Advice to young truckers

[sdewolfe]

I joined this forum several years ago. But I sold my '70 C10 and have not been using the forum. A few weeks ago I bought another truck; a 1975 C10. So, I started hanging out here again. There is a lot of good information here. I hope I can add a little to it.

I have seen many posts from young people using their trucks for daily transport. Many are learning from experience what it takes to keep an old truck on the road. Experience is a harsh teacher. So, I thought I would pass along some of the things I have learned about using old vehicles for daily driving.

There are many questions about dash pads, paint, gauges, wheels, cutting springs, rust repair, and bigger better electronics. None of those things will keep your truck on the road. If you are looking for audio advice, adding bling to your ride, or how to lower the truck, this post is not for you. But, if you depend on your truck to get to school or work or actually hauling stuff, keep reading.

I have driven old cars and trucks all my life. I can sum up failures in one word: rubber. You will find that everything made of rubber will have to be replaced. From tie rod boots to engine seals to weather stripping; it all fails.

Unless daddy is wealthy, in which case you should be driving a new Silverado anyway ;-) , it is prohibitively expensive in both money and down time to replace every piece of rubber on a daily driver. You are driving an old truck because that is what you can afford, I know. But driving old vehicles simply exchanges monthly payments for repair expenses. That is the fact of the matter. If you just put gas and oil in the truck and drive it to destruction, you will one day be stranded. That is not a matter of "if" something fails, it is a matter of "when". So, you must replace the safety items, plan to replace the items that can cause breakdowns, and watch for failures of system critical seals (transmission tail, for one).

If you absolutely cannot afford at least $300 every month to refurbish your truck, do yourself a favor and sell it. If you do not have at least that minimum resource to spend, one of two things is going to happen: either the truck will break and sit until you decide to sell it at a loss, or you will end up broke down in East BFE. I have been in both situations. I hope to save you the trouble.

Set aside $100 for emergency repairs. Add whatever amount you can every pay day. Once you have enough so that major purchases will always leave at least $100 in the emergency fund, start replacing rubber.

Every Saturday for the foreseeable future will be consumed, at least in part, working on the truck. In order of importance:

Brakes. Stopping is much more important than going. Replace the brake hoses immediately. Do not put this off. I had a brake hose fail under pressure on a '51 Chevy pickup; a single circuit brake system. The failure made for an interesting 30MPH excursion under the canopy of a service station (we had those before convenience stores) to avoid rear-ending a car that was stopped at the traffic light. I made it home by driving very slowly on back streets using the engine for braking. The truck got new brake hoses that night. That was in 1973; the rubber was 22 years old. Do the math on your truck.

Replace or rebuild the master cylinder, the calipers, and the cylinders in the drum brakes. This job is expensive in both time and money but it is absolutely necessary. Do not let another day-off pass without doing it. While you are there, service the bearings and renew the seals, front and rear.

Steering and Suspension. Replace the shocks, bushings, tie rod ends, and rag joint. When and in what order depends on your level of comfort driving 4000 pounds of ill-handling iron and steel. If you intend to do any hauling or towing, add helper springs and the best shocks you can afford in the back. Helper springs are not that expensive and will help handling when actually using the truck as GM intended. Standard shocks in front work just fine to keep the nose from bouncing across the expansion joints on the bridges.

I know you cannot afford it. But those systems must be brought up to spec' now. Forego the 20" wheels and replace the stuff that will keep you alive.

If you cannot do the work, find someone, anyone to help you. A relative, a friend, or the grumpy old a**hole with all the junk in his yard. It doesn't matter who you get to help, only that you get the work done.

One place to look is your local community college. When I was a teenager we called it auto shop. Today it is automotive technology; auto shop with training on computer controlled systems. Even though the technology has changed the basics are still the basics. Ask if you can "audit" the class. That is a fancy way of saying they will let you hang out free of charge but you will get no credit for the class. If you can, sign-up for the class.

Once you have the brakes and suspension done you can take a breath, replenish your refurbishing funds, and prioritize replacements. The remainder of the rubber can be replaced as needed. But there is more. So much more.

