'94 Dodge B350 highroof

[Pntyrmvr]

Magnum alternators are right out in the wind for cooling. They also have a tendency to corrode and lock up. Try turning the pulley with a long bar. If you break it it was wrecked anyway!

[campism]

It was pretty stuck and the outside of it was corroded, so I expect the innards were pretty bad. I could get it to move and considered trying to save it but, perhaps unwisely, went with a reman unit.

Got my DMV appointment for title transfer and tags so I guess this derelict vehicle is getting its new life after all.

[campism]

Got my title and plates and the state inspection is scheduled for Friday. I'm holding off spending $700 on new tires. Our guy, Jeff, knows about this project and is only laughing at me a little so far and he has told me he'll do the regular safety inspection and also give it the onceover in case I've missed something crucial on the basic vehicle. If there's nothing seriously wrong I can then buy the tires and get re-inspected within 10 days at no charge.

Drove my new plates around a little bit and got some pix outside the neighborhood in the Neutral Zone (where I don't have to work on it or spend money on it).



Once it's completely legal and roadworthy I can begin the actual camper build but I expect that will drag along now that we're entering the cold season.

[marret]

Cool. Great to see the progress.

[campism]

"Progress" is questionable since that drive revealed a grinding noise traced to no lube in the rear diff so I'm neck deep in the next task. Adding gear lube resulted in it leaking out the pinion seal so I started taking it apart to replace the seal. Looks like this van has a Dana 60 rear end and I'm probably gonna need a rebuild kit for it. Anyone have experience rebuilding one of these?

By the way, inspection never happened since I did not want to drive that far lubeless. It'll happen eventually.

[marret]

Right, crap, sometimes one step forward and two back.

[campism]

Did not rebuild the rear but got it back together with new pinion seal, gasket and fresh lube and it's quieter. Not perfect, so new bearings and stuff might be inevitable, but I can drive it like this for a while and consider the next step.

[Pntyrmvr]

Stay on it. Curiosity on the final outcome is killing me.

Onward!

[campism]

Stay curious. Inspection today resulted in failure for the tires, as expected, but also for the front brake pads. I can take care of those things but Jeff took a test drive and says the diff is on its way out so I'll be checking junkyards for a replacement. Once reinspected I'll drive it for a least one 36-gallon tankful while I ponder the next step(s), hoping the diff lasts long enough for me to find another.

[Pntyrmvr]

Is the present rear end a full floater? ie do the hubs protrude past the axle to wheel contact point?

If not try and find a full floater rear end out of a cargo van.

The 9 1/4" Chrysler rear end always howl over time. So far my Dana 60 full floaters haven't. It'll bolt right in. Same van chassis from 79 to 03.