Dodge WC-21 Restoration Project

[zepher11]

Hiya Zeph,

What's REALLY bizarre is that the two FRONT hangars of the rear springs... were full of grease, and the pins came out easily! It's like they maintained the truck until they hit the back of the cab, and then forgot the rear of the truck even existed.

I have one front spring hangar that is *slightly* wollard out. I think I can shim it and it'll be fine. I really don't wanna do any more cutting if I can help it.

I'm also reading your WC-26 Carryall thread constantly, watching how you did the springs and all the suspension and axles, as I'm right behind ya timewise... you do me a great honor with your presence on my forum thread, oh mighty savior of the Dodge trucks!!

It may look like I know what I'm doing on occasion, but I'm still learning everyday. Really like learning about these Dodge WC's. I have noticed that the front ends always seem to be well lubed. The rears not so much. Kinda odd.

I did have a rear front hanger wallord out on my WC16 project. I ended up welding it and drilling it to fit. Seemed to work well.

Keep up the good work!

[Ghostrider5211]

Sorry for the lapse in posting. Been very busy at the house. It is going to be a very exciting next few months. We found out last week that we are expecting our second kid next summer! My wife is in full on nesting mode and I'm the brawn to make her wishes come true. In about a decade or so I'll have two young drivers standing by for convoy duty!

Anyway, I tore apart the driver's side headlight and all the pieces check out. Some are pretty corroded, but I cleaned all threads and put a good primer layer on everything, so all that light needs is reassembled with a new bulb in it. I'm nowhere near as lucky with the passenger side. The thing is toast. Rusted shut. I worked on it for hours last night. I am going to break the bulb, pull it out, and see if I can try to break something free from the inside (the retainer ring is dust and rust now). I hope to at least salvage the bucket and base, but I'm not holding my breath.

This Saturday my frame is getting moved out of my garage to the company I work for! They have a brand new progressive sand blaster that they will use to blast my frame. I will inspect it, mark out repairs, and the head guy over there in the shop has agreed to weld up whatever needs welded. Then, my frame gets hooked on a conveyor and I will be getting the whole thing powdercoated with a custom OD lusterless powder!! As I am an employee, all of these things are at no cost to me. I'm very blessed. All I gotta do is drop it off, inspect it, and pick it up when it's done... and then... THE REBUILD BEGINS.

There is a little shop called Superior Springs literally less than 500 yards from where I work. They specialize in leaf springs of all sizes, and can do everything from putting the bend back into flattened springs to replacing broken leaves to putting in new bushings. They are excited to go over my springs and tear them apart for me. Looking forward to working with them to get my springs back in action.

[Ghostrider5211]

Saturday morning, I got my friends together and we loaded up the frame, and dropped it off at my company's massive sandblaster unit. There it will remain until it gets its turn for blasting.

I'm now turning my attention to preparing infrastructure in the garage (I didn't do this step because I wasn't planning on taking this truck apart like this). My first goal after building my workbench is to get the front springs delivered to Superior Springs for disassembly and evaluation.

[Ghostrider5211]

Man if I could just remember to update this page...

Over the holidays, my dad and I constructed an 8 foot long by 2'-6" deep work bench to aid in my restoration efforts. I am now much much more organized, and can plan my avenues of attack much better in what gets worked on next.

The pintle hook did not come apart without a fight, and the large clevis pin actually got hung up in one of the holes and snapped at the end! Quite surprising. Everything else is now primed and ready for painting.

I did a lot of grinding, cutting, and flap wheeling to restore the driver's side bumperette and the trailer socket bracket. They had been held together by a bubba bead weld that was at least 1/2" thick. Bubba also had welded a nice piece of L beam steal directly to the bumperette and the front of the bracket. That issue has been rectified. I welded up two holes in the bracket that were drilled in it and with the primer and standing at a distance of 2 feet away you can't notice anything.

All primed parts got two coats. I'm extremely happy with how the parts came out. They look beautiful. I'm so happy I elected to save this truck. It's held some nasty surprises, but it's been a joy to work on.

With the Budd wrench now in hand, I was able to finish taking the wheels off the rear axles. The hubs look well preserved in a nice layer of grease. After I get done chasing all these threads on these nuts and bolts, I'm going to hoist that bad boy up on the bench and start working on it! I hope there isn't much wrong with it... would be nice to just have a sandblasting session to clean, replace some seals, and let her rip!!

