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1996 GMC 5-speed

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  • gimme a brake

    I got the brake stuff today, took off drum with my electric chicago 1/2 impact.. 12 bolts with spacer.
    got drum off .. it was snug.
    I bought the wrong pads.

    old brakes are perfect.

    the grinding noise is unknown. I saw some marks on back plate.
    I am thinking now, the brake line the inspector pointed at was not even flowing enough to grind a quiet spot.
    pads are more than half, and not even the soft kind.

    Will keep it going as is..
    slamming on brakes and using them aggressive once and awhile should machine a sweet spot.

    another thing to consider is welding the back end frame to harder, may be changing side alignments on pad and back plate and drum

    whatever it is, not serious... I sure do have brakes.

    Previously boxer3main
    the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

    Comment


    • more brakes
      I am not sure why I think my truck has the big dadday 11 inch brake
      ordered the right shoes this time. Same towing heavy duty by Centric. 10.25


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      the grinding noise may be a new alignment on 12 feet wheelbase... long rails.
      I love it when I do that.
      me and my little booger welder altering 21 feet of frame rail

      long wheelbase short... I may not need new pads. I inspected and found no errors.
      some backplate scrub, nothing more.

      where we have had 4 feet of rain in a few days there may be rust exfoliation on the young bendix..scrubbing its way to clean.
      I'll rip into passenger side to know I inspected both sides of truck.


      this handy 1/2 inch ratchet on the little 2 stroke generator even had a neighbor walking by declaring clever.
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      I had 12 bolts to take out... due to the spacer.
      Last edited by Barry Donovan; August 22, 2019, 10:08 AM.
      Previously boxer3main
      the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

      Comment


      • the numbers of the devil

        they jumped out at me, like a vampire in a dungeon
        happens all the time.

        identify the vortec.. 96-99

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        878 = 305
        880 = 350
        this is near freeze plugs, very easy to get at

        nice to have this verified.
        the stamp on the back is genuine vortec.. that is all the info I had until today.
        I could not read the stamp.. could not reach in to clean enough.

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        reminds me to blast the engine bay again .. a bit overdue
        Last edited by Barry Donovan; August 23, 2019, 02:33 PM.
        Previously boxer3main
        the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

        Comment


        • shoe swap

          perfectly worn. Sometimes i love back brakes.

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          there was only one pad like this due to an old ebrake ride. I spotted it when changing drums a few years ago. I figured 20k miles left...
          it went to 25k+
          this scratched for 2 days.. drums in great shape.

          got the centrics in..and now earning that self adjuster.
          I found no external manual way to adjust brakes.. truck has to earn that snug position by itself.

          oh well.
          popped a wheel cylinder slug out, slapped it back together and called it good.
          thinking old school with these is a treasure.

          the older cylinder guarantees a self bleed with no measurable leak. I use them until failed. I keep two new ones on standby.

          first ride out already has a luke warm on the drums.. did not go too far turning down adjuster. it should click its way back in some time.
          I also have an awesome trick for the Very strong ebrake spring.. it is use of a universal trim tool and vise grips.

          I like when memory comes back.. I first remember this chore in the 80s. I have done it so often, you would think I was hacking my way through it... 2 hours total, part of it was a break for some coffee.

          I also quit smoking. no problems at all going to a safe vape brand. No crazy flavors. "Njoy" has been around for 12 years. not sure who pioneered the vape stuff, but I was sure to find a reputable one.

          no desire for cigarettes at all now. 25 years, and done smoking... very simple.
          Last edited by Barry Donovan; August 24, 2019, 04:19 PM.
          Previously boxer3main
          the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

          Comment


          • the b52 at loring
            got slightly lost...
            figured I had all kinds of time.

            the legendary run with cruise at 90 something flowing along with other traffic..
            one hour to houlton from lagrange. I do not recall how many times I have done this.
            twice in one day is the norm if I do...

            Click image for larger version  Name:	DSC01917w.jpg Views:	1 Size:	197.7 KB ID:	1250310 somehow this became a source for a meme on facebook.
            very annoying.

            saw the buff flying around, but it had made its flyover and was on its way...
            I made my way back home.

