Kissing the wall

[Walts_restoration]

If thats kissing the wall, im glad you didnt get to third base

[screamin_eagle]

....Glad your son is alright

[eedgell]

It will heal. I've had hickeys worse than that. Someone used to say. On the fender I would go with a use part. I have heard bad things about after market body panels. Glad you are all safe.

[timcos]

Yeah you could look at it that way...but there was no indication of them being ****y.

The reason I was going to get new tires was because these were so loud on the highway...that was it. Still had good tread.

Originally Posted by screamin_eagle

....Glad your son is alright

[LEEVON]

...but really, you should have seen the wall...

['68 longbed]

don't ya hate it when those walls jump out in front of you!!! it's clearly the fault of the highway commision!!

[timcos]

I am really glad they put the wall there...as it is in front of a 30 foot drop off.

I did see it...up close.

Tim

Originally Posted by LEEVON

...but really, you should have seen the wall...

[timcos]

Anyone wanto buy 3 wheels?

See that spare next to the truck...original Bias Ply H78-15. Still holds air...I brought it down so we could easily move my truck.

[timcos]

Update....

When the tire shredded and the wheel was finally tearing itself up on the wall..its initial impact pushed the axle back on the leaf spring about 1.5 inches.

This energy in turn had to be released somewhere. Since the pumpkin is on the passenger side most of the energy was pivoted down the drive shaft to the transfer case...twisting it and snapping the rear cone of the transmisison. Hence all the tranny fluid that was running out.

Transfer case good...Transmission housing shot.

Having a new one manufactured. Stronger torque converter, better clutch pads...etc. Going to be a pretty strong transmission.

[timcos]

Update #2

OK...got four new wheels and 4 new tires and a new transmission. I was going to do it anyway...but hey it is done now.

Something strange is happening. I can only turnt he wheel to the left 20 degrees but to the right 40 degrees...of course I am approximating but there is a significant difference. I cannot see anything apparent by looking under the front end.

Could something have jumped in the steering box?

Tim

[Scott68-93-97]

Look real close at your tie rod. Is it bent at all?? Also look hard at the drag link.
Good you guys are OK.

[bad6772]

anything can happen when ya loose a tire, today while driving the 67 home from work . a guy in a brand new full size dodge suv. (still had paper plates), had a flat tire about 500 feet in front of me on I 69 south bound, you could see the right rear tire let go. he was towing a large 5th wheel camper . all all of a sudden it jumped lanes on him ( looked like the a$$ end kicked around on him) and 5 sec s later he is in the ditch upside down, and the 5th wheel was destroyed. all that was left of it was the frame. sad thing is that his family was with him, . they all looked to be ok, just shakin up a bit, i and others stopped to see if all was ok. i do collision frame/bodywork and trust me. those trucks are not ram tough, total loss. but good thing is they were all ok

[timcos]

OK...I got it back. all fixed except one thing.

The wheels still turn about 20 degrees to the left and 40 degrees to the right.

Concerning the shaft of the steering gear...do the pitman arm thread/gears run the length of the sharft or around the circumference?

I was checking the LMC catalog and it shows them around the shaft rather than running the length of the shaft.

Could be just a drawing error?

If it runs around the shaft then the pitman arm may have slipped around the shaft as I was trying to keep the truck straight and the truck was trying to climb the wall.

Or.

It may have screwed up the internals of the steering gear box.

What think ye?

[timcos]

ttt

[70C10Toejam]

Originally Posted by Hook'em

That is my biggest fear - blow-out on a front tire at 70 mph, followed closely by spontaneous combustion

I had a whole nother thought when i read that of looking over and seeing the driver just burst into flames for no reason

[Blue_71]

timcos-- my 71 K20 was doing that also... my drag link adjustment was WAY off. to correct it, i turned the wheels fully left, then fully right, counting the number of turns. now take half that distance, and go back to the left that many turns. so if you have say 4.5 turns lock to lock, you go 2.25 turns to the left, from fully turned right. this puts your steering gear centered.. get out and look at what direction your tires are pointing. when i had my steering gear centered the wheels were turned about 4-5 inches to the right

[timcos]

That is exactly what happened...but my question was...is that an internal screw up in the steering gear...or can it be adjusted by simply taking the pitman arm off...and readujsting it.

I am trying to figure out if I need a new steering gear box.

All was wortking fine before the accident.

[timcos]

OK...I see the splines now....got underneath and got a good look. They run the length of the shaft versus the circumference.

So I am sure my steering gearbox is screwed.

[Blue_71]

ah ok i get ya now. id bet on your gearbox being bad..
out of curiosity? is your drag link adjustable? mine had two ends and a sleeve, like a big beefy looking tie rod. i adjusted it that way. i have seen one on ebay though that was supposedly off a 72 K5 blazer, that was solid. no adjustment . not real sure what threw mine off though, it was that way when i got it

[timcos]

My drag link should be adjustable. I think it is a bit frozen from rust and non movement. Not sure adjusting it would do much good...seems a lot to adjust out of it.

OK...so if my gear box is screwed (BTW...other than the angle either way it works pretty well) what is the best gear box to put in, in replacement of the bad one.

Stock
New style
Less turns to the same deal?

[68K20 x Drill]

The horseshoe steering arm coming off the knuckle is utter crap and eventually bends if you hit or run over stuff. Just a tiny bend loses a lot of steering range. It is likely you will need to replace it. use new nuts and cone washers.
It sounds like your spring pack may need a new locating pin...available at most any 4x4 shop.

[timcos]

I have to go check mine out...but that horseshoe arm is expensive.

[oldgold70c10]

Originally Posted by timcos

I have to go check mine out...but that horseshoe arm is expensive.

More expensive than a new steering gear? If it is bent, it might be fatigued and could break. That would be just as scary, to lose steering control.

[RedZ71]

man im glad youre ok! dont worry about the truck, that will buff right out!!

i had a blowout about a month ago.. only mine was sitting still in the garage. went out on a morning to take her out, and ...



i never thought a stationary blowout was possible! at first i thought i must have had a leak, but when i put the air chuck on it, air was hissing out as fast as it was going in. im just glad i wasnt on the road when it happened.

[ChevLoRay]

If the tires goes flat while parked and the bead breaks away from the rim, the air will leak out just like you said it did.

If you are planning to air it up yourself at home, take the wheel off of the truck, or just jack it up. Then take a ratcheting strap and run it around the outside of the tire, once the tire has resumed its proper shape, i.e., no dent in the tire where it was sitting. That strap will hold the bead of the tire in place so air can't leak out of it while you air it back up. After the tire starts to take air, release the strap and take if off. Finish airing up the tire and you're done.

I've had to do this a number of times with my Cub Cadet tractor tires. It sure takes the frustration out of hearing all that air rush out of the tire.