Magnusian

I dunno, that's the way it came. I'm talking to a tech about it via justanswer, but he hasn't raised any real concerns about it yet. I though that valve only did anything if there was a heavy load on the bed, then again, there's a proportioning valve in the engine compartment which looks like an "aftermarket upgrade" since I can't seem to find anything specifically referencing it.

Magnusian

A few updates on as to what I'm doing. While I haven't really started on the bed, I have ordered some of the materials I need after finding some DOM tubing for $1/foot on kijiji, it's unusual diameter so can't be bent without custom tools, but that's find, I wasn't planning on doing a lot of bending and it'll make for great drop-in bed sides. I also went ahead and purchased some new lights from superbrightleds, the PT style ones for taillight/indicators. Am I under the correct assumption that I'll have to change my front indicators to LEDs too? I haven't ordered replacements for those yet and would prefer to modify the original housing to accept LEDs if I need to. On that, which electronic flasher do I need to get so when I go to hook this all up my indicators won't flash like some hippy rave light show?

So anyways, this weekend I had planned on getting the parking brake cables in, mostly to get my truck closer to passing safety, but also so that I could get the handle to go in all the way and turn the annoying brake light off. Unfortunately all I managed to do was replace the front cable, parts of the parking brake system are in serious need of repair and I wasn't able to get the rear cables in as a result, at least that stupid light is off and the handle doesn't smack my knee everytime I hit a small bump.

Pictures of this weekend's failures!

Here you can see the major reason why the handle wasn't going in all the way. The front cable (the only one left in the vehicle by the PO) had started to lose it's covering and began to fray, causing it to bind.


First thing to do was disconnect the brake light switch from the housing so that when the time came, the handle could be pushed in far enough to disconnect the old cable. I disconnected it from the electrical system too, but this is unecessary.


And of course, what it looks like without the switch in place.


Next thing to do was remove the pulley bracket, this is necessary to disconnect the cable (and in my case, to pull on the cable so it wouldn't bind inside while the handle is pushed in). You can see a bit of rust, but overall it was in decent shape (pulley barely worn) and comes off easily, gotta watch out for the bracket for that other cable, it's held onto the pass-side of the pulley bracket with the same bolt and nut.


Unfortunately after this point most of my pictures came out way too blurry, but basically the handle gets pushed out until the cable is disconnected, then the pully is taken apart to get the old cable out. New cable is put into the pulley, hooked up to the handle rod and bolted back on. Here's how it looks after that.


All that's left after this for the front cable is to clip it into place under the cab and connect it to the intermediate arm on the equalizer/adjustment assembly. The arm in question is the one that sticks out and to the left in this picture, the cable isn't hooked up here, but when it is and the handle is pulled out, it pulls on that arm which is what pulls on the rod and equalizer, engaging the brakes.


Also, as you can see in this picture, the equalizer, rod, and adjusting nut are seriously rusted, this, plus the fact the two brackets under the cab for clipping the rear cables are completely mangled (they're basically destroyed) meant that this was a stopping point for me this weekend. I'll have to fabricate new brackets for the locking clips, and if some penetrating oil doesn't save the rod and nut, I'll have to replace those too, only the equalizer really appears to be salvagable. I bet the rod, which is essentially a bent steel rod with a hole in one end and threaded on the other, will run me at least one arm and possibly a leg at the stealership, and the nut will probably require my remainding appendages. If I can't save either, I'll try to manufacture my own rod but go the stealership route with the nut. For some reason I cannot find these parts anywhere but OEM, rock-auto doesn't sell them, neither does 1st toyota, or anywhere else online I've come across. Also, would anyone with 2wd (the rear cable system is different for 2wd and 4wd) be willing to climb under their cab and take pictures of the brackets for the rear cables? Since mine are mangled beyond recognition, I have no idea what they're supposed to look like so I can make new ones.

I'm picking up the steel for the bed sometime this week, still going with a steel frame and rollbar with oak plank decking. Next weekend will probably be dedicated to finishing the parking brakes, pulling out the destroyed LSPV/making a bracket for the bypass line, and prepping the rear for rust protection. On the subject of rust protection, I've looked at using POR15, but am wondering if tremclad (canuckistani rustoleum), would work, I expect given the final height of the bed that I'll have to topcoat the POR15 in most places to protect it against UV, which would be an expense I could do without if at all possible.

Magnusian

Anyone?

golddog111

what did you do to your bed?

Magnusian

It's in limbo right now while I'm working on the axle, I have all the material for making the new bed, I just need to get around to putting it together. I'm also in the middle of replacing the rear brakes so I can actually have a working parking brake.

