Quote:
Originally Posted by slowmover
Great news on the axle/gear swap!!
Can't remember if tires were discussed. Truck-spec closed-shoulder highway rib tires would be my choice for another "major" change. Or, what is best suited to climate/terrain and truck use in a premium brand of tire if time/miles anticipated warrant it (MICHELIN, not BFG; Bridgestone, not Firestone. Etc). Tires are not the place to go cheap. They'll more than pay for themselves on a work truck. Same with shocks: Bilstein over Monroe, etc.
Has brake drag been looked over, front and rear axles? Same for steering slop, from column out through end links . . big truck manufacturers note this as a measurable FE problem.
The precise steering and "feel" of a tight front end, well-adjusted brakes/bearings and no-slop steering system coupled to premium tires/shocks is the feedback needed for low fuel burn tactics on a truck. The pieces needed to fit within a "smart use" strategy.
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I rebuilt the front end a couple years ago, and its reasonably tight. There is a bit of play in the steering box, but its not much.
I am coming up on tires being needed. I have some cheaper pep boys tires on there that were rated at 40k and are at less than 20k with about 15% treadlife left, but are starting to show some serious dry cracking.
Definitely going to go higher quality this time, these tires are only 2 years old, so that was a serious waste of money, however they were useful as test tires while I worked out the alignment. Basically they are so crappy I didn't care if I sanded them down.
Brakes also have to be adjusted, I have yet to install a working parking brake in the rear, and then need to dial in the drum brake setup.