73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Red87 on May 18, 2017, 08:28:03 PM
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I know we have sub-sections for all of the various components of our trucks, but this thread is basically just to see what we all do on a day-to-day basis with them. The idea comes from another forum I belong to for my VTX motorcycle. Basically, just post what you've done recently...if it's described in detail elsewhere on the site, give us a link to it. You can gain a lot of information from these posts and see quickly what others are up to.
Today, I reconditioned my OEM seatbelts in my 87 Silverado. Within the past few months, a couple of the push-button releases stopped working, and the driver's side retractors were not returning the slack properly. Ten days ago, I ordered replacement 3-point seat belts for the driver and passenger from "name-shall-not-by-typed", and when I received them, I was extremely disappointed in how they mounted and worked. So I sent them back today and decided to do some work on the OEM units.
To fix the retracting issue, I removed the full assemblies from the truck, flipped them over and saw tons of dust inside. Fired up the air compressor and blew them out really well with the seat belts fully pulled out. Took some 3-in-1 oil and put several drops on the retractors that I could get to and pulled the seat belts in and out several times. Once I was satisfied that they were lubed well, I then went to fixing the push-button latch releases. I found a YT video on how to take these latches apart, and when I did, I found the spring mechanism was busted on one of the latches and the other one was worn pretty bad. So I used a small piece of weatherstripping and placed it on the underside where the spring mechanism was, put it all back together and now have working latches again. Installed the seat belts back in and everything is working as it should.
It would've been nice to find OEM units, but they're long gone.
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Today I installed a 4" lift spring on the front right of the truck, and pulled apart the left side for the final stage of the lift.
For some reason I had a heck of a time getting the long U-Bolt into position properly.
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Let it sit in the garage - like most days. :(
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Let it sit in the garage - like most days. :(
That's been my story with my motorcycle...I'd rather be riding than driving. I've got my bike torn down and replacing a bunch of parts, along with getting ready to install a fuse panel, real cruise control and raising my mufflers so I don't keep scraping them when riding.
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Over this past weekend, I changed the stock valve covers (that were leaking) to a chromed set that included chrome bolts, chrome push-in style oil cap and new gaskets & cut-to-fit grommets. I bought them from eBay, and when I went to install them, the only way they would fit was to rotate them 180-degrees...which put the PCV valve and the oil fill hole back toward the firewall. Wasn't happy about it, but I rotated them anyway. But, I had to get longer hoses for the PCV valve and the vent hole. I also installed new belts (serpentine, power steering/ac & alternator) due to some glazing (and hence squealing) from them.
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Oh man, its just non-stop with my truck. :(
Last week, my truck wouldn't start. I thought the fuel pump was out, so I replaced it. Unfortunately, the truck still didn't want to start. I found out that cluster gauge fuse was blown and I was showing a full tank of gas when in fact, my tank was empty. All I had to do was replace the fuse and fill the tank, lol.
Anyway, my power steering pump has been leaking ever since I got the truck over 5 years ago. I finally got around to replacing that pump on Saturday. Whilst driving around on Sunday, my radio goes out. After some inspecting, I found out that the power was rubbing against the brake pedal for awhile and finally rubbed through. I re-crimped the wires and got my radio working again.
On Monday, I tried to roll my window down and the window lever broke in half. I just ordered a new one. Now I'm waiting for that to come in.
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I drove my K20 today. Changed the oil and made a parts list for this weekend. then i went to the car wash and washed it real good. On the way home a bird crapped on it so I washed it again.
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Drove mine to the Beer Store!!!
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Oh man, its just non-stop with my truck. :(
Last week, my truck wouldn't start. I thought the fuel pump was out, so I replaced it. Unfortunately, the truck still didn't want to start. I found out that cluster gauge fuse was blown and I was showing a full tank of gas when in fact, my tank was empty. All I had to do was replace the fuse and fill the tank, lol.
Anyway, my power steering pump has been leaking ever since I got the truck over 5 years ago. I finally got around to replacing that pump on Saturday. Whilst driving around on Sunday, my radio goes out. After some inspecting, I found out that the power was rubbing against the brake pedal for awhile and finally rubbed through. I re-crimped the wires and got my radio working again.
On Monday, I tried to roll my window down and the window lever broke in half. I just ordered a new one. Now I'm waiting for that to come in.
I'm beginning to feel that way about mine. The oil pressure and speedometer gauges have been squirrelly for awhile now (bouncing all around), but for the last few days, the oil pressure gauge at startup will go up to under 30 for about 10 minutes of driving and then go all the way to zero and stay there for just about the rest of the day. And I've also been fighting with a severe sluggishness, like several cylinders aren't firing. The latter has been happening off & on for several months, and I've replaced the distributor cap, spark plugs and wires. I hate driving it like this and need to get this thing running better. I just don't have much time to do it myself between work and having three young kiddos. I'm learning as I go, so that gives me a disadvantage...I'm a computer guy, not a mechanic. And we don't have a lot of extra funds to pay someone else to do the work.
I drove my K20 today. Changed the oil and made a parts list for this weekend. then i went to the car wash and washed it real good. On the way home a bird crapped on it so I washed it again.
Sounds like what I would've done...washing it twice. ;D
Drove mine to the Beer Store!!!
That's a lot of beer...if you fill up the bed. ;)