Stout Rear End For Hairy Hauler

Today on trucks, we'll turn our attention to the business end of project Hairy Hauler by bolting on a four bar suspension and extra stout rear end

as we continue to get our hauler ready for the street and the strip

after that, we'll show you a dandy sedan delivery that used to bring home the bread.

Then we'll take you off road with some tire tech. That's all today on truck.

Hey, everybody. Welcome to another week of trucks. A few weeks ago, we introduced you to project Hairy Hauler by installing a brand new state of the art front suspension from heights.

This week, we're gonna turn our attention to the rear of our 34 international. So we can not only run it down the road but also be able to put some serious horsepower to it without breaking things.

Now, obviously, if we're gonna put in a new rear end, we gotta get rid of this old bed.

But before we do, we need to take some proper measurements. So we know where that new axle is gonna go when we put it in.

Now, if you don't take the time to do this,

you could end up with a truck. That stance is all wrong

while Stacey's taking the measurements, I can go ahead and knock the bolts off the bed. Now, the good news here is, there's only four, unlike your late model trucks, the bad news is

on something this old. It's definitely gonna be rusted out.

Now, one of the cool things about this old international, it's got this unique filler panel that sits below the cab

and our new four bar system will tuck right in behind it. Unfortunately, it's in the way right now.

So I cut it in half and I'll weld it together later on. Now. You're probably wondering

why I didn't just lift up the cab and pull out the whole piece. Well, the reason is

never try to pick up an old cab like this until it's properly stressed

or the cab could collapse on you. Now, we can take the bed off.

Oh, yeah,

it's

than you thought, isn't it? Man?

You've been taking your vitamins, I guess I need to.

Now, our frame is in pretty good shape, but this is where you need to check for serious rust, especially around the cross members. Now, if you find any, this is a time to weld in some new metal, but as you can see all we've got is some surface rust.

Now, here's where all those measurements become real important.

We've got a four inch drop in the front, we're gonna go the same amount in the rear.

Now, originally, we measured from the frame down to the axle. Now we'll just subtract four inches from that measurement when we put the new axle in.

Also to keep the wheel base the same.

We're gonna find the axle center line using this plumb Bob.

There's no doubt we need to get rid of these old lever action shocks as well as the cables. But the first thing we're gonna do is lose the old gas tank. Now, keep in mind on some of these old vintage trucks, the parts can be worth their weight in gold. So whatever you do, don't toss them because you can put some extra cash in your pockets, which is always great for major projects like this.

Now, with the rear of the truck supported on jack stands,

I've unbolted the rear end. I'll get mel to help me roll this mess out of here. Let's do it.

Oh,

look at that.

We storage dogs, man.

The last thing we need to do is cut these stock spring brackets off the frame

to make room for the new hardware.

Speaking of new hardware, since you're probably dying to know what we're gonna hang on our Hairy Hauler at this point.

We'll go ahead and show you. We're gonna use a universal four bar system from total cost involved.

It comes complete with paw stainless four bars, the axle and frame brackets, cross member as well as the Panter bar and we're gonna run coil over shocks on this setup.

Now, for the axle, we're gonna go with this really cool nine inch housing with an aluminum center section

and these 31 flying axles that we got from Curry enterprises. I know you're thinking

aluminum housing that's gonna be weak as heck. Well, the way they've designed this webbing makes it almost as strong as steel. Now, for the third member, we went to rider racing gears

and got their aluminum center chunk to go with the housing.

We had them pack it with a 350 gear and a Detroit locker.

Now, we can set the housing in place. We're gonna use a floor jack so we can get it centered

and be able to move it around at the same time. Now, in the past, whenever you tried to install a floor bar, you'd have to chase it all over the garage

until my partner Stacey came up with a really trick little idea

that helps keep everything right where you want it. Yeah, all you need to do is cut down some two by fours, notch them for the axle tubes

and

then line up your axle center line marks,

then clamp them to the frame

at the new ride height that you got from your measurements.

While Stace goes down to get a patent on that little trick, I need to make sure the axle is snug in the cradle. This is also where you need to make sure it's centered front and rear

and side to side again.

