Some Travco Tips I Learned

[Operation68Travco]

So, I just finished almost 6 days of sun up to sun down Travco repair action (my Midwest vacation!). It was grueling, but seriously fun. \n\nFor those who maybe don't have experience fixing heavy trucks (which was the case with me, for sure), here are some tips I can offer you:\n\n- Need to get at almost ANYTHING on side of the engine? Take a front wheel off. Take both off, in fact. Get a good bottle jack (Harbor Freight was my savior on this trip) and a pair of 3 ton (or heavier) jack stands and get it off the ground. If you're not on concrete, do yourself a favor and buy a 10 foot 2x12 and cut it into three pieces. It makes a solid foundation for the jack and stands.\n\n- Need to get at anything in the cooling area? Take off the front panel, grille and radiator. That's about the only way you can do it without losing your mind.\n\n- Having trouble getting the wheels off? Buy a breaker bar with a 1/2 drive and impact socket set and keep it in your vehicle. Then, buy a 30" iron pipe from a hardware store (make sure it fits around the breaker handle). That should get it loose. Then, get a rechargeable impact drill (I have a Ryobi, but Makita, and others have them) to remove the nuts. Believe me, trying to tighten 6, 8 or however many wheel nuts you have by hand gets old real fast.\n\n- Unsure if your Dodge has those crappy Left thread wheel studs and nuts on the driver's side? Take off a nut or two from the passenger side and try them on the driver side studs. If they fit, they've already been changed to right thread. If not, loosen clockwise. Don't assume that your front and back wheels on the driver side are both left thread. Check each wheel. My rear axle had been converted to right hand, the front wheel, not!\n\n- Buy a small butane torch and have a ton of PB blaster. Bolts on these things are typically pretty rusty.\n\n- If you're replacing wheel cylinders, expect to have to replace the lines, too. I hear things about people actually saving their lines, but with 40+ year old vehicles, I never believe them!\n\n- Trying to replace the rear brakes? You've got some work to do. Make sure you have that impact drill. Don't get freaked out by the sheer amount of stuff you'll have to pull out of the axle/hub. If the bearing retainer nut looks huge and like a socket will not fit (believe me, it won't!), best way to get it started is to put a screwdriver on one of the edges and give it a smack with a hammer. Once it gets going, though, you should be in good shape. \n\nI'll update this thread as I think of things. For some people, this thread will be killer, and for some, this will look like basic stuff. Before this trip, I was definitely in the first camp.

[77Travco]

Speaking of tire changes... Here are a few pics of my method. It also helps to weigh 230lbs like I do.

[Operation68Travco]

Very nice. Didn't think of that, but looks effective!

[Acesneights]

So, I just finished almost 6 days of sun up to sun down Travco repair action (my Midwest vacation!). It was grueling, but seriously fun. \n\nFor those who maybe don't have experience fixing heavy trucks (which was the case with me, for sure), here are some tips I can offer you:\n\n- Need to get at almost ANYTHING on side of the engine? Take a front wheel off. Take both off, in fact. Get a good bottle jack (Harbor Freight was my savior on this trip) and a pair of 3 ton (or heavier) jack stands and get it off the ground. If you're not on concrete, do yourself a favor and buy a 10 foot 2x12 and cut it into three pieces. It makes a solid foundation for the jack and stands.\n\n- Need to get at anything in the cooling area? Take off the front panel, grille and radiator. That's about the only way you can do it without losing your mind.\n\n- Having trouble getting the wheels off? Buy a breaker bar with a 1/2 drive and impact socket set and keep it in your vehicle. Then, buy a 30" iron pipe from a hardware store (make sure it fits around the breaker handle). That should get it loose. Then, get a rechargeable impact drill (I have a Ryobi, but Makita, and others have them) to remove the nuts. Believe me, trying to tighten 6, 8 or however many wheel nuts you have by hand gets old real fast.\n\n- Unsure if your Dodge has those crappy Left thread wheel studs and nuts on the driver's side? Take off a nut or two from the passenger side and try them on the driver side studs. If they fit, they've already been changed to right thread. If not, loosen clockwise. Don't assume that your front and back wheels on the driver side are both left thread. Check each wheel. My rear axle had been converted to right hand, the front wheel, not!\n\n- Buy a small butane torch and have a ton of PB blaster. Bolts on these things are typically pretty rusty.\n\n- If you're replacing wheel cylinders, expect to have to replace the lines, too. I hear things about people actually saving their lines, but with 40+ year old vehicles, I never believe them!\n\n- Trying to replace the rear brakes? You've got some work to do. Make sure you have that impact drill. Don't get freaked out by the sheer amount of stuff you'll have to pull out of the axle/hub. If the bearing retainer nut looks huge and like a socket will not fit (believe me, it won't!), best way to get it started is to put a screwdriver on one of the edges and give it a smack with a hammer. Once it gets going, though, you should be in good shape. \n\nI'll update this thread as I think of things. For some people, this thread will be killer, and for some, this will look like basic stuff. Before this trip, I was definitely in the first camp.

\nUsually there is an L or R stamped into the stud. I would go a step further. I use a 3/4 drive breaker bar and 3/4 d 1 1/2 socket for road calls. At home I have an IR 3/4 drive Impact gun. I used to be a heavy truck mechanic though so I have alot of bigger tools most people don.t\nThere are special axle nut sockets made by OTC that are thin walled for doing the axle nuts. IIRC it was either 3" or 2 7/8. Can't remember but well worth the investment. I have never been a fan of using a chisel to do axle nuts .\nAs far as brake lines Craftsman actually sells a pretty good ISO brake line flaring kit. I made all mine with it. Much easier to buy a roll of line and some fittings and make them as you go.Can save many trips back to the autoparts store. Plus I keep the roll in the RV with the tool although I changed pretty much all of mine anyway. The one from the top Wheel cyl to the bottom was a treat to make.

[Operation68Travco]

\nUsually there is an L or R stamped into the stud. I would go a step further. I use a 3/4 drive breaker bar and 3/4 d 1 1/2 socket for road calls. At home I have an IR 3/4 drive Impact gun. I used to be a heavy truck mechanic though so I have alot of bigger tools most people don.t\nAs far as brake lines Craftsman actually sells a pretty good ISO brake line flaring kit. I made all mine with it. Much easier to buy a roll of line and some fittings and make them as you go.Can save many trips back to the autoparts store. Plus I keep the roll in the RV with the tool although I changed pretty much all of mine anyway. The one from the top Wheel cyl to the bottom was a treat to make.

\n\nAgreed that there is "usually" an L or R stamped on, but I can tell you that my vehicle, and many other 40+ year old vehicles aren't going to have a very clear stamp. Better to be safe, as far as I see it.\n\nI've never done my own brake lines with a flaring tool. Instead, I'll just bring the broken one to NAPA, compare it, and bring it back. These usually are very standard sizes and fittings.