Re: Restoring Rusty
 

The important thing with a gas tank is that it should not be "empty". As long as a little bit of wet gasoline is present in the tank, the vapors in the tank will be too rich to allow an explosion.

I've actually watched a guy weld on a gas tank with gas in it. A bit unnerving, that.

Another option is to empty the gas and fill it all the way with water to force the gas vapor out. You can then empty the water out. Any little bit of water left will be taken up by the alcohol in modern gasoline.

The water thing was my preferred method when working on motorcycle tanks. I have wire-wheeled on a fuel tank with gas in it, though, repairing a crack in a gas tank on the car with -- you guessed it -- JB Weld. I needed to get a clean surface for the patch, so I wire-wheeled the area around the crack, which of course was open to the inside. Wet gas in the tank, though, so too rich for ignition.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Agreed, use matching hardware. Grade 5 is enough. Those little 3/8" rivets did the job for how long? And they were how hard to get off?

The big thing is torquing them to correct spec. Grade 5 3/8-16 is 30 ftlb. Grade 5 3/8-24 is 35 ftlb. The Grade 8 numbers are 45 and 50 ftlb. (Those are dry numbers. Do not lube the threads when you install them.) If you seriously under-torque or over-torque them, they will ultimately fail.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Thanks Rich I just placed the order.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

after allowing 2 or 3 days for the POR15 to dry on the frame it was time to mount the new leaf spring hangers, they did come with hardware

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

here is the driver side all bolted up, I went 30 foot pounds on these grade 5 bolts

holding the nuts down inside the frame channel while you torque these down is a bit of a pain since there are rivets and the cross member bracket in the way

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

then it was on to the passenger side

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and then we ran into a snag, we are about an inch too far back, the rear axle needs to come an inch forward for the leaf spring holes to align with the holes in the hangers

jacking up the axle would bring one side within 1/2 and inch off but no where close to getting both bolts, one on each side in

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

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Re: Restoring Rusty
 

What does the other end of the drive shaft look like? The part attaching to the rear end never does but the front side should.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

here's the middle part, I think the manual shows that this is where there may be some slideability

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

and here's a picture from a while ago when I had it off the truck, and before I painted it

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

What an ugly contraption! I'm not to familiar with how 2 piece shafts work :\

But I would think where you think should be movement it can move. It may just be stubborn.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Put it down on the ground and check it again.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

The paint may be keeping it from telescoping, or you may already be in all the way.

Lowering or raising a a vehicle often requires playing with driveshaft length, since the driveshaft often angles down to the diff. Raising the diff (lowering the vehicle) shortens the required driveshaft length.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Thanks, good tip, I tried just that and now I think it's only 1/2 inch too long.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Hi Rich, I think that thing wouldn't move even before I painted it, I should have addressed that issue/concern back then, but I decided to ignore it, and now it's bitten me, as always, anywho never time to do it right, but always time to do it over!

I will be pulling the driveshaft out and examining it closely off the truck, wish me luck. I think it should come apart with force, I don't think there is anything holding it preventing it from being pulled out all the way.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Take a look at this.. You can see how can separate.

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...528003dc2e.gif

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Thanks bud, here's what it looks like in the '74 Manual, but the how to git it apart could use some more words, ha ha

CENTER SUPPORT BEARING

1. Remove dust shield.
2. Remove strap retaining rubber cushion from bearing support.
3. Pull support bracket from rubber cushion and pull cushion from bearing.
4. Pull bearing assembly from shaft.
5. Assemble bearing support as follows:
a. Install inner deflector on propeller shaft, if removed, and prick punch deflector at two opposite points to make sure it is tight on shaft.
b. Fill space between inner dust shield and bearing with lithium soap grease.
c. Start bearing and slinger assembly straight on shaft journal. Support propeller shaft and, using suitable length of pipe over splined end of shaft, press bearing and inner slinger against shoulder on shaft.
d. Install dust shield over shaft, small diameter first and press into position against outer slinger.
e. Install rubber cushion onto bearing.
f. Install bracket onto cushion.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

unscrew the grease seal off the end of yoke and then pull. lot easier to pull apart with front shaft and carrier bearing still mounted in truck.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Well that is interesting because from that picture there is no way that would move because it uses a roller bearing which looks like it would be a press fit onto the carrier bearing shaft.

Re: Restoring Rusty
 

Thans Jeramy I like the idea of leaving half of it in the truck, might be less work. Are you thinking this piece with the arrow pointing to it?

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here are two pics stacked on top of each other in the same direction to give us a conceptual of what is going on up in there

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yes part with red arrow