JBNeal

It sounds like your cab is slightly out of square with the frame...if you think you have frame issues, there is a procedure for checking in the shop manual. A quick visual inspection can yield the tell-tale sign of frame damage: flanges that are no longer true but have a wavy appearance. In a front-end collision on these trucks, this damage can appear between the front axle and the transmission. As for the horn, grounding beyond the horn button is a tricky problem. On the stock wiring harness, power is supplied to the horn, the horn button completes the circuit to ground. Unfortunately on these trucks, this is easier said than done. Pushing the horn button completes the circuit from the horn wire to the spring plate, to the spring plate retainer, to the steering wheel nut, to the steering tube threads, to the worm bearing rollers, to the bearing race, to the gearbox housing, to the gearbox mounting bolt threads, to the mounting bolt flat washer, then to the frame. The cumulative effect of resistance at any of these connections will mute that horn and many colorful metaphors will be uttered. One solution I've been thinkin'bout is to make a new insulator (or modify the exising one) at the steering wheel to accept two wires: one for power, one for ground. The $2 universal horn button that can be found at AutoZone, JC Whitney, etc. possibly could be modified to fit under the stock horn button. This setup would make for direct completion of the ground circuit, allowing more reliable (and louder) horn operation.

I've looked through the shop manual several times, in the steering section and the lubrication section, and could find no mention of how to service the dust seal shown in the steering column exploded view. From other dust seals I've encountered, this one was similar, as it is similar to a felt batter terminal washer, but more dense. I soaked that nasty seal in the parts cleaner for a few days, let it drain for a couple more, then wrapped it in a paper shop towel and placed a 10# weight on it to wring out any other fluids. The now nearly dry seal was soaked in light engine oil and re-installed to the steering column. During column assembly, attention was given to lining up the column weep hole and the gear box fill plug, so that the seal could be oiled while the column was in the truck. The dust cover was cleaned off and snapped back on the column.

Now that the major house repairs are done, I've been able to get back to work on this ol' beast. The steering column & gearbox parts were all cleaned up & treated with Rust Cure. The original column was bent, and the gearbox end was torn off. Its replacement was a pitted column that had the shifter brackets removed. The holes in the column were filled with JB Weld, and I figgered I'd try to smooth out the surface with the JB Weld also. All of these parts were foam brush painted with Rust-Oleum primer & semi-gloss black, wet sanding the non-cast pieces in-between coats. I only tried to smooth off the surface to the touch on the non-cast pieces, so brush marks are visible, but only from about a foot away...good enough for these parts. Assembly was waaay easier than disassembly...The gearbox seal I picked up from Roberts years ago, National 240151. I opted to use the John Deere corn head grease for lubricant, even though the fill plug is stamped "HEAVY OIL ONLY". I filled the chamber between the sector shaft bushings with grease before installing the sector shaft. With the gearbox held so that the sector shaft was vertical, the cavity was filled with grease, then the worm shaft was rotated about a dozen times back & forth to settle the grease out, as it does flow, especially when agitated. This movement allowed the grease to fill the roller bearings, around the worm gear, and through the sector shaft gear, as the gearbox became whisper-quiet and effort was greatly reduced after shaft cycling. Permatex black was used to make the gasket for the gearbox cover...I debated on making a paper gasket for this gearbox, but I had recently serviced the axles on my '02 Ram 4x4 CTD, where both axles use RTV for differential cover gaskets. So I figgered making a RTV gasket for this application would be just as acceptable. The adjustment was made per shop manual instructions for the sector shaft to find the high spot on the worm gear, and the assembly cover cap screws were torqued. Gearbox installation should be in the next few days, with all new bolts...then we'll see if that motor will fire after sitting for 4 years