Make it a habit to look for fluids escaping. Always check the oil, water, and brake fluid at every fuel stop. Dropping levels of any fluid indicate a problem. The systems are all sealed; aside from minor oil consumption (a quart between changes is minor), find and repair a fluid leak before it becomes an expensive lesson learned. Once a week check the transmission fluid. Check the oil in a manual transmission and the rear end at least twice a year. Pay attention to the appearance and smell of fluids when new, used, and burned. Inspect the under carriage for signs of fluid leaks.

Pay attention to noises. Every truck has a sound signature. Learn what your truck sounds like. If you notice something different; just different, not necessarily loud or annoying, find the source. U-joints don't start out squeaking. There is a tell tale "TINK" when shifting from forward to back that precedes the squeaking by several thousand miles. Carrier bearings don't start out howling. There is a rumble and vibration that happens long before it makes enough noise to be noticed by a passenger.

Be aware of odors; gasoline escaping from any place is bad ju-ju. Find the hole and fix it. There are many odors that will, if you pay attention, signal pending failure that can be avoided. Anti-freeze has a unique odor when it hits hot exhaust. You will smell it when you pull up to a stop light or park the truck. Noticing that, you can chase the source and repair it even before the gauge starts to move up. Attention to odors can save your ride from the crusher.

Notice the way things "look". Your radiator is black, not streaked with green; (in my best Mr. Garrison voice) green is bad, ok? Tires do not wear unevenly. Carpets and mats are always dry. From the grill to the tail gate, there is right and there is wrong. Learn to recognize which is which. More importantly, learn to recognize what requires immediate attention and what can wait until payday.

If you haven't already experienced it, you soon will; electrical failures. The rubber seals on weather pack connectors are leaking. Plastic connector bodies fair even worse than rubber seals; the plastic is now brittle and will crumble when you try to disconnect it. If your truck is old enough you will have open spade connectors all over the truck. Corrosion is your enemy now.

Pick something exposed, like the license plate light. Cut the wire behind the connector. Start removing insulation an inch at a time. You will find the copper discolored going way back from the connector. Every single wire on the truck is doing that. The more exposed, the worse the corrosion. The worse the corrosion, the higher the resistance to current flow. Weak lights are the first thing most people notice. But it is happening everywhere in the harness. Repair and replace wires and connectors. Start with the safety items like tail and brake lights, turn signals, headlights, and horn. Replacement headlight connectors have an eight inch (or so) pigtail for a reason; the wire adjacent to the connector is corroded. Research proper repair techniques. Don't "twist and tape" wires. That is a guaranteed failure-in-waiting.

Wipers scratching at the glass will leave permanent reminders of procrastination. Wind whipping through the cab will remind you every morning on the way to work that the doors and windows are leaking. Prioritize replacements according to necessity. The truck will tell you what is failing, just pay attention.

I just read what I wrote. It is kind of preachy, ain't it? In fact, some people who read this might think that I think I am all that and a bag of chips. I'm not. I am not an authority on refurbishing vehicles. But I have lived through all of it. I have sold off cars and trucks at a loss because I did not have the time or the money or, in some cases, just the gumption to get it done. I have also driven and maintained 50 year old daily drivers without ever being stranded. I have had breakdowns but I always managed to get it going "good enough" to get me home. The only car I ever owned that broke on a busy freeway and had to be towed was brand spanking new. Go figure.

[Gigem]

Awesome post!

[Palf70Step]

Good and very, very true info!

[Tx Firefighter]

I think this is the best post I've ever read on this board. I've been preaching this stuff for years, but never put it together in a clear, concise manner like you have.

[gvchevy]

Well put. I am 47 years old and have a 15 year old who will read what's in black and white. Thanks for the time you took to put that together.

[rs74]

Awesome post. I am going to have my oldest daughter and her boyfriend read this. All they want to do is put gas in it and run the wheels off of them.

[sdewolfe]

Wow. I didn't realize I would hit a nerve with seasoned truckers. Thanks, guys. What advice would you guys give the folks just starting out? Tools, working alone safely, spares, work-arounds, etc.

I would love to expand on what I think is an important topic for young people trying to get by. But, I don't have time today to play on the computer. I have to go unload the car-hauler hitched to my $1000 truck.