            Truck did very good.

            I looked to the left and right before stepping out at a tim hortons. Had to be careful.. french in the region. Very scary.
            Last edited by Barry Donovan; August 25, 2019, 03:18 PM.
            Previously boxer3main
            the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

            Comment


            • it only does 95.. for an hour at a time
              Click image for larger version  Name:	DSC01919w.jpg Views:	1 Size:	275.3 KB ID:	1250375 not too bad for the speed. I used to have vehicles with broken plastic pieces after the 90mph run.. I am lucky to have only hit two birds with this in 5 years. Did not do any damage back then either. The screw on the bottom.. if grill is not tight the lights fog up in ways maine likes to dish out. August it begins.. won't end until next year. Behind the grill stays warm very much on purpose.. it is just for the lights. Heat comes from radiator

              I am glad to stretch this thing out, for the purpose that haunted me since my first ride down the big highway when I was 15 in the 80s.
              3 speed autos were still the thing...carburators.

              65mph was brand new speed limit in rural I-95 maine.

              My neighbor Tim had a truck with a 327, short bed. manual trans for free, he thought he was getting a 4 speed.
              it was a 3 speed overdrive.

              by the time it hit fourth, you'd think we was in a nascar race. Tall rear gear.. assuming 3.42 or taller.. 3.08
              even with the lightweight truck and original 700 to 1 compression dome pistons shaking our teeth... it took a bit to get into that overdrive long after the needle was buried. the tires grumbling their imperfections.

              it turned out to be the future anyway.. we all do that today.

              I could not wait to find this truck I have now.

              the 314 mile round trip was 18.75 mpg... hanging just shy of speed limiter for more than 90 miles up, and 90 miles back on the highway.
              the rest was secondary roads. No letting off on the highway.. creep up on the limiter, set the cruise to keep it from kicking in.

              I am reminded why little was out a long long time ago.

              Today following some sideways engined vehicle at the same speed in a row of 3 or more is not unusual at all.
              A strange but true fact.. I know when I am behind automatics. they all have a pause to let off every 20 something miles.
              The whine of overdrive direct could go on forever it seems, in comparison.

              Rest in peace Tim. I wonder if you were given a glimpse of what was to come, because you weren't going to be here to see it for very long.
              the last time I spoke to him, was the first time he saw my truck.
              hurst shifter, he knew it was manual without looking.

              "Nice truck man" he rarely said nice things. I think he knew some of the reasons I had that truck in the first place.. a lingering memory since we were kids.

              back to chores..
              the new brake I installed needs to be taken apart again. the auto self adjuster is taking so long the brake light flickers even after a bleed. the reset to relaxed is too relaxed. I'll have to man handle it myself and wedge the drum back on carefully... a bit tighter.
              may as well throw on a new wheel cylinder i have kicking around as well.
              Last edited by Barry Donovan; August 26, 2019, 03:58 PM.
              Previously boxer3main
              the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

              Comment


              • drop hitch
                crazy as a 4 bolt hitch
                not really a saying, made it up myself.

                Click image for larger version

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                I simply want the half ton limit on a drop hitch.. without the whole receiver from hell.

                found some drill bits that got through the carbide tungsten lightning steel aged at a quarter century
                broke 4, dulled 3... but the broken bolt extractor set worked good. Just had to let cooldown every few minutes.

                the deck squashing into that stainless outer bumper cover is just an extra lamination. it is a nice guage... beyond 16 for sure. Appears to be an 1/8th inch
                I think I can cheat the tongue stamp of 400# to a bit more now... but don't tell anybody.

                it is actually welded etc.. I think I shared all the back end chores. Ready to go.
                the skin at the edge rusting is thinner than where the bolts go through. Very tricky business... the appearances tricking us all by factory engineering it alllooks like one flowing uniform piece, and it isn't..
                Previously boxer3main
                the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                Comment


                • cryogenic treating

                  excellent video.
                  I babble in my own terms to describe cold steel shaking the ground from the north (an old trucking legend)

                  anyway...
                  here is some science out loud.


                  now in a vehicle with 400k miles, 23 years.. a yearly hit at 20F below or colder, back to 130F pavement, 12v cathode anode losses and gains,
                  welding etc and heat cycles..thousands upon thousands of them.