This is where those measurements you took earlier

are really critical

with the housing in place. We can clamp on the front frame bracket.

Now, I'm gonna use these bars

to make sure that I have the proper distance between the axle and the front bracket.

Now, you may have noticed that I've unscrewed these ends about a half inch.

That'll make sure we have plenty of adjustment for opinion angle later on.

After that, we can bolt the bars to the axle bracket and get them into place.

Now, while I hold on to it, I'll have mel tap that front bracket till everything is plumbing through,

double check. All your measurements. Don't forget your opinion angle and weld everything in.

Now it's time to bolt in our new center chunk. Now, like sta told you before, we're gonna run a 350 gear. But whatever you choose, this is where you need to do your homework because you need to make sure the gear works with your rear tire height,

the gear ratio of your transmission as well as your engines RPM range. Once you have all that information,

all you have to do is call rider racing and they'll help you choose the right ratio

based on what you're gonna put your truck through.

Since this kit we got from TCI is universal,

we did have to do some modifications

like Lincoln and this rear cross member by welding in the centerpiece. So it'll fit between the frame rails.

Now, this rear cross member goes behind the axle and slides into the frame rail and basically holds all the weight that we're gonna put in the Hairy Hauler. So it needs to be strong.

The link that connects the cross member of the axle of these coil over shocks. We're gonna mount ours to the center hole on the axle which will give us an adjustment of about an inch up or down.

Remember, shocks should never be tilted more than 25 degrees or they just won't work properly.

Now that we have the suspension installed, we can pull out these two by four blocks and see what we got.

Tell you what mel this is looking good. Now we can start putting it together. That's right. But before we do, we need to pay for all this stuff. Don't go away. We got more trucks for you right after this. This thing is stout. This is crazy.

Later on trucks, we'll show you a 1951 sedan that became one dandy delivery.

But before we do, the guys need to finish upgrading the rear end on project Hairy Hauler.

You just can't get enough of trucks. Check us out online at trucks, tv.com.

Thanks for staying with us. Everybody. As you can see, we're right in the middle of putting a four bar suspension on project Hairy Hauler.

And since the kit we got from TCI comes with a brand new cross member. We went ahead and cut out the stock one. Now for you guys that aren't familiar with the four bar set up or its benefits, check this out,

not only are they fully adjustable, but by using two parallel bars, they allow the rear end to stay exactly where it's supposed to

through its full range of motion.

Now with a leaf spring or even a ladder bar set up that has a single mound in the front,

the rear end will pivot

also with the leaf spring set up, you always have to deal with axle wrap that's totally eliminated with four bar set up.

Well, if you haven't figured it out yet, our old international is being built for speed as well as classic looks. And since some serious horsepower is gonna motivate the Hairy Hauler,

we need to be able to count on the reins. We're gonna be pulling in.

Now, since we're going with will wood on the front, we're also gonna use their rear disc brake set up that come with these cool polished calipers

mounting brackets, a two piece hub with every bolt pattern you can imagine.

And of course, these little bitty dudes are for the parking brake.

Like mel was saying before, we're gonna be running in the ballpark of about 600 horsepower out of this truck and that's gonna be turning some big old fat baloney here in the rear.

Now, a 28 flying axle would not be strong enough. A 35 sply axle, that's a little overkill and you start to get limited on what you can do in the differential.

That's why we're going with these 31 split axles that we got from Curry Enterprises.

Just slide them in.

Don't forget your bracket for your disc brakes

and bolt them down.

Now, we can put the woe to our go. First thing we had to do is bolt the hub to the rotor

before we could slide it onto the axle.

Now, we can take the caliper

and bolt it up to the mounting bracket,

then you can slide the pads into place.

Finally, we can mount the little mechanical caliper

for the parking brake.

Now, I told you before about the benefits of a four bar system.

One of the things you don't get with leaf springs is a Panter bar.

Now, leaf springs, not only give you your spring rate, but they also keep the axle from moving from side to side.

Now, obviously, four bars

are not gonna do that

and that's why you've got to have a Panter bar and not only centers the rear end

but eliminate side to side movement.

Now, one side of the bar bolts through the rear end,

the other comes over here to the opposite side frame ramp.

