W350 Crew Cab - The ultimate first gen - Pics and history

[RSchwarzli]

BWAAAA HA HA HA, the early pic of the frame going down the driveway... . looks like it was trying to get away, like a puppy from a bath!!!:-laf I love it!! Great job on the whole shebang. I'm sure glad to see more than a hubcab coming out to the hub... . Did they carry two spares?

Yeah. LOL. No spares when I got the truck! That issue is solved now. Will be putting 19. 5 aluminums on it!



LOL. I do love that shot too! :-laf

Also, do you have many miles on the Gear Vendor? I've had hell with mine, it doesn't do well with pulling a trailer, it seems. I try to change the oil every 10,000, and it drains glitter out every time... . The first one was in it when I got it, and it lasted about 25K before it completely quit, and this one only has around 20k on it, and the last 5-6 times I've changed the oil, it's not been pretty.....

My gear vendors that is in th 1990 has about 30K on it. It also has glitter in the oil. Seems to be holding though.



Do you use the e brake with the GV on?

OK on the Frame , Im trying to reframe from welding in a mount for the Clutch Master cylender . I thought about a 94 to 99 or so master cylender since they bolt on , the later ones are adjustible . But no one has yet to answer my question ( parts houses included ) that can tell me the lenghth of the push rods of a 93 unit and the later units .

If there was both on the shelf it would be easy to tell does any one have this answer or work some place that can look and measure it ?????? I called South bend , no help there either but said " measure it then we can fix you up " Thats no help you cant measure it in the truck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What rod are you talking? The slave the throw out bearing or the one to the brake pedal?



As for the 93 master that connects to the pedal, mine just fits in. No messin around. Does yours not?

What ever happened to the old style manual over under drive aux. boxes you used beable to buy they never had any issues ? Plus the second stick in the truck was fun !!!

I will be running three shifters!



One for 6 speed, one for high/low range. One for 4wd. I have them connected all on their own now!

 

[HHhuntitall]

Hmm, no, that truck doesn't have an exhaust brake on it, hell, the pump is even stock!! ..... I guess I'll be going back to a regular two piece drive shaft when this one goes. The GVs are a little expensive. I got curious today, and while changing the engine oil in my Dad's '97 2x4, we drained the oil in his GV. It was NOT pretty!!#@$%! I must be a fortune teller, as I can see hate mail coming in the near future..... We changed his after the first 10k, and it had glitter. Now, after another 10k, it was a little larger glitter... ... :{ His truck is really running some power to the ground, so that tells me it's not good. Cummins got the BHP at 192 through the rear wheels, so it tells me it's just a matter of time... . Dad was not happy. He really likes his, especially when he's not carrying a trailer. He went to San Angelo in it a few months ago, and got 23mpg down and back. He doens't run it with a trailer, either, so I'm pretty concerned, hence the reason I asked. Thanks for the intel, though!

 

[DVolk]

On the clutch master im talking about the shaft to the clutch pedal . On the current cab it fits fine but on my replacement cab a 85 is what i need to figure out . The 93s twist and lock in , but on a 85 cab no provisions for that on the fire wall . I dont want to cut and hack the fire wall like was done on the cab im replaceing . Id also like to find the exact mounting area to swap the 4x4 stuff onto a 2wd frame . That cab is heavy !!!!!!!!! Any ideas ?

 

[dodgenstein]

The square retainer for the clutch MC is a bracket bolted to the pedal support. There is a large round hole in the firewall for the snout of the MC to pass through. The bracket in question is a 90 degree channel shape, with a square hole in the firewall side and 2 holes in the pedal support side. On my 85 cab swap to a 91, I had to splice in the bulkhead area, because the bulkhead interfered with the MC area.

 

[HHhuntitall]

The square retainer for the clutch MC is a bracket bolted to the pedal support. There is a large round hole in the firewall for the snout of the MC to pass through. The bracket in question is a 90 degree channel shape, with a square hole in the firewall side and 2 holes in the pedal support side. On my 85 cab swap to a 91, I had to splice in the bulkhead area, because the bulkhead interfered with the MC area.

Yep, did the same thing on my '85 victim... I tacked a bead with a wire welder in mine, too. No need to underdo things, right?

 

[dodgenstein]

Excellent! I was going to get a similar picture in my truck when my son got home, but you got one for me.

