I can see it now! This is gonna be featured on MTV's Cribs. Hope you're not camera shy bro! Nice soon to be shop!
Nate: Yeah they aren't perfect, but they sure are better the 2nd time after i bleed, and adjusted. I did drive about 35 mph and came to a fairly quick stop. the true test will be when i actually drive in traffic!!!! then i maybe singing a different tune. Paul: thanks for the update on your shop!!! and truck. everything looks to be coming along nicely. Hopefully if i can ever get anybody to do my door, i will be driving down to Pitt to have you test drive my truck!!! cruise to sonic and hang out a bit!!!
Huck Brakes Wolf ; Don't be discouraged if it pulls when braking or has pedal sink , I had to re-adjust the brakes on my '49 every 100 miles or so for a couple months before they bedded in correctly & behaved . One main thing : NO DRAG between the shoes and the drums ! I know it's normal to adjust to the faintest " sh, sh " sound as you spin the wheels but that prevents the linings & drums from dissapating heat as you drive and the Huck brakes are extremely suceptable to brake fade , that's spoil your day perttydarnquick
Thanks Guys! I just hate having to be p-a-t-i-e-n-t... If I had more time and $$$, I'd have that sucker knocked out in no time! I have to do it as I can, though, so in the mean time I'll just keep dreaming of the day. BILL~ You would THINK those would be draft tubes, but I'm still trying to perfect my "caps" recipe so I can beat Andy in our first ever "cap" cook-off! Brian, Sonic will be the place! I'll get Shotwheels and another AD buddy I've found, and we can all roll in there at once! Wouldn't that be awesome!
While in Tx and Ok. I stop a number of times at Sonic, while they have them here in Ca. for some reason the burgers taste better back there.
" p_a_t_i_e_n_c_e " Is a learned value , mayhap you can make do with drive carefully for now , if you survive that (I did , many others didn't) you'll prolly learn patience along the way....
Zig: that would be too cool rolling in at Sonic with 3 AD's. I can just imagine. But on a fun note, every time i take my beautiful 3/4 ton GMC out, even without the passenger door i get the biggest waves, and thumbs up from all the guys that i see. If i get to drive my beautiful G down to Pitt, I would love to lend you a hand on your shop! My dad and I were driving it around this last weekend and my dad was driving just grinning ear to ear and this older gentlemen about 85 was outside his house and he stood up and gave us the biggest thumbs up and wave. I couldn't have been happier. My dad asked me how I know that man and I said I didn't, and this just happens every time I take out the truck!!! Nate: I will be using this GMC as a truck, haulin' and just doing whatever. I did adjust the brakes not to do that "Sh sh" sound. I adjusted them per that shop manual, to the "sh sh" sound and backed it off 5 clicks i believe. Had my dad hit the brakes a few times and did it again. I did that 3 times for each wheel. I will definitely watch when I'm driving it to not get the brakes hot.
Proper Brake Adjustment FORGET that ' back it off 5 clicks ' B.S. ! that's WAY too loose ! . You want the shoes as close as they'll go without making any dragging sounds . Slightly ovalled drums wil mean you'll sometimes hear a bit of the noise before you reach premium adjustment . The brake pedal should have no more than 1/4" freeplay before the MC push rod takes up and begins pressing the piston in ~ that's all . clevis pin freeplay is critical to proper and safe brake operation , attention to these small details will result in a high , rock hard brake pedal and markedly improved braking action . It just takes a firm push to make it stop is all The brake pedal MUST have a healthy return spring so the brake pedal returns to it's fully raised position against the cab floor with a THUMP . Good on ya for letting Dad drive and for using it ! these are TRUCKS after all and no matter how crusty or shiny you like to keep it , they're meant to be used , driven and enjoyed ! . Just remember the TRUE sales sloagan GM used back then : " If It Drives Like A Truck , It's NOT A CHEVROLET ! " Truer words were never spoken , we used to take the cab doors off the trash trucks for faster ingress and egress....
Nate that couldn't be more true about the brakes. I did the 5 clicks on the 1st adjustment, and it did seem like it was too much. So on this last one I did only a couple, just so the pads weren't rubbing, and it sure didn't take 5 clicks. My pedal is now high and tight!!! Its a lot better then before, mainly due to getting the air bubbles out The piston starts to move with only the slightest movement of the pedal, and i put new springs on so it shoots up against the cab floor just as you described!!! I just love driving my GMC truck!!! I have all my sandbags that I used this winter for my "new" 91 ford truck, and man those sandbags had that truck really squatting down low. But the 52 GMC it barely moved it was funny
For Jason Thought I'd bring this back up. I used a landscape timber with shims I believe. The bump in the frame over the back axle made it necissary to do this. Hope this helps!
That hurt! Yup~ That's the same one. Still about the same as it was THREE FRIGGIN' YEARS AGO!!! It's all been tied to... $$$$$! I finally have the 12 volt wiper motor to put in it, and the cowl vent gasket, but at the rate extra $$$ are freed up...
I got a lot of rubber from a neighbor of my inlaws....let me know if you need anything I have. It may be time for a truck building intervention at your house!
Thanks, Russ! An intervention... May be just the ticket! Oh, wait, first I got to clear all the crap out of my garage so I can get to my truck! I seem to be in this mood a lot lately. I don't like it. Thanks for trying to help anyway, Russ and Brian. I'll get out of this funk soon, I hope.
I find that stopping on the little crap and accomplishing a big task with visible results makes me feel better, like I am getting something done, then, mood lifted, I can get back to the litle stuff.
Otoh ; I have different fingers ! . No , wait : I meant to say that for me , doing little baby step things helps a lot . One day I look at the piles of junk and decide to assemble it and VIOLA ! I have another oldie running again .
Was reading about cab moving... Thought I'd pull this up as a way to deal with the bottom of the cab and the frame that lies under it. Just an idea.
Re: This is a VERY cool way to build a garage. Put your stuff in there, build around it and you KNOW it will fit.
