M715 Texas Build

Hi all,

Wanted to introduce myself. I bought a unit from John in Waxahachie yesterday. I’d like to compliment all the great builds and the collegiality in this forum. Scassidy’s work has been particularly inspiring.

I’m eager to get my project going, You guys are light years ahead of me on mechanical abilities but I’m a pretty good fabricator. I’ll definitely look to lean on y’all as I progress. I look forward to contributing in any way I can. I am eager to carry on the helpfulness and respect that has been established by the fellas on here.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f5fa2f146b.jpg

I’ll post some updates once I’ve pulled her apart.

I’m still not sure what direction I’m going but it will be modified tech for sure.





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Hi,
Welcome to the Zone:)
From the photo, looks like you have found a nice one.
Dan

I will look at your other post and either combine them or just delete the ones no one responded to. No problem.

Welcome to the Zone! A good number of M715 owners in the area. Once we are allowed to gather in groups again. You might want to make your way over to Camp Mabry on the 3rd Wednesday evening of every month. All of us green iron addicted people meet and talk about how weird the rest of the world is.

http://www.lonestar-mvpa.org

There also in normal times a gathering in College Station every March. I think I have seen John who you bought your truck from there pretty much every year of the event the last decade or so:

https://americangimuseum.org/events/...story-weekend/

We will see if it happens this year. Last year was called off.

I just merged them. Post in this one only now.

Thank you, I will definitely be at those events when the world returns to normal!

I've made the dive into the axle swap threads and whew! Great info, I've moved up the learning curve pretty quickly.

I've been on the phone with some pull apart yards today and it looks like I'm a little late to the game, seems guys have been on the Dana 60 and 14 bolt train for a long time.

I found this set on Craigslist:

https://austin.craigslist.org/pts/d/...269487029.html

I have followed venominjected's build and I know his axles are from much older year model Fords but I'm wondering if anyone can weigh in on the suitability of these? I know I'll face the switch to the NP205 because of the drop handing. I think these are ball joints but so is my 2019 F-250 daily driver so how bad can it be? That's a serious question, how bad can it be?! :)

My other question is, if all else fails on sourcing axles and I have to go to last resort, I found this guy:

https://www.hillbillywizard.com/comp...t-refurbished/

Anyone have thoughts on this? I expect it will be pricey but scarcity drives prices! If you are more comfortable sharing your thoughts on this in a pm please message me.

Thanks!

What do you plan to use the truck for?

Date night, store trips, I’m going to baby it. Want the ability to get on the highway. Not planning to haul or do any serious off-roading.


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Then, you have no need to re axle the truck or switch transfer cases. Or even swap in a different engine.

I daily drove my stock truck for almost 3 years. I thought I wanted more top end speed so a 396 Big Block Chevy was built and a NV4500 was sourced. Along with a divorced NP205. I drove the stock truck to work on a Friday and the 396/NV4500 propelled truck to work that Monday. The NP205 was going to wait until a later time. (It is still waiting on a shelf a few feet from me right now.)

That was back in 2005. I loved the V8 burble exhaust and the ability to go as fast as I dared push my right foot down. However, a square truck with a flat windshield is a handful above 52-56 mph with no wind. Add in a head wind and things get real interesting very fast. I still thought I was ahead of the game with a better truck.

Then we had a huge M715 Zone gathering in Buena Vista, Colorado in 2008. We base camped at 8,000 feet and went as high up as 12,300 feet. Binford with his all stock truck fired up every time with no drama and was able to climb the passes like he was at sea level. My hot rod V8 didn't want to start, idle and had to be rowed by the gear shift lever going up hill.

A stock truck is designed to haul 1-1/4 tons of stuff off road on just about any terrain and carry a bit more on pavement up to 45 mph convoy speed. It does that to perfection. Going outside of those parameters in my opinion leads to a slippery slope of modifications that take away from the basic designed intent of the truck.

I now have a 6.2 diesel with the NV4500 in the truck and love it. Except for effortless cruising at 48-56 mph. I have learned to let the truck live inside its designed goals and am much happier because of it. Yes, I have over 20,000 M715 miles in the last 20 years with 3 different engines. A stock truck is very hard to improve upon. Plus, they bring more money if you ever want to sell.

By the way, HillbillyWizard.com are great people to work with. I have dealt with them in the CUCV world. You might also want to take a drive out US 183 past Leander and check out the guys with all the military stuff on the east side of the road north of the San Gabriel River. I forget the name of their business and their names. But, great people to work with.

I'm with Barrman, if it's mechanically sound I'd run it the way it is and enjoy the heck out of it!

Barrman,

Great feedback. I like the idea of keeping it simple. My two main impetuses for the axle swap are disk brakes and the closed knuckles. It is interesting as I think about why I don't like those aspects of the truck because I can answer from firsthand knowledge that I prefer disk to drum. However, the closed knuckle opinion is one that I realize I haven't formed for myself. Growing up in a small town in Texas comes with lots of teenage boys and trucks in mud and a codified set of opinions that are passed around. Closed knuckles were always spoken about like they would leave you stranded in the desert without water and then shoot your dog.

If I leave the closed knuckles I think I would rebuild them at least because I have a creek crossing on the lease that I let my daughters steer the truck through which is a favorite activity and I can imagine that water in the seal would be bad.

Did you rebuild yours and have you had any issues? I can likely get ok with the drum brakes if I could get comfortable with the closed knuckles.

