Gear Head's 82 Pickup Build

Gotcha. Thanks for the help bud

 

No prob PJ!

 

Sounds like a plan! And yeah that whole solid front axle shit got me on a new learning curve. I'm always reading up on it though cuz I know eventually I'm gonna either SAC mine or buy an older rig to start beating on lol

Here's a link I took from Zuk's gear install page for breaking in gear sets and what I used when I regeared.

http://performanceunlimited.com/documents/gearbreakin.html

Taken from this page which has tons of useful info.

http://www.gearinstalls.com/bearing.htm

 

Yeah haha there's been a decent learning curve thus far. Nothing I can't handle just have no experience with a lot of this. I've heard of the Zuk guy before. I'll have to give those pages a look. Looking forward to getting this piece back together!

 

So the local auto parts places didn't have the right size spindle nut socket but I ended up getting them out with a little lovin from a hammer and flathead and judging by the gouges in the nuts not the first one to do this. My neighbor works on tractor trailers for a living so he's bringing me a 2 1/8" socket for reinstallation.

 

Update time. Making progress slowly but surely. Last of my parts comes in Thursday and I only work one day next week so *fingers crossed* I should be able to take it for a spin next weekend. Here it goes....

Bombproof steering stops










Got 1 third member done. Took about 4 tries to get it right but the big issue is that I didn't keep my pinions separate so idk if I have the motive or the yukon pinion in there. I have the yukon ring gear on the one assembled diff and I don't know if I'd be ok to run it or not. I'm going to call ECGS Tuesday and ask.

Drive pattern


Coast


Some of the welds on the top truss


Hung it to make sure I was welding the upper knuckleball gussets/shock mounts at the right angle

 

Burned the shock mounts/upper knuckleball gussets in

 

nice looking welds!

 

Damn those Irocs look fat! Also, what's the point of putting the ring gears in the oven?

 

Ha thanks fellas!

Ring gears generally have a really tight fit when putting them on the carriers so by throwing them in the oven it expands them just a bit so it drops right on, no hammering involved

 

Time for more pictures! Finally back running and driving. Still have a few things to do here and there. Need to trim the upper knuckleball gussets some more, need new front shocks, carb needs a little work, need to put the front driveshaft in, and bobbing and dovetail is still on the to do list as well.

 

Updated OP

 

tires look super BEEFY in that last pic!

 

Ha tell me about it! They are slowly growing on me



Did some wheeling this weekend


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Got some more pics, I'll try and upload them later

 

Bobbed 8"

 

truck looks awesome!

 

Great looking truck. I've always liked the '80 to '83 trucks!

There's a guy down the street from me that has a red 1980 short bed with the original white wheels & everything. All stock, just sits there in the street by his house. Hardly ever moves. He doesn't want to sell it though dammit. Oh well, maybe someday I'll own one.

 

Thanks bud! It's getting there

A lot of people around here are like that too... sounds like that one's too nice to wheel anyways!

 

Explored Uwharrie by myself this weekend. Phone died but a guy on a dirtbike stopped and said, "I gotta take a picture." Haha so I got him to send a few to me.