65 Short Fleet Small Window Update

[nhr3]

Rian I was very concerned about how the 265x70 in the rear and 255x70 in the front would look and feel. Now, after the installation I am very pleased on both counts. It is nice to have some control. With the 30 year old tires I was running it was a lot like dancing with a fat girl (not that that might not be fun in a different sort of way).

[nhr3]

Well I have put about 500 miles on the truck since I registered it. I have continued having problems with the CPP Disc brakes on the front squealing. Twice in 500 miles I have removed, scuffed and champhered the pads and scuffed the rotors. Applied anti squeak stuff etc. This time I bit the bullet and bought some premium Bendix Ceramic pads. Old pads did show signs of chafe and glazing. Time will tell.

[nhr3]

The last two weeks have been eventful. We finally were able to get time with a local front end alignment machine. This rebuild has added all new ball joints, control arm bushings, tie rod ends, etc. We have also installed power steering and a tilt column. Years ago and far far away when we did the last alignment it took a lot of shims (probly 15-20 total) to get the alignment into spec. During my rough alignment, using a bubble level and tape measure, after the rebuild, I used 6 shims to get to where I felt comfortable. Using a brand new digital alignment machine, we found my guestimates were really quite close but if we removed all the shims the Castor/Camber were perfect (2 1/2 positive Castor, 1/2 Positive Camber. The truck handles perfect.

Doing more and more highway driving I was starting to miss the Cruise Control my other vehicles have. We ordered up and installed the Dakota Digital Cruise control that blends nicely with The Dakota Digital VHS instrument package. The actuator box mounts on the left inner fender and the switches are on the turn signal just like the more modern trucks. The only issues with instalation were interpreting the Technical Data on how to wire the brake switch into the system. DD designed the system to use the single switch that originally was installed on the truck. They ground the system through the brake light bulbs. When I rebuilt the truck I anticipated Cruise Control and installed the two switch switch. The system gets its ground through the switch and looses it when the brakes are applied. The system now works like a champ.

[nhr3]

I took the the truck on a long run (300 miles) yesterday to service one of my airplanes. It gave me an opportunity to get a picture of the airplane and truck together. The airplane is a Gulfstream GII built in 1972 and outfitted to do do Radar mapping. The truck is of course a short bed, fleetside, small back window 1965. The truck performed well but I have now decided to overhaul the differential and install limited slip. Also doing modifications to other areas based on the ride.

[DKO]

Just read your whole thread. Nice build and great truck!

[66ChevyMax]

Just read your build as well, great job and some cool pics!

[nhr3]

Thanks guys. It is really a labor of love that will never be complete.

[Bomp]

Truck looks great.
You'll love the limited slip.

[nhr3]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Truck looks great.
You'll love the limited slip.

Thanks, your metal work and imagination have been an inspiration through out the project.

[nhr3]

We are out earning truck money for a few weeks. Changing engines on and updating maintenance on a 1972 Gulfstream II special mission aircraft. Engines are brought to us by our friends on the Island. Rolls Royce Spey engine rated at 11,200 thrust horse power. Nice change of pace for a while.

[nhr3]

It has been a while since last posting. Summer has had a multitude of projects that had priority over the truck. I have been driving it when possible and have really enjoyed the experience. Summer has made me very glad I decided on air conditioning. The Vintage Air system has been flawless.

The one problem I have experienced periodically is loose lug nuts. When I decided to go with the aluminum American Racing Outlaw 1 wheels I had a feeling I would have some issues. The first thing I noticed was that the studs on the rear axles were shorter than I would have preferred. Because the wheel at the hub was considerably thicker than the old steel wheels I only had about ½ inch thread engagement on the rear wheels. The fronts, because I had done the CPP disc conversion were not as much of an issue. Because of the possibility of issues I decided to not let the tire shop install the wheels. I had the tires mounted and did the install on the truck in my shop. When I installed I was careful to progressive torque and go to the 80 ft lbs recommended. I re-torqued after the first 100 miles and called it good. At about 1000 miles a friend handed me one of the lug nuts that had fallen off the right rear wheel. I installed the lug and re-torqued everything. I found more lugs loose. The investigation started. What I learned was that the wheels and lugs are conical seat not mag seat. With mag seat the wheel actually sits on a shoulder on the lug nut to center the wheel up. With conical seat the cones on the lugs and wheel hole center the wheel. The conical seat combined with the holes in the wheels being about 5/8 inch I feel is the culprit allowing the wheel to move around and eventually loosen the lugs I imagine this larger hole was to accommodate ½ studs. My truck is a 6 lug with a 7/16 stud.

I thought about converting the wheels to mag seat. This would have required me to bring the wheel holes up to 11/16 and use a washer under the lug. This is an option that I can still do if the route I took does not work out. What I did decide to do was bush the holes in the wheels from 5/8” down to 7/16. For this task I bought, on ebay, some bronze bushings with 7/16 ID and 5/8 OD. I was only able to get a shoulder bushing so I modified them into slip bushings about .620 long and reduced the OD by about .030. This made them a snug fit into the wheel holes (locktite and light press fit). I installed Dorman 610-259 studs in the rear axles (studs have .472 knurl and give me about 1 inch thread engagement with aluminum wheel). And torqued everything up. Hopefully this resolves the loose lug issue. Time will tell.