body off - what else to fix while I'm here

[madtom]

I'm in the process of a full body swap on my 72 highboy. The cab is my final piece to remove and it's free and should be lifted off tomorrow morning.

I'm not doing a restoration by any means, but I am fixing the obvious problems as I go. Realizing the frame, engine and transmission will never be more accessible than they are now, I'm wondering what I should fix while I'm here.

I'm already in the process of wire wheeling and repainting the frame. As soon as the cab comes off, I'm gonna pull the engine and replace the oil pump, pan gasket, rear main seal and timing gears, anything else on the motor while I'm here?

Also, probably new clutch, anything else to do on the four speed? Also, transfer case mount bushing are worn out, anything else I should do to it? I've only driven it about 50 feet in fwd, so I don't know if it has any obvious problems.

Also, thanks to those who have posted and keep this site going. My computer is now pretty much covered with greasy fingerprints and sometimes it seems like I literally search this site before every piece I take off. For example, I would have never figured out how to remove the gear stick without this site.

I really dreaded tackling the cab, but to be honest the worst part was trying to pull the steering wheel (which is still on the steering column and may just stay there for good, ).

[HIO Silver]

Install a rear-mounted fuel tank.

[hazelnut]

Replace all the hard brake lines and the fuel line. The metal is almost 50 years old and like you said you will never have a better opportunity to replace them.

Look at the mounts for the transfer case to see if they need replacing. I think you can buy them from bronco graveyard

Build a mount to keep the transfer case from moving back and forth under load. I think the later highboys from 73 to 77 had them.

Replace all the rubber inserts on the leaf springs.

Replace all the seals in the driveline and the U joints.

Any gaskets that are leaking on the transfer case and transmission.

Check the clocking of the drive shafts to be sure the U joints line up as they should. Mines a 69 and all the drive shaft were off buy 2-3 splines and fixed them while it was apart.

Be a good time to add power steering to while you had the truck apart if you wanted it. The steering box from a 78-9 highboy works best.

[madtom]

Great suggestions, I'll do them all. I've never heard of clocking the driveshaft, but I'm sure if I start searching forum threads someone has explained it in great detail (thank goodness for this site). I got the motor out today, so I can start on some of that other stuff now.

[hazelnut]

Great suggestions, I'll do them all. I've never heard of clocking the driveshaft, but I'm sure if I start searching forum threads someone has explained it in great detail (thank goodness for this site). I got the motor out today, so I can start on some of that other stuff now.

It is just making sure the U joint are aligned with each other. If one U joints cross is at 12-3 6-9- then the other needs to be the same.

It's not hard to do. When you have the driveshaft out look down it to see if the U joints are inline like they should be. If there not then you will have to pull the grease cap off on the slip joint and then you can pull apart the slip joint and align as needed.

I was kind of shocked that 3 out 3 were out of alinement on mine.

Edited to tell you about clocking.

[cep62]

[quote="hazelnutI was kind of shocked that 3 out 3 were out of alinement on mine.[/quote]

I've seen that before too ,and I believe they were factory installed.