37 IHC Build

I just picked up my grill shell today. Your right about having some room with it. Great build[cl

Thanks Tyster! I've been following your build...excellent work. I like the pitman arm idea and your floors turned out really good. I found my grill shell on ebay...I was lurking there every day and when I saw it I couldn't hit the "Buy It Now" button fast enough. The guy selling it didn't even know it was an IHC grill...he thought it was from a ford. Yours looks good...shouldn't be a problem to get it right. Keep up the good work!

The 8.8 Clutch Pack Replacement

I was pumped up today because yesterday I ordered my wheels and tires. So I have to get the front and rear axles ready. The front is good to go...got the rotors mounted today. The rear, i had to do some finish welding on the control arm brackets and replace the clutch packs in the 8.8 center section. One of the things that I wanted to point out was the way that the 8.8's were put together back in the day. When I was a machanic back in the 80's and 90's we use to get a lot of the 5.0 mustangs with rear diff problems. Most of them had burned out clutch packs from JR. side steeping the clutch at 6000 rpms, so we would take things a part and replace the bearings and clutch packs. One of the things that we noticed back then was the clutch pack setup. Ford put a friction plate against the gear which left a gap in the contact pad of the friction plate. We worked around that by putting one of the steels against the gear then a friction, then two steels, one friction, then one steel, then one friction, then the shim. In the pictures you can see the gap I'm talking about. Also the difference in measurement between the old pack and new pack do not include the ridge that the gap left...so the .632 was more than likely .620 - .625...very loose for 8.8. Hope this helps others that are doing the same thing...if not I guess I typed all this for nothing. HaHaHa!

I'll finish putting the rear together tomorrow night. Wheels and tires should be here by Wednesday...might have a full roller by Friday!

Step 1 - Soak new clutch pack in gear oil
Step 2 - Remove ring gear (mark it before you remove)
Step 3 - Remove S-Spring and spider gears by removing the cross pin retainer then sliding out the cross pin itself. (be very carful removing the retainer...if its been in there for a while and abused...it might break!)
Step 4 - Remove side gears (make sure to remove shim...normally stick inside housing)
Step 5 - Replace clutchs S-F-S-S-F-S-F-Shim
Step 6 - Replace side gears in housing
Step 7 - Replace spider gears
Step 8 - Replace S-Spring (Not Fun!) There is a special tool for this, but I don't have it! I just beat the thing in with a pieace of wood. Be careful doing so.
Step 9 - Replace Cross pin and new retainer...use proper torque specs
Step 10 - Replace ring gear...use proper torque specs

I got the rear of the radius rods mounted to the frame today with a through bolt, using a piece of 5/8's DOM tube and tacked into place. I'm a big fan of through bolts whenever possible. I also made sure to drill the hole so that the DOM tubing sits parallel with the radius rod so the heim joint sits properly. I'm using a 5" grade-8 5/8 bolt with a locking washer and nut on the inside. Should be very strong and hold up well to the road bumps and thumps.

Rolling!

I got the wheels and tires in yesterday and had them mounted and balanced. I was going to wait until Friday to get them mounted on the truck because I had to finish rebuilding the rear end....But...I couldn't wait so I went right to the garage after work and got to it!

I got the rear end finished, but I might have to repaint it...no biggie...I really wanted to see these wheels on the truck. I'll push it outside and get some full profile shots this weekend. I really like what I see so far!

Had a little treat at the end of the night!

Let me know what you guys think!

Nice progress great run down on the rearend build

Jim

Thanks Jim! I wasn't sure if I should have posted the rear end rebuild...didn't know if it would be appropriate on a build thread. I don't see much of that kind of thing in other build threads...just hope that it helps someone.

I'll bolt in my tie rod and draglink tomorrow and push it outside for some real photos...kind of hard to roll it around right now with the front tires going their own way!

This was a major hurdle for me...I don't know about you guys, but I got a new spark last night when I saw my truck with tires on it for the first time?

Buddy, this thing is looking good now. Looking forward to seeing more![cl

oh yeah..need that profile pic I really like thetruck,like the wheels and tires and I like the same kind of beer.. Really nice work

blacksheep said:

Buddy, this thing is looking good now. Looking forward to seeing more![cl

Click to expand...

Thanks Blacksheep! More pictures to come this weekend. Been following your build since day one...you're almost there!

Tim...Ok said:

oh yeah..need that profile pic I really like thetruck,like the wheels and tires and I like the same kind of beer.. Really nice work

Click to expand...

Thanks Tim! I was going to go with smoothies and white walls, but I'm digging the solid black look. You're build is looking good...and you got a new shop! I'm jealous...make sure to stock it with plenty of cold, delicious Coors Light!

-Troy

RAT IHC said:

Thanks Tim! I was going to go with smoothies and white walls, but I'm digging the solid black look. You're build is looking good...and you got a new shop! I'm jealous...make sure to stock it with plenty of cold, delicious Coors Light!

-Troy

Click to expand...

You are right man. I'm so close to goin for a ride I can't hardly sleep. Maybe Tim will let us use his shop to finish ours. Well Tim??? I know... I know ... no more room right?hahaha

Just finished going through your build, and it's first class. You are very meticulous and careful in your build, which I admire! AND nice welding. Too bad you're so far from Maine. perley

Oldrodder43 said:

Just finished going through your build, and it's first class. You are very meticulous and careful in your build, which I admire! AND nice welding. Too bad you're so far from Maine. perley

Click to expand...

Thanks Perley! Yeah, Maine is too cold for my blood. Heard you guys have good lobsters though! Hey I went over to your build and really like the Highboy! Man you've put some really great work into that...looking foward to seeing more.

Thanks again for checking out my build and the kind words!

-Troy

Pushed it outside today and got some good photos. I'll be working on finishing the chop over the next week or two. Anyone know where to get OE type door hinges?

I'm a big believer that it is easier to solve a problem by staring it down. I was working on finishing the chop today, but I couldn't get things lined up no matter what i tried...it was way off! I finally found that I cut the A-pillars by about 1" too much. Put a 1" spacer in and "Poof" everything lines up! I'm glad I didn't toss the section of A-pillar that I cut out! Also, I'm also going to use the section of the rear window that I cut out to round the corners a little better. Sheet metal work takes me three times longer than anything else so updates and pics after today might be slow going...I'll do my best. [S[S[S

-Troy

Looking good. Good thing ya didn't toss those pillar pieces.

Tyster36 said:

Looking good. Good thing ya didn't toss those pillar pieces.

Click to expand...

Yeah...thank goodness I'm a hoarder when it comes to parts...I've had a Holley Carb sitting in my room for the past 20 years.

Thanks for checking out my build.

-Troy

I've came to a sort of a stall on mine. I've had my 73 Camaro on jack stands for the past few mo.s now. Put the trans back in it over the weekend. Got to finish a few little things, then back on the Binder. Got to get the Camaro moving so i can take the cab off and finish the frame and the welds on the bottom floor braces.

like'n it

looks good

l am glad ya went with the blackwalls...l think they are just perfect on this truck[cl

Later