What did you do to your deuce this week?

[cattlerepairman]

Yes, aren't they happy little fellows? I recommend a bit of o-ring lubricant (NOT air tool oil! White lithium grease in a pinch) on the o-rings inside the wiper motors and new air line hoses. Even a small leak seems to make them work improperly.

 

[Dipstick]

Good call - this is on my to-do list as well. It doesn't fully engage until the handle is pulled all the way to the top, I never feel like I get it all the way set. Did you adjust at the handle or at the drum?

You adjust it at the drum. The cable end goes through an arm which is part of the outer shoe. There is an adjustment nut on the opposite side of the arm. You need to leave a tiny amount of clearance between the shoes and the drum itself, so that it can turn freely when the parking brake is disengaged. The clearance you need is small enough that you'd have a hard time measuring with a feeler gauge. Just go by feel. I've rebuilt my parking brake assembly and replaced the handbrake cable (the cable was frozen solid to the jacket). I probably have some pictures if you need them. Good luck!

 

[Dipstick]

Yes, aren't they happy little fellows? I recommend a bit of o-ring lubricant (NOT air tool oil! White lithium grease in a pinch) on the o-rings inside the wiper motors and new air line hoses. Even a small leak seems to make them work improperly.

I've replaced wiper motors, swapped motors, lubricated them with lithium spray and a hundred other things. What I find works best for me is a vacuum cap with a pinhole in it placed over the exhaust port of the slower wiper. My last restrictor finally dry rotted and I'm having problems finding the right type at the "blister pack" auto part stores. Thanks for your suggestions cattlerepairman! Oh, yesterday I watched your videos on YouTube. Very cool!

 

[Dipstick]

Went over to Kipman's farm and spent money! (Do go there, he will sell you something! )
We had a great time catching up on old times and whatnot!

This is what I added to my deuce this weekend.

Looks like a mighty handy trailer to have around!

 

[Dipstick]

This picture is of the end of my Memphis Equipment rocker panels for ldmack3 and anyone else who's interested. The right hand side is the part that runs along side and under your door. The right side smaller bends go under the cab. You'll get the orientation if you look in under the cab and the gap between the toolbox or batteries. They are 38" long and I believe they are meant to run past the door, under the kick vent doors, and then be cut off at an angle matching the rearward slant of the front fenders. I hope I've explained this in a logical way.

 

[Dipstick]

View attachment 833770
This picture is of the end of my Memphis Equipment rocker panels for ldmack3 and anyone else who's interested. The right hand side is the part that runs along side and under your door. The right side smaller bends go under the cab. You'll get the orientation if you look in under the cab and the gap between the toolbox or batteries. They are 38" long and I believe they are meant to run past the door, under the kick vent doors, and then be cut off at an angle matching the rearward slant of the front fenders. I hope I've explained this in a logical way.

Ooooops! The smaller bends are to the left in the picture.

 

[ldmack3]

View attachment 833770
This picture is of the end of my Memphis Equipment rocker panels for ldmack3 and anyone else who's interested. The right hand side is the part that runs along side and under your door. The right side smaller bends go under the cab. You'll get the orientation if you look in under the cab and the gap between the toolbox or batteries. They are 38" long and I believe they are meant to run past the door, under the kick vent doors, and then be cut off at an angle matching the rearward slant of the front fenders. I hope I've explained this in a logical way.

Thanks much dipstick!

 

[m715mike]

I replaced the rusty fuel tank cap and clogged filter cylinder. Out with the old and in with the new. Parts came from White Owl. The color doesn’t match my truck, but I can live with that for now.

My deuce wasn’t used much during 2020 and I went almost a year without adding fuel to the tank. I was quite surprised to find a completely rusted cap last month.

 

[Dipstick]

I replaced the rusty fuel tank cap and clogged filter cylinder. Out with the old and in with the new. Parts came from White Owl. The color doesn’t match my truck, but I can live with that for now.

My deuce wasn’t used much during 2020 and I went almost a year without adding fuel to the tank. I was quite surprised to find a completely rusted cap last month.


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Good job! Yeah, that was one rusty fuel cap. Condensation is the enemy of fuel tanks whether they be for gasoline or diesel. That's why automotive experts always recommend keeping your tank as full as possible especially if you know the vehicle will be sitting idle. Water sinks to the bottom of a tank because it has a higher specific gravity than diesel or gasoline. It's quite common to find the bottoms of antique car and truck fuel tanks heavily rusted or rusted through. I know this from personal experience. Airplanes usually have a drain at the bottom of their fuel tanks that let's you check for the presence of water. Imagine having water hit your carburetor a few thousand feet in the air! I wonder if there's a way to drain the bottom of a Deuce's tank? I'll have to look into it. I think I'll check my cap too! Thank you for the post and pictures.

 

[Dipstick]

I went to start Brutus yesterday (I always start him once a week whether I plan to drive him or not to keep oil in the bearings and move fuel through the system) and I ran into that single wire alternator not charging problem again. I flashed it with a jumper wire again and it began charging. I did some research and stumbled upon an article written by an automotive engineer. He stated that the field in a single wire alternator isn't always adequately magnetized at idle speed. He stated that they usually start charging once the engine has reached about 2,000 rpm (in a car). I don't like to jump on cold engines, so that doesn't work for me. I'm going to run some wires from my alternator to a momentary switch in the cab. That way I can flash the field and get charging without popping the hood. I'm pretty sure cattlerepairman has a single wire alternator too. I'd like to get his thoughts/observations on this. Cattlerepairman if you're out there.....