 

[DVolk]

So that bracket is what hold the mastercylender in ? So it does the " Twist And Lock "

to hold it in place , if its just a matter of using a hole saw for the hole then spot welding

the bracket in place that is no big deal . Why couldnt a small carrage bolt or small studs be used on the bracket ? What hits ? The brake booster or ? Why couldnt the 85 booster be used if that is the issue ? Still for mounting ease Does any one know if a 94 to 99 or so master will work in place of the twist and lock units ? The later model ones are adjustible . I hope some can answer this question I REALLY DONT WANT TO CUT AND HACK THE FIREWALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAS ANY ONE DONE THE 4x4 FRAME CONVERSION ??? If so Do you have the mounting location refrence points ?

 

[dodgenstein]

I have a couple of cabs sitting around, one an early cab (around a 1986) and one a 1991 cab. I will try to check the exact differences in firewall dimensions when I am out in the shop tomorrow. The bracket is bolted to the pedal support in the factory design. The spotweld was added as a builders option.

 

[HHhuntitall]

I have a couple of cabs sitting around, one an early cab (around a 1986) and one a 1991 cab. I will try to check the exact differences in firewall dimensions when I am out in the shop tomorrow. The bracket is bolted to the pedal support in the factory design. The spotweld was added as a builders option.

Builder's Option? :-laf That's the most PC term I've heard today!! Yeah, the bracket was hard to get in to drill the holes in place on the steering column, so after I got one in, I spot welded it in 4 places just to be sure. I broke the only bit that was short enough for my angle head drill, and I'd already been to town that week. The bracket is basically a piece of angle iron with gussets made into it. In the picture, to the left of the Master Cylinder, not really visible, is one 3/8 bolt installed horizontally in the shadow behind the pedal hinge rod, and a small bead ran forward along the top and bottom of it to hold it to the steering column. I'm not sure about the adjustment limits on the 99 or so Master cylinders. I'd imagine they're almost identical to the 94-98, so I'll try to get one down tomorrow if I get time and check to see how much a difference there is. I don't think there's much. I did use a hole saw to cut mine, and I had to move the wire loom over some to align it where I wanted and fit the '91 wire loom connector. That's the beauty of a wire welder, you can put the metal back when you take it out!! The two spot welds you see through the bracket are just to keep the firewall from moving. They were probably overkill, and I'd probably not do that again. On these trucks, without some form of brace to hold it, I'd not mount the master cylinder directly to the firewall. I'd think it would flex too much and eventually break out.



BSchwarzli, you never specified your air compressor to run your air bags?? You got a Briggs in the back with a pump on it?



Oh!! And on the Ramcharger rear fuel tank, what kind of mods did that take to mount it? I've got the valve and wiring, but what straps, brackets, etc does it take. That sounds very interesting to me, as my '85 is a short bed, and the stock tank and I are having an argument at the moment. Seems the pick up tube assembly fell off into the tank the day I got it running, and I can't get the ratcheting assembly to unsrew... ... ... draw straw, anyone?

 

[DVolk]

I think on the Ramchargers They use all the same size of fuel pickups so id say just swap in the correct fuel pick /sending unit etc

 

[dodgenstein]

Pictures of the different firewalls

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[dodgenstein]

Didn't know how to enlarge the pics, larger images in my gallery.

 

[RSchwarzli]

That should do it!

Pictures of the different firewalls

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[Harlacher]

I cannot wait to see the completed truck. I envy you so much, sitting in the drivers seat of that beast knowing that every nut and bolt on it have been turned/tuned/torqued/drilled or modified by you. The smile should go from ear to ear.

 

[DVolk]

So which cab is which ? It almost apears the steering wouldnt even line up ???



So what needs to be done to install the master for the clutch in the truck ?



That bracket inside the dash looks like it would unbolt since you need to use it any how for the clutch/brake pedals etc and the colom , Im definately want function with out hacking , wires can be reran to be used any more clarifications ?

 

[Paychk]

Red is 91, Grey is 86

 

[snuff]

nice restro job, what kind of over/under drive do you have?

 

[dodgenstein]

Thanks for enlarging them. Paychk is correct on the ID. Pics in my gallery can be enlarged and the measuring tape is somewhat legible. Actually the steering is the only hole the same. The bulkhead connector is moved outboard on the later trucks and the large round hole is for the clutch MC. If you look closely, the 12" mark on the tape is above the upper hole for the steering column in both pics.

 

[DVolk]

Other than haveing fun with the exsisting small hole at the clutch master location it apears the older cab would be easier to fit every thing in its need spot . Am i wrong ?

Is there any lip on the out side edge of the 91 ? I just want to confirm the twist and lock application is the bracket were the pedals mount is the situation that needs to be swaped in to the new cab

 

[dodgenstein]

It's been a while since I spliced in the firewall section on my 85 cab for my 91 (replacement cab for the red one pictured), but it seems like the hole for the bulkhead fitting was too close to fit the clutch MC in place. Other than hole sizes and location, the two firewalls are the same.