82 stepside. Thoughts and crazy ideas

[KirsL]

Well look who made home. This was from Friday night. Kinda weird driving something so quiet after using the stepside as a daily for the past year.

Now is the big girl a 100%, no, she is not. Well enough to drive to work and back so I can do some bigger maintenance items on the stepside. Sure.

I ended up having to get a used sensor harness off of ebay. It works, that's the important thing.

Now what is it that the stepside needs. Well the old girl has a pretty decent leak where the hydro-boost and the master cylinder meet. Enough to throughly coat the frame rail for about 4 feet of it.

Now in true gear-head fashion. I might as well do an upgrade if possible. Being an 82, it's the steel master cylinder. Which always rust and always leaks tiny bit. So since I'm changing the booster. I'd like to upgrade to the newer style master cylinder with the plastic reservoir.

So I'm thinking I can just get one for 91 1 ton and be good to go.


Plus I'm debating installing the different pedal assembly since I'm 80% there. But since I don't need the clutch pedal, just yet. I wonder if I can pull the pedal itself and then reinstall it when I get to actually swapping in a manual trans. Would save some time and labor.

 

[joshuak]

...Plus I'm debating installing the different pedal assembly since I'm 80% there. But since I don't need the clutch pedal, just yet. I wonder if I can pull the pedal itself and then reinstall it when I get to actually swapping in a manual trans. Would save some time and labor.

Only a nut and bolt away, you could use it as an excuse to replace the plastic bushing when you reinstall.

 

[KirsL]

Only a nut and bolt away, you could use it as an excuse to replace the plastic bushing when you reinstall.

Good to know

 

[KirsL]

So the other day I rotated the tires. Trying to get as even wear as I can. I used the air-jack at work under the hitch. Stretched her out pretty good.




The driver side had a surprise for me. Far as I can tell, it's gear oil. The seal on the hub is probably shot. Which wouldn't be tragic if not for the style of brakes on this 14 bolt. The wheel studs go through the drum then the hub. It all comes off in one piece.
Now it's not a terrible job to due, but if the shoes are messed up. I'd end up changing both sides. And these drums have been cut once by me and probably once by someone else. So new drums would be needed.

Now, brakes are easy you say. Spend a weekend and do both sides and be done. It's never that simple for me .

I have plans and ideas. The kinda where a newer style axle with a speed sensor tone ring would be really nice. The having newer factory style rear disc with drum in hat parking brake. Is just an added bonus.


The hunt for a disc 14 bolt or AAM rear is on. One from a power wagon would be perfect. Already has 4:56s and the e-locker would be sweet to setup too. But they're a hard to find for a decent price item.

 

[centexk5]

Ya I’m not looking forward to that job again on mine. They were thin and the shop barely wanted to cut them and now they’ve got a bit of warp. I really need to though because the shop that did the gears soaked the drums and shoes in gear oil and now they don’t work for squat.

 

[KirsL]

Exactly. It's not a super hard job to do and they work just fine.

My time is just better spent going another route with it.

 

[KirsL]

Little update. I've been taking care of little detail things on the truck.

Still have to swap out the booster, but that will probably wait until my next long weekend which is Thanksgiving.

In true old GM truck form, the doors took way too much effort to fully close and the drivers outside handle barely unlatched the door.

So some new handles, latches and window crank were in order. Curiosity of my favorite enabler, Summit.

Sure there's a lot of other things that need attention. But the doors close much nicer and work every time with ease. And yes the whole truck is in 8 year old primer. But the new stuff looks better too.



In other news. I'm setting a goal of making it to BB23. And yes I fully intend to drive stepside there and back.

Oh and just cause that's not a big enough challenge.

I'm planning to bring this with me. Set up as a very basic camper.
If we make this trip we'll be making few other stops along the way.

Yes, I crazy .

 

[ZooMad75]

Little update. I've been taking care of little detail things on the truck.

Still have to swap out the booster, but that will probably wait until my next long weekend which is Thanksgiving.

In true old GM truck form, the doors took way too much effort to fully close and the drivers outside handle barely unlatched the door.

So some new handles, latches and window crank were in order. Curiosity of my favorite enabler, Summit. View attachment 427364View attachment 427365View attachment 427366View attachment 427367View attachment 427368View attachment 427369View attachment 427370View attachment 427371

Sure there's a lot of other things that need attention. But the doors close much nicer and work every time with ease. And yes the whole truck is in 8 year old primer. But the new stuff looks better too.



