[argonaut]

Didn't do much to the truck today, just a little tinkering.

The spring perches and shock tabs I ordered for the donor 73 12-bolt came in but were for a 3-1/2" tube size rather than a 3". So I decided to go another direction and just swap over the differential, ring and pinion to replace the trashed one from in my original housing. Everything went smooth except getting the pinion out of (my Dad's) donor axle housing. After pulling the yoke i couldn't get the pinion shaft out. Felt like it the front bearing was seized in the shaft... I didn't think that the front bearing was pressed onto the pinion shaft once it was in the housing? Now I need suggestions on how to remove it.

I also threw my mismatched set of 16"s back on. These 315/75/R16 tires are too big for my taste, are too wide at least for this truck. I'm thinking more like a 255/85/R16 in a mud terrain tire.

I was also playing with the front mount brackets for the radiator support. It seems that even when the radiator support is sitting directly on the brackets with no rubber mount, it is still higher that the cab, which is on stock replacement mounts. Did the K10 trucks have taller cab mounts? That is the only way I can think to account for what is happening. From my measurements it seems that the entire cab should sit about 1/2" higher than it does. I know the 67-72 K10 trucks use taller mounts. Perhaps to 60-66 were the same but they just aren't reproduced? I'd like to know. Either way I'll just have to space up the cab.

Snapped a couple pics. Nothing much new to see. I think my next move will be to pull the body back off again and finish cleaning and painting the frame and run brake lines. I'm contemplating mounting the proportioning valve somewhere on the frame to clean up the engine compartment. I also want to pull apart the front leaf packs and replace the rear.