'88 K5 - Running Down A Dream

[jimmyleetn]

Help!? Oh the surprises I keep finding. Was getting ready to pull the front axle out for paint tomorrow since I'm off work and decided to drain the gear oil tonight. It's been a long time since I've drained an open diff like this one. I'm assuming the peanut butter colored stuff is mud and water? I've changed the diffs in my old Jimmy a few times and in a few other trucks but I've never seen one with this in it. I tried to clean some of it out with parts cleaner and a paper towel, which is what you're seeing in the drain pan. I tipped the axle up a little too so it would drain better. I did not find any metal shavings or any signs of scoring, which I thought was a good sign. Axle wasn't making any noise that I was aware of before the change. I have never mudded the truck personally, but I'm no fool, I know the PO rode it pretty hard. Anyone with more experience care to chime in.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Alright, after some research online it looks like I have a few options.

1.) Put diesel in it and drive up down the road a few minutes and then drain. This freaks me the heck out. I saw this idea on a Ford forum LOL.
2.) Use a bunch of brake cleaner/parts cleaner and wipe it out.
3.) Do number two, drive it a little, change it. Drive then change. Drive then change.

I'm leaning towards #3 unless I can get it cleaner tomorrow. I do have 3 quarts of Amsoil severe duty, but I'll probably use some cheap stuff for the flushes if I go that route.

I'm worried the rear is just as bad.

 

[82355]

Spray it out with brake cleaner or solvent, refill.

Martin

 

[centexk5]

Diesel would be a good cleaner. Won’t take long for it to clean it and flush it.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Diesel would be a good cleaner. Won’t take long for it to clean it and flush it.

Do you think the diesel will hurt any of the seals or bearings? I'm tempted, since I've got it out of the truck now, to put that in it and then just spin the yoke myself to agitate it and spread it around and then try dumping it. Of course I plan on getting some cans of brake cleaner anyways so I could go that route or a combination of the two.

 

[centexk5]

Not at all.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Prep work is a bear people. I prepped this axle for paint all day Friday and half day a Sunday. I'm using KBS three step system in satin black and I tried hard to follow the instructions to a T. So far, only the yoke, king pins and knuckles are painted (no pics yet, literally just put on the second coat). First impressions are: the brushes they send are not that great and the dry time at 38% humidity is long. Glad I waited to do the rest. Did the kingpins and yoke first so I can put the jack stands under those once it cured out so I can paint the rest. Probably do rear brakes while the paint cures.

 

[jimmyleetn]

It's going slow this week. Painted the front backing plates yesterday with KBS, not proud of how they turned out. I'll be redoing them. Talked with KBS on the phone this afternoon and honed in my techniques and methods. Painted the diff cover this evening and I think it'll look pretty good but not that flawless look I've seen from other people who've used it. I think I should have sanded instead of just using green scotch brite. The diff cover is such a weird shape too that it's not as easy to brush as you'd think. I may need to pony up and get what I need to spray it in the future. In other news, my CPP shock brackets came in and they're slick. Put the easy one on while the paint dried. The other will require fab work and dropping the tank so that'll have to wait. Also, I discovered my rear pinion started leaking so I get to fix that when the seal comes in next week.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Alright so honest opinion of KBS after using it with a brush:

- Color was satin but really it's semigloss all day long which is disappointing 2/5
- Cast iron parts and textured surfaces, 5/5
- Anything smooth, 2/5
- Durability, it's strong but I was able to gouge it by hand if put some pressure on a knotted wire cup brush and twisted it. I think it would hold up well over time. 4/5

Overall, I'm abandoning ship. It's just doesn't lay smooth like they say it will with a brush on these smooth parts I've prepped. It looks terrible to me. I think it depends on expectations. I wanted it factory smooth on the diff cover and brake shields but it's not happening with a brush. It runs and sags o smooth parts. If the parts had pits from rusting or casting, well... it looks great. Check out the spindles in the pics I added. Now, before one person says I prepped wrong, I promise you I followed every instruction to the letter. I called tech support twice for clarification, they were nice and helpful, and I set timers for stir times, cleaner, and blast times, etc. It will adhere to non rusted surfaces too. One of the questions I asked personally. I know many love KBS, but the finish just didn't do it for me. Check out the pics below, spindles are A+, everything else is poo. I did single stroke brushing per tech support and instructions.

In closing, if you wanted to spray KBS from a gun, I think it'd be a great choice, just don't expect high end results from the brush on anything smooth. I do not have the setup to spray it properly and it's not worth it for one axle.

 

[jimmyleetn]

So since I'm shifting to a new product for axle paint, I'm doing piddly stuff while my new paints come in. Here's a few quick things from the past few days.