paint "shines" depending on its surface smoothness: smooth paints look glossy, rough paints look dull or flat. One of the things I learned when tuning a paint spray gun was how to tune the nozzle for a smoother finish. If the gun is not set right or is partially clogged, if it is not held at the right distance or if it is held at the wrong angle, the paint droplets will land on the surface in irregular patterns, prohibiting the droplets from collapsing onto the surface at a constant rate. Another thing I learned was how to adjust my spray application speed for a glossier surface. Also, even application will promote a glossy finish, as thin spots in paint tend to look like a matte or semi-gloss finish. This all can carry over to rattle can applications. One way to practice technique on application is on cardboard. Painting on flat surfaces at first to develop methods for uniform coating thickness, then for glossiness. To further develop this skill, paint cardboard formed into a shape similar to the metal surface that is to be painted. Mocking up a cardboard wheel can be a cheap way to get some painting practice rather than actually painting the steel wheels. One way to offset these application problems is to wet-sand between coats in progressive grits to even out surface imperfections. This takes practice to be done well, as using too coarse of a grit will produce scratches in the finish; too fine of a grit will not remove enough material. I've recently painted a steering column with a foam brush, wet sanding between each primer & top coat. Looking at the column close up, and the occasional brush stroke can be seen, but from about three feet away, the column has a glossy finish that I can live with, especially since I used a semi-gloss paint. Painting wheels can be tricky where the hoop meets the hub, as trying to get good paint coverage here can easily produce runs. A trick I learned was to paint these areas first with light coats to build up paint thickness, allowing to dry to wet sand any b-bs between coats. Once these areas are adequately coated, the entire wheel can be painted with thin coats for buildup, then top coating for gloss. This can prolong the painting process, but the results can look quite good.

that ol' beast looks like it's in decent shape, maybe all it needs is some mechanical refurb and you'll be good to go fer awhile

one of the annoying li'l problems they didn't fix until '92 was the odometer would stop working. Also check the manifold heat control valve function; it's controlled by a vacuum switch under the air cleaner that is not marked clearly and can be installed backwards. I had a '90 Ramcharger that ran fine in the winter, but summer time it was a problematic slug. Long story short, that switch was installed backwards at the factory, the engine ran too hot & leaned out, causing the thermostat to break and the catalytic converter to melt, and most of the valves started to come apart...eventually I sold the truck for scrap The mpgs sounds about right; the '90 had a TBI system that was better in cold weather than the carb setup that it replaced...but if ya could find a '92 or later Dodge with a Magnum V6 or V8, you'll really get yer bang for the buck in the power department. I had a '92 Dakota longbed V6 that would really move, and there have been many times I wish I had it cuz it rode as smooth as a Diplomat, could haul a lot of stuff, and could get 22mpg on the highway

I pulled the fuel line off the 1-ton, noticing a necked down section near the tank. I straightened that out, and a piece of sludge the size of an english pea fell out, along with some 4yr-old gas...so that was the root cause of this whole fiasco. An oddity that I noticed back in '04 but forgot about was the fuel line at the gas tank. On the '48 1/2 ton & the '51 flatbed dually, the tank has a port for the draw tube facing the front of the truck, near the bottom of the tank. On the '53, it's a completely different tank, with a draw-tube port at the top of the tank. This '49 had a port similar to the '53 at the top. The original fuel line S-shape at the tank was bent upwards, and a short tube was unioned to the top port. One of the bends in the S-shape was necked down and hung some goo. Anyhow, I'm gonna run new line inside the frame rail, over the rear engine mount, and inside the inner fender at the engine, as there is plenty of room for this route. The original routing puts the fuel line outside the frame rail, perilously close to that left front tire. The '49 had a few flat spots on its original fuel line, presumably from being struck by debris flung off that tire. And the '48 had a flat spot that had almost completely choked off the fuel supply, so replacing it way back when was a no-brainer. I'm still befuddled as to why I did not replace this fuel line back in '04, but I reckon I get to enjoy the experience now

Stock brakes on the '48 1/2 ton & '49 1-ton, both work decent but considering how many uninsured motorists are in the area, I drive below 45mph and give plenty of room for braking, planning ahead when I'm able. The 1-ton has bigger brakes and is rolling on radials, and it seems like it stops quicker than the 1/2 ton. But neither truck is used everyday, nor are they used to haul heavy loads. One of my pie-in-the-sky plans is to put disk brakes on a daily driver as that project would be able to cruise 60mph