                  what does an old vehicle become? even if it is rusted.. there is some serious stuff to revive with heat and new metal and welding

                  my place gets so cold, I need july to weld a long rail to avoid local hardening (brittle break) with a very slow cool into gods quench of the below zero winter...and then go a whole year again the same cycle.
                  this guy puts some stuff into view and some words.
                  Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 5, 2019, 07:02 PM.
                  Previously boxer3main
                  the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                  Comment


                  • dominoes

                    looking over the rear hangers.. the passenger side was my focus earlier this summer. got that squared away after torturing it with an air chisel and a grinder.
                    I see the rear left s at an angle not quite right and wiggled it around...

                    got another summer chore I have to get done quickly. I should have guessed symmetry, but the lft side was looking good this past May.

                    I'd like to get the old hanger out of there entirely.. seems it needs a plasma cutter and a torch.
                    the ugly hanger doesn't matter much, the wimpy tail it is attached to does.

                    I am going to make both of them 6 bolts like the front hanger...already beyond half ton, may as well go all the way.
                    Previously boxer3main
                    the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                    Comment


                    • monarchs are flying.. welds aren't dying

                      I like that saying. I'll call that one legit.
                      got a frost warning for tonight..
                      I have never welded at framing this late in the year..
                      hurricane odors lingering, a monarch butterfly hanging around my work.
                      So I manhandled the last hanger, driver side rear area.
                      it turned out to be bordering a mishap

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                      took a hammer to it.. some shatter, but staying strong where it mattered.
                      I love this trucks aging frame.

                      busted out some frame, found prior welds needing attention.
                      I am assuming the monster destruction test was hauling to the mill for my dad.. simple 200 pound beam.
                      better than a hammer to test things out. That road was so rough, he did not want to take the peterbilt through it.

                      Click image for larger version  Name:	DSC01955w.jpg Views:	1 Size:	305.0 KB ID:	1251182 terrible photo as usual. you can see the dab of weld on hanger..
                      it is held on normal, i just don't like how ugly it is. this removes the same as before, grind out rivets.

                      added about 1.5 feet of flat stock.. 3 inch wide I believe
                      and it took in 1.5 pounds of weld.

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                      ready to go another round with a maine winter

                      A strange but lucky new welder from harbor freight never used..
                      I have not seen this much power yet from such a small welder.
                      not sure what is going on there.. another update to the internals i guess.

                      even got some melt to recover some older steel. Very nice.


                      with embarrassment I can admit the occasional rumble and shake in reverse had a source...
                      the driver side rear was flopping around for all 4.5 years I have had this.
                      Elusive until it rears its ugly head. I even towed my car and boat with it..nothing failed or revealed anything.

                      I do not like the condition of rear hangers..but they are hanging in there.

                      I may be saving for a plasma cutter.. that will be my first chore if I do. I already have the new hangers.

                      I am in another 5 hours or so.. just the rear left today.
                      this old half ton is back to full tow for sure.

                      total for weld is about 80 pounds of steel and 7 pounds of wire.
                      on the scale I am strangely guessing 1000 pounds heavier.. physics.

                      edit: last night hit 40.1 F
                      we got away from the early frost by some degrees.
                      Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 9, 2019, 06:47 AM.
                      Previously boxer3main
                      the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                      Comment


                      • white admiral flying,paint will be drying

                        more great wisdom for the mechanics... by the butterfly.
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                        39F was the low... and my thermometer reads high

                        time to slap some paint on the old frame.
                        winter is coming.

                        the white admiral is the northern butterfly. the monarchs are gone .. too cold.
                        but these guys, they can go below freezing and still wake up in the sun. A source of interesting science for those into cryogenics.