1.) KBS Diamond Clear in the spray can is awesome! At least I think it is. I have been putting it on lots of bare metal parts. My hope is that it works as advertised and the parts continue to look like bare metal and never rust. I wiped down the parts with lacquer thinner before paint. Then sprayed on a few coats over the span of 2ish hours per instructions. I don't know that it would lay smooth on smooth parts from the aerosol, but I haven't actually tried it so who know. So far, I have sprayed: diff fill plug, wheel cylinders (it's brake fluid resistant), the bottoms of my ball joints, and my brake drums (brake drums average 180ish degrees which is within the parameters of the clear). I think if it holds and repels rust it will be a cool subtle pop to some of my parts as continue painting my chassis.

2.) I thought that was a dent in the front diff cover. I did a little research because I was going to fill it with filler and turns out, that dent/dimple came from the factory. Mind blown. I decided not to fill it in to keep that OE look. From what I read online, best guess is it's for a washer shaped magnet but that could be wrong since neither my 88' or 79' have a magnet in there. What got me to look this up was that the two used front covers on eBay both had the same dent in the same location. Maybe everyone else knows this but I sure didn't.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Another one of the PO's sins I get to pay for. It doesn't matter how "heavy duty" the U-joint is if it doesn't have any grease in it. Explains the vibration at 60mph before I parked it. Also, he found some way to way overfill the rear diff. I pulled the fill plug to make sure it wasn't seized and lots of fluid leaked out. He must've pumped it in and quickly threaded the plug back in.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Every time I fix something on this truck I either find something else broke or something interesting about its past. Started in on the rear pinion seal and when I took the yoke off I noticed two things: first there is a Timken bearing in the rear end which leads me to believe it's been rebuilt. The previous owner said it had .373 gears and was super excited about telling me that. Two, I don't even know how they bent this yoke but it appears to be way out of what should be level. If I'm wrong someone correct me if it's supposed to have that angle but that just doesn't look right to me. I went ahead and ordered a new one, but of course, I can always return it. I could probably send it the way it was and drive it but it just doesn't seem like a good idea based on the way everything is balanced back there. Any input is useful. No more than a yoke costs it's not a big deal either way at this point.

 

[centexk5]

My truck should be named “Previous owner *!$? Up’s.”

 

[82355]

That is just a "dust cap" for the seal. Not overly important.

Martin

 

[jimmyleetn]

Good to know. I may just clean it up and paint it and put it back on there.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Well, I think I found my paint for the axles, suspension, and frame. Eastwood 2k Aerospray. I sprayed the brake shields and both diff covers. It looks great. Wish it layed a little smoother but overall it's really nice. I went with chassis satin black on top of the epoxy primer. The primer lays out like a dream. The black ceramic is a touch more finicky but I like it, other than price. It's definitely not like any other spray can. Only place its lacking is the spray nozzle for the black satin. I had one clog 24hrs later on my second round and it was toast so I had to get another off a unused can. I soaked it in lacquer thinner for a little bit when I finished so I hopefully that solves the issue going forward. Other downside is pot life. You have 48hrs to use it before it dries up once it's activated. Seems to be durable but time will tell. I doubt it's as durable as KBS, I burnt up some knotted wheels getting that mess off. My only other comment is follow the directions to the letter. I set timers for shaking the can and coat times. I think that's where people have issues. Check out the pictures below. It's pretty slick. Also, Eastwood's customer service is phenomenal, I've called three times and they have helped everytime.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Moving along slowly. Got the front axle painted earlier this week. No pictures of it yet. Put the new seal in the pinion and put the yoke back on. Martin, if you read this, I kept and painted the new yoke. I just couldn't resist, guess I like spending money. Finally, moved the transfer case back to factory height. Check out the stupid homemade transfer case drop the PO did. Also, I found a machine shop online that makes some slick SS bolt spacers. These should be factory spec in size. I torqued the bolts to 80ftlbs. Anyone know the correct torque? It's not in the service manual.

 

[82355]

The spacers go against the nuts.

Not a big deal.

Martin

 

[82355]

I've never torqued one in my life. Just rattled them with an impact.

Martin

 

[jimmyleetn]

The spacers go against the nuts.

Not a big deal.

Martin

Interesting. So should I have flipped the bolts? I doubt I move them now that they're in, just curious. Getting that thing to line up by myself was heroic. My '79 had them set up this way, I used it for reference, but I know that the crossmember's been removed on it because the tranny was rebuilt years ago so they could have installed them backwards. Funny enough, the tranny shop was called Bull Shift. Wish they had shirts. They're closed now I believe.