few q's about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

[BranndonC]

few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

ok, here goes
Why would he cut holes out of the rockers on both sides??

73's didnt come with electric controled shocks... so what is this for?

fuel like it looks like cut off, but leading no where

toggle switch mounted between seats, apearantly for dual tanks, but i see no place for dual tanks?

mess from toggle switch mounted on floor

hoses and stuff on passanger side frame rail

can someone shed some light on all this stuff for me? /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif

 

[sled_dog]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

looks like he intended on installing a second gas tank but then realized, oh yeah its a blazer /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

as for the holes in the rockers, maybe to allow water to exit? I've seen people drill holes in panels before so that water wouldn't sit in them.

 

[Emmettology 101]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

Only thing I can shed light on are the lines to the shocks. Look lik air shocks to me. Are you sure those are sires going to the shock and not air lines? Usually they'll run back to somewhere around the license plate and connect to a fill port...

As for the holes, siwtch and fuel lines..... /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif God only knows why some people do things.. My 82 had an auxilary tank, but it was mounted under the passenger side, next to the rocker.

 

[BranndonC]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

yeah they were air lines, when i disconnected them, i heard the air release, thanks for the ideas guys /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[diesel4me]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

Some folks around here have done the same thing to the rockers,figuring they rot out faster when boxed in--the valve between the seats may have been for an auxilary tank,or maybe as an anti-theft device--dont know what the gas line cut off and hanging was for,maybe it went to that valve!He might have had a different tank mickeyed in there,like a boat tank.I agree the thing near the shock looks like an air line for air shocks.Its hard to figure out what the previous owners of our trucks were thinking,huh?. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[shane74]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

I can tell you exactly what all that stuff was for. The lines to the shock were for the air control /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif The switch on the floor behind the seat is for when you have dual tanks. The cut off fuel line you found went to the spare tank. Rip all that crap out. Yes, it was a common misconception that cutting holes in the rocker boxes would keep them from rotting out. All it does is succeed in making sure they fill up with crap and rot out from the inside as well as the outside /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

How do I have such knowledge you may ask?? Well, it just so happens that the PO of my '74 did exactly those same things. Only he did one better on the rocker boxes. He cut them completely OUT!! /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif He put in dual saddle tanks. Stoopid f@wktard!! Do not EVER cut those things out unless you plan on putting rebuilt ones back in. You will end up with a broken top and windsheild for sure. I know this for a FACT!! /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif The body will flex in all directions and start breaking stuff. Oh yeah, when the top breaks, it sounds like a shotgun going off inside the truck. Scared the poop outa me when it happened the 1st time.

So, in a nutshell, rip all that aux. fuel crap out. Remove all the stoopid air shock crap, and weld in the holes that the PO cut into the rocker boxes. Preserve those suckers as long as you can!

 

[BranndonC]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

thanks guys, will patch up the holes and call it good. thanks again, oh yeah, i'll remove all the fuel things too. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[mofugly13]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

AAAAAARGH! Mine has the holes in the rockers too! I thought they might have come that way 'cause whoever did it did a good job of making them nice and square and clean. I suppose I should patch them up? Or maybe smuggle something in them?

 

[tRustyK5]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

Nothing wrong with holes on the inside of the rockers...but I'd make sure to paint the inside of the rockers while I was at it. The sealed rockers fill with debris and moisture anyways, but can't drain and do rot faster.

Rene

 

[diesel4me]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

2 out of 3 of my trucks have holes in the rockers,but from rust,not someones torchwork!.I leave them open enough so I can blast the crud and leaves out at the car wash(I think trapped leaves and pine needles make a good acid bath--they chew through the rockers and fender bottoms real quick if you leave them in there!)--the after its dry I use an old garden sprayer to squirt my old drain oil everywhere especially in the rockers and other boxed in areas that like to rot away,I like to think it helps,but somtimes I wonder--seems like rust always wins.
On the topic of air shocks--I dont like them much--they usually bend or break the shock mounts off--they were not designed to hold the weight of the vehicle. One guy I knew put them on the FRONT of his IHC 4x4 pickup to compensate for the sagging springs when his plow was on it--one of the lines got melted on his exhaust when a zip tie came off--the truck dropped rather suddenly while he was turning a sharp corner,and one side of the plow dug into the asphalt,tearing a huge divot in the road,and the rear end of the truck came about a foot off the ground,nearly rolled it!.He put 5 more leafs in his springs the next day--and put the air shocks in the dumpster!. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif

 

[shane74]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

Wouldn't it be easier just to seal them up than expose them like that? I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but it doesn't look like it'd take that much to seal them up. If they stay nice and dry on the inside, then they won't rust from the inside out..right? I understand the thinking on cutting the holes if you want drainage, but wouldn't it be better to drill a series of hioles in a line and then use a dent puller or something to creat a V shaped groove that runs the length of the bottom rather than cut a hole in the back of it? I don't know about you guys, but my rig throws TONS of crap up in there. I have to hose it out everytime I get back from the hills. Since mine are cut out, I'll be reinforcing the floor using sq. tube and just leave it open so I can hose it off and clean it up after a wheeling trip.

 

[k20]

Re: few q\'s about why my PO did what he did and other stuff

Well trying to seal them up, you would basically have to make them airtight, then whatever air is in them, you would get a little condensation, cant evaporate cause it is air tight. Rust out in no time.

While you got the hole in the rocker, fill that sucker up w/ POR15 then seal the hole up, would be my recommendation.