Now, obviously, we're gonna have to wait to do this because we need to box this frame in.

So we have a place to mount our bracket.

Also, when you're setting up a penner bar,

it needs to sit level when the vehicle is at ride height.

Now, it's time for the moment of truth. Now, we already told you about some big old fat baloney. We're gonna run on the rear of the Hairy Hauler

and here they are.

The Mickey Thompson Sportsman is not only a great street tire, but it's also gonna give you plenty of grip on the strip. And since we're going with the 10 spoke ETS on the front, we decided to put team three's matching five spoke ETS on the rear.

Finally, we get to see the stance of this monster.

Tell you what s

this is really starting to look awesome. Uh We're not done yet.

What do you mean?

I figure that since there's a good chance that we're gonna pull the front end up off the ground,

we need to put on these wheelie bars from

Moroso. But now you're talking,

these bars are fully adjustable so you can adjust the height of your wheelies. They're also spring loaded, so you don't end up breaking something.

But the best part is once you weld them to the axle, you can unbolt them so you can take them off any time you want. I don't think there's a whole lot more to say besides don't go away, we'll be right back. That is cool. Aren't these evil? This is great

up next on trucks. We got that dandy delivery to show you from 1951.

And if you're into off roading, you definitely won't want to miss the tire tech tips, Mel and Stacy have for you. That's coming up later in the show

for more information about trucks. Check us out online at trucks, tv.com.

Welcome back everybody.

You know, we deal with a lot of really unique vehicles on this show and since we're all about anything with wheels on it, that's not a car,

there was no way we could pass on this 1951 sedan delivery owned by Roger Metzger of Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Now, this is what we call a mild custom, which means it's had some subtle modifications to smooth out the body, but

it still has enough chrome to keep the original appeal.

As you can see, the headlight rings have been welded to the fenders to give the lights a French in look.

The hood has been smooth

and four rows of louvers have been punched in. Very cool.

The suspension on this delivery is a Mustang two independent in the front with a nine inch ford in the rear.

And for you history bus, those wheels are original Kelsey Hayes wire spokes that have been totally refurbished

under the hood. Lurks a 350 small block that's backed by a 350 turbo tranny

and has all the goodies like power steering headers and a lumpy cam.

And since this truck is a daily driver, power front disc brakes are a must.

Another custom touch of the shaved door handles that have been replaced with Bond Dutch style pinstriping.

Once inside, you see just enough chrome to hint at the fifties era,

but enough modern upgrades like the door panels, carpet and bucket seats to make it a nice vehicle to drive on a daily basis.

Now, this sunburnt orange sedan was originally an all white bread truck that kept the local supermarkets well stocked. Of course, that was back in 51 when it was stocked.

Now that it's been customized with velo

side panels and headliner.

The only thing it'll be delivering is a glimpse of what used to be and a cushy ride for whatever or whoever you put back here

for years. The sedan delivery was used by everyone from plumbers to florists. But that was until people started to realize how cool they could be customized, part wagon, part banner part truck. However, you wanna look at it. We think it's a dandy delivery

up next on trucks. The guys are coming right at you with some tire tech tips that will help you get the most out of your off roading experience.

If you want more trucks, check us out online at trucks, tv.com.

Welcome back to the truck shop. Everybody. You know, there's so many options out there when it comes to big off road tires

that we thought we'd give you a few tips on what to look for. If you're after a big tire just for the look of it, which is valid or if you're gonna do some serious off road.

Now, in the past, getting the right tire size has always been a major headache because you pretty much had to buy them to see if they'd even fit.

But these days you can call up a mail order company that can deliver a wheel and tire combination that's already balanced

and guaranteed to fit.

The first thing you need to decide is what you're gonna use your vehicle for. And it's real important, to be honest with yourself here

because you don't want to be driving down the road with something that's too aggressive. And the reason is the compound is usually softer and that means quicker wear

and not to mention you won't be able to hear yourself. Think

on the other hand, you don't want to end up off road with a tire that's not aggressive enough or

you'll be pulling out the winch.

