DJ194950 Posted December 16, 2020 Report Posted December 16, 2020 Wonder if I can purchase two but without the extra trimmings? ? Lord forgive me in the name of - - - - - -! Must get that in there as one let alone two will guaranteed my quick death! DJ 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted December 16, 2020 Author Report Posted December 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, DJ194950 said: Wonder if I can purchase two but without the extra trimmings? ? Lord forgive me in the name of - - - - - -! Must get that in there as one let alone two will guaranteed my quick death! DJ Well if a portion of the proceeds goes to this website then it’d be your duty! I think the two pics are the same girl. Apparently whatever the government puts in the water now there’s girls with round butts and skinny legs instead of one or the other? That chick would be freezing in my truck I still haven’t made a new heater to replace the old one. The OEM hearer core gave up the ghost after a few months of 15psi or whatever modern radiator cap and closed cooling system, and the 6v fan was a little decrepit to be turning a million rpm with 12v. It did work though- I have a 3 way switch with a 70s dodge ignition ballast resistor inline with one position for off/kinda fast/way too fast operation. I reeeeeaaaly want a heater because I want to hook up the defrost vents. The windows fog easily in cold weather and I have to keep a towel in the cab to constantly wipe them clean. And it’s too cold to just rainex the inside and out again which I should have done in early fall... I think I’m going to end up making a new box to hold a modern heater core and fan and I will try to use as much as possible of the original stock heater box and face. Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted May 23, 2021 Author Report Posted May 23, 2021 Hey y’all I’ve been wrenching a little lately. Finally got a modern heatercore with 12v fans to adapt, and this week I replaced my leaky old dakota steering rack with a rebuilt unit. I’m also replacing the pump, lines, and tie rod ends. It’s kind of the last of the service parts to get replaced from the donor dakota. The tie rods were whupped, the frame mount bushings on the rack were all split and starting to dryrot, and it generally all leaked and puked despite giving good road feel and easy steering. So far the rack, hoses, and tie rod ends are mounted, the toe is in the ballpark to drive to an alignment, and the stubborn pulley is swapped onto the new pump along with its mounting bracket. It should be back on the road really soon! I hope everybody is well. radar 5 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted June 8, 2021 Author Report Posted June 8, 2021 Thanks fellas! She’s back in action but I still need to grease the new tierod ends and get the toe set on a real alignment rack. I only put about a mile on it. So far no more leaking or puking PS fluid and the steering feels just as good as before. We counted turns and duplicated the threading on the tierod ends- it didn’t feel squirrley or like only one tire or the other was steering so it must be close. Of course the steering wheel is upside down- dunno if they usually pull it and reinstall when a pro does an alignment but I’ll probably do that just so it looks right when I’m driving. We’re all vaccinated and feeling closer to normal at my house and my shop which is nice. I hope everyone is well out there in dodge truck land! Quote
Los_Control Posted June 8, 2021 Report Posted June 8, 2021 Glad to hear you all good brother! As far as I know, a pro centers the steering wheel in the cab, then sets alignment to it ... technically it should be pretty close before any adjustment are done to the adjustments underneath. ... pulling the steering wheel was never part of a alignment. Sad I do not remember if you have the Dakota column / wheel or modified to use original wheel? either way I wonder how it got upside down. 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted June 8, 2021 Author Report Posted June 8, 2021 Just now, Los_Control said: Glad to hear you all good brother! As far as I know, a pro centers the steering wheel in the cab, then sets alignment to it ... technically it should be pretty close before any adjustment are done to the adjustments underneath. ... pulling the steering wheel was never part of a alignment. Sad I do not remember if you have the Dakota column / wheel or modified to use original wheel? either way I wonder how it got upside down. So I have the donor dakota column except I gutted it and smoothed over the shifter, key boss, and turn stalk holes. It came stock with double D shaft and I had to weld in a support bearing perch and install a universal joint or two to bend it around the headers to mate back up with the dakota steering rack. It always sucks working after a bad mechanic and it’s sometimes worse working on something not engineered to be serviced. It had been long enough since I built the steering that I was pleased to find that I had made it easy to service and pretty safe/solid. There is an allen set screw and locknut in the top of a universal joint which allows the bottom half of the steering shaft to drop out but there isn’t enough slack to remove it until the rack is unbolted from the frame. This worked out well because the bottom is securely captured and the set screw only adds rigidity instead of being a possible point of catastrophic failure. Also the female spline to the rack is secured with a roll pin which is much easier to replace on the bench than in a cramped engine bay. ...to make a short story long the double D shaft must have been reinstalled 180° out! 