I spent about an hour trying to detach the tranny from the crossmember in a frame section from the HZJ mine truck I scored a month ago. No luck there, 3 of the 8 bolts are stripped off and I don't want to dig out the torch. I then tried to move on to pulling the cast bellhousing off but a bottom bolt stripped (mine ore rot). Finally, I removed the rear motor mount with a cheater bar an a little wrench- then the tranny to bellhousing mounts., ugh. Then, I spend two hours sweating my brains out trying to separate the bellhousing from block and tranny from bellhousing....slowly progressing to a Donnellesque frenzy. I tweaked the oil pan so the Exxon Valdez started weeping on the shop floor (the pan was corroded due to mine ore). It does not help that I ran out of Nitrile gloves last night and the three auto stores and ACE are out of mediums. I tried every piece of metal wedge, pry bar, angle iron, tie rod, tie rod with cold chisel stuck in end, etc, etc. I then manage to crack off the cast steel stiffner on the drivers side (these Al 'clutch covers' are full circle and have extra brackets to bolt to block underneath). The t/o and the pilot had fused to the input (that mine ore glue). So finally I go ape shit on the Al bellhousing with a 10# sledge. Got the sucker apart. So it's 9:30 PM, work starts early tomorrow but I'll still try to get the engine on the new stand I bought for $107 today. One hole in this cheap slave labor made is 1/8" too shy of making the bolt to the odd shaped block. Too tired, must sleep....
in summary, 2-3 gallons of Dello 400 slightly used on the floor (I got 5 back into a pan), wasted bellhousing, close to 75 tools and metal rods, bars, odd stock and cold chisels mixed with ore and black crude oil in the middle of the floor, and a non functional engine stand taking up space. Looks like the rental cherry picker won't go home for a few extra days as my work week is starting.

Sounds like it would have been quicker to dig out the torch.:flipoff2:

Originally posted by rick d
3 of the 8 bolts are stripped off and I don't want to dig out the torch.

--- muhahaha! you need to work on my cruiser then youll respect yours!!...if it were mine, youd have all 8 stripped or broken headed bolts!:flipoff2: and i dont have a torch...so i agree it woulda been saweeeeeet to just dig it out. plus, if the glove thing was that much of an issue...it seems ok to run a large instead...haha:rolleyes: . no really though...i know i have and many other guys...been in that situation sooooooooo many times.;) i learn to laugh right at it now! :rasta: :p

What is the end goal here? Are you going to save the drivetrain of pitch the corroded bastard?

If you keep it...keep us informed, sounds like a BITCH!

Also, take pictures and if you can't post them send them to me to post!

it's not all destined for the dumpster. The engine has only 760 hours (say 25,000 hard miles) on it and runs like a top (in fact, ran it for 15+ minutes on the frame about 10am yesterday). The bellhousing was useable (before) and the tranny was good. transfer case- case was pitched because of 3/16"+ deep corrosion pits in the aluminum. The mine cracked the front frame crossmember early in it's life (1995) and drove it...on and on...The first intact crossmember was the rear shock tube. All others had multiple cracks or were completely broken. a hard short life. Although corrosion was minimal on this truck, I have seen others from potash mines that make ALL rust belt cruisers look new. Some used surplus buyers have tried to pressure wash engines only to have the blocks cave in from rot. Early on I bought two FF rear ends and had them shipped to Tucson. The fixed diff covers looked like a kalidescope (sp?) when held up to the sun light and the hub seal surface on the spindles had ground 1/4" lines around the thing. If that is not bad enough. The mine repair shop had welded 1/2" plate to the top of the axle tube as the U bolts had begun to pull through the tube (mmmmmm, pretty). I did get my money back off that deal....

I'll get Nolen some photos tonight to post. I must be off to drive the bus today (river float)

Originally posted by rick d

I'll get Nolen some photos tonight to post. I must be off to drive the bus today (river float)

Rough life there in Wyoming huh?

Is this a Dam Release river? Hell it is so dry in the West, I heard all the river guides were really hurting.

Originally posted by rick d
It does not help that I ran out of Nitrile gloves last night and the three auto stores and ACE are out of mediums.

Damn, you've got petit hands!! :eek: :D

sounds like the stuff I go through everytime I'm in the garage!! That's what makes it fun!! Yea right!! ;) Stripped/snapped bolts are only cool when you are tearing a rig town to part out/scrap. Makes it go quicker!!:D

Good luck!

Originally posted by rick d
The engine has only 760 hours (say 25,000 hard miles) on it and runs like a top (in fact, ran it for 15+ minutes on the frame about 10am yesterday).

What did it have, a Dobbs meter instgead of an odometer? Mine truck, right? That makes sense. We just did a tour of a local coal mine, pretty cool to go 1500 ft down in a Dodge pick up!

I did get my money back off that deal....



I've almost doubled what I paid for my parts rig since starting to part it out, not including the parts I kept!!:smokin:

Originally posted by wngrog


Rough life there in Wyoming huh?

Is this a Dam Release river? Hell it is so dry in the West, I heard all the river guides were really hurting.

Not too much water here either. The river level is WAAAAAY low, lower than late fall levels. Fortunately, no fires here yet!!:)