Author Topic: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder  (Read 80679 times)

Offline jaredts

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #15 on: August 29, 2011, 05:39:30 AM »
Great to see you into another project, Mike.  Love the new truck and the 454 out of the Jimmy is a thing of great beauty!

Offline JohnnyCanuck

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #16 on: August 29, 2011, 08:58:52 AM »
dang, that's a nice straight truck.
1978 GMC k20 Sierra Grande Camper Special 454
1990 GMC 1/2 4X4 on propane/gas

Offline paniolo

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #17 on: August 30, 2011, 11:08:39 AM »

This is scary looking...  I'll post a picture of the bearings for the front passenger side later, it looks even worse...



Today is cleaning day, going to start pressure washing and degreasing... ugh... this is the part that's never any fun.  It' hotter than heck outside today too...

:)

Thats ugly.  The only time I saw something that bad was on the rear of a semi floating rear axle where the tube was bent so that the seal didn't seal and gear lube built up.  How is it getting there on a full floater?
David M.
'81 C20 Suburban, tow pkg, 454, TH400, 14bb

Offline Mike Phillips

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #18 on: September 02, 2011, 05:51:01 PM »
***Update***

Been a busy week, no time for anything but work... here's where I left off last Sunday...
 
This was lovely, this was the passenger's side front hub...

 
 
Close-up...

 
 
I pulled every axle, the front axles had sand and dirt on the shafts...

 
 
Here's how she's sitting right now...

 

 
 
The plan now is to remove the differential covers and then flush the axle housing out with diesel and then use a pressure washer to force flush them... any other suggestions on how to get them clean would be appreciated...

 
 
The good news is I finally found a set of wide 8-lug, 16.5 slotted mags in good shape...

 
 

Offline Engineer

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #19 on: September 04, 2011, 08:10:46 AM »
I know that you probably don't want to go to the lengths that I did, but I tore my 1-ton axles all the way down, had them cooked in a caustic tank, then sandblasted them.

As bad as everything looks on your axles, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you pull the front differential, and replace the axle seals.

DANA makes a new seal for the D60 that rotates with the axle shaft. It doesn't wear on the axle shaft like the old style.

The part number for this new seal is: 52148.

I bought mine off of eBay.
2002 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 8.1/ZF6sp RC/LB
2001 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 6.0/4L85E EC/SB
1997 Chevy Blazer 4x4
1994 Chevy K-2500 4x4 C6P 5.7/4L80E
1979 Chevy K-30 4x4 4sp 4.10
1977 Chevy K-30 4x4 4sp 4.10 454

Dad of an Eagle Scout, and a Life Scout

Offline tpull123

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #20 on: September 04, 2011, 11:54:12 AM »
Those are some pretty cool looking traction bars!!   I know you prob havent drove the truck enough give too much feed back on how they work, but did they bind under suspsension movement at all?
1978 Frame w/ Cummins Diesel, 85 cab and front end, and time well wasted....lots of it!

Offline Mike Phillips

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #21 on: September 05, 2011, 06:43:44 AM »
As bad as everything looks on your axles, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you pull the front differential, and replace the axle seals.

What's involved with re-assembling the differential?  I've disassembled and re-assembled a lot of components over the years but never a Dana 60 axle.  I'm actually leaning hard towards complete disassembly because there's sand inside the axle tubes.

How do you go about finding a [local] business that can dip the stripped front end in an acid bath?  What about just pressure washing the heck out of it using normal degreasers and things like Easy-Off oven cleaner?

:)

Offline Mike Phillips

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #22 on: September 05, 2011, 06:50:40 AM »
Those are some pretty cool looking traction bars!!   I know you prob haven't drove the truck enough give too much feed back on how they work, but did they bind under suspension movement at all?

I haven't driven the truck at all, I can't drive stick shifts safely.  I can drive them but it's not safe.  See below and note the chrome leg.



Remember, this is for the most part going to be a Pavement Pounder, not a Mud Bog Truck.  I may take it to a couple of Trucks Gone Wild events with my son though.  I understand the function of the traction bars but personally don't like the way traction bars look on big trucks.  They'll probably become something I install before going mudding and remove for driving on the street, have to wait and see.

:)

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #23 on: September 05, 2011, 08:06:47 AM »
lt. Phillips you got a magic leg ;D don’t mind me asking but how? my mom is a amputee also she lost hers when she was on the back of a lowboy unloading jersey barriers back in 97. the guy operating the crane wasn’t overtop the load and when he picked it up it swung at her knocked her down and started to drag over her body so the guy dropped it on her legs. they were all close like brother and sister. she lost her left leg above the knee and severely damaged the right knee. she can’t drive a stick either lol don’t know if she could before the accident but probably not. ::) this happened back in 97 i was just getting into 9th grade
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #24 on: September 05, 2011, 08:08:42 AM »
my buddy de-greases his cleaned it up and painted it a couple years ago to this day its still painted, it been mudding and highway
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline Mike Phillips

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #25 on: September 05, 2011, 10:11:07 AM »

 Phillips you got a magic leg ;D don’t mind me asking but how?


My own boat ran over me in 1986...

This is me racing the 1/4 mile on Dexter Reservoir in Oregon around 1983 or 1984


A few years later I added a tall scoop, think it was called an "Indy Champ" and had the high back seats custom made for the boat.



I've owned four full convertible Blazers, here's a 1973 hooked up to the boat for a trip to the lake.




:)

Offline bake74

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #26 on: September 06, 2011, 06:15:58 PM »
     Engineer has a good point, the dana 44 I am rebuilding was full of mud and water when I tore into it, I ended up tearing it completely apart and put all new seals, bearings, etc.,etc. in.  I just didn't trust anything after seeing it full of mud and water.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #27 on: September 06, 2011, 06:33:44 PM »
yeah its not like your going just to mud with it so replace what you can. not to offend you but this so reminds me of forest gump except you only lost one leg. just like with my mom could of been a lot worse glad to see it didnt hold you back
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline jaredts

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #28 on: September 06, 2011, 10:33:13 PM »
You probably get sick of talking about it, but I find it inspirational that you get your hands dirty and do man's work and don't seem to let it slow you down.  I'd love to see more spots on tv.  Do you have anything coming up?

Offline 74k20

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Re: 1978 Chevy 3/4 Ton 4x4 Project Pavement Pounder
« Reply #29 on: September 06, 2011, 11:03:54 PM »
Feel a little let down, you not having some slots on that blazer.  But at least you had nice wheels on the boat trailer ;D  Looking forward to seeing the new truck progress.

MJ