Keep it in the Family
Question: My father wants me to sell his '87 crew cab dualie K3500 4x4. I'm sure most of you realize the potential of this truck: NP205 transfer case, manual tranny, Dana 60 front, Dana 70 full-floater rear, FI 454. The running gear is bombproof. I would like to keep it and turn it into something really cool, but as a college student, I have no time or money. What should I do?
Chree
via the 4WOR forum
Answer: You are correct, that does sound like an awesome platform for a heck of a wheeling machine (except for maybe the dualie rear end), but you need a good plan to keep Pops from handing the keys over to some undeserving stranger. First, you need to determine what will make your father the happiest. Does he want a few thousand dollars for his nearly 20-year-old truck, or would he rather have a successful 20-year-old son? Make him a deal-if he keeps the truck till you graduate, you'll promise to get good grades and round up some money to buy it from him. Then begin putting a plan together to achieve both of those goals. During the school year ignore that truck and concentrate on reading, writing, and 'rythmatic, and don't be scared of taking a few business classes.
Then when summer break comes around, borrow that truck from dear old Dad and make some money with it, haul a lawn mower or two along with some buddies and start your own landscaping business, and then every weekend use the truck to help folks haul heavy stuff. You'll be amazed at how many people will want you to help them move. A great place to look for jobs or offer your services is the local Web site www.craigslist.com. Be sure to charge enough for fuel and upkeep of your dad's truck. Plus, take some time every week to clean and polish the truck. Before you know it, that truck will be yours.
SpeLFs, trucks, and the facts of life
Question: Hi, guys...you aren't going to believe this. My boyfriend of four years left me because of my truck! I always thought guys had to take the heat from their girlfriends about spending time/money on their truck...and I get the reverse!
Honey Dancer
via the 4WOR forum
Answer: You have experienced a problem that men have been dealing with since the first 4x4 rolled off the line. It is not uncommon that a fella has to balance his time between his beloved pickup truck and special lady friend (SpeLF), and when that SpeLF has little or no interest in the truck or, worse yet, feels jealous of the truck then problems can ensue.
Our best advice to you is to find a SpeMF (Special Male Friend) who can appreciate your truck and doesn't need all your attention. Everyone has heard the old saying that opposites attract, but when you and that special someone can't agree to spend the weekend out wheeling rather than goofing off at some silly shoe store or doing a bunch of ridiculous odd jobs around the house, then there is definitely going to be some trouble.
In addition, relationships are about compromises, and if your significant other is not willing to forego some preplanned trip to the botanical gardens or one of those ultra-expensive shopping sprees at the local home warehouse to instead help bleed brakes-or better yet-lock in the hubs and go exploring across the outback, then it may be time to discuss the meaning of compromise with them. So be sure to find a significant other that can really appreciate how you value your truck. We're sure that shouldn't be hard to do.
Shafted
Question: I own a '78 Ford Bronco. Since owning it I swapped the junk engine for a new big-block 400 bored 0.10 over with a four-barrel Holly Truck Avenger carb, new 4.56 gears, 36-inch Goodyear military tires, and a 4-inch lift kit. My problem is when I first installed the new 36-inch tires over the previous 31-inch tires my brother snapped the U-Joint on the rear driveshaft. So I thought new gears would solve the problem. The other day when it was raining I went to do a burnout and the U-Joint snapped again. I am at a loss as to what to do. I don't want this happening again especially in the middle of 4-foot-deep water hole. I thought of custom driveshafts or just switching to OX U-Joints, but I really have no idea. I'm new to this whole off-roading thing. The other problem is I just bought my first house and money has started to dry up fast. What are my options to solving this problem?
Steve Quenett
Illinois
Answer: Breaking your rear driveshaft is more than likely due to incorrect driveshaft angles and/or axlewrap. Since the driveshaft seems to let you drive it-and we'll assume it has no vibrations at speed-then your angles are probably correct. However, when you mentioned doing a burnout and breaking the shaft, we believe you must have some wrap going on. It's likely you stood on the brakes and the throttle simultaneously trying to get the rear end to break loose to fry some rubber and make all the cute girls scream (we've been there). Conversely, if your rear springs are soft or are using some sort of lift block, this allows your pinion to start to climb and eventually bind the U-joint till it snaps. Your best option is to swap in just some lift springs such as those offered by Skyjacker (318.388.0816). Otherwise look for some sort of antiwrap bar. You can talk Sam's Off Road (918.446.5535) about a fullsize version of their classic Heavy Duty Traction Bar.