86 k 20 project "cletus"

[1985-GMC]

Snow... what's that? I was wearing a t shirt for most of today.

[palposity]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Snow... what's that? I was wearing a t shirt for most of today.

Allow me to introduce you my friend! Here are some pics! Today my neighbor, who has been using his big tractor mounted snow blower to clear me out until I have Cletus ready, had a mechanical failure. I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow my buddy's truck who owns the Central NY distributorship for Interstate Batteries. I had fun clearing my driveway with it even though it's a Ford Oh, by the way...this is what almost 3 FEET of snow looks like!

[Dieselwrencher]

Is that a 6.4 truck? Nice snow, man! Yeah I know, that stuff gets old.

[nbpro]

I have had my fill of the snow. The 20 years I spent in Northern IL at the wisconsin border. So I'm glad I'm back down here where if we get snow, it usually doesn't stick. My heart goes out to you man. Like I said, I can remember dealing with it.

[spudz]

Originally Posted by palposity

Allow me to introduce you my friend! Here are some pics! Today my neighbor, who has been using his big tractor mounted snow blower to clear me out until I have Cletus ready, had a mechanical failure. I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow my buddy's truck who owns the Central NY distributorship for Interstate Batteries. I had fun clearing my driveway with it even though it's a Ford Oh, by the way...this is what almost 3 FEET of snow looks like!

I'd die of frostbite within a week of living there...

[1985-GMC]

That kinda looks like fun clearing snow, but I know its just way too cold for me!

[palposity]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Is that a 6.4 truck? Nice snow, man! Yeah I know, that stuff gets old.

Not sure on that. I'll have to ask my buddy.

Originally Posted by nbpro

I have had my fill of the snow. The 20 years I spent in Northern IL at the wisconsin border. So I'm glad I'm back down here where if we get snow, it usually doesn't stick. My heart goes out to you man. Like I said, I can remember dealing with it.

I can understand that sir!

Originally Posted by spudz

I'd die of frostbite within a week of living there...

Nah - you grow accustomed to some of the benefits of heavy snow - like snowmobiling!

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

That kinda looks like fun clearing snow, but I know its just way too cold for me!

The cold sucks, but I look at all the snow as a great excuse to have an extra Chevy truck!

[glimmertwin01]

how about a GMC? heres my driveway plow it beats shoveling and as you said good reason to have another truck...
is yours done? (back from cole)?

[palposity]

That's a great looking truck Dan! Very nice! Cole finally got started on my truck yesterday. I'm hoping to have it back late today or early tomorrow! I can't wait!

[glimmertwin01]

thanks its a good running solid truck with working A/C hate using it for this but.... it beats shoveling every morning at 530 am... i only have about 2 ft here with more to come sunday/ monday. hope they get the truck done... its probably something really stupid that you will kick yourself about when your done.... i cant wait to see pics of it finished... it will be a tough rig.... then u will have time to focus on POPS...
i will be heading to sterling soon to salvage a 73 jimmy plans.. swap the beat 305 out and install a 250 4 speed / 205 then put my 74 tub onto it and use that for a CHEAP plow rig ... and sell the 77 to someone who appreciates old IRON

[palposity]

Sounds like you have good plans for your next project. I'm sure your 77 will make someone a nice plow truck for sure!

[glimmertwin01]

i dont think i deserves to be used as a plow.... but hey... i have a need...
would rather have a 4 speed to plow with... low range and creeper will move as much snow as a BIG truck...

[glimmertwin01]

ideally id love to find an old square shorty step to use but hey i have K5s and all the parts just need a good frame

[palposity]

Got Cletus back from Cole Muffler! I have to say despite the misunderstanding at the beginning of the week - They did a killer job!

I still have a bunch of little things to do to get the truck where I want it (like undercoating the bed), but after I change the P/S pump today she will be road worthy!!!!

[spudz]

looks good! I would use the snow as an excuse to build another chevy truck too lol.

[glimmertwin01]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! what was the issue with the brakes?

[1985-GMC]

Very nice!

[palposity]

Originally Posted by spudz

looks good! I would use the snow as an excuse to build another chevy truck too lol.

I'm glad you see it my way!

Originally Posted by glimmertwin01

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! what was the issue with the brakes?

User error! I apparently didn't properly bench bleed the MC, even though I thought I had the air out of it. Also it looks like I may not have completeley bled the calipers. I'm glad that's all it was, although it makes me feel stupid, it was a cheaper fix!

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Very nice!

Thanks bro!

[palposity]

Of course now I have air in the hydraulic lines for the plow and I have to figure out how to get that bled out as it is supposed to snow most of this week too!

[glimmertwin01]

i think you should be able to purge the air by working the plow left and right up and down...like what you do to get the air out of the power steering system... back n forthback n forth it will work its way to the top of the system which is the tank....
that truck is wayy too nice to plow with unless its just for home use....I cant wait to see some pis of it in the sun (if we ever get any sunshine) ...lol
as a note.. when i do the brakes like that..i usually just leave the bleeders open and let gravity do its thing..it takes a while but it almost always works

[palposity]

Originally Posted by glimmertwin01

i think you should be able to purge the air by working the plow left and right up and down...like what you do to get the air out of the power steering system... back n forthback n forth it will work its way to the top of the system which is the tank....
that truck is wayy too nice to plow with unless its just for home use....I cant wait to see some pis of it in the sun (if we ever get any sunshine) ...lol
as a note.. when i do the brakes like that..i usually just leave the bleeders open and let gravity do its thing..it takes a while but it almost always works

You raise a good point on bleeding the plow hydraulics. My valve assembly is mounted on the driver wheel well and I think some points of it are a bit higher than the top of the pump reservoir. I think I will go out this afternoon and unbolt the inner fender housing and let it sit on the tire for a while to gravity bleed it - then I will go out a couple times to circulate the system to see if that gets it done. Thanks buddy!

[glimmertwin01]

i dont think you should have to move a thing .. just work the system if the hydraulic tank is on the fender you should be good to go..i have the monarch on the fender all i did was work it back n forth till it moved free and didnt just stop its under pressure on half the systemm just like steering..and all they do for that is tell you to work it back n forth a bit till the air stops foaming up in the tank on the pump

[palposity]

I guess I'm a bit confused as to what you mean by tank? I'm referring to the reservoir where the fluid is put in on the main pump/pulley. I should specify this is a belt-driven non-electrical system (not sure if I said that before). The valve body that sits on the fender is fed fluid from the reservoir on the main pump which is driven from a belt on the engine. Clear as mud?

[glimmertwin01]

reservior/ tank... sorry holds the fluid...lol ive seen the ones you have with the reservoir on the pump and some have a remote reservoir shouldnt matter just open it up and cycle it till u get the air out

[palposity]

I went ahead and dropped the fender well onto the tire to lower the valve assembly below the reservoir. I started her up and cycled it through for a good 10 minutes. It acted like it had a little more power to lift the plow, but not enough. Truck sank down some but plow didn't come up. I'm going to leave the valve assembly and fender well sitting on the tire for a while to let gravity do its thing. Then I'll go back out and try to cycle it again.