Dug into my front suspension today. Now I have a steering knuckle question.

[HotWheelsBurban]

I'd rather have Southern summers than northern winters.....if I want to see lots of snow, I'll look at a Christmas card!

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Well, I'm at an impasse right now.

It's about 1 PM. Yard closes @ 4 PM, last entry @ 3:30 PM. That's 2 hours~ish to get the steering knuckle I need. Is that enough time? Maybe.

It's 29° and flurries outside. I'm also getting over being sick. Do I want to go to the yard? NO. Is my RCSB going to get finished this weekend if I had the part right here, right now? Also NO.

So, do I pull myself together and chance the frigid temps to get my part today, or do I say "EFF IT" and wait until tomorrow.

If I wait until tomorrow, I won't be as rushed, but I'll still have deal with the aftermath of whatever snow we get.

Wife keeps telling me we need to get OUT of NEPA. Even if I won the lottery, I'm not sure I have the gumption for that anymore....

Texas has room...but you'll have to deal with our summer heat and humidity, even if you aren't close to the coast like in Houston. And starting next year we have no more state vehicle inspections, unless you live in an urban county and have something 24 years old or newer; those still require a safety and emissions inspection.
Burb is 25 this year and Rawhide is older so he already made the year cutoff...so I don't have to mess with this anymore after this year. They both need current safety inspections to be retitled and get their new "Classic Truck" plates. Which are also available in Texas for any truck that is 25 or older, at no extra cost if you don't want a personalized plate.

 

[DeCaff2007]

And starting next year we have no more state vehicle inspections, unless you live in an urban county and have something 24 years old or newer; those still require a safety and emissions inspection.

I don't see the problem???

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I don't see the problem???

Not one, if you only roll old stuff like I do!
Both trucks need a lil love before I take them to the inspection station though.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Not one, if you only roll old stuff like I do!
Both trucks need a lil love before I take them to the inspection station though.

Speaking of.... I'm thoroughly convinced that the last two vehicles I took to get inspected, got a lick-n-stick.

There were issues that I thought for SURE weren't going to pass the State Corruption (read - emissions) inspection.

Low and behold, two hours and $60 (each) later they both had stickers.

But ya know, having a light bar on my CVPI would have failed inspection at that same inspection station.

Lastly - while we are on the subject of inspections, there's a few things I'm not sure are going to pass with my current project.

1. The heat shield under the passenger side floor pan. It's rotted right through (the heat shield, not the floor pan).

2. Drivers side rocker panel. It's not terrible, but it's not great. I'm hoping some spray foam and a little bondo will allow it to slither through inspection. Hell, the cab corners on my 05 Silverado passed from that same workaround.

3. Even after all that engine work, I still have a check engine light. I have yet to scan the codes, but what more can it possibly want? Moreover, who expects a 36 year old truck to actually pass an emissions test?

4. I still have an oil leak from somewhere. I'm 99% sure it's coming from the valve cover gaskets. They didn't fit right to begin with, and having those strange aftermarket valve covers isn't helping AT ALL. The gaskets that are supposed to be a direct fit are junk rubber as opposed to cork. Not a fan....

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Speaking of.... I'm thoroughly convinced that the last two vehicles I took to get inspected, got a lick-n-stick.

There were issues that I thought for SURE weren't going to pass the State Corruption (read - emissions) inspection.

Low and behold, two hours and $60 (each) later they both had stickers.

But ya know, having a light bar on my CVPI would have failed inspection at that same inspection station.

Lastly - while we are on the subject of inspections, there's a few things I'm not sure are going to pass with my current project.

1. The heat shield under the passenger side floor pan. It's rotted right through (the heat shield, not the floor pan).

2. Drivers side rocker panel. It's not terrible, but it's not great. I'm hoping some spray foam and a little bondo will allow it to slither through inspection. Hell, the cab corners on my 05 Silverado passed from that same workaround.

3. Even after all that engine work, I still have a check engine light. I have yet to scan the codes, but what more can it possibly want? Moreover, who expects a 36 year old truck to actually pass an emissions test?

4. I still have an oil leak from somewhere. I'm 99% sure it's coming from the valve cover gaskets. They didn't fit right to begin with, and having those strange aftermarket valve covers isn't helping AT ALL. The gaskets that are supposed to be a direct fit are junk rubber as opposed to cork. Not a fan....

WOW....
I think that Rawhide got a lick and stick in late '22 when he was in for the hydro boost diagnosis and replacement (the second time, and when he was actually fixed). The basic safety inspection is $7 so no biggie on top of the $1300 for fixing the truck properly....
One reason I haven't retitled the trucks yet, is it's gonna be expensive. Other reason is, our DMV office is all the way across Houston, and has very little parking (Burb parking was fun enough, when we last went over there)and even with the required appointment you'll be over there all day. Have had many other more pressing/necessary things to spend time and $$$ on the last few months..... And my work schedule is not set very far in advance and is subject to last minute changes.(but hey at least I have a job!)(being unemployed for several months last year was another thing that slowed this process up!).

 

[Schurkey]

You folks have to get new TITLES for your vehicles? That's just crazy.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

You folks have to get new TITLES for your vehicles? That's just crazy.

Yup if the owner changes in Texas, you have to retitle the vehicle. Has to be re registered....

 

[DeCaff2007]

You folks have to get new TITLES for your vehicles? That's just money.

LoL fixed it for ya


In all seriousness (and back on topic), however, I may be getting a new cross member after all. To bring everyone up to speed, the LCA's good to go. The new bushings are in, the sway bar link ports are fixed, and the new ball joints are installed.

The one thing I can not do as of yet is press the Tbars from the LCA's. The tool hasn't come in, yet. According to the gubbmint run mail service (who do NOTHING if it's a holiday or there's gasp - snow!), my tool won't be here until Monday.

@Schurkey, please remind me why I have to remove the Tbars from the LCA's again?

Ok, so aside from all of the above, I went to remove the cross member that the keys were in and ran into more problems.

What you see here is a bracket that mounts on either side of the cross member, along with a rubber bushing, and what used to be the 10mm bolt that went through it.

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Now, the hole in the cross member where that bolt is supposed to go. Y'all think it's a little worn?

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Realistically, I can fix it all. It's the same concept behind welding a big washer onto a body bushing mount on a frame, just smaller.

Is it worth it? Well, I'm probably NEVER going to find that bracket anywhere, and the other side is actually OK.

It's the rubber bushings I'm worried about. Amazingly, there's still a part number printed on them from 19-gawd-only-knows-when. EDIT: Ran the part number through my usual mail order solutions. Found them at Tasca Parts and ordered a pair.

As for the cross member, well, if I look hard enough, I can find one. Question is: How much time and money do I want to spend to find it? The yards around here will NOT have something like this.

Lastly, I don't think I'm getting to the yard tomorrow. We got hit with more snow than anticipated, with supposedly more on the way tomorrow. I think I'll just stay home and fix what I have, lol.

 

[termite]

We got hit with more snow than anticipated, with supposedly more on the way tomorrow.

And we got less than anticipated but still enough to make a mess.

Keep chipping away at it, I'm enjoying seeing the progress.