The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build

[Tx Firefighter]

I was pretty much kidding about the wife finding out. I'm a pretty grouchy bastard and she knows better than to try and mother me when it comes to my health. Whenever a woman tries to nag me about something, I tend to usually do the opposite thing to the extreme.

As far as the China deal....

We use Phoenix brand simulators on all our ambulances at work. They're the expensive ones. When you price them, they run about double what these Summit brand ones do.

The Phoenix logo...



The logo on the Summit ones...

[aggie91]

Looks good. Hope you feel better...I hate being sick...

[Tx Firefighter]

I am happy to report that with the shiny new wheel simulators the truck gets better mileage, burns less oil, hauls more weight, and even some of the hail dents popped out.

Not really, but it's definitely earning it's keep like I hoped it would. I still have a long way to go before it's fixed up nice enough to please me but the truck has good bones underneath it so it's just a matter of continuing to plug away at it till it's real solid and slick.



Other than the bellhousing, I'm thinking I'll try to pick up a decent hood for the truck and shoot it white and stick it on there. The present hood has a crack in the front of it, is beat up, and obviously is paint challenged. I know the new painted hood won't match perfectly, but it can't look as bad at the hood on it now does.

[68Timber]

A Deweze bale grabber would be slick on your rig.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

A Deweze bale grabber would be slick on your rig.

Lord, don't I know it. I hate having to roll those flat bottomed bastards off. The freakin animals are always up there trying to eat the stuff right off the bed and I'm pushing, shoving, and cussing trying to get it to roll off onto the ground.

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Lord, don't I know it. I hate having to roll those flat bottomed bastards off. The freakin animals are always up there trying to eat the stuff right off the bed and I'm pushing, shoving, and cussing trying to get it to roll off onto the ground.

haha, about 10mph in reverse and stand on the brakes.....

i generally run a rope around the bale to a good post/rea pole and drive out from under it.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

i generally run a rope around the bale to a good post/rea pole and drive out from under it.

I was just thinking of that this morning. I'm going to weld a tie down on the back edge of the bed in the center. Then I can hook a chain to it and lay it out forward so they set the bale on top of the chain. Then when it comes time to unload, just throw the chain over the top of the bale and tie it off to something and yank.

[JellyBeanDriver]

just ran across this thread. LOVE your truck!
There's an 86' C30 dually crew cab (454, AT) at our Ranch that I've been working on so it's been fun watching the improvements you've made to yours.

[Jonboy]

Kevin, I have a decent white hood, too. I had a left fender, but I think it might have walked off. Next time you are over this way, come get it.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

Kevin, I have a decent white hood, too. I had a left fender, but I think it might have walked off. Next time you are over this way, come get it.

I'd like to have the hood. If you keep supplying me parts I'll have to change the name to the Tx Firefighter/Jonboy build thread.

[JellyBeanDriver]

Do you have an engine oil cooler setup? Our ranch truck does. Leaking rubber lines like everyone else's so I read.

[Jonboy]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I'd like to have the hood. If you keep supplying me parts I'll have to change the name to the Tx Firefighter/Jonboy build thread.

At least someone is getting some building done. I'm a quitter.....

The hood has been over at the warehouse I store my junk at. It's just a few minutes from the house. Let me know when you are over this way. I don't think it's going anywhere soon.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver

Do you have an engine oil cooler setup? Our ranch truck does. Leaking rubber lines like everyone else's so I read.

No oil cooler on this one. I agree about the leaks. The dually I had before this one was a 94 model with a 454 and I wound up putting some money into replacing both hoses and all of the connector ends.

Originally Posted by Jonboy

At least someone is getting some building done. I'm a quitter.....

The hood has been over at the warehouse I store my junk at. It's just a few minutes from the house. Let me know when you are over this way. I don't think it's going anywhere soon.

I'll have to figure out how to put something together. I could nearly buy a new hood for the cost of fuel driving the dually over there. Will need to figure out an alternative transport method. Regardless, I'll give you plenty of notice beforehand.

[JellyBeanDriver]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

No oil cooler on this one. I agree about the leaks. The dually I had before this one was a 94 model with a 454 and I wound up putting some money into replacing both hoses and all of the connector ends.

Thinking of cutting off the crimps, getting hose from a hydraulic store and putting worm gear hose clamps on. I hear even the replacement dealer or Dorman hoses leak again quickly.


Will have to review your steering gear box resealing - probably going to do that to ours in the near future.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

No oil cooler on this one. I agree about the leaks. The dually I had before this one was a 94 model with a 454 and I wound up putting some money into replacing both hoses and all of the connector ends.

Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver

Thinking of cutting off the crimps, getting hose from a hydraulic store and putting worm gear hose clamps on. I hear even the replacement dealer or Dorman hoses leak again quickly.

Which side are you guys having issues with as far as leaks?

My CC dually had an aftermarket set-up @ the heat exchanger side & OE GM adapter @ the block. It had rubber hose w/barbed fittings & typical worm gear style clamps @ the heat exchanger side to alum lines & compression fittings @ the adapter side.

When I did the motor rebuild, I tossed the previous heat-exchanger & related parts (didn't want to worry about trash screwing up the fresh motor) & installed the same style (kit) w/new alum lines, new compression fittings, new rubber hose, & new barbed fittings (I re-used the GM adapter @ the block). For symmetry, I also did a duplicate heat-exchanger arrangement for the trans.

I didn't have leaks before & hoping I don't now....

[JellyBeanDriver]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Which side are you guys having issues with as far as leaks?

Mine are at the crimps to the rubber hose - both ends.
Seems to be a common problem. Don't know if the rubber flows out of the way over time due to hot oil contact or what.

Most replace with factory parts but I read one post where a guy cut off the crimps and used standard hose clamps to eliminate the leaks.

[y5mgisi]

Subscribed

[Tx Firefighter]

Again, this truck has no cooler, but my 94 did. It had the kind with threaded fittings into the block with quick connects rather than the sandwich adapter under the oil filter. It was all leaking so I bought two new lines for it and new quick connects to screw into the block and the trouble went away. I have since sold the truck to an oilfield welder and he puts about 5k plus miles per month on it (a 454 at 9 mpg...ouch) and it still doesn't leak.

[Tx Firefighter]

Not much new to report on this truck right now. It's been too busy earning its keep.


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[lolife99]

What's the plan for the step bed?

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by lolife99

What's the plan for the step bed?

I kind of fell into a project recently. I've been collecting a lot of parts for it. Basically I'm building a beater truck to drive that gets better mileage than this big block does. I'll start a thread when I begin to put all the parts together.

As many years as we've been on here together, I'd bet money you could basically guess my build plan. I always build them basically the same.

Posted via telepathy from my rotary dial phone

[Stoney]

What happened to the Blue one you put the new motor in?

Window tint the Hillbilly?

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Stoney

What happened to the Blue one you put the new motor in?

Window tint the Hillbilly?

I don't have that truck anymore unfortunately. It wound up being the single worst screwing I ever took in my life. It was a deal with my stepson. He took the truck and moved out, breaking a deal we had. I can't even convey the extent of how bad that one stung me. It still ruins my whole day about once a week or so.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Stoney]

Can't go get it?

[Tx Firefighter]

Nope. Like an idiot we shook hands an looked each other in the eye and went down to the courthouse and swapped it into his name. He left two days later.

You can't imagine the heartburn it has caused me.
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