If you decide to put a lift kit on your truck, you need to know exactly what tire size will fit in the wheel. Well, from lock to lock,

as you can see with our six inch super lift, we had to do a little cutting, keep our ball hall claws from rubbing when the suspension goes to work.

Another thing that's very important is the width. A lot of places you can't run rubber that's wider than the body.

So you may have to add some fender flares.

Of course, whenever you go with a taller tire,

it changes your gear ratio and there's all kinds of fancy formulas out there to help you figure this out.

But we're gonna try to simplify it for you. Now, basically, for every inch that you go up in height,

your gear ratio gets 1/10 taller.

For example, if you're going from a 31 inch tall tire to a 35 that's a difference of four inches.

Now, if your stock gear is a 350

that means it's basically been changed to a 310.

Now, to get your stock performance back, you need to change the 350 to about a 390.

With all that in mind, you have to know what the writing on the side wall means. Now, for a tire in inches,

the 35 is the tire height

12.5 is the section width, not just the tread width. R stands for radio, not rocks. 15 is your rim diameter

and the LT stands for light truck. The M plus S equals mud and snow.

Now, metric is where it really gets strained. So you better hold on.

The LT means light truck. So we're all right there.

The 235 is the width of the tire

in millimeters.

The 75 is the aspect ratio of the side wall in relation to the width. Now, what that means

is the height of the side wall is 75% of the width of the tire.

So when that number goes down, like in a 40 or 50 series tire,

the side wall gets lower like a low profile street

tire.

The R means radial, the 15 is the diameter of the rim in inches.

One last thing when it comes to used tires, they can be a great deal. They can also be a great pain in the backside.

So make sure you check the side walls for splits

and the tread.

That's gonna be pretty obvious.

It's come to our attention that a lot of people don't know how to pour antifreeze and oil out of the containers. Right? Don't laugh. There is a trick to it.

You may have noticed that the antifreeze container has a unique shape to it.

Most people grab it and try to pour it from the upright position.

This causes air bubbles and usually a big mess.

The trick is turn it on its side

and it'll flow right out smooth.

Now, oil is the same way

the bottle designed to be poured with the spout on top

that once again eliminates the air bubbles and the mess

which goes to show you

sometimes they do make things to make life a little easier on us.

And now truck gear, parts, tools and equipment for pickups and sport utilities.

Everybody knows there's nothing worse than the sound of stuff in the bed of your pickup doing a slide job on you.

Bull

ring hits the mark with their retractable tie downs that hold your cargo right where you want it,

the rings hide in the steak pocket until it's time to go to work when they can be snapped into place and handle a load limit of up to 1000 pounds. Installation of the steel horse product couldn't be any easier

and goes for about 43 bucks a pair

for you guys that own an old Willie's truck or wagon like we do

and have searched high and low for a mile lift kit. Well, you can call off the search party. Rancho Suspensions has always had the answer with their 2.5 inch lift kit for the old vintage willies

that comes with all four leaf springs and all the parts you'll need to do the job in a couple hours, give or take.

It's also one of Rancho's oldest part numbers which comes with a price from the past 480 bucks.

Anyone who drives a Ford power stroke diesel and does any kind of towing might wanna take a look at this item. It's the turbo brake from turbo tech.

This setup gives an effective assist to the brake system

and reduces strain and excessive wear. That's common with heavy load towing especially downhill.

It installs in about an hour

and gives you 18 wheels of stopping power pulling the reins with the turbo brake for about 500 bucks.

That's gonna do it for truck gear. Here's a preview of next week's show.

We'll roll sinister Silverado back into the truck shop to give it a new exhaust system and do a little power tuning

while we're at it. We'll also put some finishing touches on the exterior of our Chevy truck.

After that, we'll take you to Phoenix Arizona for the first annual truck in Nationals before heading back to the shop for some sport truck tire tech.

That's all next week on trucks.

Well, it's gonna do it for this week's show. We appreciate you hanging out with us. Yeah, we look forward to trucking with you again next week.

When did you sneak that

on?

I had to see what it looked like. Where do you see the grill? Are you gonna go with the original?

Oh, yeah. It's got to have that in the original radiator. How about a balloon?

That

eye?

Oh,

trucks is an RTM production.