K20 Challenge

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I WOULD NOT powder coat the springs. You run the risk of loosing some of the temper during the baking. Plus, they need to slide and bend and the coating will just crack anyways.

Not true. It's done countless times every day. It is much more durable than paint will ever be.

[Vintage Windmills]

Depends on temperature and spring composition. I've had problems with coil springs losing temper.

[Tx Firefighter]

You're looking at 400 degrees for ten minutes to cure the powder. I suppose you could have run across a coater who went over that for some reason which caused you problems.

[67chevy1series]

you can do it make mom eat her words!! its loooking awesome right now lot of progress already done!

[steelhorse]

Just keep working on it. It will get done.

[danw210]

Thanks guys! I pick up the differentials on Friday. I can't wait to see them and start putting them back together.

[danw210]

Diffs are finally done. It took about 2 hours to get all the leftover media out of them. Need to replace some bearings and then I'll be putting them back together.

[Chevrolet9279]

where did you get your gas tank? where do you plan on it coming out?

[danw210]

Originally Posted by Chevrolet9279

where did you get your gas tank? where do you plan on it coming out?

Got it from board member "FUELCELLGUY". It's going to be a tail light filler.

[Chevrolet9279]

Thanks cant wait to see how it turns out
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[gerfunken]

Looking good so far. With the LMC springs, I'm guessing you're going for an "original" look on the truck?

[danw210]

Originally Posted by gerfunken

Looking good so far. With the LMC springs, I'm guessing you're going for an "original" look on the truck?

Thanks! I'm trying to keep it mostly origional with some mods. It's getting a 2.5" lift, different rims and tire size, relocating the gas tank with a tail light fuel filler, marker lights will be different, disc brakes all around, vintage air AC, power windows but using the origional cranks as my switches, I think that's about it.

[gerfunken]

That's a great approach. Keeping that look with a couple of today's conveniences. I went with vintage air in my truck, and have got to say it was one of the easier things that I've had to do to my truck.
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[danw210]

Hello again!

It's been tough staying on the truck project this winter. I have been doing little things here and there but not the progress I was hoping to make. If you have been following the thread I had a problem with LMC and the leaf springs that I ordered from them. They did not help so I had to have a spring made. I had tossed around the idea of powder coating the springs but chose to do them myself using Masterseries Coatings. I am pretty happy how they turned out. My buddy Tom came over and assembled the rear differential last weekend, the front still needs to be done. I am really hoping to make progress here in the next month, we'll see how that goes.

Here are some progress pictures -

[Dustydog]

looking good!!

[danw210]

Looks like I was wrong on the front disc brake swap. I am using the brackets from a 72 K20 and figured it was an easy swap to the 69 K20 (Dana44 closed knuckle). Oops! Looks like we are about 1/2" off on the placement of the caliper. The brakes pads need a little more room. If anyone has run into this or has some suggestions that would be a great help.

[danw210]

....and the pictures.

[danw210]

I guess I am looking at a front differential swap now. I can't find any disc brake brackets for it. Anyone interested in a beautiful, completely rebuilt closed knuckle?????

[texastrendz]

That is going to be one nice truck sir. Good job and keep it up.

[Spicer]

Hello, Great Build! On your disc set up it looks as though your caliper brackets are bent right there on the edge of the ear, it’s been awhile since I’ve run the D52 brake set up, but this was a common issue, they get bent when moving the axle around without the calipers on them… maybe, and I don’t think your issue is your closed knuckle housing, because imo the spindle out is where your difference is, from the pic you have the spindle on 1st and then the caliper bracket and this is correct, so if the brackets are not bent then it would be somewhere in the hub/rotor spindle area, the spindle that you are using is from the disc set up correct? Just thinking something to think about… Again Great build!

[danw210]

Originally Posted by Spicer

Hello, Great Build! On your disc set up it looks as though your caliper brackets are bent right there on the edge of the ear, it’s been awhile since I’ve run the D52 brake set up, but this was a common issue, they get bent when moving the axle around without the calipers on them… maybe, and I don’t think your issue is your closed knuckle housing, because imo the spindle out is where your difference is, from the pic you have the spindle on 1st and then the caliper bracket and this is correct, so if the brackets are not bent then it would be somewhere in the hub/rotor spindle area, the spindle that you are using is from the disc set up correct? Just thinking something to think about… Again Great build!

Spicer - I looked into your suggestions. The caliper mounting plates are as they should be. The picture does make you wonder though. The spindle however, is the issue. I was using the 69 spindles. I still have the 72 spindles laying around so I messed with them today. They push the caliper out 3/8 of an inch and that is just what it needs. But...........the 69 spindles have a brass bushing in them allowing the fat part of the axle tofit. The 72 spindles have what looks like some sort of bearing in the place where the brass bushing on the 69 is. The bearing reduces the diameter of the opening and the axle doesn't fit.
My latest question - does that bearing thing-a-ma-bobber come out? And if so, can the spindle have a bushing pressed in to make it like the 69 spindle?

That is the only case where I think that the closed knuckle will work. Axles are different so that's not an option. The picture with the caliper mounted is with the 72 spindle, on a 72 hub with no axle shaft in the housing.

[Spicer]

Yes the spindle bearing (needle bearing) does press out of the 72 spindle, and the bronze bushing will press out of the 69 spindle as well, I would get both out and do some measuring and go from there. Longfield makes a Teflon bushing to replace the needle bearing on the 72, maybe you can modify that or have one made, and or a bronze one made? Might be better than changing housings? Check for the fit on the 72 spindle as it needs to fit inside the closed knuckle with a tight fit as the 6 bolts are to hold the two parts together only, the lip of the spindle should carry all the weight when it fits tightly in the knuckle, also check the length of your outer stub axle for the lockouts, snap ring? If all else fails I should have a open knuckle here from a 1970 with disc brakes on it that I would donate for a Great build, all you would need is the inner axles and housing with the knuckles. What gears are you running?

[danw210]

Thanks Spicer, great info! There is a 4x4 specialties place here in town, I'll bring my spindles and shafts over to them to see if they can help out. The 72 spindle fits tight in the knuckle. From what I've gathered, the outer axles do NOT use the same u-joint. I think that this is going to work if I can get the bushings in the 72 spindles. If that fails I have found a couple of newer dana 44s locally for pretty cheap but thank you for the offer. It would probly cost me as much in freight as I can get one locally.

[danw210]

Well I took the spindles to the 4x4 shop in town and he suggests that I take the axles to a machine shop and have them turned down to fit the 72 spindles. The amount of material to be cut is probably a few hundredths of an inch. Does anyone see a problem with this approach?

[Spicer]

I would say yes that will work if you replace the needle bearing on the 72 spindle with the Teflon bushing, because it has the built in flange as the bronze bushing from the 69 does, if you use the 69 shaft and on 72 spindle there's some differences in the flange/washer set up, the Teflon bushing they make for the 72 spindle is made with the same set up as the 69, just different size, and when you have the shaft turned down it will fit.
Also if you do end up turning down the 69 shafts you might try to find a third stub shaft to have a spare since they would be special pieces at that point, have them all turned down at once... But I would'nt worry about having the shafts turned down, Still Plenty strong!
I guess the bronze bushing did not fit in the 72 spindle?