rompinstompinmudmonkey
1/2 ton status
I feel your pain. I finished up installing my new trans yesterday and found out my slave cylinder took a ****.
CK5
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Clifford Project - '88 Cummins CrewCab
- Thread starter fabjunkie
- Start date
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
So good news, dad went home today. Turns out that the pneumonia was bad enough for his liver to have issues. The combination made a bunch of different numbers jump so they really didn't know what was going on until the past couple days.
Did some little stuff. Got the shifter boot on, although it wasn't the one I was planning on using. I ordered a nice leather one from Summit but it turned out to be way too small and I'll probably use it on the T-case when I build it. Ended up using one of the cheap rubber ones but it turned out ok.
Also took out the tank selector valve and stuck the lines together yesterday so that it is drivable. Got the new valve and senders in today. Waiting for the crappy weather over the next couple days to clear up to drop the tank.
Did some little stuff. Got the shifter boot on, although it wasn't the one I was planning on using. I ordered a nice leather one from Summit but it turned out to be way too small and I'll probably use it on the T-case when I build it. Ended up using one of the cheap rubber ones but it turned out ok.
Also took out the tank selector valve and stuck the lines together yesterday so that it is drivable. Got the new valve and senders in today. Waiting for the crappy weather over the next couple days to clear up to drop the tank.
eastcoastmat
Registered Member
just read the whole build. Great build,that is one tuff truck!! Once you get all the kinks worked out that truck will last a long time. Keep up the good work. Btw that shifter boot looks nice.
supersize75k5
OrganDonorRacing.com
Kick ass Travis 
Stop slacking and shim those kingpins, soooooo much nicer afterwards with bigger rubber.
Stop slacking and shim those kingpins, soooooo much nicer afterwards with bigger rubber.
Is that a little cable shifter on the trans shift lever? what does it do? Nice truck btw, I like what you are doing to it.
Is that a little cable shifter on the trans shift lever? what does it do? Nice truck btw, I like what you are doing to it.
It's a hand throttle I believe... Nice for redneck cruise control and getting the engine to high idle while it warms up...
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
Yeah it's for hand throttle. I had to take the cable out to get the boot on. I need to run it again and redo the connection on the pump. This will be the third version. I haven't found just what I'm looking for yet.
The truck is so quiet inside now that I keep thinking that it died when I come to a stop. I keep turning down the radio to make sure it's still running.
So aboot those kingpin shims......
The truck is so quiet inside now that I keep thinking that it died when I come to a stop. I keep turning down the radio to make sure it's still running.
So aboot those kingpin shims......
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Oh my!
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
Awaiting parts to arrive, but it looks like it will be Monday before I see them. Got it all cleaned up and ready for paint.
There is this o-ring type deal in the housing between the carrier bearing and the axle seal. It stayed in when I knocked out the axle seals. It has a nub on the side closest the face (top of the pic) and the rest of it seems to end right before the nub on on side. There is one on each side of the housing. I haven't seen this part anywhere. What is it? Do I need to replace it?
That rubber "ring" is the sealing goo that goes between the tube and housing to prevent leakage.
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
Ok, Do I leave it, replace it, use RTV?
Just ignore it and carry on. 
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
So waiting on more parts but I need a front driver spring hanger. Noticed this morning that the inside hole is wollered out. I'm sure it's just one more piece of the death wobble puzzle, but it's not going back together this way. So if anyone has a spring hanger they can spare, I need one!
Sounds like you are talking about the hanger on the fore end of the front spring? If so LMC carries them or I have one(used), but the shipping from Michigan to Colorado might not be cheap. If you go the LMC route they will come in a GM package, or at least they used to. It is pretty common for anything that had wore out bushing to wop out the hole, especially if it were riding on some thick lift spring for a good tally of miles. I would Even consider welding in a "heavy" washer with the correct size hole, if you weld.
JLT
JLT
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
So the truck has been back on the road for a week now and everything seems to be good. I need to get the tires balanced as the bb's just are not doing the trick. So I was initially going to just shim the kingpins and check the wheel bearings to further battle the death wobble that was creeping it's way back into my life. Well when I walked out that morning there was a new puddle on the driveway. The inner axle seal was leaking. At that point I decided to just pull the whole thing and go through it all. Every time I looked at it while it was apart I found something else that needed attention, so in the end I ended up replacing almost everything. This update would go on forever so I'm just going to make lists.
After this project, I will never do business with 4WPW again. They screwed me twice and cost me well over a week worth of down time. I will say that ORD and DrivetrainAmerica.com are now at the top of my call first list. Both ended up sending multiple shipments as I discovered new things. Thanks to imiceman44 for hooking me up with a new set of hangers.
Parts replaced:
-Lower kingpin bearings, seals, caps, bolts.
-Kingpin spring retainers, seals, bolts.
-Wheel bearings
-Carrier bearings. The carrier kicked cock-eyed on me when pulling it out and the races got nicked a little, so I replaced them.
-All hardware but carrier cap bolts and kingpin studs.
-All bushings. Used greasable kits from ORD.