Dad's '66 Farmall 1206 blew out the original injector pump in '03, and while removing that, I noticed the turbocharger was split in two...so that tractor eventually was fixed up real nice for a spell. We took it to the local tractor show in '04; a neighbor's 4WD International 1266 is a very close relative

Among one of my eBay finds are an NOS D-O-D-G-E emblem, a NOS hubcap and a NOS hood ornament. The red color matches the Dodge Truck Red that on era-original paint chips. The red is used so that the individual letters stand out; in later D-series trucks, the individual letters are mounted to the hood rather than using an emblem.

there's a kink in yer cable somewhar and it's acting like a spring, probably near the firewall clamp. I recall years ago that my choke cable sheath popped out of the bracket under the dash, and taking the whole thing apart I found the cable to be sticky with crud and a kink about halfway down its length. As the truck hadn't run in 20+ yrs, I cleaned the cable real good, flattened the kink out, re-crimped the sheath and re-installed...problem solved

the oil bath filters I've worked with have a cellulose-looking stranded element, and I've soaked them in diesel to soften them up and to rinse out since I did not have kerosene as the shop manual suggests to use. The crankcase filters have a stranded-metal element (kinda like a brillo pad) that can be sparked up after soaking without too much damage. If ya want to make cleaning the filter more interesting, try lightly sandblasting it first to see how long it takes to shake all of the sand loose

one of the oddities I found on that '54 Plymouth motor in my '48 1/2 ton was at the heat riser. In its place were two short bolts & nuts in the shaft holes in the exhaust manifold. The heating chamber in the intake manifold was completely full of carbon. The truck ran OK, but after reading that there was a reason for the valve, I figgered I needed it. I drilled out & scraped out the carbon, found a NOS heat riser valve kit on eBay back in '99, and eventually found a counter-weight for the shaft. Long story short, I found that I do not need this valve here in TX, as when the weather is cool enough for the need for that valve, the weather is usually wet, and I do not like to drive my truck in the rain (one too many close calls from inattentive drivers). In the summer (which lasts from May to October), I've disconnected the spring and the motor runs fine. When it comes to sacrificial bolts, I go cheap Grade 0 variety as they are easy to cut off or drill out. One long bolt can be installed through the holes, but only snug up the nut to the manifold to keep from putting too much stress on the cast iron wall. On a similar application, I've snugged up a hex nut hand tight + 1/8 turn, then taken a punch to flatten the threads out, effectively locking the nut in place.

that B1FA looks SHARP

on more than one occasion that I've driven the '48 into town, I'll hear some kid on a sidewalk or parking lot be-bop the Sanford & Son song and when somebody pops off about the truck needing painting, I quip "awwww shucks all it needs is a good coat of wax, that'll slick it up real nice"

I reckon eBay has made some changes to their feedback system recently as I sold a few hundred odds & ends late last year and sure enough had to deal with about a dozen crackpots. I was gigged with negative feedback from a couple of guys who wanted next day delivery 2000 miles away before Thanksgiving but they did not want to pay for the extra shipping cost, so their feedback to me was "slow shipping, non-responsive to emails" BS. By late December, dealing on a few other transactions, the buyers dragged their feet on payment, a couple never paid nor responded to emails, and eBay did not allow me the option to post any negative or neutral feedback for those deadbeats. Since I'm not an everyday on-line merchant, I just put a period at the end of those ordeals after eBay refunded my listing fees. To openly "ban" buyers (also blocking them from doing business) from Old Plymouth Cafe or Vintage Auto Parts or whoever might be their only recourse. My guess is that eBay, after all these years of buyers & sellers flaming each other via the feedback system, has opted to make feedback flame-retardant, where only "positive" feedback can be posted, forcing those with negative feedback about a transaction to deal with returns/refunds, etc. behind the scenes.