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted June 9, 2021 Author Report Posted June 9, 2021 I was lowkey dreading riding home in the truck after a long day but it ended up putting a big smile on my face. It was storming all day, and super hot and steamy all morning. And even though the toe is just ballparked it drove nice and straight. In the wet she’ll bark (or hiss)the tires with any kind of quick throttle but I’m always kind of amazed how tame it is if you’re easy on the loud button. I took a clip of the idle when I got home lesse if this link works to youtoob 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted July 10, 2021 Author Report Posted July 10, 2021 Howdy moparnauts! I still haven’t messed with the heater core parts I bought- way too hot out this summer to even drive her much except to work here & there. I did spend a few bucks on what (fingers crossed) will be a brake upgrade. I found a company called “stainless brakes” that sells drilled and slotted hub/rotors on CarID and I am not autocrossing so I’d rather have more surface area than more cooling. But they also sell ceramic pads that are billed as aggressive street compound. The truck with decent but slightly groovy 1987 rotors and sintered pads from rockauto slows down quickly but doesn’t have any bite at low speed. I want a more sporty grabby feel and there is not a lot available for gen 1 dakota. I know I can mill the rotors off a set of hubs and pinch in a big rotor from like a late mustang or something then make caliper brackets for some kinda sporty big junkyard or aftermarket calipers but jeez that’s a lot of work. So I ordered a set of the ceramic pads and a new set of rotors/hubs with new skf wheel bearings to give the new pads the best chance possible to bed in and work right. Just got the email that the parts are at my house so hopefully in the next few weeks I’ll get time to install the setup. I have a little vacation coming up and I’m rebuilding a 120” harley evo motor right now so my plate is a little full… I hope everyone is well Radar Quote
DJ194950 Posted July 10, 2021 Report Posted July 10, 2021 Wilwood Brakes has on their website instructions (video? I read a car mag. for this info) -the way to bed in new pads ( and rotors) the proper way for best life and braking. A few more steps than most people would ever do- but you want the best possible response? At least take a look and then decide if it works for you! Just a thought, DJ 1 Quote
Los_Control Posted July 10, 2021 Report Posted July 10, 2021 @Los_Control puts on his best Grumpy old man face. You young whipper snappers ... you left things alone you would not need ceramic brakes. In my day we used ceramic to separate the wires the telephone man left. .... Dumb ass electrician should have left his teeth out of the equation. Los growls for proper identification. 2 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted July 11, 2021 Author Report Posted July 11, 2021 4 hours ago, DJ194950 said: Wilwood Brakes has on their website instructions (video? I read a car mag. for this info) -the way to bed in new pads ( and rotors) the proper way for best life and braking. A few more steps than most people would ever do- but you want the best possible response? At least take a look and then decide if it works for you! Just a thought, DJ As far as I know all brakes need a bunch of hard stops from 30-40mph followed by some easy driving to cool them and the rotors back down- both so that the compounds can cook and offgas and so that the rotors and pads can bed in and begin to develop proper contact and wear. But I’m not too cool to learn something new I’ll check it out- thanks! Quote
kencombs Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Radarsonwheels said: As far as I know all brakes need a bunch of hard stops from 30-40mph followed by some easy driving to cool them and the rotors back down- both so that the compounds can cook and offgas and so that the rotors and pads can bed in and begin to develop proper contact and wear. But I’m not too cool to learn something new I’ll check it out- thanks! In general that is true, however most instructions tell you to avoid stopping completely as that can cause uneven pad material transfer to the disk. 35 to 5 then drive a bit to cool. Do that a few times, then 50 to 5 a few times followed by driving to cool. IMO the actual number of repeats isn't as important and the fact that one creates a heating/cooling cycle to get the brakes conditioned 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted July 11, 2021 Author Report Posted July 11, 2021 I got a chance to read Wilwood’s take on it and they were pretty close to Ken’s technique when you click “pad bedding steps”. Increase pad heat slowly and smoothly then thoroughly cool them before any full stops. The funny part is the next FAQ under that is proper bedding procedure for street pads where they tell you to just go drive like a normal person and let the pads wear in. It makes sense that modern street pad compounds would be made for real world service conditions as in swap the pads, give the lady her car back, get paid. I know that serious racing pads don’t even bite until they are -ripping- hot so it makes sense that modern street compounds would be the opposite- designed to work without much fancy break in and to never fade in normal lawful driving outside of long steep descents. I’m still going to do a break in heat cycle on these after I chuck em in. I love nerding out on these things though! Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 while some of this may cross over to general application.....I would think the compound of the pad would be the factor in bedding....different compositions, different bedding techniques...apply per type pad you using... 1 Quote
