Rustbuket 67 build "Georgia"

[El Campo]

I too am curious about your steering gear! If you rebuild the whole thing be sure to show us pictures! I'm always worried about sand having possibly worked into the gear but maybe that's not a concern? Looking good!
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[oldman3]

Dan, great job on the shock bracket, etc., love the pics....Jim

[Homebuilt Hotrods]

Awesome build!

[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by TchncnDen

I was able to change my seals out without disassembling the entire box. Just dig the old ones out with a pick or small screwdriver and tap the new ones in. I have done full rebuilds before and it's a pain in the butt and probably not needed.

That is what I was hoping I could do, so I took your advise and it worked great. Thanks

Originally Posted by El Campo

I too am curious about your steering gear! If you rebuild the whole thing be sure to show us pictures! I'm always worried about sand having possibly worked into the gear but maybe that's not a concern? Looking good!
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I figure my $20 tractor supply blaster is not tough enough to blast through the seals. Just incase, I left the rag joint, pitman arm, and hoses installed when I blasted it.

Originally Posted by oldman3

Dan, great job on the shock bracket, etc., love the pics....Jim

Thanks Jim!

Originally Posted by Homebuilt Hotrods

Awesome build!

Thanks I like yours too!

Update with pics up in a minute......

[67c10rustbuket]

removing the rag joint and pitman arm.





Then you can remove the cover bolts and remove the pitman shaft. make sure the gear is centered or it wont slide out. if you remove the adjuster nut count the threads or measure the length of the threaded part.



be right back, little man is crying again...

[67c10rustbuket]

Okay little man is asleep...


on the rag joint end (sorry forgot the technical name) there are two seals, the outer seal pulled out pretty easy. The inner seal didn't want to leave so I had to resort to drastic measures. I screwed a sheetmetal screw into the seal and yanked it out. I must not have take a pic before I put the new seal in but here is a pic of the old seals and the new seals installed.





You will need a good set of snap ring pliers. I had to borrow a real set from Daniel (suspect) once I broke a new pair from autozone attempting to get the first snap ring out. Thanks again buddy!

Back to the pitman shaft seals. There are 2 washers and 2 seals behind the snap ring like so: washer,seal,washer,seal. They are accessible from the other side of the box once the pitman shaft is out so you can push them out pretty easily.



Cleaned up the bearing, I guess I should have got the rebuild kit instead of the reseal kit. The reseal kit didn't come with the bearing. Oh well there is some corrosion where the pitman shaft rode on the seals that was the source of my leak so I don't plan on this lasting forever anyway.



new seals installed for the pitman shaft. I gently tapped them in place with a socket.



The great thing about the Gates seals is that they are the exact same as original and even have the same numbers on the seals as the ones I took out so there was no guess work as to which seal went where.

[67c10rustbuket]

I watched a youtube rebuild video and they say that if the middle gear is taller and different shaped than the outer gears that means it is a variable ratio box. Anyone know if this is true?? here are a few pics of the gear.

[67c10rustbuket]

So I put it back together, painted it and installed.



Then I finally installed the new pitman arm, tie rods, and sway bar. I used energy suspension sway bar bushings and ECE lowered sway bar mounts. THe sway bar mounts were too short for my drop yet the stockers were too tall so I have a temporary spacer (1" sq tube) in there until I make a better looking spacer. I wish they used end links on the sway bars



















Sorry it's hard to get good pics on the front driver side the way I have it shoved against the front wall. I have to install the lower shaft nut grease zerks, tighten everything down to spec, install cotter pics and get to lubing her up.

What kind of grease do you guys recommend these days??

I am going to order a complete stainless brake line set from inline tube with the '72 front lines and the '67-70 rear lines next week. Then I guess I need some calipers and pads eh?

[sduckworth13]

Looking great Dan, everything looks super clean.

[mcbassin]

Very informative series on the gear box overhaul. I still have to do that one myself. I've been leaning towards pull-a-part for a later model box. I understand they take less turns of the steering wheel lock to lock.
I can't answer about the variable ratio. I used Mobil grease from Autozone I think.

[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by sduckworth13

Looking great Dan, everything looks super clean.

Thank you Scott

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Very informative series on the gear box overhaul. I still have to do that one myself. I've been leaning towards pull-a-part for a later model box. I understand they take less turns of the steering wheel lock to lock.
I can't answer about the variable ratio. I used Mobil grease from Autozone I think.

Thanks Mike, rebuilding one of these is much much more than what I did. I figure there are plenty squares at pull a part if I need another. Mine is a later box, '84 I think. I am hoping it is the variable rate but finding info on these is like catching a jackalope. I read that you can check the spid on a squarebody to find which gear box it has. I don't remember if they have words on the spid like ours or just the code.

[Zoomin]

Nice work Dan!

[oldman3]

Dan thanks for the info on the box, love the black and silver combo on the frame, my son is doing the same to the 68 GMC he is redoing...Jim

[bbcmudtruck]

I just read through the whole thread. All I can say is WOW! Great job man and congrats on the new little dude!

