My 1980 Datsun 720 diesel dually

[wayno]

I got home late this afternoon and din't do a lot to the truck today, I mounted the trailer plug receptacle in the bumper this afternoon but that was about it.
When I got home I pulled apart my air blower thinking that the flywheel came loose, but it had blown up, it appears that a couple of the needle bearings in the rod to crank connection came out and got between the piston and cylinder wall, that one I bought on Craigslist maybe 6 months ago, too bad as I liked that one, it is now parts for my other one and I already used one part and now the other one runs better.

[DRIVEN]

Put that thing to work!

[wayno]

I am thinking I might be liking them LED taillights, the ones there were old but still worked great, and I was able to buy two more of them with the rubber mount rings at the local auto parts store, I even bought 2 pigtails for the old ones I had and they plugged right in and worked great.
My taillights on the work truck are always rusting inside and they quit working within a few years, these two that came with the flatbed looked ancient but work great, I might convert over to these LED taillights on the work truck now, I will have to make the holes bigger though.
If it freezes tonight I will not likely work tomorrow, as frozen gutters don't clean out very well and my fingers start hurting within 5 minutes, but I can then work on wiring the receiver plug for the trailer.

[wayno]

I wired the trailer plug receptacle today and then cleaned up the wires(bundled them) I have made/routed over the last few days, I zip tied them up out of the way where I could, I tested the 4 wire plug with my tow lights(4 wire) that has a trailer converter in line and they work great and so do my taillights that do not have the converter, my turn signals and brake lights are separate on the truck as they came that way when new.
Then I connected the fuel filler tube to the flatbed, I did it in such a way the when I put the dually box back on this truck it will be a bolt in as I made another filler tube for this flatbed and that filler tube is in the box now.
I also installed the tires on the aftermarket dually rims, that was a hassle as the first tires(205s) would not work because they touched each other when I put the rims together, then I tried 185s and they would not work either(same issue), so I have installed and replaced 10 tires and had gotten nowhere, so 8 more removals and installs and I have a set on there that will work(165s), I then balanced them(got all 4 to 0.00) and I then decided to let them sit over night to make sure they hold air, I worked all day and that is all I got done(insert shaking my head here).

[DRIVEN]

Some days just go like that.

[wayno]

This thing can be driven the way it is right now, but I don't trust the adapters with a lot of weight, towing with it is fine.
I need to change out the power steering pump, there is something wrong with it, it drains dry if it sits, it also pukes out the top when I shut down the engine, I believe the screen inside is bad, I have the pump, just need to install it, maybe tomorrow.
I also need to chase down a oil leak, it is not good to leave an oil spot on the road in front of customers houses, they do not like that kind of stuff, that is the reason I don't ever park on cement at customers houses, I park on blacktop, gravel, or out in the street.
It appears I have lost the relay for the Tommy Gate, I cannot seem to find it, I want to be able to turn it completely off if I am not using it, I don't want anyone getting hurt playing with it, I guess I will have to clean out the garage again as I am sure it is in there somewhere.

[wayno]

Today I changed out the power steering pump first, it appears to be better now.
While doing that I noticed the zip ties that hold the intake cover on the throttle body had broken, so I made something a little better, as otherwise it will blow off under boost.

Then I found the relay for the Tommy Gate, installed it and wired it to the switch inside the truck, it works fine.

Next I installed the overload leafs that go over the axle, that was kinda a pain, not sure if I like them.





Next I checked out the flatbed marker lights, one is missing but the rest worked except for the ones behind the Tommy Gate, so I looked on the internet for a while and finally found them, they are obsolete but they recommend another light to fit in the hole, I need one red one.



I drove it and other than the brakes not working that great it drove good, one thing I noticed was that it didn't appear to be charging, so I checked the voltage while off and running, it was the same, so I started looking around the alternator and seen the plug had fell out of its hole, so I plugged it in and started it and I believe it is charging now, while I was looking down there I seen the oil supply line for the power brake vacuum pump had a kink in it, I suspect that is why the brakes are not that great, not sure what to do about it as it is very hard to even get my hand down there, if I cannot figure out how to un-kink the line I may have to buy a longer one that goes past the connection and loop it back around to the fitting.

[wayno]

So today I pried, well actually pushed out one of the LED red marker lights behind the Tommy Gate and hooked it up to the battery and nothing happened, I started tapping on it and it came to life and it has worked every time I tested it after that.
The gasket holding the red light was really stiff, but I finally got the light housing out of the gasket and I then knew how it was put together, I decided to boil the gasket and it got real pliable, I put the gasket into the hole in the bed and then installed the light into the gasket, tomorrow I may wire that side and be done with the marker lights, the wires are already there, I just need to get everything working and then tuck the wires.
I bought a LED replacement light, it's a 2 diode light while the others are 1 diode, if I can find a gasket I may put it in the hole I pried the other one out of, but first I will need to try to get the other rear back side working first, if that one doesn't work I don't see the point, it really depends on if I can get another gasket or 2.



