Did a lot of measurements over the past few months a few times debating on what to do about the drive shaft.
Long story short, when the drive shaft was installed, only 1 inch was actually in contact with the slplines and several inches of the slip yoke were outside.
I checked measurements from the leaf springs (yes on the ground at ride height) and I have them in correct.
Drove over to the driveshaft shop and had discussion with them, they gave me specific instructions on how to measure it and get back to them.
So I drove all the way home and checked it out.
Final measurement came in that driveshaft is about 1.5” too short.
How is this possible? We’ll, considering a few options here.
The driveshaft may not be original to my truck. When I bought it, the guy had already put a junkyard motor in it (which if you remember was the blue engine that blew freeze plug and overheated and leaked and was bored 40 over already). Who is to say he didn’t take the driveshaft too? It would make sense for the driveshaft to be shorter when a input shaft cone is longer on some vehicles, but mine is a stubby.
Anyway, I expect a call either Friday or Monday. Cost $250. To retube it. I could have gone with a cheaper option of just lengthening it, but it would be noticeable.
I could have looked for a longer slip Yoke but who knows if I’d find the appropriate one.
In all, presented with the itch to drive my truck so soon, I opted for a retube drive shaft.
Will I paint it red? Maybe.... I liked it red- it was something different that most vehicles.
Other things done.... I put new thicker washers at my floor cab mount points. I torqued them down and I am glad I did.
When I assembled the cab to the frame two years ago, I had tightened them down. Last night I noticed my rear cab mount bolts were loose.
I’m still a bit disappointed in myself for this... when I moved to Va, my truck sat outside for almost 6 months. It was under those huge trees in the driveway and it was nasty. It dumped dirt, debris and pine needles into the bed and I was not dillegent keeping it clean. This was at time I lost all interest in working on my truck.
It made the bed so dirty and destroyed the powder coating on my steel strips. Gummed up the plywood floor and stained it.
I spent about an hour last night scrubbing it. I’ve got a little rust here and there developed due to it. Pisses me off.
It cleaned up, not fully though.
Got a few flaws in the roof, passenger cab corner and the seem seal around roof rain gutter has cracked a tiny bit. I do not plan on keeping it outside in the weather much. Just drive, return to garage.
Tried to reset the floor trim on my step wells. Well, the step trim is so nice, but my step we’ll isnt perfect so it fits weird. I will have to wallow out the step trim bolt holes in the floor to make necessary adjustment. That is plan for today.
Plan for today is the step trim, pull steering column (insert the rubber grommet at base again and try all this again) install tach on column after that’s buttoned up, finish wiring my gauges, flush fuel tank, check for leaks, and do a little cleaning.
I bought floor mats from stock interiors, though I bought my carpet from them in a grey color, my floor mats are charcoal. I like that color better and plan to replace my carpet in the darker color at a later date this year. For now, I will run the floor mats.
Thanks for hanging on to this thread so long. I can’t believe it’s 42 pages. I have so much to learn still.