[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by Zoomin

Nice work Dan!

Thanks Steve, I am ready for summer!

Originally Posted by oldman3

Dan thanks for the info on the box, love the black and silver combo on the frame, my son is doing the same to the 68 GMC he is redoing...Jim

Anytime, I will have to check out your sons truck. Is there a build on here?

Originally Posted by bbcmudtruck

I just read through the whole thread. All I can say is WOW! Great job man and congrats on the new little dude!

Thanks!




I have not had much time to work on the truck but have continued stocking up on parts. I did manage to install the brake lines. I bought mine from inline tube for a 71 swb. I thought installing brake lines would be a 30 minute job...tops... well it took a little &^$%&^$%&^ Grrrrr and well you know.. so here are a couple pics. Sorry they are dark, the sun is not cooperating nor is the weather around here. Way too cold and too much snow for me!










And now the girl wants some smileys:

[es67chevy]

Glad to see you're out there still building! Keep at it!!

[screaminchevypickup]

Looking good!!

[Zoomin]

I hear ya on those pre-bent lines. It's especially helpful when they fold them in half to get them in a box.

[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by es67chevy

Glad to see you're out there still building! Keep at it!!

Thanks Eric, I'm still here. Slowly but surely. We have some decent weather now so I plan to get more done.

Originally Posted by screaminchevypickup

Looking good!!

Thank you Kyle!

Originally Posted by Zoomin

I hear ya on those pre-bent lines. It's especially helpful when they fold them in half to get them in a box.

I though unbending that one was the easy part The staring at spaghetti lines trying to figure out where they go and then making adjustments by hand to make them fit was the bad part. I think next time I will buy a nice flare tool and make my own. I say that now anyways. They were convenient but far from perfect. Hope you are enjoying the weather this week





Sooo where were we... I spent some time degreasing and painting the engine a few weeks ago and stocked up on gaskets and other parts. Finally got the nerve to get after it this morning.

First activity was the timing set. My chain was a bit loose.



I pulled the cam sprocket and crank gear. Pressed on the new crank gear. put some clevite bearing lube on the back of the cam sprocket where it mates to the thrust plate and installed the sprocket and chain.





Installed the cam bolts with threadlocker and then oiled the chain, I guess a smart guy would oil the chain before putting it on... doing it last was messy This engine also had a sprocket that slides on after the crank gear, didn't get a pic of that though. Strange little differences on these engines.

Next I installed the new timing cover, yes it is plastic. Why the crap did they use plastic timing covers on these engines (96-98+ Vortec). It must be a conspiracy so you can't replace just the crank seal.



Lastly I installed the one piece oil pan gasket. Man these are nice, screw those old 4 piece things and silicone goo.










I plan to drop the trans and replace the rear main next as well as take the trans to the car wash. No more home degreasing, that sucks . I searched on line and everyone says you can pull the retainer and replace the one piece rear main seal and reinstall without disturbing the oil pan so hopefully that should go pretty easy. If not I will loosen the pan back off a little.

[mcbassin]

Looks like some good progress Dan. I can relate to the inline tube frustrations. I think I will make my own next time.

[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Looks like some good progress Dan. I can relate to the inline tube frustrations. I think I will make my own next time.

Thanks Mike, You are making some great progress! I will have to get back out that way soon and see it in person again.




I had my lower intake manifold cleaned at the machine shop. After seeing these pictures you will see what a great idea EGR is, I know I know, it serves a purpose... well I had to do away with the tar maker...

Here are the before shots.





Here it is back from the machine shop. just a little crud left up front. I used a couple cans of carb cleaner to get what they missed.



After a little carb cleaner and elbow grease. I had to get new intake bolts, A couple of the original were stretched. might as well get ARP...

[67c10rustbuket]

So back to the EGR.. I drew a simple block off plate and cut it out on our water jet at work. .25" aluminum.







Installed the block off (temporarily) and installed the intake using Fel-pro MS98000T gaskets. Stabbed the distributor too.

[67c10rustbuket]

You might have noticed the wrench cut outs in that sheet. I designed m own AN wrenches and learned that .25" aluminum is not thick enough for hose ends. Here are a couple shots of a bigger wrench I made.

[67c10rustbuket]

I also got started on the fuel system. I am using all Russell products AN hose,tube and fittings. At the tank I used -6 pro classic hose fuel supply and return. The rollover vent is a 1/2" npt ebay piece. The hose runs to bulkhead fittings in the crossmember just in front of the tank and then I will be bending my own 3/8" aluminum lines with 37* AN tube nuts/sleeves. From the fuel filter to intake up front I am using original (97 Tahoe) flex fuel lines for now, I will upgrade to Russell hose later once it is up and running.

[67c10rustbuket]

I will have to shorten the fuel supply hose to keep it from extending under the bed cross sills and potentially rubbing. I need it to be pointing straight at the driver frame rail. Didn't think about that untill after I made the hoses and installed them. Just learning as I go.