61K10 build

[62 Barnfind]

Truck looks great! Great idea for installing the hood.

[argonaut]

Truck looks amazing! And provides good motivation for slackers like me.

[61K10]

Jason--you are young and have plenty of time, enjoy other things. on the t/f case you put new clevises (if that right name) I could not get it adjusted with them. couldn't get it to go into 2h. put my old ones on and got it to go into 2h. might have been just me. have to drain it as one of the rounds plates is leaking a bit. my pto is leaking a little also. and i hate oil leaks!

take care my friend----------kimble

[chevy_man5]

The truck looks amazing!! Great job!!

[61K10]

well another problem with my fuel gauge--does not work, so i took out the cluster (pita) and put in another gauge that came with the tk. still no=workie. have a new sending unit and the old org one also. both test ok. So I'm putting new gauges, not stock. heres the gauges that i will put in the stock cluster. we will see if i can make these work and look some what stock.

[argonaut]

Is the sending unit well grounded?

[MitchFloyd]

Is that the only guage not working? And if you are sure it's the guage and not any wiring issues, ie ground as Argonaut suggest, I could send you another guage. If you've already got those in the pic, tho, they look pretty nice upgrade.

[61K10]

will see if i can make these work. two sending units Jason, new in the tk and one on the bench. wiring is new american auto wire as i had dash problems with the org wiring. the ground is good as is power to the gauge. tired of 50yr old junk.

I bought a gauge cluster on e-bay when i started. the speedo was set back to ooooo and it looks like new # were installed. when i drove the tk for the first time getting into 4g all of a sudden one big buzzing noise out of the speedo (has new speedo cable) so i put my org one back in but haven't driven the tk yet as my dash cluster is out.

this thing is spooky to drive lol. moves around a little (probably my used steering box) every time i try to save some $$$ it bite's me in the you know where lol.

[argonaut]

Are you going to retrofit the existing cluster with the new gauges behind the faceplate? Or are you making a new baseplate with all new surface mount gauges like these?
I do like the classic style of those new gauges.

[61K10]

Jason--yes i am going to put them behind the face plate. I mocked one up with another gauge 2-1/8". took the bezel and glass off. will take a pic. I hope the new ones come apart easy.

[argonaut]

Very cool. The one thing I love about the original gauges is the big sweeping speedometer. I have swapped in a volt meter from a later model chevy. I I adapted the gauge faceplate to it and then modified the back of the cluster to make it fit. Anyway, my point is that it is doable.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by 61K10

Jason--you are young and have plenty of time, enjoy other things. on the t/f case you put new clevises (if that right name) I could not get it adjusted with them. couldn't get it to go into 2h. put my old ones on and got it to go into 2h. might have been just me. have to drain it as one of the rounds plates is leaking a bit. my pto is leaking a little also. and i hate oil leaks!

take care my friend----------kimble

did you rebearing your t/c by any chance?. those round plates sometimes wear through from end play from worn brgs and thrust washers. sometimes you don't see the little cut from the wear and it leaks from there
ron

[61K10]

ron--not the org t/c. bought it from argonaut. it was not an org from his tk as the tag was from some tk shop and there are no # stamped on it. Jason re-gasketed and new seals. the leek was just a weep. seems like it has stopped? pto weeps some also. time will tell.

[61K10]

couple of pics of my fuel gauge. volt gauge is coming from Ohio. the v-gauge in the left is no good, got it to work a couple of times then nothing. might get a clock to match my gauges later at $101.00 way later. I would like to replace all with new but too much $$$. the gauge in the batt window will be a new green face one

[MitchFloyd]

That's perfect! Be sure to save the two old gauges though, just in case you ever go back & figure out why they didn't work.

Add the temp and oil pressure and it'll "look" normal. Most people won't know.

[61K10]

well got my gauge cluster back in, gas and volt gauges work. as usually another problem. rear end is shot. when i had it apart i readjusted the backlash that was way loose. It makes big noise now. removed d/s to t/f case--trans was quiet. put d/s back in and removed d/s to rear--t/f case was ok, a little noisy but that was expected. hooked d/s back to rear and put the rear on jack-stands. rear is very noisy on acceleration and d-acceleration. and yes no ring & pinion's in 3.90 avl. as the party goes on and the road never ends!

[MitchFloyd]

Cluster looks good! Sorry to hear bout the ring & Pinion. Try a couple junk yards in your area. Those Eaton rear ends are all over the place here in Tx and Okla. Just have to take the cover off a couple to see which ones are good.

Got a question for you tho, since you just did everything. I'm putting a gauge cluster in my dash as well, but keeping the orig fuse box and wiring. Will the dash cluster harness with gauges plug into my orig harness? Thought , I'd ask before calling.

[RANDY COX]

Kimble I hate to hear that after all the work you've done. I had to replace my rear yoke on mine and I just installed another one and just tightened it up pretty good...I was wondering about that crush sleeve. I haven't driven mine on the road since I got it 2 yrs ago... Other than when I tried it out when I bought it, it was very slow with 4:56's gears and 4 spd and the V-8 with a mild cam just didn't act like it had the power it should have had.

[61K10]

Mitch--have maybe a line on one from an old friend i grew up with. Randy--my rear is 3.90 so a little more highway friendly. I had a feeling that is was gonna make noise. I hate to put in a 12 bolt--we will see i guess.

[61K10]

Mitch--forgot to answer your question about the gauge cluster. the gauge wiring is a little different, can't remember all the details. you would need a new temp sending unit(???) and tubing from eng to manual oil gauge. I would not use the amp gauge myself. I know you can buy the gauge cluster wiring.

kimble

[pimpston65]

sneeky dash cluster, i like it!!! updated with vintage look and shouldnt break the bank

[MitchFloyd]

Thanks Kimble. Hey, You never said if you opened the diff cover on your rear end or not. As long teeth on the ring & pinion are not worn, you might wanna check out the differential rebuild kit that Ecklers sells for the eaton diffs. It's listed as 1955 2nd series - 62 rebuild kit. Comes with all the needed bearings & races. Maybe its just a bearing going bad.

[MitchFloyd]

Thanks Kimble. Hey, You never said if you opened the diff cover on your rear end or not. As long teeth on the ring & pinion are not worn, you might wanna check out the differential rebuild kit that Ecklers sells for the eaton diffs. It's listed as 1955 2nd series - 62 rebuild kit. Comes with all the needed bearings & races. Maybe its just a bearing going bad.

[61K10]

Mitch--I had the hole third member out of the housing as it was leaking,also to ck axle bearings (which were good as was the axles). the R&P had about .250 slop (loose) i readjusted the back lash to spec. so it was worn by being out of spec, and it's not the org one either. I thank the date was 1959. might just rebuild it with 3.38's till i come up with a good 3.90. the closes r&p for the ft dana44 3.31's which is stretching it a bit. probable never use 4wd anyway. going to fix all my leeks in the t/f case and figure out the R-end. I've built a few rear ends some years ago when i was Drag racing.

[TJ's Chevy]

That gauge cluster looks super! Yer truck is coming along nicely! You've done a job well done. Now you can help me with mine.