Project Family Chummins

[Ackattack]

Little more progress: I got a used set of front tires that should last me until I get the new wheels and tires. I also got a spare wheel and put the one good tire off the front onto it, so now I have a spare tire if I need it. I still need to get a jack for it.

I got the new low pressure A/C line. It uses some quick disconnect fittings that I had a heck of a time getting seperated until I finally realized that fuel line quick disconnect tool would work on it, then it was easy. I put the new line in and pressurerized it and let it set there for about a half hour to make sure the pressure didn't drop (indicating another leak). Everything looked good, so I vacuumed it out.

In the past I rented a vacuum pump from a rental shop for about $35/day (3 times for "no buck"). That gets a little spendy, so I noticed a pnuematic vacuum pump from Harbor Freight, and picked that up for only $15. You just hook up an air line to it and it will pull a vaccuum on the A/C system. It worked great, pulling a deeper vacuum than the rental vacuum pump would! After about a half hour a having a vacuum on the system I charged it up and the A/C works great.

Then I started on the Killer Dowel Pin. Overall it wasn't too hard, but it took awhile, mainly because trying to get the fan off took awhile. I borrowed a fan clutch tool set from Autozone, but it didn't have the right sized wrench in it. So then I tried to make one (using a scrap piece of metal from No-buck) but it started to bend and slip. So then I went to Orielys and there wrench set had the right size of wrench in it. Came back home and got the fan off. The rest of the job went together pretty easily.

So now that I'm comfortable with driving the dodge (good tires, not going to have the dowel pin fall out) I'm going to get "No buck" cleaned up and ready to sell.