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Finally got me a deuce!

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Balalala

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Hello guys!

I have been creeping around here for a year or so, learning much..

I must thank you all for giving me the advice needed to find the right truck! Even if I never spoke to you personally.

Here she is, m35a3! I have much to learn and do.. looking forward to it!

16hour drive home... couple break downs along the way.. let the adventures begin!
 

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Balalala

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ldmack3 said:
Welcome, welcome, welcome!
Very nice looking.
What kind of trouble did you have?
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Hauled it home with an f350 on a rental trailer.. came home via back roads.. half ways down a forestry trunk road, the boost tube for the Ford gave out. No cell service.. managed to get the tube connected with a bubgee cord. Didn't get much boost before it started making popping sounds, but it was enough to make it another 2hours to town. Managed to call ahead for parts at 10min to closing time..

Then about 2hrs later stopped for a coffee and I felt the wheels. One was warm... lug nuts backed off and wrecked the rim. Managed to get the spare on despite the compromised studs.. and made it to home.

Left at 9am home by 1:30am
 

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Balalala

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Canada
Drivers side front tire has a slow leak.. he thought it was maybe the fittings on the outside of the rim. When I get time I will have to use some soapy water to find the culprit.

Couldn't see coolant in the sight glass or the tank. It took 6 gallons before I could see it on the sight glass.

Gave her an oil change.. and found all 31q grease nipples.. I will have to check the fluid in the diffs as well as the steering.

Needs new boots on the front axle, probly go with zipper boots for now?

My mechanical skills are limited.. I know my way around an old chevy, I have alot of learning to do.
 

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Balalala

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Canada
Is it normal for the a3 to have a delayed shift from 1st into 2nd? It goes thru the other gears quickly, but it runs up to about 2k rpms before it wants to touch 2nd gear

I have filters for the transmission, fuel, air system.. should I go ahead and change all of them out? I did see pink on the transmission dip stick so it's not 15w45 anymore
 
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Balalala

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Canada
ldmack3 said:
IMO since it is new to you, I would suggest checking/repacking the front wheel bearings and inspect the seals. So, while you are there put on the HD non-zippered boots. Go to U-Tube and check out ""Tactical Repair". Great video about doing the boots.
Also: https://westerncanadianrockwell.ca/ for parts.
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Thanks Mack. I've never played with wheel bearing before but between me, my dad, and my nephew who is on route to becoming a mechanic.. I'm sure we will manage. I might even learn something along the way.
 
glcaines

glcaines

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Congratulations on your truck. The M35A3 trucks are very good and reliable. If someone has switched to ATF, hopefully it is Dexron 3 compatible since most other ATF fluids will damage seals and o-rings in the transmission. If it was me, I would go ahead and switch to Dexron 3 by repeated draining and filling and driving through all gears between. The 1545 transmission in the A3 seems to shift at different times in my truck, especially the engagement of the torque converter lock-up. If you are losing air in a tire, it is usually the seal on the valve stem. It is a pain to replace, but if done correctly the tires are tight and don't lose air. Replace both the large O-ring and the valve stem seal. It is best to replace the brass nut as well. You need to torque the nut to 45 - 60 Ft-Lb and you will need to grind a socket to fit the nut so that it doesn't slip off the nut and ruin it. Good luck.
 
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Balalala

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Canada
bprzyw said:
Wow beautiful truck! Congrats! Yep, all filters and fluids! Grease everything. Go with HD non zipper boots! Brakes, lights, wiring. Make yourself comfortable with it. It will serve you well for many decade’s!
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Thanks man. It was not the first truck I've looked at but it was the nicest looking!

There is a issue with the lighting.. it doesn't work.. unless you count the smoke coming from the broken driver's side headlight as working..
 
ldmack3

ldmack3

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Balalala said:
How bad did I mess up by using lithium grease in all 32 nipples?
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You don't want to mix grease types and who knows what was in there. I use red & tacky in my gun and Mystic high temp red for wheel bearings. You definitely want to check what grease is being used in the hubs. If you are going to change grease, make certain you get all of the old out.
 
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Balalala

Well-known member
113
292
63
Location
Canada
ldmack3 said:
You don't want to mix grease types and who knows what was in there. I use red & tacky in my gun and Mystic high temp red for wheel bearings. You definitely want to check what grease is being used in the hubs. If you are going to change grease, make certain you get all of the old out.
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I will follow the YouTube video you mentioned and remove / replace all the old grease from the front hubs. Hopefully before winter! Truck is too big to fit in the shop

Thanks for the link to the boots! Hard to find parts for these in canada
 
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Balalala

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Canada
This westerncanadianrockwell website has some TOP LOADER GEAR OIL, 85W140
MI 2900
Claims to do well with these Rockwell axles, although the LO spec book calls for 80/90.

Any of you guys use or recommend this type of oil?
 
HDN

HDN

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Welcome to the Deuce club's M35A3 room! That is a nice truck! What's its serial number? I suspect the trucks built before 1998 had green Cat motors while the rest got yellow Cats (mine's a 1995).

As for tire air leaks, I agree with checking the brass fittings first. When I did a tire swap on my truck, I was originally going to keep the CTIS wheel valves on, but discovered that several of the wheel valve pipe and hose fittings were cracked and leaking air. Of course I discovered this after re-doing the tire, suspecting that I screwed something else up in the rebuild process. But nope, it was a cracked brass pipe/hose fitting. I made the CTIS wheel valve go away and the leak went away too!

If after that you still have a leak, then it's probably what @glcaines mentioned and maybe the turret valve seal on the rim is loose or worn out. Those are hard to install and torque properly without a modified socket, or else the brass nuts get rounded off very easily.
 
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