41/53dodges

thanks for the offer, merle, but i did get the link off. i had borrowed a special puller set from my mechanic friend and took care of it. somebody really did go nuts on these things, they took pretty much all the force i could give em' by hand before they popped free.

okay, while struggling as i have been for the last couple weeks to remove my drag link,(that thing was put in there by magilla gorilla or something!) i noticed that my front spindle will kinda pull up and out if i pull on the bottom, which would tell me my kingpins are worn. currently i need to do something for the drag link, the joints are about ready to fall out of that, but should i really consider rebuilding the spindles? just how much of a difference would it make? any input is helpful.

to me it looks like they could be a little bigger and the truck could use some higher suspension. mine sits just a little higher than average.

i know its not mine, mine came from neillsville or marshfield.

wow, on taking mine out on both trucks, they just came out. on the 53', one snapped when i put it back in:mad:, so at that point i just said screw it.

your easiest option would probably be to pull both manifolds at once.(dont forget the stupid nut on the bottom!) if i interpret your description properly, you still have the halves of the bolts sticking out of the intake side, so once the two are separated, weld a nut onto the remaining stud and pull it right off. otherwise, get somebody to drill them out and re-tap them.

it almost sounds like your cab is sitting on the linkage. i had this issue on my truck before i repaired the cab mounts. yours may have the same problem. how is your cab floor and mounts?

would he be interested in some truck stuff?

got my shoes from bernbaum for $70, cylinders from jefferson car show for $25, and drums from northern tool for $100 (trailer drums) work fantastic and are cost effective. rubber lines were $12 each, front was the same as the back. just swapped the rear end out for $75

how about those armrests?

call the DMV, wait on the phone for an hour, wait for a weeks and a half for forms in the mail/ wait 3 hours at the DMV for those forms, fill out 1/2 dozen different forms, pay about $250 in taxes and fees, put down 1.5 times vehicle value (really about 5 times) and wait a year, if nobody reports you, its yours. thats what its supposed to be.

here is a great place for literature! http://www.dodgepilothouseclub.org/know/know.htm

welcome, jordan. i would recommend all of the listed ideas, but you may want to pull the head anyways to check for: A: rusted cylinders, there is a point where it will have to be rebuilt, or it may be workable B:scored cylinders, this should be addressed by a just honing the cylinders. otherwise, the lubrication will not work right and something will fail prematurely C:crap in the cylinders, my big truck had the plugs left out for the last 40 years outside, and something used the engine for an outhouse. i would have to guess crap does not make a good lubricant in an engine and should be removed. also good to check for hardware dropped inside, read this about that: http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=21311&highlight=piston D:chances are, the valves will be sticky after sitting. this is easier addressed with the head off by turning the engine and tapping down the stuck ones lightly, and they will free up faster and it will be something you wont have to do later. E:carbon in the cylinders, isnt a huge issue, but good to take care of BTW: if you dont already have one, a handy 3/4" drive socket set is available at menards for about $45 that contains a ratchet, breaker bar, extensions, and all needed sockets except 1 11/16, which is available at carquest for $10. these may be cheap tools, but they are great to have on hand and they have a lifetime garuntee, just like craftsman, but a little cheaper.

good deal! good to hear about your truck being back on the road, and let this be a good message for everybody about un-rebuilt fuel pumps. be kinda crappy for something like this to happen to somebody else.

if i remember properly, jeep cherokee rear ends are sometimes disk brakes, as it was an option, as was POSI-TRACTION, which i learned about after the fact. the jeeps are about 1.5" narrower, but nobody knows the difference.

congrats don! enjoy it as much as you can!

with the 12 volt system, you would actually not need as large of wires, as i uses less current to achieve the same work. i redid the under-dash wires, but i would leave it intact if they are in decent shape, they thicker wires will carry 12v power very well, and it tends to make one hell of a rats nest under the dash with the "this wire goes here, this wire goes here" it works, but its a pain in the @ss! you will not need a regulator for a single-wire alternator. you probably should have fuses before the switches, and it is also a good idea to have a 80A main fuse directly after the starter hookup, supplying your alternator wont overpower that, mine is a 60 and does perfect. Any time you need electrical assistance, dont be afraid to ask! i myself learned from the best! (an electrical engineer at BRP just so happens to be my father)

funny, i found a 6" steel rod in the head from my 41' truck. where does this stuff come from anyways? these plugs are called welsch plugs, and another way to do it is to drill a small hole just perfect size to thread a screw into, and use a crowbar or wonderbar on the screw.

i have a truck almost exactly like your dodge, just got it a month ago after 7 years of looking at it. anybody around want an old international?

think about 95 today

i have the original crossmembers from my truck. they are a little rotted in some places, but still workable. you may have them if you find a way to get them.

i generally use the farm and fleet brand when it goes on sale for $1/qt. im gonna start using the autozone, though.

got the universal for $5 at advance

go look in the tractor parts section at your local farm and fleet. there are usually sediment bowl rebuild kits with these cork gaskets and everything.