Team420

One of these might help your brake proportioning valve problem....

http://www.summitracing.com/search/D...s/?Ns=Rank|Asc

Magnusian

It actually turned out the PO of my truck had long since bypassed the LSPV with a manual valve located under my hood, but thanks for the tip!

se7enine

iTrader: (2)

My Aussie worked great in the snow, I never lost control unless I wanted to and gunned it around a corner otherwise it should help you a lot. Especially w/o 4wd.

Magnusian

Arrrr, how long ago did I post this thread? November '09? Geebuz... Did I do nothing last year? I almost feels like it.

Well, I finally started assembling the gosh-darned thing... well over a year after I wanted it done.



I also discovered that I should've re-measured the material I got for the bed when I got it, because it's 4" too wide, so now my bed is going to stick out 2" on both sides of the cab. Oh well.

Here's another view of what's been done so far:

Junkers88

Ok first off I've got to say that for some odd reason I love the hell out of that truck of yours. It just looks like one of those *turn the key and go* farm trucks that gets left out in the field for 9 months a year and every deer season it starts right up and does the work that the newer rigs just can't do.

So. I had a lot of "ideas" for you but most of them have been posted. What I can offer is this. When you get the bed built perhaps you could build it a little heavier than you want and add some coil springs in the rear (ZUK mod) to help with the weight, stop the "bouncing around" and help keep things in order back there. Other than that a good set of tires *cough* Treadwright *cough* will help and although I don't think you'll really need one an Aussie locker is always a nice addition.

I understand that this is a work truck and as such you'll need to make smart purchases when you do buy/upgrade.

Keep up the good work.

edit: Ok just noticed that the axle is under the springs so a ZUK mod would require some plates built for the springs to rest on, or maybe a U-bolt flip kit.... Let me do some research and I'll let you know.

Magnusian

Junkers. Oddly enough, I let her sit for a year (in a shop, not a field) and despite the fact I wanted to change the oil first I decided to turn her over and she started right up and ran...

...for about 10 seconds until it ran out of gas (gas tank is off).

Frame of the bed is 3/16th" thickness material, I was originally gonna go with 1/8th" but decided to go with something a little heavier. It was a good idea too, I'm still a little newb with my welding and like to burn holes through 1/8th" thick material.

Also have a Lock-right waiting for me to put it into the new diff.

Not so sure I need to put coils in the back, this Fabtech UCA kit I ordered came with AALs too. I'm hoping that the AAL won't add much lift since the new bed will be heavier than stock once completed, including the oak (or maybe hemlock) planking and drop-in sidewalls, allowing the longer shackles and leaf spring flip kit I got to do all the lifting. I have the distinct feeling that my truck will end up looking raked, but that's nothing a bunch of farm crap shouldn't be able to weigh down. Of course, since I got the flip kit, if I ever want to put coils in... it shouldn't be hard.

Junkers88

Sweet!! Sounds like you've already done (or are going to do) the things I had in mind for that bad assed little rig. Any pictures yet?

Partner I'm a displaced cowboy so I love farm trucks and look forward to your finished rig. I would offer some advice in that you do some frame treatment (POR 15 or something similar) on the bed and frame before it's all done.

Edit: If it does come out a little raked you can always add in some ball joint spacers up front to level it out a tad. Oh and be sure to get some good shocks. As dumb as this sounds I run Monroe shocks on mine (from NAPA and rather inexpensive) and it's lifted a little.

Edit-edit: UCA kit? I'm unfamiliar with it but I'm guessing it offers a mild lift??

Magnusian

Am going to do, the picture of the partially completed bed on the stripped frame is exactly how she sits right now.

The Fabtech UCA kit offers 3.5" of lift, needs new torsions too. It was the significantly cheaper-than-long-travel option, and when all was said and done I was looking at about $6k for the TC balljoint kit with all the other stuff that is needed, international freight, customs duties, and whatnot vs. $1600, no international freight, no customs duties, etc. It comes with shocks front and rear but I'm not sure if I'll be using them though I haven't heard bad things about Fabtech shocks. The kit is meant for running 30s with some cutting, and my math calls for 31s so I'm gonna have to crank the bars and do some more cutting. Of course I've got to get a pair of 4wd fenders before I cut anything. Considering how much travel my rear is going to actually have (I might have to put in bumpstop extensions) as well, I doubt the shocks that come with the kit will be the right size for the front and rear. Which means some lucky bugger on CL or Kijiji is gonna get some fabtech shocks on the cheap.

Have Dom 16 for the frame, which is the Soviet Canuckistani equivalent to Por 15 or something. Hippo-liner for the metal parts of the bed and I might put a coat or two of the Dom 16 on under it, if I have some left over from the frame.