                        back to truck work.
                        Previously boxer3main
                        the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                        Comment


                        • tail gate party

                          my dad turned in his 2016 for a 2019 half ton. Drive it around today.. looking it allover.
                          x31 package.
                          for the first time in their history, gm has given up on the apron type front end. First thing I noticed is the fender being just a single piece of sheet metal...and alrge unibody type arm angled in, like what you see under a mustangs hood
                          I also found my custom rockers are near identical to what the 2019 does right out of the box...nice and fat up front, surrounding door bottom.
                          super smooth shifting. Great power.
                          bumper hitch now at 1000 pounds tongue, which usually equates to 10k pounds or more for hauling.. and it is all one piece. No more separate silly ass hitch to think about
                          for other framing changes...I found some square tubing where some round used to be, and one more extra... which gives me an idea about mine.
                          suspension hangers are welded under frame now as well.

                          I laughed. Everything I griped about and went custom on with my 96 is now built into a 2019 model.
                          very nice truck.


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                          Today I finished my ugly hangers and fixed tailgate hinges. Now shuts like a door, don't have to fidget around with it.

                          rugged ride home.. I got all four spots on the two hangers down low. I may even add some brackets to simulate the 2019.


                          full tow, super smooth ride. It really noticed the hanger welds.
                          Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 15, 2019, 01:37 PM.
                          Previously boxer3main
                          the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                          Comment


                          • too hip to be square
                            Click image for larger version  Name:	DSC01999w.jpg Views:	1 Size:	340.0 KB ID:	1251628 fixed tailgate hinges. Now just slams like a door

                            took a ride down an 11 mile dirt road. wanted to verify welds, as evenings are getting too cold to be challenging 18 feet of steel combined with weld rivets and cross sills..
                            this one is going to make it one more round.. maybe 333.

                            Click image for larger version  Name:	DSC01994w.jpg Views:	1 Size:	554.4 KB ID:	1251629 that light between cab and bed.
                            some say it drives people to insane asylums.. for mysterious reasons.

                            ..and slamming cabinet doors..that is also a means to go to an insane asylum


                            found some awesome lyrics

                            there is nothing you keep, there is only your reflection.

                            Little girl you are cursed by my ancestry
                            There is nothing but darkness and agony
                            I can not only see, but you stopped me from blinking
                            Let me watch you as close as a memory
                            Let me hold you above all the misery
                            Let me open my eyes and be glad that I got here

                            manchester orchestra, the silence
                            guy babbled a novel length song there.
                            Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 17, 2019, 02:36 PM.
                            Previously boxer3main
                            the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                            Comment


                            • new root of the unidentifiable vertices

                              not sure why my truck has to be ass first...

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                              welding is geometry.. a man made iron worked on psi.
                              You would think two rails, stuff attached to it... like a backbone with accessories.

                              but oh no. It is as complex as a unibody when all the pieces are together in good shape.
                              Truck has fooled me for a bit...and i like it.

                              the recent weld is proving to be as important as the much thicker front end

                              there is a sheen in the rear quarters, revealing the new frequency and pressure.. in a hertz unknown to man.
                              very content.
                              this is the truck that drove me to a sars attack for painting the spare tire crossmember.

                              Not sure why I went at it like a cave man with a mig welder thinking nothing was going to happen to my health.
                              that back end is so very alive.. never stopping until broken.
                              it can feel a buzz of a locomotive more than a mile away.
                              all these trucks do...unless they are busted.

                              long story short. I am still ridding the last wheeze of metallic earthquake and invisible particles...almost a week later.
                              I made a serious change this round.

                              looking forward to hauling a boat around this weekend hopefully

                              here is a piece of something I bashed out of the rail.
                              looks a bit like lightning...

                              I wonder if I made my own steel..
                              it can only be as crazy as slamming a cabinet door.
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                              Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 18, 2019, 01:24 PM.
                              Previously boxer3main
                              the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                              Comment


                              • singing in the rain
                                my church organ cross sills are liking it out there.

                                this rain at this time of year, leaves dead... its got some heaviness, a fog at the same time.
                                the unique rain does not stop until may. it gets real cold after this, like bullets.
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                                the new fender, welded liner. no hickups. I also learned to keep the grill tight to the front. there is no fogged up lamps anymore.
                                looking forward to the rugged winter.
                                the back end rides like a 3/4 ton now... but that is what to live with after all.


                                that splotch of giant splattered bug near the screw in photo needed to come off. I haven't washed the truck in some time.
                                Previously boxer3main
                                the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                                Comment

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