The "Hulk": Ugly green truck to Juneau??

[oldndcctrucks]

Decided to take a break from work and have a little fun today
98.jpg

A friend, his son, and I burned some powder and killed some targets

... Is there really any other better use for an old Dodge? :D

[712edf]

When I was about 6 & lived in Colorado, my dad and some of his co-workers would go out & sight in their rifles..... And the company truck was a 73 W200 sno-fiter (blue).

Bucky

[oldndcctrucks]

No way! Nice....

[oldndcctrucks]

I told my 16- and 20-year old daughters that I was going to install a rifle rack in the back window... they both said, "God, NO!!"

Heh, heh, heh....

[oldndcctrucks]

Well, the truck is back!

I have installed a small tachometer (Auto Meter 2306 Autogage Mini Tachometer; $56 at Amazon), chopped out a bunch of scabbed-in accessory wiring, removed some other electrical crap, added two 12 volt distribution fuse blocks (one from battery, one from ignition), and finished the trailer brake controller installation.

I also replaced the door window rollers in the driver's door.

The steering still wanders too much for my liking; I'm sure these trucks wandered a little as new, but this is too much to be comfortable for long-distance driving. "Caster" is a front hub angle and is the major contributing factor in this discussion.

An explanation which I like is located here:
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret...e.jsp?techid=4

"Wandering" in my definition is the truck's failure to tend to maintain straight-ahead steering, and to not be inclined to return to a straight-ahead path upon finish of a turn. In my case, the truck does not tend to return from a wide turn, and I am required to constantly correct its path for straight ahead, especially for small irregularities in the road surface.

Some conditions with this truck which contribute to this problem include:

1. The rear axle has lifted, extra springs which change the angle of the frame compared to the road, reducing caster angle.
2. Sagging front axle springs; this lowers the front end of the frame, reducing positive caster angle.
3. The oversized tires I installed on the truck.
4. A lack of factory caster shims.

The factory manual I have states the angle to be 3 degrees positive caster.

For #1. above, I will not be correcting that as I will be driving loaded for the entire trip.
For #2. above, I plan to replace the main leaves and probably the second leaves under them. I may install 1/2"-longer shackles as well.
For #3. above, I will not be changing this condition. Although narrow tires give greater steering response, I will be keeping what I have.
For #4. above, I installed 2.5 degree steel shims yesterday. Steering has improved, but only to about 50% of what I am looking for.

The shims are steel (aluminum is quite common, but soft and has a tendency to slowly fail in off-road vehicles; bronze is also available, but I could not find what I wanted in the correct size and degree of angle). They are made by Rubicon Express, P/N RE1464; $34 / pair at Amazon. I have ordered another pair and will stack them in ASAP. I also had to remove the spring pack center bolts and weld-on steel nuts to extend the heads to mesh with the axle spring seat centering hole.

99.jpg
U-bolts and bottom bracket removed; driver's side

101b.jpg
Arrow points to spring pack centering bolt head

102.jpg
New 2.5 degree shim installed

100.jpg
Sagging springs, contributing to less positive caster

103.jpg
Front spring rear shackles barely keep spring eye from contacting the frame, by about 1/16"

[oldndcctrucks]

5 degrees of shim made the steering much better; but the pinion shaft angle for the front differential is now quite sharp, which is something I had not considered.

[oldndcctrucks]

I have almost finished the cab heater.

The problems were:

1. The original defrost ducts on top were cut off and covered to make room for the aftermarket A/C, and the duct tape had disintegrated.
2. The defrost ducts were missing.
3. The fan switch was stuck on LOW.
4. The heater core coolant flow valve cable was broken.
5. There was a mouse nest inside.
6. The blower motor engine compartment gasket had shrunk badly, making long, tapered 1/4" gaps allowing for sucking engine gasses into the cabin.
7. The horizontal defrost duct hubs were missing.

1. I installed a nice piece of galvanized sheet steel and taped in place using aluminum self-adhesive duct tape.
2. New flexible duct is ordered.
3. I replaced the fan switch with a Four Seasons model, which was bad out of the box. I had to wiggle the switch handle to make the blower run. I replaced it with a Standard brand switch #HS201, which worked fine. While both looked identical and they both were made in Mexico, the Four Seasons one was junk.
4. The wire was broken-off next to the slider control; I cut off the kinked end, pulled it out of the sheath, cut off the sheath about 2" shorter at the valve, oiled the wire and pushed it back into the sheath, connecting the coiled end to the slider lever. I then cut the heater hose back 2" and bent a coil in the end of the wire. Works fine.
5. Removed the entire inside half of the housing and cleaned it out.
6. Removed the blower motor, measured the housing and cut a new gasket from 3/16" neoprene rubber.
7. Made two new hubs from 2" EMT electrical conduit, and sealed with aluminum self-adhering duct tape.
.