I hope yer motor runs as good as it looks...it's good to see ya got the first half of the PCV system installed; however ya might have a problem down the road aways with oil condensation in that copper line. If the crankcase vapors drawn in the manifold at idle condense oil droplets, eventually that gooseneck will fill up with oil and choke off that vacuum source. Looking at the original drawings Chrysler did on the vacuumatic system and at other PCV systems I've encountered, the PCV lines allow for liquid drainback into the crankcase to keep the vapor passage open. Another potential problem is that fuel line's proximity to the exhaust manifold. A rule of thumb is to locate the fuel line so that the fuel line's distance at the fuel filter is maintained around the manifold to the fuel pump. This will maintain a consistent air gap along the length of the fuel line to reduce any radiant heat exchange from the exhaust manifold.

I have Firestone Transforce ATs on my '02 Ram 2500, and the rear tire psi rating lists 80psi for rated load capacity. I inflate to this rating when I pull a trailer or a full load, but most of the time I'm running errands only. I tried reducing to 70psi to smooth out the ride a tad, and it has helped significantly. Dropping to 65psi makes them tires start to bulge a little, and I assume this will drag down the fuel economy. I recall half ton tire pressure ratings to be at the 32-35 psi range on older trucks that ran 15s or 16s. However, since the Transforce is a heavier rated tire, 45psi might be a pressure to start with to see if the ride is smoother and the sidewall doesn't have too much of a bulge.

I had stalling issues on my '48, so I installed a heat shield sleeve on the fuel line from the fuel pump to the carburetor after routing a new fuel line, keeping as much distance from the manifold as the line is at the carburetor. To keep the sleeve in place, I used a long piece of aluminum electric fence wire I had laying around to tie it off at the carburetor, then coil it around the sleeve to make it look like a compression spring. The truck ran much better in the 90+ heat.

Yer finished product looks dandy...I bet ya were on cloud 9 during the whole cruise As for the ride, I'm afraid yer gonna be at the mercy of the limited tire choices we have for the factory rims. LT215/85R16s are usually E-rated, and that's mighty stiff for a 1/2 ton truck. Tires and leaf springs need to have very close spring rates so that the ride will be "controlled"...if the tires are stiffer than the leafs, then the ride has a whip-saw effect: instead of one bounce from an input, there are actually two, as the two springs are releasing at different rates. The tires that were on my '48, which my Dad said he put on back in the mid-70s, were 6.50-16s that were C-rated. When I did my first test drive, that truck rode smooth, but the tires were so hard & weather-checked that they needed replacement. Going to bias-ply 6.50-16s did not help the truck ride, as it tossed the truck around on the lumpy roads, but was decent on improved roads. If ya could find some P215/85R16s, I bet yer ride would smooth out enough that ya wouldn't have to mess with altering your spring package. Coker has some radial 6.50-16s listed, and I'm on the fence on whether to invest that kind of $$$ without knowing if that brand would be worth it.

Greybeard & Allan Parkhurst put together their notes for folks to cobble together their own harness awhile back. I've been working on an alternative wiring diagram with integrated turn signals & headlight power relays and was going to put together my results once tested. This would include a material list and dimensions for assembly. The relatively low cost of the wiring harness materials makes it more conducive to supply your own parts; the devil is in the details on putting all the parts in the right place.

HOLLYWOOD LoneStar did a video with a B-1 in the background...

HOLLYWOOD The last episode of Alcatraz aired a few weeks ago where they recreated the chase scene from Bullitt. I watched the original during a rain-delay, trying to name all of the cars, trucks & vans on the streets, not seeing one jap car, a whole bunch of Beetles, a '20s Chevy (?) parked on the street, a powder blue & white A100 van in traffic then later parked on a side street...then I noticed what looks like a '48 B-1-B-108 at the top of the hill:

the '49 was the 1st non-synchro truck I had driven, and with practice, I got a feel for how the gears were meshing. Double-clutching in low gears while climbing a hill, feathering the clutch shifting into high gear, easing the gearshift into lower gears while decelerating all have a feel in the gearshift that will become intuitive with enough time at the wheel.

that flathead has carbon on the pistons and rust residue on the cylinder walls...at a minimum, take it apart and clean it real good, ya might have stuck rings and crud that might score up yer 'polished' surfaces. Check it inside & out for any other problems, slap it together for some testing, and ya might have a good replacement for the engine in yer truck.