How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[rob love]

I won't speak as to what ir original for the chev CMP, but common practice for brake lines (and fuel lines) is that they are clamped along the frame rails so there is no vibration of the line. There should be no need for grommets of any kind on the holes through the crossmembers, as a properly clamped tube should not be moving. It should be bent so it is not touching the edge of the hole of the crossmember.



Princess auto sells the wiring clamps with the rubber cushioning in them. In the military supply system they are called clamp loops, and come in a large variety of mounting hole sizes as well as the clamp size. They will be on sale starting on the 4th of March at Princess. They are prefect for securing the brake lines.

[Grant Bowker]

The route looks OK.
Yes, there would have been grommets (talk with Brian Asbury - he used to have them in felt, early ones may have been rubber).
Securing clips were used along the lines (and even if they hadn't been used originally I would put them on to ensure against vibration wearing through the line at any contact points you don't notice). Most surviving clips I've seen have been plain metal similar in shape to the photo.

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks guys for the comments. Headed back out to the shop

[Jordan Baker]

The long line to the rear went in just fine. I then got the ends marked up with a sharpiand then pulled the line out for putting the double flare. Thanks to the fact that the nickel copper line is very flexible things went well. Today I finished making up the rear lines. Everything went rather well and I’m quite pleased.

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Thanks to the fact that the nickel copper line is very flexible things went well.

Looks good, sounds like you didn't find it too bad.
It sounds like you may have partly unbent the line to remove for flaring and then re-bent on re-install? If so, be careful of how many times you bend in the same place. Two factors to consider: work-hardening may make your life harder by making the line more difficult to bend where it has already been bent a couple of times and excessive bend cycles will weaken almost any material. That said, 3 bends (2 in, 1 out) probably won't have large effects.

[Jordan Baker]

Grant, I did think about the work hardening but they were fine.

Today I greased up the new front out wheel bearings. I ordered a pair of Timken 399a’s. They pressed in just fine. I also installed new hub seals.

Lastly I removed the front left steering knuckle for rebuilding. I’ll need to work out the inner axle seal and the felt for the seal.

One question on the rebuild of the knuckle. I’m planning on sandblasting the outer part but what should I do about the polished surface where there is some rust? I don’t feel that sandblasting is the best

[David Dunlop]

Jordan.

Is it the depth and amount of rust pitting that is of concern? If so, could the entire surface be cleaned, built up with some nickel plating and then cut back down to spec?

David

[Jordan Baker]

The rust is mostly surface rust. I think mostly from sitting for a number of years. I may just wirewheel it and see how it turns out.

[Jordan Baker]

Front brakes have all been rebuilt and are now ready to go. New wheel cylinders installed. Original brake shoes with new pads. Anti seize is on all the adjustment points to ensure a trouble free life.

[Jordan Baker]

Both steering knuckles have been fully disassembled and degreased. I also removed the bearing races as they had some pitting in them. Lastly is a picture of the home made into pin puller I made up. It worked like a charm and the pins pulled out trouble free.

[Jordan Baker]

Waiting for a number of parts orders to arrive and for spring to get here (can’t come soon enough). I removed the rear hub to start breaking it all down to individual components. New bearings, seals, pads, wheel cylinders and drums skimmed are in line to be done.

[Lynn Eades]

Jordan, I'd just clean it up those balls with a bit of emery tape.

[Bob Carriere]

Hi jordan

At least your rear drum was nice and dry with no leaks....

On the front axle..... did you get new NOS felts from LWD.... or are you making your own........ which ever you use you might want to consider oiling them very well by soaking...... I used the thick chain oil....... warm up the oil in a cake pan....... don't let Vicky catch you...... the oil will get thinner....... and do this outside...... thin out the oil with some acetone..... squish the felt until really soaked ......cover and let it turn thick again..... wipe excess and install.

The surface rust on the ball ..also called the eggcup in mixed company.... can be buffed out with ajax powder and a wet 3M pad.

I also found that the syringe needle that fits on your grease gun....they sell them at Tractor supply....will fit nicely inside the roller bearings and you can really pack them in easier and use less wasted grease.

Your hands will be soft as silk when that job is done.

[Jordan Baker]

Front steering knuckles have all been cleaned up and I’ve begun painting them.

[Jordan Baker]

Rear brake drums/hubs and the rear brake backing plates came back from the sandblasters. I’m always impressed with the quality that is done by the guy I use.

I also got a nice care package from LWD Parts.

[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Rear brake drums/hubs and the rear brake backing plates came back from the sandblasters. I’m always impressed with the quality that is done by the guy I use.

I also got a nice care package from LWD Parts.

Hi Jordan

The picture at the bottom of the care package , showing the Felt Ball Seals, to add to the CMP knowledge base could you take a photo of the end and take some measurement along with the length measurements?

Enjoying watching your progess.