In other news. I'm setting a goal of making it to BB23. And yes I fully intend to drive stepside there and back.

Oh and just cause that's not a big enough challenge. View attachment 427372

I'm planning to bring this with me. Set up as a very basic camper.
If we make this trip we'll be making few other stops along the way.

Yes, I crazy .

Ambitious plans lead to amazing adventures. I'm all for it. Right on dude!

 

[KirsL]

It's definitely ambitious!
But nothing like an actual date to the end goal to light a fire under your ass.
90% of what the trucks need. Falls under general maintenance.

Now since I've never been there and I've only really used the truck on sand and local trails here in Jersey. The axles currently have a gov-lock in the 14 bolt and a whatever limited slip the cucv 1028s got in the d60. They work great for how I use the truck. And since I'm driving the truck there I'll be careful while wheeling. But would either cause me any issues in situations I'm not used too?

Now I'm not opposed to making bigger, like a selectable locker. But if I don't really need too, I'd kinda rather not. Obviously if I find a power wagon rear axle with the locker, yeah I'll hook it up.

 

[Truckman4life]

Lots of trails there can be done with open diffs. As long as you have some suspension flex.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Always heard the 14 bolt Gov Locks were more durable than the 10 bolt Gov Locks just out of sheer mass.

That said, I'd rather have a true locker. Detroit Locker or something similar. Even a lunch box in in a 14FF. Much more predictable.

 

[ZooMad75]

I’ve done quite a bit with the tru-trac up front and an open rear in mine. I think as long as you stay off the harder rock crawling trails in Moab your truck will do fine as is.

 

[folkenheath]

I think the disc conversion would be cheaper than new drums.

 

[KirsL]

Lots of trails there can be done with open diffs. As long as you have some suspension flex.

Truck has a 6" Superlift HD springs. It actually flexes farily decently for what they are.

Always heard the 14 bolt Gov Locks were more durable than the 10 bolt Gov Locks just out of sheer mass.

That said, I'd rather have a true locker. Detroit Locker or something similar. Even a lunch box in in a 14FF. Much more predictable.

I really like the E-locker the power wagons use. Both a limited slip and a locker. Which for me would be perfect.

I’ve done quite a bit with the tru-trac up front and an open rear in mine. I think as long as you stay off the harder rock crawling trails in Moab your truck will do fine as is.

Yeah, we're going for the experience of being there. Some light trails, nothing crazy.

I think the disc conversion would be cheaper than new drums.

I'm sure it is. Since I'm fairly certain I'll be doing manual swap I'd like to have a good parking brake setup. Something reliable and easy to get parts for.

 

[AgDieseler]

And since I'm driving the truck there I'll be careful while wheeling. But would either cause me any issues in situations I'm not used too?

Run what you brung. Loads of trails that will suit your truck very nicely.

David

 

[ZooMad75]

Since I have learned my lesson, I won't be on the harder stuff either. It's a good time anywhere you go out there. Lots of fun.

 

[KirsL]

Run what you brung. Loads of trails that will suit your truck very nicely.

David

That’s the primary plan. But I tend to over think things

Since I have learned my lesson, I won't be on the harder stuff either. It's a good time anywhere you go out there. Lots of fun.

The whole trip will be an adventure. Neither myself or my girlfriend have ever road-tripped out west.

 

[ZooMad75]

That’s the primary plan. But I tend to over think things


The whole trip will be an adventure. Neither myself or my girlfriend have ever road-tripped out west.

The whole trip will be fun for you both.

 

[Chickntrk]

Being from PA and having made the trip for BB 22 I can tell you that as Wade put it "the trip west of Kansas is worth it alone".

A few things I learned:
The traction is insane, youll climb things in Moab that would be impossible in our part of the country
Take what you have and enjoy, like everyone said you don't need as much truck as you think
Did I mention the traction.....

Having had a Jeep Rubicon I can tell you that the limited slip/locker combo in it wasn't that nice, it had a hard time locking if you couldn't move a wheel and the limited slip grenanded inside the locker unit making it almost impossible to repair one without the other and a replacement is $1500. I took out the whole thing and now have a lock right.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I always preferred the stupid simpleness of a regular locker. Even in Northern Michigan winters.