Frame is still at OGI... not in a hurry to get it back. I'm just taking my time, enjoying the open space, and preparing parts for immediate installation upon its return. This spring is going to be a LOT of fun!!

I checked out the stamped date codes on all my wheels. All are prewar, 3 being stamped 41, and one stamped 40. That particular wheel still has a Firestone NDT on it that's in decent condition.

[Ghostrider5211]

Well now, this is a good step forward!! Finally got the rear axle up on the bench and disassembly has begun! Everything in the axle housing is coated in oil, which is a good sign, even if it means something is leaking.

I was told by the head of finishing today that my frame should be ready for pickup as early as next weekend!!

The rebuild segment of this project is just about underway!

[zepher11]

Nice. Those assembled axle housings are a bit heavy...eh? Looking good!

[Ghostrider5211]

Nice. Those assembled axle housings are a bit heavy...eh? Looking good!

Hiya Zeph,

It was a bear to try and do this alone. Slow and steady, methodically going through each motion. That's how it's done.


In other news, I found out NAPA has a nice 3" deep, 2-9/16" socket for the bearing nuts! Just what I need! I'd like to preserve everything I can on this truck (I'm not very wealthy so I'm saving whatever is good and safe to reuse), so beating on the nut edge with a screwdriver isn't a wise idea. I also dropped off my front set of springs to the guys at Superior Spring, right next door to me. They'll evaluate and tear them apart so I can blast, prime, and paint them. They'll also put the bushings in for me and reassemble them once I bring them back from my paint booth. This is exciting news, and hopefully not too expensive. One spring has 8 leaves, and one has 9 leaves. I don't know why that is... sounds like bubba to me. My big knowledge weaknesses on these trucks is the suspension system and the steering. I'm glad to have a shop within 500 yards of me.

[Ghostrider5211]

I'm really sorry about the pictures that don't come out oriented correctly... I'm working to figure out why that is.

Anyway, both drums removed from the rear axle now. Brake shoes look like they have lots of life in them! Brake cylinders have 0 life left in them.

This looks like a simple seal replacement and button it up operation, post cleaning and finishing, of course. All the bearings are Timkens and all of them look good to go!

I'll have this axle taken over to OGI for blasting in another week or so. If I can time this properly I'll maybe have the axle just about ready to put back under the frame when it arrives! I'll focus on the more important task of getting my springs done though. I counted the leaves on both my rear springs. 10 each. Perfect.

Very very happy with the progress I'm making in this cold weather. I gotta get a heater in here soon.

Of course, this all depends on the differential not being completely trash. I'm banking on some luck here and saying it's not garbage, but I WILL have a look in there to verify.

[Ghostrider5211]

SNOWMAGEDDON!!

If I can't go out on the roads, at least I'll go to the garage! A whole litany of things happened today! I'm very pleased with the progress.

1.) All the primed parts I had coated weeks ago have received their baptism of paint! The first truck pieces to have been fully restored on this project!

2.) I finished stripping the rear axle of all brake components, then spent a good two hours chiseling off a horrendous amount of dirt off the housing in order to prepare the unit for blasting with corn cob. I'm leaving the U joint in place so as not to disturb that seal, and I have not taken off the cover plate to inspect the differential for the same reason. I have much better confidence that nothing will get into the gears and such if I don't disturb the gaskets and seals. I'll tape the ends off with masking tape or painter's tape or something else prior to sending it out.

3. I removed the oil drain plug and put a can underneath to hopefully catch some oil, if any was left in there. A very good amount, at least a quart, poured out over the duration of an hour or so. I have high hopes that the differential is going to be okay!!

4. I set the now stripped rear axle on the floor, cleaned up my hands, and sprayed a second coat of paint on the parts. I'll likely even do a third coat, because that's how I am. Unfortunately, the blemishes left from bubba are still a little visible. I'm not a professional and I did my best to remove the graphic evidence. I'll count them as battle scars.

