1978 620 Project

[red13]

Thanks, there was enough adjustment to eliminate most of the slop. I checked for binding while the wheels were up in the air, it seems good.

 

Right now I've got the drive shaft out and the transmission backed away enough to have the clutch and pressure plate removed. I'm having trouble getting the transmission to drop out completely, is there a trick to it?

check to see if the shifter is catching on the top.

[SadieD]

check to see if the shifter is catching on the top.

Yea that's kind of the problem. I removed that extra sheetmetal cover that goes around the gear shift hole, I'm gonna try again tomorrow.

 

Also, if your truck is crusty like mine is and you're pulling your transmission, think about doing the u-joints.

 

[SadieD]

I was able to get the transmission out today with my dad lending an extra set of arms. I had to remove the exhaust pipe coming down from the manifold to the cat and that extra shifter tunnel floor plate.

 

[red13]

Yea that's kind of the problem. I removed that extra sheetmetal cover that goes around the gear shift hole, I'm gonna try again tomorrow.

 

Also, if your truck is crusty like mine is and you're pulling your transmission, think about doing the u-joints.

 

Yeah I am replacing all that thanks though for the heads up

[Bleach]

that looks like good welding work

[SadieD]

that looks like good welding work

 

 Thanks! I had to weld some new flanges on the exhaust where the cat meets the downpipe, I think I'm improving.

 

The truck's finally off the jack stands now. It's running and driving pretty good. There's a bit of a flat spot in the lower RPM range, I think it's the timing; also the steering is still looser than I like.

It should be ready to smog and register now though  : )

 

[Charlie69]

Check your idler arm and the tie rod ends for play.  Do not pull the steering gear box apart unless you know what you are doing.  The sector shaft in the steering box is timed into the worm.

[sebpv]

and I did exactly that about a month ago. Now the steering wheel is 180degree loose. The shaft even managed to poke the cover at the bottom when I turned it the other day to remove the tie rods...No choice, Ill have to open it up...

[SadieD]

How do I check for loose? Does it need to be off the ground? Do I just like try to shake it? Suspension/steering is one of my weak areas...

[Charlie69]

Find another steering gear box from what you described someone had it apart and did not know how to put it back together correctly. 

[datzenmike]

Loose or incorrectly adjusted wheel bearings, the two ball joints on both the tie rods, the ball joint on the idler arm or the idler arm itself, the ball joint on the pitman arm or the steering box itself, can all have wear and looseness. The 620 has a 19 to one steering box ratio so if all the combined looseness adds up to just 1/4", you will have almost 5" of steering wheel turning with no wheel movement!!!

[SadieD]

Thanks for the advice on the steering/handling, I'll be digging into soon.

 

Today though, the truck passed the smog test! I was a bit nervous, the truck had been sitting in a yard for years when I bought it, I wasn't sure I could make it smog-able.