By the way all the gaskets are white, but they have been on the flatbed so long they are black now, but it cleaned up a little when I boiled it, the gasket also appeared to shrink a little as the lens didn't fit as deep into the gasket, but I don't believe it will fall out as it was very hard to get it in the gasket once the gasket was installed in the flatbed.

[DRIVEN]

Little things...

[wayno]

I was unhappy with how high the flatbed was, so I lowered it an inch, that was fairly easy as everything was made the when I mounted the flatbed, so I just made 6 new blocks out of 2X2 metal and replaced the 2X3 blocks, the back two blocks were 2X4 so I replaced them with 2 of the 2X3 blocks I already had made for the front front mounts, the 2 rear mounts are not actually connected to the flatbed frame rails, the rails just sit on the blocks below it, my plan is if they move around side to side to far, I will weld the blocks to the frame rail resting on them, I put them there to take the weight of the Tommy Gate, originally I planned on welding them but forgot to do that and then decided to see if it shifted.
I also have a couple braces on the flatbed that go to the frame on the back I have not connected to the frame yet.





I do not have any work scheduled tomorrow, I bought 4 turbo clamps and ordered a new 18 inch oil line to replace the 6 inch oil line that was kinked, the line had to make to sharp of a bend in the 4 inches it spans, my plan is to loop the line towards the inside towards the block as the outside is where the 2 exhaust pipes are(feed the turbo/turbo exhaust), the inside is the only place for it to go, but I have 2 routes if the first route don't work, this is the oil line for the vacuum pump that operates the power brakes that didn't work all that great anymore, I hope the pump is all right, if not I will have to replace that also.
I also noticed that the red LED marker light that started working when I tapped on it, well it appears it needs a tap to get going now, but I suspect the first bump will get it going.
I am also planning on replacing the side uprights on the flatbed with 2X8 boards like I have on the 521 work truck, I have used 2X8s for years and I don't see a reason to change, it will also allow me to use my stock mirrors although I may have to use peep mirrors up higher for safety.

[wayno]

The oil line for the vacuum pump came in and I installed it and have no leaks, it appears to be working but I will get a better idea once I drive it a little more, I still have to press fairly hard.
I bought all the wood for the flatbed rails, I will likely make them this weekend.
I am still trying to get the tires to hold air on the aftermarket dually rims, 2 are fine, the other 2 leak down overnight, I am hoping I fixed it this time, these tires will drop the back at least another inch if not 2 inches and they will not be using the adapters, I still need 2 more of this size for the front rims.
This truck is getting close to being ready for work use.
I turned the lights on and they didn't come on for a very long time, once they did come on the brights were on and they stayed on for a very long time also, I changed out the relay and there was no difference, so I am kinda baffled at what causes this headlight issue, once the brights go out if I flash the brights they stay on again for a while, but the more I cycle the brights the faster they flip back to regular beams, any ideas anyone?
The stake holes in the flatbed are a weird size, 2 1/4 X 1 5/8ths inches, I am going to the metal yard to see if they have the same type stake material that make up the bed sides right now, I tried 1 1/2 inch angle but it's not quite big enough when installed diagonally, if I welded a flat piece on the bottom it likely would take the play out of it, but I could also buy 2 inch angle and cut the bottom to fit the hole and then bolt the 2X8s to the open side, but if I make it all out of wood it will be cleaner.
Here is a photo of the top of the stake.

[wayno]

I could not find the stake metal so I had to make my own stakes out of wood, things didn't go that well, I caught my right index finger in the blade and took some of the side off(total screw up on my part), then a little while later while pushing the stake thru the blade with my left hand fingers the block bucked for some unknown reason and it pealed back the skin on the tip of my middle finger, the index finger bled for a little while, this other one bled for over an hour, maybe 2 hours, there was blood everywhere by the time I finished everything, both of them are thumping now, and I have went thru a dozen band-aids already.
In all the years I have used these table saws I have never had anything like this happen.
I finished the side boards/front board and it should work the same as what I have now on the work truck, I didn't get photos while it was light outside, but I took a few just now, I cannot go any higher with the boards as it will block my view which is not really that great(mirrors), but it will work till I finish the work truck conversion.
You can see blood in all three photos below.





It never really got warm here today, 41 degrees was it, I went to do a job but left as the debris was frozen inside the gutters.
I made a bunch of mistakes today, hope this is not a trend, I would bet it takes a few weeks to get normal use out of my hands.

[wayno]

I forgot to mention that I finally got the tires to hold air, I had to go to the extreme to get good results, I cleaned the rims before installing the tires, but they seeped air out the lip half way around, and when I put the lead weight on one of them air came pouring out.
The rubber on these tires is soft, a couple places it stripped a layer off the bead, one spot it took a chunk out, what I did was put a very small bead of silicone around the bead on both sides on both tires that would not hold air, then I filled them up and kept them inside overnight, I have not balanced these two tires yet, hoping it doesn't leak when I put the lead on them.
These are old rims from way back, but they are not rusty where the tire rests when filled with air, but the lip on one rim is slightly bent in a couple places, I pounded them straight by eye, but my eyes are not what they used to be, neither are my fingers.