Los_Control Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 Just now, Radarsonwheels said: I got a chance to read Wilwood’s take on it and they were pretty close to Ken’s technique Sounds about right to me. Even for old school drum brakes. I replaced the hydraulics in my brakes last year, but still not driving it. I wont bother to adjust the brakes until they are set in place from braking. Actual driving. While disc brakes will self adjust, there still is a break in period to get everything set in place from all the hydraulic pressure. Kinda reminds me of piston rings. There are different brands, chrome molly, iron ... all need different break in procedures. Reminds me of a old customer, lady in her 70's and bought a new corvette in 2016? Not surprised if it had ceramic brakes ... she was not reading any manual she just drove the piss out of it. .... And the brakes worked. Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted July 11, 2021 Author Report Posted July 11, 2021 Hey Los That’s funny I’m about to throw new .030” over pistons in my aftermarket 120” harley motor- 4.280” bore! I have done the take it easy break in on them and the beat on it hard and soon break in on piston rings before- despite ny/sil steel or straight iron liners/blocks and iron or fancy rings there’s a few ways to successfully skin that cat. Luckily harleys have hydraulic rollers in them stock so there’s no adding zinc or scary flat tappet cam break in involved. Quote
Young Ed Posted July 12, 2021 Report Posted July 12, 2021 On 7/10/2021 at 3:16 PM, Radarsonwheels said: . I want a more sporty grabby feel and there is not a lot available for gen 1 dakota. Radar Way back I found an article about someone adaptive full size ram brakes to their Dakota. Might get more options or at least the bigger full size brakes and then the 5 on 4.5 pattern if someone has a newer Dakota. 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted November 5, 2021 Author Report Posted November 5, 2021 Howdy flathead truckers! I got some stuff done today. I used the B&M star shifter when I built the truck. It can go up and down (with reverse lockout pull up on the front bar) through from P R N D like a normal shifter but then you can pull the lockout and shift down to 1 activating ratchet mode. Then you can slap it up to 2 and D. It was a cool shifter but you can’t ratchet back down it only ratchets up. So ‘drag race’ mode but no ‘road race’ mode. Also I made my 727 automatic valvebody full manual so D actually means it will hold 3rd gear. It will take off in 3rd but it can’t be good for the clutches so I always row it back up from a stop. I found myself wishing it was just as fun and easy to slap it down to 2 while cruising in 3- y’know downshift and “grab a gear” to get sporty. It’s fun to drive around town in 2 but I don’t constantly hotdog it so that’s rare. So I bought a B&M megashifter which ratchets up AND down. Problem was that I found it has a totally different footprint than the cheaper B&M Star Shifter and I didn’t feel like getting medieval on the somewhat finished interior. So it sat for over a year. In the meantime I had picked up a medium small mill and had some thick aluminum plate laying around so I finally got around to making an adapter plate wity flush countersunk allens to bolt to the trans hump/console in the cab and tapped holes for the new shifter. I had to butcher the floor a little more too so the cable could angle correctly- nothing a little gray window putty couldn’t seal up . It took way too long to set up the new cable and get everything all locked down and working. Lots of trips from under the cab back up to move the shifter. I left it mechanical only even though it can run relays for backup light, P/N starter lockout, and has a light behind the indicator. Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted November 5, 2021 Author Report Posted November 5, 2021 The megashifter looks slightly classier but basically the same as the starshifter. Plastic console/cover but a nicer rubber boot and better looking indicator over on the left top. Of course I’m fantasizing about replacing the plastic cover with hardwood but that sounds like a whole day’s work. Gonna cruise it tomorrow! 1 Quote
RNR1957NYer Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 Hi Radar - glad to see you’re alive and kicking and still improving! “Road race” ready Pilot House, eh? Unsolicited aesthetic opinion to be taken well salted: leave the hardwood in the bed and the black plastic base on the shifter. It works with the the black and red interior color scheme. Now go cut some curves! 1 Quote
Radarsonwheels Posted November 6, 2021 Author Report Posted November 6, 2021 Thanks man I agree. The stock plastic cover is like 1/16” short of touching the metal floor/ trans hump due to the taller adapter. So I ordered the cover for the taller truck Megashifter unit that B&M makes. Hopefully it’ll trim up nicely so it touches all the way around and has a more solid feel. Quote
Los_Control Posted November 6, 2021 Report Posted November 6, 2021 Little late now, I wonder what a 1" thick hardwood base for the current plastic housing to sit on. Or possibly a 3/4" base for the bottom and a 3/4" top. So the wood base bolts to tunnel, plastic housing bolts to wood base, top wood base bolts to top of plastic then the rubber boot bolts to top wood piece. I think it "wood" look sexy, with some nice oak or maple trim just slightly proud of the plastic housing. Say a 1/4" ? Lot of effort but may be worth it. Just a idea. 1 Quote
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