1976 K10 Blue

[bmorse]

I just picked this '76 K10 up to use as my hunting truck. It is replacing a '00 1500 that required annual front end rebuilds and lacked style. I grew up in 77 and 78 1 Tons my Dad had and this is like riding in a time machine.

Truck has 350/T350/NP203, Dana 44 and 12 Bolt.

General plan is to address minor issues and put it to use. It will be a woods and hunting truck so it will have a tough life, but not beat on.

So far I've puttered with minor things:
Fixed tailgate latches and pivots
Straightened the rear bumper enough to be usable and prepare it for
encountering more trees

This week I'm going to try to:
Get the battery tray and hold down fixed up
The steering tightened up
Clean out the a/c ducts and replace the screen
Get the seat out to be recovered, and clean the floor out while the seat is
out.

I've put 300 miles on it in the last couple days and could not be any happier with the truck.

I am glad to be here! I look forward to advice and counsel, as well as holding myself to some accountability by having the thread.

[bmorse]

Had some time tonight.

The steering wheel had about 1/8 of a turn of play. The tie rod end in the Pittman arm was loose. The stud was spinning in the arm bore, but the nut was cotter pinned. Guessing the nut must have loosened up and been that way for awhile as there was wear on the top of the arm. Removed the nut, couldn’t find an SAE Hard washer, put a lock washer under nut, stud tightened into the taper, and cotter pin back in. Good enough for now. The lower bushing in the box is worn and shaft has some noticeable play in it. I have another box I need to pull off a 71 or so truck that looks much tighter. Will try to get them swapped this week as well. Will change seals in the swap over.

While on that corner of the truck tackled repairing/patching a loose mirror. Guessing it’s common for these to loosen and fatigue the door skins and break it. Both doors are afflicted. I made a cover plate for the worst, upper hole, and to try stiffen the door. Made a nut plate for it as well and put in the door skin. Front lower nutsert was thread poor, I tried to tap it to 5/16 but it ran out of wall thickness. My arm won’t make the reach so I cobbled a quick nut plate together and bolted in. Tightened all up and figure it is good enough for what I will use the old truck for. Cleaned regulator and window tracks and greased them while door panel was off.

Also finished a wiper motor change and CJ switch conversion on our JY today. A good afternoon indeed.