-Inner axle seals. Used the Ford 2 piece seals. Some have complained of issues with them not turning after install. I botched one when putting it in and had to get another, but that was my fault. They actually installed fairly easy and turned well after. I did have to trim the nub off the "sealing goo" to get them in.
-Front spring hangers
Issues found that I think as a collective whole were causing death wobble:
-Spring retainers missing. That's 1/8" of shim that should have been there on top of the kingpin. The old ones must have stuck to the old springs when I did them in Arizona and neither Aaron or I noticed. I replaced those along with adding a washer for another 1/4" under the cap.
-Leaf spring and shackle bushings were Poly, but completely trashed.
-The center pin holding the zero-rates to the spring packs were poking about 1/16-3/32" out of the bottom. This was hitting the spring perches on the axle and not allowing the springs to sit flat, essentially making it a tripod when sitting on the axle. This was probably the biggest issue.
-The inner hole on the driver front hanger was wollered out and appeared to have been for a while.
The truck drives a lot better now. I need to tighten up my steering box a little. Next up is sending units and switching valve on the fuel system. I think I'm going to get a fuel pressure gauge because I have the pump turned all the way up and it just doesn't have the punch it should. Feels like it's running out of fuel so I'm going to put it in between the lift pump and IP. I'm thinking it may be the in tank pump that I'm still running, but that will get taken care of with the new sending units since they are just draw straws.
Sorry didn't take a lot of pics....
After this project, I will never do business with 4WPW again. They screwed me twice and cost me well over a week worth of down time. I will say that ORD and DrivetrainAmerica.com are now at the top of my call first list. Both ended up sending multiple shipments as I discovered new things. Thanks to imiceman44 for hooking me up with a new set of hangers.
Parts replaced:
-Lower kingpin bearings, seals, caps, bolts.
-Kingpin spring retainers, seals, bolts.
-Wheel bearings
-Carrier bearings. The carrier kicked cock-eyed on me when pulling it out and the races got nicked a little, so I replaced them.
-All hardware but carrier cap bolts and kingpin studs.
-All bushings. Used greasable kits from ORD.
-Inner axle seals. Used the Ford 2 piece seals. Some have complained of issues with them not turning after install. I botched one when putting it in and had to get another, but that was my fault. They actually installed fairly easy and turned well after. I did have to trim the nub off the "sealing goo" to get them in.
-Front spring hangers
Issues found that I think as a collective whole were causing death wobble:
-Spring retainers missing. That's 1/8" of shim that should have been there on top of the kingpin. The old ones must have stuck to the old springs when I did them in Arizona and neither Aaron or I noticed. I replaced those along with adding a washer for another 1/4" under the cap.
-Leaf spring and shackle bushings were Poly, but completely trashed.
-The center pin holding the zero-rates to the spring packs were poking about 1/16-3/32" out of the bottom. This was hitting the spring perches on the axle and not allowing the springs to sit flat, essentially making it a tripod when sitting on the axle. This was probably the biggest issue.
-The inner hole on the driver front hanger was wollered out and appeared to have been for a while.
The truck drives a lot better now. I need to tighten up my steering box a little. Next up is sending units and switching valve on the fuel system. I think I'm going to get a fuel pressure gauge because I have the pump turned all the way up and it just doesn't have the punch it should. Feels like it's running out of fuel so I'm going to put it in between the lift pump and IP. I'm thinking it may be the in tank pump that I'm still running, but that will get taken care of with the new sending units since they are just draw straws.
Sorry didn't take a lot of pics....
If you are using the stock lever-type lift pump (looks similar to a Chevy V-8 pump), it is barely capable of maintaining fuel pressure at stock levels. Not saying that is your problem, but those pumps are notoriously weak. Upgrade to the piston style pump--looks like a lift pump for a P7100 I/P, but it is specifically designed for a VE I/P. It costs a whole lot more than a P7100 lift pump, but a P7100 pump will blow your I/P seals apart with the pressure it puts out. The VE piston pump will pop a stock front I/P seal in short order, but your reman pump has the updated front seal in it already. Even if it doesn't fix it, your I/P will last much longer as it will not be starved for fuel at higher boost levels.
big pappa b
3/4 ton status
So did you find a job yet?
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
Lift pump is new too, but I am suspecting it. I've already been thinking about the piston pump. It ran harder before I had to turn it down for emissions and it was at lower setting than now. The star wheel is buried and the smoke screw is flush and there is hardly any smoke. It runs good, but somethings off.
I've got a couple things cooking for work. Waiting to hear.
I've got a couple things cooking for work. Waiting to hear.
fabjunkie
1/2 ton status
So everything is going good after some time driving with the front end. Still need to get the tires balanced though.
It still seems like I'm having some fueling issues. Dropping the tank and installing the draw straw and some new goodies this weekend, so should know more then.
When I put the axle in I used this throughout. Found the tub on clearance at Home Depot, but had to get the tubes online.
It still seems like I'm having some fueling issues. Dropping the tank and installing the draw straw and some new goodies this weekend, so should know more then.
When I put the axle in I used this throughout. Found the tub on clearance at Home Depot, but had to get the tubes online.
rompinstompinmudmonkey
1/2 ton status
Are the gauges from glow shift?
