Still in Repair Mode or TLC

[Vegas Teacher]

Well my bucket of rust, as I am finding out, is still getting repairs and is being a very tough customer.

We had to cut out the bolts on the shocks due to rust. 

It has just been a nightmare. Getting the wheels off, getting the tires off, I have learned all kinds of new places around Las Vegas to get parts. The 5th wheel came off pretty easily. The mobile mechanic is a great person. 

I am just hitting my frustration point. I want the job to be over and done but new things just keep creeping up and biting our @$$.

Just wondering who has been down this road before?

Also found out I could sell my hitch a commercial truck for between 700.00 and a 1000.00. It is one of the good ones and newer generation of what they look for.

Later,

Cory O

[GlennWest]

Had mine removed for the hitch. Considering I don't own a torch, figured good trade for me.

[Av8r3400]

Another reason I took mine to a local heavy truck shop for this work.  They have the tools and skills to know how to do this work. 

A jem of advise on this type of thing I hold onto is:

"I can make more money doing my job than I can save by doing someone else's."

[Dollytrolley]

Cory,

Just spitballing here ($tudent term) but it seems that you and "Grumps" might have a eye for purchase of rusty trucks...

In the real world trucks tend operate long hours and get not much love in the freight-dog game so rust is no big deal with the original short-term firm that piles on 500k to 700k miles and then the second-tier owner deal with the rust and items that tend to at the end of life at those mile marks.....

Rust is the norm for second hand fleet trucks..... 

Some owner operator trucks show love and little rust but it is a chore to keep rust at Bay.....

 

Drive on.......(rust is what keeps a lot of trucks from falling apart)

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Sounds right for the original shocks.... 

I used an acetylene torch to cut my rear shocks off.  Had to be careful with all the airlines in the area.

[rickeieio]

5 hours ago, Av8r3400 said:

"I can make more money doing my job than I can save by doing someone else's."

Oh so true.  But, I would advise Cory to get his hands dirty and learn all he can, 'cuz education has value too.

Our truck came from Toledo, Ohio. I think they invented rust up there.  Penetrating oil and heat, along with big hammers, will prevail.

[Av8r3400]

Hands on experience is the best form of education, no doubt.

However, sometimes certain jobs are best left to those people trained and equipped to do them.  Heavy truck work is one of those jobs, IMO.  (Right up there with shingling and sheet rock!)  Plenty can be learned about the truck and it's systems without frustrating yourself attempting to do work you are not equipped or skilled to do.

[Sculptor]

Hi Cory, I just did the front shocks on my 2013. I sprayed penetrating oil a couple of times but the left lower bolt was frozen. 

I was very cautious of the new front airbags so tried everything lightly and slowly except heat at first. Scratching my head took most of the time on that stupid bolt. 

Finally rigged a shield for the airbag. This gave me the confidence to get serious with cutoff wheel and plasma cutter. 

Total of maybe a half hour on the other 3 bolts which were not frozen. 

My lesson was, taking my time to learn was smarter than destroying the bushings by fire. And other parts nearby.   Yes I wished many times I had paid someone, and two weekends were shot in the process, I'm glad I did it anyway. 

[Mastercraft]

Well, if your project is anything like mine, you will never be done.  My deck and rear bumper has been in primer for like 4 years. Maybe this winter it will get finished.  Haven't got my rear cameras working yet.  The power wires/coax is all run, maybe this winter.

Seems like there are unplanned opportunities that pop up, like, maybe I need to drop my DPF and have it baked out ($130 at Inland Kenworth) since I can't tell if its ever been done and I get a regen about every 400 gallons.

The TCS light just came on before this summers 5 week adventure, still on after swapping out the pressure sensor for the rear bags.  

When I did my rear shocks, all the top bolts broke loose. All the bottom bolts had become one with the shock spacer bushing.  I took a bunch of extra time to save the nice shoulder bolts and locking nuts that were on there. (ya, I know, those deformed thread locking nuts are a one time use)  But they all seemed fine so I put em back on.

I didn't take tires off. Three factors lead to that decision - first, the bolts were all installed from the inboard, it would have tripled the time it took to do the job, and I don't have a torque wrench (yet) that goes to 500 ft lbs.    

Best of luck

Be safe

[Vegas Teacher]

Just wanted to say thanks! It is nice to know I am not the only person who bought a truck with a little bit of rust on it.

[cactus]

On 9/30/2017 at 1:38 PM, Sculptor said:

Hi Cory, I just did the front shocks on my 2013. I sprayed penetrating oil a couple of times but the left lower bolt was frozen. eone, and two weekends were shot in the process, I'm glad I did it anyway. 

Hey Sculptor,

Being an old dog, kinda like Dolly Trolley, I speaks form the school of hard knocks.

So, the BEST penetrating oil IMHO is a mixture of Acetone and synthetic trans fluid.

It has been along time since I mixed some up but I recall 1part acetone to 2 parts trans fluid.

Check u tube for a comparison of all the usual brands . Theory seems to be the size of the molocules in the synth. is

smaller and will creep in further than the commercial products.

I squirted it from and old fashioned  squeeze type gun and it really works.

Ya` I put it on and let it set for a few days and hit it again

[oldride]

Well my truck has rust issues. The seller was straight up and described the truck very well to me over the phone. Two other buyers passed on it and I'm glad they did. Trade offs are what we get when we buy old, used or new. But what I paid for my truck I can spend several thousand and not be hurt. I sent off my 1st oil sample to Blackstone and it came back with excellent results. The trick is to pick your battles pay for whats over your head or tools required. Figure out what you can handle and go for it. Best of luck to you.

[Sculptor]

19 hours ago, cactus said:

Being an old dog, kinda like Dolly Trolley, I speaks form the school of hard knocks.

So, the BEST penetrating oil IMHO is a mixture of Acetone and synthetic trans fluid.

It has been along time since I mixed some up but I recall 1part acetone to 2 parts trans fluid.

Check u tube for a comparison of all the usual brands . Theory seems to be the size of the molocules in the synth. is

smaller and will creep in further than the commercial products.

I squirted it from and old fashioned  squeeze type gun and it really works.

Ya` I put it on and let it set for a few days and hit it again

Thanks for the tip Cactus.  Now that you have invoked Dolly Trolley I can tell stories on myself.    When I had my first car, I decided to stop hitting the hand holding the cold chisel, and get the cutting torch out to remove the ball joints.  The rubber bushing fires were the talk of the neighborhood.  Until the next time when I tried to burn the leaves in the ditch with 'accelerant', but I digress.

6 rivets and half a box of welding rods later, I had new ball joints.   My first car?  It was a car my uncle found for me near his place in Miami.  1965 Chevy Impala SS factory convertible.  Rust free price in 1975 was $185.   I miss that car.