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Jeff Balazs

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Everything posted by Jeff Balazs

  1. Here is what mine looked like when I finally got it out!!!!!?
  2. Karl; Here are a few photos of my 52 3/4 ton after I swapped in a Grand Cherokee rear axle. The shock mounts are in the same basic position as they were before the axle swap. My fabricator buddy removed the shock mounts from my original 4.11 rear axle and welded them to the GC axle. The upper shock mounts on the frame were not modified. I hope this helps. Jeff
  3. Hi Karl; Yes it has definitely been "bodged". It is not even close to the way it should be. The shocks should run in line and in board of the main frame rails. Shock mounts should be on the underside of the axle and be pointed forward. I don't have any photos but I am sure someone else here will. On the plus side the body looks great! Cheers, Jeff
  4. Yep that would probably do the trick. I will tell you that I rarely leave my heater/ defroster on for more than about 10 minutes because the cab gets too warm. I probably over did a bit it on cab insulation but that also makes a huge difference. Have fun with your panel truck. They are way cool. Jeff
  5. Yes maybe to some........but at least I have not chopped up a couple of cabs and put them on one of those noisy smelly diesels.? Besides all I did to my heater is stick on a couple of formed pieces of aluminum to cover cab side outlets. They can be popped off and the heater is as it was when it left the factory. It still heats the cab up in about 5 minutes. And it works better in the defroster mode than it did without the "modification". I do realize that this sort of tweak probably seems unnecessary to most owners.....but I seriously doubt they actually use one of these trucks as their primary transportation. I get to put mine to the test day in and day out. Puts things into a different perspective. Functional windshield wipers and a defroster are a must.......And a lot of the OEM type equipment can be made to work and be reliable. But sometimes it needs a little help.
  6. Boody; I just noticed that your application is a panel truck. Heating the entire truck (no matter what heater you end up using) will take a while. You might want to concentrate your efforts on the defroster function. I actually modified my Model 65 heater by covering some of the fan outlets to help increase the airflow out through the defroster ports. This made quite a difference to the defroster function. Each heater configuration is a bit different so mods like this may or may not be necessary. Jeff
  7. So I have a Model 65 heater that Mark rebuilt then sold to me. Thanks again Mark. I found all the parts to make it into a "fresh air" system. I also installed the accessory cables for a cable operated heater valve....defroster and fresh air valve. At the time I built my truck I wasn't sure how much I would use it here in sunny Southern California. It really doesn't get too cold here. But we do get fog and conditions that make the inside of the windows fog up quite frequently particularly in the evenings and early mornings. So I went ahead with it. Now I am in my 5th year of using the old 52 as a daily driver. I will tell you that I am glad I spent the time on this set up. In fact I used it early this morning. It works amazingly well. Takes a couple minutes to start generating some heat but other than that it gets the job done. These old heaters are great. They look cool and they are totally functional. IMO if you are going to actually use your truck it ought to have one...wherever you are located. Jeff
  8. I installed the 50A unit. It easily handles things including a fairly powerful stereo....extra lighting...etc. I cant imagine needing more than that. Jeff
  9. Rich, I have one of these single wire 6v positive ground alternators on my truck. The unit I have is from Quality Power. It has been flawless. You can either use the terminal on the old regulator or run it straight to the battery terminal on the pedal starter. I did it the later way. I run with a pair of 6 volt Optima red tops. I have never needed a remote charger. This alternator eliminates any charging issues. Batteries are always ready to go. Jeff
  10. It was hard to tell from the photo......but it looks a bit tight compared to my truck. Just thought I would mention it. Jeff
  11. Hi Jason; I will chime in. I drive my 52 B-3-C daily and have for the last 4 years. It has never left me stranded and is easy to maintain. And it is basically very close to stock. The mods I have made is swapping out the rear axle for a 3.55 Grand Cherokee axle to gain the more usable ratio and disc brakes. I paired that up with the Rustyhope disc fit on the front and a modern M/C. I also fitted a 6v alternator and a few other electrical upgrades like an electric fuel pump and Pertronix ignition. Oh yah I insulated / soundproofed the living daylites out of the cab. It really works well and I did not create a monster or something that has a limited life span. Jeff
  12. Mark; Maybe I am wrong?........but it doesn't look like you are going to have enough room for your right foot when you are off the pedal. Build quality looks great! Jeff
  13. I always look for practical solutions for maintenance type issues. The one I have come up with here works well and is easy and inexpensive. I didn't even take my spring packs apart. I simply cleaned up the visible parts and spray painted them. When I got it ready to go back on the road I sprayed them down with Corrosion guard. I have done a couple of additional applications in the past 5 years. It is simple, works well and there is no greasy mess. Try it you will like it. Jeff