[DRIVEN]

I sure wish you'd be more careful. Maybe you need a vacation.

[wayno]

I have been using them table saws for years, I made most of my pond landscaping out of 2X4s cut to 1/8th inch thick pieces, I then cut the into 3 or 4 inch long pieces to make shingles for all the roofs, hundreds and hundreds of these little shingles put on one at a time with either screws or a small staple gun, never had an issue, now twice in an hour, and both hands, that is what really sucks.
I will be alright, they don't hurt that much, while my shoulder is killing me(arthritis I believe), I am hoping that in a couple weeks at the most the weather will go south and I will not be working for the next couple mounts like normal, I usually have most of Dec, Jan, and Feb off every year.
I thought I was careful, guess not, I was stunned the second time, I could hardly believe it happened twice.

[wayno]

OK, so I actually drove it a couple miles today to fill it up and see if there was a line at the post office machine, I am not liking the overload springs, when they hit it is like a rock, I likely have them installed wrong, they came with that bracket you can see in the photo below, they were riveted to the end of the leafs on both ends, the issue is that 3 of the 4 rivets were broken, so I mounted them with adjuster bolts to keep them still, I expect normally the ends would be able to almost 2 inches, the way I did it they cannot raise any.

I also slid the ends of the overload leafs under the stock straps as you can see in the photo, I don't think they were supposed to be that way either, not sure what I am going to do yet, I likely will remove them for now and install the overload brackets that the "Cab/Chassis's" had, I will look at it tomorrow and see if I can figure out how they were supposed to be mounted.

I also put the aftermarket dually wheel set on this truck, they are not that pretty but they lowered to truck a lot, the tires that were on it were 3 inches taller, my work truck bed is 29 inches off the ground at the rear wheels, this one is at 33 inches now and I have a lot of rear wheel clearance again, I could drop the bed another inch, but the taillight mount housings would be touching/rubbing the top of the rear bumper.


The fact is I am doing all this so I can work even though I will have taken the work truck apart, but I really don't want to work this time of year anyway, normally people have quit calling already, but it is clear outside and they are still walking around outside, when it start raining they will quit calling.

When I starting filling the truck with diesel it started leaking out the lower extension I installed, I will have to re-do the filler tube, I stopped at $30.00 so it would not continue to leak on the ground from being over filled with fuel going up the neck.

[DRIVEN]

Honestly, I was trying to figure out those overloads when you first posted them.

[wayno]

I bought the rims and leafs off the truck, but the shackles were much longer, I have the stock shackles on this truck which leave only an inch before the bump stops hit the overload leafs, I don't want to use them tall shackles as I want to lower the truck not raise it higher.
I likely didn't install them properly as 3 of the 4 brackets(riveted on) had broken off the ends of the leafs, the other side is counter sunk, I could go to the hardware store and buy tapered head machine screws that are flush with the leaf surface like the rivets.
The thing is I don't know what keeps these leafs centered and straight/inline with the leafs below the way they were, they appear to float with the end brackets holding them in place even though the end brackets have 2 inches of up/down play before they were to function.
I thought about removing the bump stops to see if the ride was better as that is what is messing it up, but I do know that it is to soft to haul any real weight without something else to help it, it rides like a car with the 720 box on it.
I will think about it some more.

[wayno]

I did a bunch of stuff today, when I went out this morning one of the dually rear tires was flat, so I did the same thing to it that I did to the other two that would not hold air, I will see if it worked on that tire tomorrow.
I also removed all 4 brackets on the leafs, I then removed the rear bump stops and threaded the bolts back into the holes to keep dirt out and I then test drove it, it is way better, I can go over the speed bumps without slowing down now, I lowered the front but had to raise it back up as the exhaust pipe started hitting the ground, it's a huge 3 inch pipe hanging below the frame cross member, I also cut the rear outlet level as the inner lower side touched the ground also.
I found all 4 of the center caps for these aftermarket dually wheels, I installed them, but the emblems are missing, oh well, maybe I will find a Datsun sticker to put on the ends of the caps.

My right front wheel has some negative camber, I thought it might be the lower ball joint, so I unbolted the ball joint from the lower arm and it was fine, so I unbolted the upper ball joint and it was fine also, maybe something is bent, it has the early 620/720 disc brake non-vented rotors, when I change the 521 over to the new frame, them brakes will follow the truck, so the 86 Nissan 720 brakes will go on this truck, so I will not do any more till the new brakes are on it, if it is still messed up I will figure it out and do something about it.













The flatbed is a little high in the back, it will be difficult to lower the back, but I can raise the front fairly easy, I am not sure if I will deal with it or not yet, it's not much and it is a work truck, maybe it will settle.
I have the tailgate down because I don't have to have a special mirror with it down. but that will change when and if I tow the trailer.

[DRIVEN]

Notice much of a power difference with all that added bulk?