Breathing life back into the 85

[MetalFab]

I used the old girl little over a year ago to do some dirty work and she didn't show me any love back for it One of the local logging companies opened up their piles to the community so I drug both trucks out into the woods, throwing the Nissan on the trailer and used it as a skid truck pulling logs out of the pile up to the truck and trailer where I proceeded to par-buckle the logs until the stack was over my head and hauled them home. Well little did I know when I wheeled the truck off the trailer without the ramps (I was excited.. and going full tilt) once the wheels came off the trailer the truck dropped right onto the drive line.. oops.

Things went well for the next few weeks, I split up the wood and sold it off, spent the money, and didn't think anything of it until I decided to hop in the truck to go to town and it felt like the truck was coming apart. *facepalm* So it sat for a while longer and I figured I'd replace the seized up fan clutch on the water pump. Anyone ever try this? The fan clutch and water pump is one piece, or at least it's not made to come apart anyway. So I swapped in one from a spare motor and proceeded to strip one of the bolts. Oops! Ok now I'm really in trouble.

The year went by and I used it a few minutes at a time like an oversized wheelbarrow to carry stuff for me from the house to the garage, add water and drive out to the back 40 and skid a log home, you get the idea. In the process I added a few more things to the repair list.. broken right turn signal, muffler gasket, leaky brake hose, and my front end is now whacked out once again. This time I attribute it to upper ball joint failure and the adjustment shims falling out. I made a plate for the left side machined flat and drilled instead of notched so there is no way it is going anywhere now, especially with loctite on the threads.

Well it has come time to get this little truck back up in operation for the summer. I'm looking forward to many days with the doors off and making good use of the lumber rack. Maybe even joining up with a 4x4 group finally and hitting up some runs. Whatever I do I have got to get her back up in tip top shape before hand so I thought I'd mention it here, get ready to post some pics, and ask a question or two.

I am currently looking for a replacement driveshaft and the cheapest I can find is $150 at a local dismantler. I've had no luck sourcing out a database on driveshaft sizes and lengths for various makes and models Once it stops raining I'll measure the length of my driveshaft joint to joint and probably spend a day inside pick and pull fruitlessly searching for the one. My truck is an 85 720 4x4 reg cab long bed. I know the ujoint caps are 1.103" and the outer diameter (inside snap rings) is 2.201" I'm just hoping someone may know of an obscure source of information that will save me a day and or the $100 difference between picking it myself and ordering it from a global wrecker plus freight. I figured I'd at least give it a shot!

I've acquired a new water pump, helicoil kit, new beefier upper ball joints, and I'll pick up the blinker lense when I brave the graveyard this upcoming week along with anything else I can think of by then.

I'll leave you with a pic of Lil' Red's mean lean. Anyone else have such issues with the 4x4 front end? I'm still too much of a chicken to SAS it, but thats another story.



And partially why I break stuff.



And the other half of the reason why I break stuff. Trees don't lie! Usually



The rear has gotten a 7 leaf spring stack in the rear since this pic, raising it up roughly 4 inches and increasing the payload. (I've had 2,100 lbs in the bed according to recyclers scales)

Thanks for looking.

[MetalFab]

Here's a 1 minute video of the nissan in action after a fresh lincoln-locker 3 inch lift, 31 inch tires. Nothing crazy but I would never have been able to do that before the locker, not without a 30 foot run. And behind the truck is a few hundred feet of 60 degree mountainside. This is the back 40, where no truck of mine has gone before =) No vehicle trails to be found either.

Thanks for watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58jCbpufqjs

[xsdg]

Nice. I don't have any answers, but you know who would is datzenmike. I don't think he spends any time around this forum, but just look him up on Google. He is the man, and he knows his transmissions, drivelines, and diffs like nobody's business. He can probably tell you what you've got, what you need, and what swaps will work off the top of his head.

[xsdg]

Also, meant to ask. Whereabouts in Northern California are you? I'm in Santa Clara, but judging by the terrain, I'm guessing you're not _too_ close :o)

[MetalFab]

I'm up in Trinity county between Eureka and Redding--little over 5 hours north of you.

I spent a day running around all the local walk in yards and ended up with a workout and plenty of bruises from rolling around on the rock they use to keep people out of the mud lol I'm resigned to ordering a driveline, and after talking to numerous yards $150 is still my cheapest find. I should have the cash to order it within the next two weeks.

Here's a side shot after installing some 7 leaf springs out back that I pulled from a rolled datsun I purchased. I have the matching fronts when I can find a suitable solid axle front end. I found out too late that the axle I purchased the truck for had a cross over steering that someone welded together and that is NOT SAFE! I value my life too much to chance breaking my steering on a pothole at 60mph when all roads up here have a sheer mountain face on one side and a sheer drop off on the other. It's a different story entirely if it's a trailered rig that is used strictly off road--then it's just a bad day when it breaks, not the end.