Another reassembly question.

[In The Ten Ring]

I'm never done with questions it seems...

I hope to hang at least the front outer fenders here in a bit. I have the core support back on but unsure of how tight the core support bolts should go.

Someone here gave me 31 to 55 ft-pounds but long before 31 is reached those lower rubber bushings really start to squish. I bought a new torque wrench in case my father's was out of calibration but what do you guys say? Should the lower bushings look a bit squished when tight enough?

Thanks in advance!

[randy500]

There should be a metal sleeve between the upper and lower bushings which prevents squishing the rubber too much. I have also found the replacement sleeves to not be the correct length for the core support and the cab, luckily I have had ok used ones and just reused them.

[randy500]

Is your truck or at least the frame 67-8? Think those years don't have the metal sleeve inside the mounts

[In The Ten Ring]

My truck is a 1972. I am using the new bushing kit from Classic Heartbeat.

[randy500]

Probably a good one then, but sometimes the kits don't have the spacers...and the bolts are never exact just similar.

[randy500]

Here is a pic of the spacer sleeve...with dial caliper 1.685 long and rusty diameter of .87, wall thickness of .8 or so, it's rusty.

[randy500]

Installed a core support on my 71 a couple days ago and cut new sleeves from a hydraulic jack handle that I had in my metal pile, 1/2 galvanized pipe was slightly too large outside diameter

[randy500]

Found a better example with less rust, it's 1.80 long

[randy500]

Pic

[RodnRudy]

Quick tip: You don't want to tighten the core support bolts until you get your fenders bolted up. You will need some wiggle room aligning everything.

[randy500]

A better tip is to tighten cab and core support to final values. Install fenders and if they dont line up then generally the cab needs to be shimmed. Otherwise the fenders will be in a partial bind and will make creeking noises.

If the core support is way low or high you might have bent frame horns which will need to be corrected, if you start shimming the core support then you will have to shim he bumper too. I have never seen a core support shimmed, just the cab and usually just one side and that has usually been just the drivers side for some weird reason.

[randy500]

I will also add this...I would install the bed too before I fit the fenders to check the fit bed to cab, I did 2 cabs recently and both were crooked to the bed on initial install and I couldn't get a good side to side gap between the bed and cab, had to loosen the cab all up and pull the cab from one side with a large ratchet strap from the fender mount to the front frame horn to get the needed gap. If you find he bed gap bad after installing the front end you will be very mad.

[In The Ten Ring]

Randy,

I like you: you have a lot to say!

My truck has never been in a wreck, I know this because my dad bought it new and gave it to me, so I doubt my frame is bent. The bed is on, the cab is on, I am just curious about this core support.

Now the cab supports I put in some time ago, again on the same Classic Heartbeat kit, I got the lower washers touching and then gave the bolts/nuts one last full turn, per Wes' instructions.

RodnRudy, thanks man, good point. I'll leave the core support rather loose until I get everything lined up.

I only found 1 shim when I took it apart, and that was on one bolt of the cowl.