  14. Brad; I am more than slightly acquainted with the way this sort of stuff works. It was probably a viable option / solution back in the day. Very popular on some Brit stuff. But then they didn't have some of the products we have at our disposal these days. Modern corrosion inhibitors are light years beyond that technology.......even the cheap stuff that PB Blaster makes. Trust me an application every couple of years will protect much better than gaiters. And best of all no nasty secrets hiding under the covers......? Jeff
  15. I don't really like the idea of spring covers. Seems like a good place for moisture and rust to start..... This spray I have used on my daily driver is a corrosion inhibitor. It looks clean and works well. My truck lives outside and I have over 20,000 miles on it since I put it together. Jeff
  16. Yes that would work too. I really like the PB stuff. It seems to form a film and does not attract dirt. Stays on good and does not wash off easily. Aerosol application is easy too. Jeff
  17. I used a M/C from a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee in my 52. Works very well. There is enough room in your truck for one of these even with an adapter plate. One of the reasons I chose this M/C is that it is a direct match up to the Grand Cherokee rear axle I fitted. Having 12" discs in the rear is really really nice. With the rustyhope kit on the front and these discs on the rear my truck easily handles the silly drivers I have to share the road with here. I just don't have to worry about braking as the truck stops much like a modern vehicle. Also the 3.55 ratio axle works well in higher speed commuting that we have here in SoCal. This installation has been pretty much fit and forget. Hth, Jeff
  18. I have found that the stock spring packs on my 3/4 ton provide a very good quality ride. One thing that really helps with this is to spray the spring packs down with PB Blaster Corrosion guard. Makes a huge difference to have springs that move like they should. Jeff
  19. I doubt there is anything wrong with using the Felpro rope seal. Most of the issues I have heard about have been focused on Felpro Head gasket failures. This problem carries over to other engines as well. I have some buddies who are professional mechanics and they just won't put an engine of any sort together with Felpro head gaskets. Too many failures.... Hth, Jeff
  20. I am guessing you are further on down that road than I am. Besides I am fairly certain someone in my family wants my truck...... Jeff
  21. On a philosophical level this is so true. But on a real world level these old cars and trucks can and will continue to live on. And it is because of the way we built them back in the day. The stuff being built today on the other hand has a extremely limited shelf life. Most of it will not be around in 20 years. Whoever dreamed up plastic engine parts and electronically controlled cars is directly responsible for this situation. Cracks me up every time I see a 10 year old BMW, Audi, Range Rover, etc........ that sold for big money when new and is now sitting in a wrecking yard because it costs a bloody fortune to keep on the road. And that is if you can even find the parts. I have a good buddy that has a repair shop and every day I take a walk through just to hear and see the completely "absurd engineering marvels" that have broken down. BMW should be required to change their adverts to say "The ultimate Leaking machine". What a joke this stuff is. Honestly by direct comparison my 67 year old truck has been a piece of cake to keep on the road. Wouldn't surprise me at all if it is still on the road 30 years from now. Jeff
  22. Hey Brad; At least you are back on it now. ? When I bought my truck I purchased it from the Daughter of a man who started but never finished. Judging from what I had to work with it must have sat for 20 to 25 years. I got a 95% complete truck that needed a lot of work....and no history to go with it. At least it wasn't a rust pile. One of the things I ended up getting lucky on was the engine. It turned out to be a slightly later rebuilt 230 that had been swapped in at some point. It had mileage on it but was in fairly decent shape. I had to some serious work on the cooling system but the old engine runs pretty sweet and doesn't burn oil or smoke. I have put about 22.000 miles on it so far. Take your time and do everything right and then by God drive it. They are pretty cool old trucks. Jeff
  23. If you use Permatex Thread sealant you should have this safely covered. I never knew there was a gasket below the distributor........mine doesn't and no problems in over 20,000 miles of daily use. I suppose it couldn't hurt though. Brad it seems like you are hard at it. I found trying to get something accomplished pretty much every day worked well for my build. Keep at it and it will surely get done! Then the great adventure really begins. These old trucks are awesome. Done right they can be totally functional and still be real time machines. Jeff
  24. All good ideas here. Fwiw I had a fuel pressure regulator fail that was only in service for about 6 months. My guess is the answer is here among these suggestions. Jeff
  25. Ya think? ? At the time I put mine in Steele was suggesting this black stuff sort of like setting tape. That stuff went every where. Won't ever try that again. But then I probably won't ever have to either....... Jeff
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