Cheers Phil

[Grant Bowker]

From the felts that Bob Carriere bought years ago from Dirk, there is a strip of rubber with felt laminated to each side. It is quite possible that plain felt strips could work but I have no experience with this. I suggest caution when Bob says to thin the oil you soak the felt in before installation with acetone - I don't know but can imagine the acetone attacking the rubber layer.
If anyone plans to make their own seals of pure felt, keep in mind that there are multiple grades of industrial felt (variable hardness and absorbency) some better than others for holding lubricant or resisting rubbing.... I also suggest using a factory (or cut to the same standard) edge against the ball and any rougher cut edge in the groove of the housing. Smoothest edge against the ball for a better seal. Alternately, if you can get the exact thickness needed and cut strips off a sheet, put the thickness perpendicular to the ball and neither cut face acting to seal on the ball. These are suggestions based on thought, not experience.

[Jordan Baker]

I’ll get some measurements of the NOS seals tomorrow. I keep forgetting.

Anyway I went back and touched up all the paint on the springs and the front and rear axles. Everything had been sandblasted a few years ago when I started in on the truck. However I noticed while making up the brake lines that I had missed a lot of spots with my sprayer. I went back with a wire brush and cleaned off all the loose stuff then gave it a good coating of fresh POR15. Once dry I finished off with a coating of their tiecoat primer. Now I just need to finish off with the final colour coat.

I also started taking apart the parking brake linkages. However I’ll have to replace the threaded section of the one as it had the threads chewed up screwing the one end off. My question with these rods is, should they be straight? I’m assuming the bends in them are just from life.

Lastly my truck had what I believe to be one original parking brake cable. From what I can tell it matches other ones as seen on this site. If it’s deemed to be original I’ll start modifying the ones I bought from MAC’s. They are similar but different.

[Jordan Baker]

Not much today except for the fact I made up two new ends to go onto the cables from Mac’s. These thread onto the threaded section and then match up to the original fittings.

[Jordan Baker]

I did a bit of painting today to get the axles and suspension back to SCC2. Things are looking good.

Also a comparison of the original parking brake cable and the new one with the screw on end I made up.

[Jordan Baker]

Back at it after a week away. Today I replaced the threaded section of the parking brake adjusters due to the originals being bent up or rusted out in places. I picked up a 3’ long section of threaded rod and welded in the new pieces. All is now good and the ends thread on very well.

[Jordan Baker]

The steering connecting rod is now back together. A couple of questions though that I’ve got. Is there supposed to be some kind of dust seal under the sheet metal cover? Lastly are these the correct style of grease fittings?

[Mike Cecil]

Yes, it was rubber, shaped like the outer shell with a raised edge that protruded though the central hole.

I had a box full but they were old and had gone brittle, so split as you put one over the ball of the steering arm.

Mike

[Jordan Baker]

Hi Mike. Thanks for the info.

[Jordan Baker]

It was a busy afternoon in the shop today. The rear brake backing plates were primed then onto making a bunch of seals and installing a number of seals. Front tie rod got new outer dust seals. I made them out of neoprene. I used the dished washer to stamp out new ones in the press. The original internal felt seals were cleaned and re installed as they were in great shape. What a job getting the tie rod sealing plate installed. Thankfully the pulled could be used as a pusher to compress internal spring.

[Jordan Baker]

I also made up new neoprene seals for the steering control arm. Installed new front axle seals and the bearing races for the front steering knuckles. Lastly it’s fun trying to figure out where all the bolts go again.

[Bob Carriere]

We have been using the leather seals used on Dodge M 37.... the leather benefits form soaking in Neats Foot oil overnight but htye work amazingly well and readily available.


On the grease fittings or any other shinny bolt head...... get yourself a small bottle of gun blue solution available in blue or black.... they go black and seem to eventually hold paint better.


Bob C

[Jordan Baker]

Just re reading the manual section on the steering knuckles. Two questions come up for me.

#7 (yellow) mentions installing a new “retainer pin”. What is this pin retaining?

#2 (red) “pack the steering ball socket”. Just how much do I pack in there? Any pictures of how much?

[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Just re reading the manual section on the steering knuckles. Two questions come up for me.

#7 (yellow) mentions installing a new “retainer pin”. What is this pin retaining?

#2 (red) “pack the steering ball socket”. Just how much do I pack in there? Any pictures of how much?

Hi Jordan

#7 The pin locates the center ball, without the pin the whole thing sort of falls apart as you try to put into the housing. Sort of like one of those Chinese wooden puzzles where you pull out one piece and it falls apart.

#8 how much grease- As much as you can get to stick to it, memory says there is a service bulletin that lists a weight of grease which I'll look for. The manual says to add grease, at service intervals, through the plug, but that to me is putting the new grease on the out side of the moving parts so I have a tube can insert through that plug into the center of the ball so that new grease gets pumped in to the center of the works.

Really enjoy watching your progess.

Cheers Phil

[Jordan Baker]

Hi Phil

I did not mean the pin that the centre ball sits on as referenced to in step 1. There is another pin that is driven in. It dissects the shaft below where the centre pin sits.