Need Your Opinion - What Would You Have Paid?

[rich weyand]

Agreed, that's a good price for that truck.

Be very aware, however, that all the rubber parts on the truck have "age hardened". The rubber gives off elastomers -- that's what makes it smell like rubber -- which are what keep the rubber soft. BTDT.

So belts, hoses, fuel filler hoses, fuel and vent lines, door seals, window seals, cab shock mounts, shackle bushings, spring bushings, engine seals, transmission seals, power steering seals, front steering gear bushings, the rubber cup on the piston of the master cylinder, etcetcetc have all hardened over time. Now as they wear, they will not be supple enough to close up, where 30 years ago, they would have been.

Couple things you can do. Get three bottles of this stuff, and put one in the engine oil, one in the trans fluid, and 1/3 bottle in the power steering fluid. It will restore elastomers to the rubber and close up leaks (which you probably don't have yet) and allow the seals to stay closed when the seals wear, preventing leaks from developing. Lots of people claim it, but this stuff actually works.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For the exposed rubber and vinyl parts, use 303 Aerospace Protectant. It will restore the look and feel of the exposed rubber and vinyl. I'm thinking here of the cab mounts, the spring and shock bushings, the door and window seals, the vinyl seats, the dash pad, etc.

The cup on the end of the master cylinder piston is tougher. You will know you have the problem when the brake pedal slowly starts sinking when you are holding it down. If you lift your foot and pump it, the pedal will come back up, but slowly sink again as you hold it down. You can replace the master cylinder, or if you want to keep the original one on there, you can rebuild it.