108.jpg
Heater housing, interior of cab

109.jpg

110.jpg

111.jpg
Blower motor gasket on housing in engine compartment

104.jpg
Evaporator (inside dash)

105.jpg
Thermostatic switch (probe inserts into evaporator core)

106.jpg
Thermostatic switch (not factory)

[oldndcctrucks]

I brought the donor truck home today; this is the one which I will be getting the sweptline bed from. From parking to leaving, got it loaded and tied down in just under 15 minutes!

I left my house at 7:00 a.m. and parked home again at 7:15 p.m.; Beaumont, Calif. to Kingsburg, Calif. and back; 566 miles round trip.

The trailer pulled fine, stable; but the right rear bearing was hot the whole way back. We stopped at an autoparts store, bought a mini grease gun, and
regreased the bearing, but to no avail....

112.jpg

113.jpg
The stuff on the paint is not rust; it's some sort of lichen!
114.jpg

[KRB64]

We get that fungal growth here too but I thought it was due to the high humidity and 50+ inches of rain annually.

We also get a black mold from the bourbon distilleries. The Angel's share.

What are your plans for the front springs?

[oldndcctrucks]

Front springs:

Replace main and second leaves; possibly shorten eye-to-eye by 1/2"; add about 1" lift to arc.

[oldndcctrucks]

I got the front tow/winch hitch done and installed. This item will also be the mount for the brush guard,
if I have time to make it.

118.jpg

119.jpg

[oldndcctrucks]

I performed a test run with the Hulk: I pulled the donor truck and car trailer (approx. 4300 lbs + approx. 1600 lbs for a total of approx. 5900 lbs) as a simulation of the travel trailer we will be towing.

I took the rig east to north Palm Springs and back; there are two grades to the summit at Whitewater, one of which is about 1.2 miles at 2.6% grade and the other about 10 miles at 1.5% average with a maximum grade of 2.5%. I had to calculate the grades by getting elevations since our wonderful state DOT does not have that information on-line nor available by calling in to any office. (I CAN, however, go in to the main district office and request to see as-built plans!)

The truck handled very well, the trailer brake controller also did very well, and the engine temp did not come up much off the "normal" line. I only had to drop into third for the last mile to the summit going west while fighting a 20-30 mph gusting headwind. Outside temperature was from 87 to 93 degrees.

I had the gas pedal floored for most of each climb and did not hear any pinging or pre-ignition. The stainless mufflers are now somewhat discolored!

I am satisfied that the stock 318 engine with the stock 2-barrel carb will be fine for the G-R-E-A-T T-R-I-P. The four wheel hubs didn't get too hot, nor did the transmission or transfer case.

117.jpg
Going west; this view shows the 2.6% grade going eastbound, about mid way.

116.jpg
Going east, this view shows the 1.5% to 2.5% grade going westbound, near the summit.

115.jpg

[oldndcctrucks]

I have nearly finished the A-frame crane boom which I have been working on for about 9 months. I had originally
wanted to build it because "it's neat", but now I have several jobs which it will greatly help facilitate.

This boom concept was actually Army-issue kit, but I have not been able to locate one.

In regards to Power Wagons, this boom will be used to lift the two truck beds for the swap.

IMG_5519_web.jpg
It is designed to use the PTO-driven 10,000 lb winch; I plan to use an electric one for ease of use.

I designed it to lift 3,000 lbs, 10' reach, 13' lift; I plan to only lift no more than 800-900 lbs.

It is shown mounted to my 1968 Kaiser-Jeep M35A2 6x6 2.5 ton ("deuce-and-a-half") truck.

[oldndcctrucks]

Today I got the D100 donor truck lifted off the ground 7" for underneath working clearance, and got the bed unbolted and the taillights disconnected and removed; it's ready for removal and transport to the sandblaster!!!

[oldndcctrucks]

To all of You who have had the patience to follow this in its entirety:

I apologize for the number of pages this is coming out to, but I am documenting this project in detail as an offer of information to others who may run into some of the issues I've addressed.

I have seen some blogs go into the HUNDREDS of pages, and I usually skip those!

I will try to faithfully disclose all pertinent information without burdening the reader with detail overload...

The actual trip will be a new thread; this one is for maintenance and repairs only. Maintenance issues experienced during the trip will be shared here, as well.

Best regards,
-Ken