5.) I set the hubs up on the table in place of the axle housing and made an attempt to remove the retaining lock rings, oil seals, and bearing cones. And I'll be darned if I wasn't successful at removing them on both sides! I'm very, VERY pleased with the condition of the bearings. I'll be ordering new seals soon because I was going to replace them anyway.

5-1/2 hours of labor in the snow/sleet storm today. I feel great!

[Ghostrider5211]

No pictures tonight but just an update for y'all. I retrieved my front springs from the sand blaster, and boy are they squeaky clean! They are also completely mixed up as nobody read my clear instructions to keep the driver's side leaves in one box, and the passenger side leaves in another box. I wrote it out. They didn't even bother putting them in the boxes... just piled them on a skid. That's what I get for getting free work done on my stuff... SO, I'm extremely happy to have my springs back; I'll prime and paint them over the weekend, and then I take them back to Superior Springs for reassembly... if I can tell which leaves went to which spring... then I'll take them the rear set to take apart... and I'll blast the dumb things MYSELF this time... since i can follow my own instructions.

The frame is queued up and is scheduled for this weekend or early next week for blasting/powdercoat.

[chibobber]

These comments may be welcome or not,They are meant to be helpful.
Let me start by saying I love powder coating,for certain applications. The problem I see with doing a whole frame is possible corrosion. When you paint you prime the surface and then top coat.Powder coat in most cases does not use an anti corrosion primer. A chip in the powder coat can allow rust to form,migrate and eventually large sections of the coating will fail. With paint you can touch it up and seal any chips.Powder not so much.
I know this is debatable,and there are guys on both sides. Something to think about. Please inspect your frame after blasting,once coated it may hide minor cracks and other damage.
Love the project and the pictures of your work.Good Luck!

[Ghostrider5211]

These comments may be welcome or not,They are meant to be helpful.
Let me start by saying I love powder coating,for certain applications. The problem I see with doing a whole frame is possible corrosion. When you paint you prime the surface and then top coat.Powder coat in most cases does not use an anti corrosion primer. A chip in the powder coat can allow rust to form,migrate and eventually large sections of the coating will fail. With paint you can touch it up and seal any chips.Powder not so much.
I know this is debatable,and there are guys on both sides. Something to think about. Please inspect your frame after blasting,once coated it may hide minor cracks and other damage.
Love the project and the pictures of your work.Good Luck!

Hi chibobber!

All comments are welcome except ones that say my truck should be painted purple polkadot.

The guys who are doing my powdercoat work are some of the industry's best guys for handling finishing of steel. They run millions of pounds of steel, aluminum, and stainless steel grating through their facility every year. Once the frame is finished with blasting, I'll walk across the parking lot and give it a very thorough look over. The shop foreman over there will look at it with me. There will be some areas that need a weld repair or reinforcement, which he will do. Once the frame is ready, he will be hand shooting two different products on the frame. There will be one coat of anti-corrosion powder stuff (don't remember the name right off hand), which he says is industrial grade and will provide a nice surface for the regular PPC to stick, and then he will go over the frame again with the custom powdercoat.

I selected this option because this frame has been through a lot, and I want that thing to last longer than me! I admit that I've been second guessing my decision recently but the powder coat vendor gave us the powdercoat and priming powder material for free, so I do not want to snub them, especially since they are a good customer of ours. I trust the guys in the blaster and the foreman to do an excellent job. They have done everything from frames to cabs and beyond that when you give them enough doughnuts... and I've given them lots of doughnuts.

I'll keep an eye on everything, I promise. I figured use the facilities and stuff that's here while I have access to it to get the best results for preservation. It's not going to be 100% accurate and perfect and color matched to perfection and all that, but I'm doing my best with what I have available.

[17thAirborne]

The project is coming along great. nice progress. Once that frame gets back things will really get satisfying as it starts looking like what you envisioned.

[chibobber]

Well it sure looks like you have it well in hand! Glad to know there is an anti-corrosion powder available.Keep her going.
Bob

[Ghostrider5211]

Some pictures I took over the weekend. The springs will be going back to the shop to be reassembled Thursday afternoon.

Every single spring pin is completely shot. I have never seen pins this bad. This would explain a lot about how badly the springs wobbled in front. The shackles are all wollared out and will need replaced too.

I still don't understand why I'm getting pictures displayed sideways... sorry guys... I'll figure this out yet.