When I get a chance, I will post some pictures. I am really proud of this old truck. It is so ugly it is beautiful. I bought it two weeks ago. It had been sitting un-registered since 2010. I had the TH350 and the 2 barrel Rochester rebuilt, replaced a leaking power steering hose, changed the fluids and tires and put it to work. Last night it pulled a Volvo wagon on a rented trailer 150 miles. The *TINK* of a u-joint last night is what prompted me to post this morning. ;-)

[Desert1957]

I vote we laminate the above post , keep it in you glove box for reference.

Make it mandatory reading for everyone once a year.

Nice job Shannon

[rs74]

Originally Posted by Desert1957

I vote we laminate the above post , keep it in you glove box for reference.

Make it mandatory reading for everyone once a year.

Nice job Shannon

I printed it off for some that I know to read.

[donut]

Words of wisdom...

Thank you for taking the time to type this out.

[Rnd]

Experience is a harsh teacher. Great post.. Unfortunately most of us have to learn the hard way. I'm a mid fifties fat guy too. Been there done that,driving old trucks because I had to......Now recently I bought a 1977 because I wanted to.

Good advice maybe a few guys will shorten thier learning curve because of it....

[meatwagon83]

awesome post! i too drive old trucks, or an old truck, and i have been telling my friends this for years!

and i am a fat guy too but im only 35

[Zane M]

Great post!

[StarDust]

Nice post i fit in this category as im 16 and drive it to school daily but the only thing i disagree with is the part that says if you dont earn xxx cash sell it or something. my truck sat in the backyard for 3 or 4 years until and am now barley working on it

[rs74]

Alot of people laugh at me when I tell them I am getting rid of the new and going back to the old. The new is nice but I get more satisfaction out of the old.

[cory d]

i got my truck when i was 20, i did the fun stuff first which isnt the right way. i recently replaced all the rubber up front and rebuilt the engine.

[Dead Parrot]

Excellent list except I would add tires and put them as job 1. Especially if the truck was purchased from a "its been parked in back for a few years" type of seller. The tires may look good and pass the tread test but be 20+ years old. The spare if present may be the OEM spare. It is an interesting several seconds when a rear tire decides it is done at 70mph.

[tucsonjwt]

Well done.

You are correct that a old truck requires constant $$$ to keep in reliable running condition. I once thought I could buy an old beater truck and drive it a couple of years without much repair $$$ invested but necessary repairs pop up all the time. Even when you think you have everything fixed, the things you fixed 5 years ago need replacing again.

The only redeeming value for driving an old truck is that you can still get parts relatively inexpensively, either at junkyards or at parts stores.

Most people would be better off buying a new vehicle and taking care of it for 10 years. The only problem with that plan (aside from the payments) is that repairs on a new computerized vehicle can be in the thousands of dollars, and old truck repairs are usually in the hundreds of dollars.

[tucsonjwt]

For my advice, I would take any newly purchased old vehicle to a free safety inspection (or maybe several) at various auto repair facilities. They may be just trying to sell you unnecessary repairs, but you will have the advantage of seeing the vehicle up on a lift and having the mechanic show you what he believes is wrong.

If I had to start over with these old vehicles, I would try to find a decent body with a blown engine and/or trans and have a new GM OEM crate motor installed with a professionally rebuilt trans, and have the rest of the drive train rebuilt as necessary. Then I would have new brakes installed, and replace any suspension parts needed. If you have a 1/2 ton truck, then new tires are in order since they are not too expensive.

One more note - most everything for a 3/4 ton is more expensive (tires, suspension parts, differential, etc.) so stay away from a 3/4 ton unless you really need the extra load capacity.

