reverse syncro hub yesterday so I assembled the gear pack today. Waiting on the reverse gear before I can continue. Well that and getting the case back from the powder coater

 

[Buffy]

I was hoping to get everything wrapped up this weekend but noticed the counter shaft gear has some chunks missing out of it. Was late in the week when I noticed it so have to wait until next week.

I did get the reverse gear in and was able to get it installed.

Old and new

The thrust washers had a lot of metal in them. Fortunately the rebuild kit had new ones.

 

[Buffy]

I did accomplish getting the shift rails put back together. A bit of a pain in the ass to get those poppets back on their location and the shift rails slid into place.

Not a lot of moving parts

 

[Buffy]

So I spent the day in the shop working the T150 trans. My plan was to finish it up today. Well….. not so fast. I got everything together with minimal cussing and decided to test the shifting before putting on the gaskets etc. All gears shift great but third gear. It will not fully engage. The biggest issue I am seeing is as I am shifting the rear bearing retainer I’d coming out of the case. The bearing retainer spins freely in the case. Which is cause the clutch output shaft to separate from the main gear pack. Does anyone have any experience with this? @Jody Treadway ?? Below is pictures of things as the sit currently.

 

[Buffy]

So I went back and took everything apart again and realized the syncro for 2nd and 3rd was stuck due to the effort I put into installing the rear bearing retainer. Then I did the unthinkable and read the manual and realized I needed to engage both syncro hubs before installing the rear bearing. Put it all back together, correctly this time, and all seems well. All gears are engaging, shifter is smooth, rear bearing is still loose as compared to the videos I’ve watched but wind be an issue once the transfer case is installed. Still waiting on one part.

My first transmission rebuild

Old replaced parts

 

[Buffy]

Now that the transmission is pretty much wrapped up I’ve turned my attention to the Dana 20 transfer case. It cleaned up well. Shifts very smooth and all the gears look perfect. I believe the home seals are leaking so I will replace those. The old shift linkage will be replaced with JB Conversion twin stick.

 

[Buffy]

Made a little more progress on the transfer case over the weekend. Got it all primed and painted with semi gloss chassis paint.

All taped up

I used Eastwoods rust preventative paint as a primer. You can go over it with their chassis paint without sanding. I’ve done this many times and it always works very well.

The chassis paint really works out nice!

 

[Shreddinlettuce]

Looks like new!

 

[Buffy]

It’s come a long way from looking like this!

 

[Shreddinlettuce]

Awesome how short this setup is!

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Made a little more progress on the transfer case over the weekend. Got it all primed and painted with semi gloss chassis paint.

All taped up

I used Eastwoods rust preventative paint as a primer. You can go over it with their chassis paint without sanding. I’ve done this many times and it always works very well.

The chassis paint really works out nice!

How well does the paint hold up over time.....it looks fantastic.

 

[Buffy]

How well does the paint hold up over time.....it looks fantastic.

It holds up great actually. I used it on my old ECORS class A rigs bumpers. Smashed it against trees, rocks, you name it and it held up incredibly well. If it would survive my abuse there, street life would be a cake walk.