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The Beige Jimmy

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And while I was tinkering around, my kid said I need a new rear brake because the inside of the tire was wet all around. Good eye, kid.
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New right rear wheel cylinder installed.
(no pics and there was a lot of cussing)
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I also refurbished my creeper. Don't buy these from O'Reilly for $60 like I did, buy the exact same cheap piece of crap from Harbor Freight for $30.
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Junk
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Fixed. I'd only been scraping around on the ground for a year or two.
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regal403 said:
I'd routed the belts the same way they'd been for the 5 years I've owned it, but accidentally routed the power steering hose too close to the belt. It lasted a partial commute until it was completed emptied onto the streets of Portland.

I wrassled it home and had to go buy another new hose 2 days in a row. Neat. At least they're only $20.

Check out this cool souvenir I found!

View attachment 509284

View attachment 509285

Stopped by my favorite farm store on the way home for dried worms for my chickens.
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Keeping Portland weird,lol
 
I upgraded my shift knob with a Mooneyes unit I got in Japan.

Before
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After
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This used to have a rubber boot on it. Should I replace out of caution, put a new boot on it, or keep it greased up and run it as is?
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Running great and looking good. Love this truck.
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+1 for a boot - keep the dirt out.

Energy Suspension (and probably others) sell just boots if the drag link end is still good and tight.
 
Since I decided to park the Caprice due to the ticking noise and gold flakes and glitter in the oil, I've been dailying the old Jimbo. That's been what, like almost 2 months now?

Yesterday I noticed the right front wheel was covered in rust and the brakes had been kinda grabby lately. Occasionally it will lock up a rear wheel at slow speeds in wet conditions, but this felt grabby from the front. And it was making a grinding noise under use.

Gross
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Compare that with the driver's side; way less rusty, dusty, musty, and crusty
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Passenger side rotor, I'd say we got our money's worth out of this one.
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Passenger pads, we definitely got our money's worth. Yeesh.
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Driver's side wasn't far behind in terms of wear
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But these still had some life left in them!
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Instead of just replacing the brakes, I'll do the right thing and drop the entire front end
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In order to finally swap in this 3.42 geared unit I've had for almost 5 years now. Hopefully I can scuff off that surface rust from the rotors. I have new pads arriving tomorrow, so my goal is to get it put back together this weekend since:
1) it's not raining for a change
2) I am out of vacation days for the year and
3) Ubering to work is like $90 round trip
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Wish me luck!
 
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There are angle shims on the front leaves. Should I keep them or toss them? Previous owner said he had them put in to solve a wandering steering problem.

I think the right answer is to measure my caster angle and then make a decision, but my driveway is on a hill.

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I tracks real smooth down the highway, I will say that.

The driver's side pin looks fine, but the passenger one is "custom" and rounded down :doah:

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Today I learned my Jimmy is special. I went to install the ORD zero rate blocks, which have 3/8" bolts. The instructions say GM did use some spring packs with 5/16" holes, but they are rare and uncommon.
Mine are that size! So I bought an assortment of 5/16 bolts, both Allen and hex head to see what is the best fit.

The heads on the Allens I bought are as tall as the stock ones but are slightly smaller in diameter. The hex head ones can be ground down to the proper diameter, but are quite shallow by comparison.
 
Truckman4life said:
Drill em out to 3/8" and send it.
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Yeah that will be easier than drilling new holes in leaf springs but not really easy.
That stuff is hard.
It needs good hard bits, slow going and a good stream of cutting fluid.
I absolutely would be doing that but it also could work for him that way
 
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