[wyattglock]

This post is dead on! I think all new members under the age 30 should have to sign off saying they read and understand this post. I wholeheartedly agree that tires should be at or on the top of the list. Case in point, my dually had good tread on the Michelin M+S tires. But they were so soft from being dryrotted that the sidewall literally split in half at a dead stop while turning the wheel. These could be combined with the brakes for order of things. You have to take off the wheels anyway, go ahead and get new tires.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

If I may add some advice being that I was a young 18yr old when I first got my truck, it already had some 16 AR TT2 and was already dropped 3-4. My immediate thinking was how do I go faster now? Being that a/c is typically used for the wife or gf I dropped all the a/c on my truck. Figured men run manual steering and since it leaked anyway I pulled the belts. Along with the smog pump. Everything came off but the alternator. After that the stock 305 got the quadra puke refurb end and tuned in my garage. I re did my valve lash an pulled my stock exhaust. And put on purple hornies straight to the manifolds haha. After a re curve and reset of the timing. After that I swear that thing plugged 30mpg on the hwy with a 305/700r4 combo and 2:73 gearing. going to puyalup from Everett and back on $10 was pretty damn good. And it kept up with my friends 78 lt Camaro with a 350 and headers but otherwise stock. It was a quite impressive 305. At that age all I was concerned with was faster louder and cooler. I took my 377 that I had built many years before and threw it in and added 3:08 gears. That 700r4 lasted six months and hadn't a snowballs chance in hell to survive. When that blew I didn't have the money for a new transmission and it sat for six months. The longest it's ever been down since I've had it. Now first and fourt worked and I could drive it. I just floored it to 40mph then put it in O/d haha and then stored it at my parents. Later on I found I was staring in the face at 20yrs old being a father for the first time. When that happened I had to make it reliable and never break on me. I looked at all the wear components. I got a rebuilt th350 with a good shift kit. I rebuilt the susp and lowered it. All of this done on weekends and back to driving for work on the weekdays. I've got new u joints and my 3:08 geared diff was from a low mile truck that was in impeccable shape. Even with as good as that rear diff was all my hotrodding killed it. Wide tires and burnouts galled and heated the side gears to brittleness. Ten feet from my driveway it failed and the side gears split. $1300 and a week later I had 3:73s and a truetrac diff. I focused on anything that wears out on my truck. Not carpets not weather stripping paint or wheels. I did this all on minimum wage a kid and rent and now school. The only obstacle to getting your truck done is yourself and your effort. My advice. Do everything first before the engine and trans unless they are in bad shape. Don't cut corners if you can help it. Buy nice or buy twice. If you can. Took me four months to get the parts to lower mine. And I planned it out good and got it done.

[Keith Seymore]

Geez - you guys need to get out of your truck and run around the block a few times...

(lol - mid 50's skinny guy here).

K

[Rascal_one2001]

I sold my newer vehicles since I preferred to drive my old ones anyways. the first 4 years I had my 85 all I ever had to do was change the oil and top off fluids and wipers. then I started to mess it up since I had extra money from selling my newer Tahoe and suburban.

one thing I will never leave without in my truck is my roadside bag just in case: tool kit, jumper cables some 3/8 hose , zip ties electrical tape. old first aid kit. and some other randoms.

[school boy]

guess i'll put n my .02. Since im a wheelchair user I pay special attention to keeping my vehicles maintained. My daily gets regular oil changes and gets inspected every oil change. But since its a 2007 i'll skip to the c10.
First thing were the brakes. it needed new calipers, one new drum and pads all around. I also added stainless steel braded brake hoses, great upgraded btw.
Tires were next since one was bald.
next was to get all gauges working.
All lights worked so no need there.
I did go ahead and replace a few ball joints and bushings.
Like I said above, wheelchair user so its not like im going for a 5 mile roll if it breaks! Biggest advice, buy a cell phone charger for your vehicle!

[sdewolfe]

Originally Posted by StarDust

Nice post i fit in this category as im 16 and drive it to school daily but the only thing i disagree with is the part that says if you dont earn xxx cash sell it or something. my truck sat in the backyard for 3 or 4 years until and am now barley working on it

StarDust,

If you are not working after school and mom and dad are paying for insurance and gas all that, tell them that some old fart on the forum says you should rebuild the brake system immediately.

If you are working, rebuild the brakes.

I do not advocate spending money just to spend money. New brake hoses, cylinders, and caliper seals may very well save your life or some other person's life. This is especially important in Houston. There are no courteous drivers here. If you try to leave a safe following distance someone will fill the gap.