73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Brakes, Frame, Steering & Suspension => Topic started by: Greybeard on January 24, 2014, 12:45:20 am
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Just wondering because after six years of no activity in the savaging scene I was thinking sources for these parts may be drying up pretty fast. I don't want to deal with any 'metric' parts (newer than about 85). Any help would prove beneficial while I'm waiting for warm weather to show back up. -6 right now. 8)
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The things are everywhere around where I live. Keep looking they are still in abundance.
I would start at a swap meet or something.
Salvage yards usually aren't a good idea as they usually only deal in late model high demand parts.
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Thanks Engineer, I'm not looking right now but I like to get a jump on things so I can keep my options open. I'll need to do a lot of R&R to the suspension before I actually think seriously about different axles. I mentioned in my welcome post that the truck has been sitting for years but it wasn't put away clean and dry. I have mice, rust, dirt, junk, poor tires (dry rotted), rusty rims, etc. that need to be dealt with. Most of that is just manual labor, some is money being thrown at it, and some I won't be capable of doing myself. Up here in rural north east Iowa I would even know how find a swapmeet other than the one in Cedar Rapids. I'll do some webzurfing and see what comes up.
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I just got a 14FF and a dana 44 matching for $200 off craigslist. That's where I always look for parts, that or a pull your own junkyard by me that keeps old cars/trucks.
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I believe what I'm going to find around here in corn country is a bunch of well worn out farm truck parts. Those that were overstressed many times pulling many tons of grain carts out of soft fields (by children). Then used and abused until the truck just wouldn't go anymore. :(
I might get lucky too, just never know. I found that pulling a rear-end from a 3/4 or one ton van always got a good one regardless of whether or not the pads and shock mounts all needed to be relocated. But I suppose a 70's vintage van is harder to find than hens teeth today.
I'm not certain how late of vehicle still used normal SAE parts in the rears? Or what year they went to the light duty models.
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Well if you get some that may been beat up. Pay less for them and change out the bearings and get a new ring and pinion, then you know it is brand new. You will prob never get the true about the axles anyways, since the trucks are so old, most people do not know what the truck was always used for.
When I got mine I was going to look at a set that were on a plow truck that were know to be sloppy, and I was going to buy them cheap and rebuild them. But he had a truck there that his dad own since new, and was never plowed with and what not, so I took the chance that I may not need a new ring and pinion (prob still going to replace bearings).
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That's one job I've never done on a street vehicle and only once on a tractor, set up a ring and pinion backlash. Not saying I couldn't just haven't. I set the backlash in one of my tractors that I did complete final drive rebuild on and after many tries to get it right I finally settled on what seemed right as per the fifty year old manual. reassembled the entire unit, pulled it out and test drove it and danged if the unit didn't sing! And it still does... >:( I am NOT taking it apart again. For a unit that only turns at 2200rpm's I'm not going to sweat it. It's been four years and it's starting to get a little less noisy. :D
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How far are you willing to travel i have a set of 3/4 ton axles from a 82 4:11gears if i remember right
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Well, that depends on a few factors. I'm in Northeast Iowa just north of Waverly.
I haven't even called around to find out around here yet. I just bought a welder and since I'm a starving college student money is tight. I also am not impatient. LOL. I have until I'm too old to work but if the price is right I might be able sell some stuff to make it work. I have a few antique plows and an adjustable disc I could get rid of. PM me if you would with some particulars. Thanks! and 4.11's are perfect.