 

[fleetmech]

Ive got a one wire in mine, and about 50% of the time, it doesn't start charging right on startup. As with some of my other 1 wire converted machines, it only takes a little blip of the throttle to get it going, maybe 1k engine rpm for a second or two, well within the capability of even a cold engine, though I generally don't even bother to blip it until after my walkaround.

Many of those references (ive seen them too) to the 2k rpm are, I think, referring to the alternator shaft speed, not crankshaft speed/ engine rpm. Bearing in mind that these alternators like virtually all others, are overdriven from crank speed, it shouldn't take much to get it past 2k.

If you have to wing the engine past 2k to get it charging, I think you're facing a dying alternator, and the flashing switch is, while quite useful, just prolonging it a bit.

 

[Dipstick]

Ive got a one wire in mine, and about 50% of the time, it doesn't start charging right on startup. As with some of my other 1 wire converted machines, it only takes a little blip of the throttle to get it going, maybe 1k engine rpm for a second or two, well within the capability of even a cold engine, though I generally don't even bother to blip it until after my walkaround.

Many of those references (ive seen them too) to the 2k rpm are, I think, referring to the alternator shaft speed, not crankshaft speed/ engine rpm. Bearing in mind that these alternators like virtually all others, are overdriven from crank speed, it shouldn't take much to get it past 2k.

If you have to wing the engine past 2k to get it charging, I think you're facing a dying alternator, and the flashing switch is, while quite useful, just prolonging it a bit.

Hi fleetmech. I installed my one-wire in 2013. For years I've noticed, that just after starting, my voltmeter was always in the yellow and that it would be in the green after bouncing down the street for a while. I idiotically thought a sticky voltmeter mechanism was the culprit and I didn't know anything about the field magnetism requirement. As I said in my previous post, I like to run Brutus for five to ten minutes once a week and I want my new batteries to be recharging from the gitgo. As a side note, I don't put that many miles on my Deuce. Maybe 500-600 miles a year. All short hops. I'm pretty sure my alternator is in good shape. I'll try goosing the throttle a bit the next time I start Brutus. Thank you for going to the effort of replying to my post.

 

[cattlerepairman]

I have the same experience as fleetmech with my alternator. Sometimes the needle stays at the end of the yellow and a short drive "fixes" it. I usually do not bother to "blip" the throttle etc. for that purpose. It self-corrects as I drive.

 

[SCM35A2]

View attachment 833770
This picture is of the end of my Memphis Equipment rocker panels for ldmack3 and anyone else who's interested. The right hand side is the part that runs along side and under your door. The right side smaller bends go under the cab. You'll get the orientation if you look in under the cab and the gap between the toolbox or batteries. They are 38" long and I believe they are meant to run past the door, under the kick vent doors, and then be cut off at an angle matching the rearward slant of the front fenders. I hope I've explained this in a logical way.

When you first posted that you bought these I ordered one for my truck too, its arrived today & is exactly what I need!

 

[SCM35A2]

I replaced the rusty fuel tank cap and clogged filter cylinder. Out with the old and in with the new. Parts came from White Owl. The color doesn’t match my truck, but I can live with that for now.

My deuce wasn’t used much during 2020 and I went almost a year without adding fuel to the tank. I was quite surprised to find a completely rusted cap last month.


View attachment 833843View attachment 833844View attachment 833845View attachment 833846

Could you post the part # & cost for this part or message it to me?? Thanks

 

[Dipstick]

Could you post the part # & cost for this part or message it to me?? Thanks

Sure. I found them on the Memphis Equipment website under 2.5 ton truck, cab parts. The part number is G744ZP and the cost is $41 each. It's called a Panel Cab Z Rocker. They also have cab rear corners and the whole back of the cab. They told me that they specialize in A2s. I've been doing business with them for a long time and they have always been great to deal with. I have the feeling that A2 sheet metal parts are going to be very hard to find in the near future.

 

[Dipstick]

I have the same experience as fleetmech with my alternator. Sometimes the needle stays at the end of the yellow and a short drive "fixes" it. I usually do not bother to "blip" the throttle etc. for that purpose. It self-corrects as I drive.

Thanks cattlerepairman! I guess I'm just being a big baby about it. Especially after all the work making the battery support and the expense of new batteries. I like to let Brutus run for 5-10 minutes on a cold winter day before I drive him and I would like to see my gauge in the green during this time. I think I'm fast becoming an impatient old fart.

 

[fleetmech]

Hi fleetmech. I installed my one-wire in 2013. For years I've noticed, that just after starting, my voltmeter was always in the yellow and that it would be in the green after bouncing down the street for a while. I idiotically thought a sticky voltmeter mechanism was the culprit and I didn't know anything about the field magnetism requirement. As I said in my previous post, I like to run Brutus for five to ten minutes once a week and I want my new batteries to be recharging from the gitgo. As a side note, I don't put that many miles on my Deuce. Maybe 500-600 miles a year. All short hops. I'm pretty sure my alternator is in good shape. I'll try goosing the throttle a bit the next time I start Brutus. Thank you for going to the effort of replying to my post.

I'm interested to hear your results, especially since you mentioned "after bouncing down the street for awhile". It should respond very quickly, within a second or two of the revs coming up for the first time.

 

[Dipstick]

I'm interested to hear your results, especially since you mentioned "after bouncing down the street for awhile". It should respond very quickly, within a second or two of the revs coming up for the first time.

Agreed fleetmech. I was probably just making a big deal out of nothing. I overthink things sometimes.

 

[Dipstick]

I went out to run Brutus today. I gave him 3 clicks of hand throttle or about 700 rpm like I always do. He started on the first push of the button. The voltmeter was in the yellow. I was just about to blip the throttle a bit when......DOINK, the needle suddenly popped into the green zone. I was happy to see it. So you guys are 100% correct. I'd eat some humble pie if I had any.