I don't need to go more than 50 mph for what I want to do driving around in Austin. With Austin traffic I'll be lucky to get up to 30 mph :).

Glad to hear Hillbilly is good and I'll figure out who the guys on 183 are, thank you for that referral.

There are closed knuckle Dana axles and there are Toyota Birdfield axles. Two different things.

I have a Detroit locker in my stock rear axle. I have pulled my front axles apart and put in new grease. Other than that, my axles are 1967 stock. I have driven my truck through some pretty crazy obstacles at off road parks in Texas, Tennessee and other places.

Yes, anything can break. But I have had my truck standing on the trailer hitch while I was hammer down on the 396 with the big XZL tires hoping and bouncing all over the place and the truck just sitting at the bottom of a dry water fall.

Same basic thing by a bunch of us in the Texas Hill Country back in 2007. Multiple stock trucks climbing rock stair step ledges.

Pretty much if you don't go full lock with the steering and floor it in low range 1st gear. You have to work hard to break the stock axles. Yes, open knuckle axles have larger diameter shafts inside. But, a stock truck doesn't really have that much power either.

I also like disc brakes. I would suggest you plan to take each wheel cylinder apart, clean, lube and adjust. Even if they work now. If the truck has been sitting for a few months there is probably at least one seized wheel cylinder piston. A properly functioning M715 brake system is really very good. I have swapped to a dual line master cylinder with power brakes. It will lock up all the tires with a toe twitch.

I've also dealt with Hillbilly, always been good to me.

I did do the CUCV axle swap converted to disc, 318 engine, NP435 tranny, and the NP205. I never drove a stock rig to compare, but I do enjoy my truck and easily cruise down the highway at 65. The NP 205 was unnecessary, I ran it with the stock 200 for a few thousand miles without any problems, although it is much quieter now. I also kept it spring under. But my truck did need to be totally disassembled to make it road safe, looks like you bought a runner.

You got yourself a good looking truck, good luck!!!

The stock truck does fine for all you spec'ed. Brakes are great with a dual reservoir master cylinder. And highway travel is good, just don't expect to go above 65 mph.

And you don't need a windshield mounted rear view mirror at night as the whole windshield doubles as a mirror at night.

I put window tinting on my rear hardtop window and it made a huge difference for night driving.

Y’all are great, gave me the confidence I needed to keep the axles.

I’m going to re-gear to 4.56 with that kit from Bjs, give the brakes some love and add a dual line master and call it good on the axles.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by benjamintx@gmail.com

Thank you, I will definitely be at those events when the world returns to normal!

I've made the dive into the axle swap threads and whew! Great info, I've moved up the learning curve pretty quickly.

I've been on the phone with some pull apart yards today and it looks like I'm a little late to the game, seems guys have been on the Dana 60 and 14 bolt train for a long time.

I found this set on Craigslist:

https://austin.craigslist.org/pts/d/...269487029.html

I have followed venominjected's build and I know his axles are from much older year model Fords but I'm wondering if anyone can weigh in on the suitability of these? I know I'll face the switch to the NP205 because of the drop handing. I think these are ball joints but so is my 2019 F-250 daily driver so how bad can it be? That's a serious question, how bad can it be?! :)

My other question is, if all else fails on sourcing axles and I have to go to last resort, I found this guy:

https://www.hillbillywizard.com/comp...t-refurbished/

Anyone have thoughts on this? I expect it will be pricey but scarcity drives prices! If you are more comfortable sharing your thoughts on this in a pm please message me.

Thanks!

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I bought a set of axles from hillbilly wizard got a set of 4.56 standard GM 8bolt Kingpin 60 front and Dana 70 rear with Detroit Locker in 4-wheel disc. Absolutely beautiful set of axles and you can set the WMS to WMS to whatever you want thereby eliminating the need for spacers. Im running military hummer wheels with double bead lock inserts. The only double bead locks certified by DOT for highway use. You ask and he'll build it to whatever specs you need. Yes pricey but then you get exactly what you want and they're essentially new.

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What a great looking truck. You will have a lot of fun with it I am sure. It looks straight and nor real rust to speak of. Do yourself a favor. Save all the OEM parts you take off. If you ever decide to sell it or get a wild hair to restore it to original, it will have higher value if those parts are still with the truck later.
Modified is fun, but Original trucks are getting more rare every year.

Barrmans comment on discussing how weird the rest of the world is cracked me up. :happy10:

So nice truck. Post up the work you do!

Can anybody help me figure out what this hose was doing? I would think that the tube it goes to is the crankcase breather but I’m not sure now because I can’t guess what it would have hooked to on the end closest to us. It has a ring clamp like it was connected to something.

Any ideas?

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9abd9c46f4.jpg


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Yes, it's the crankcase breather hose. The upper end connects to the bottom of the air cleaner.

Ah, thank you. It’s like an early PCV setup. I thought they were just releasing to the atmosphere but this makes way more sense.


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Well, I felt like I should post some updates since it has been a while.

I've actually been able to get some work done on her at night but things have been so busy in the home-building world in Austin between all the Californians moving here and the repairs from Icepocalypse that I haven't just haven't wanted to spend the few free moments I have in front of a computer.

To start with, I'm tall and didn't like how short the side windows are so I extended them all by 3.625 inches. That brings them in line with the top of the windshield and still allows the operable ones to fully retract into the door if you remove the angle stop. I diligently documented the fabrication of the taller windows so I could add it to the forum and then I forgot to take a picture of them completed and installed before I pulled the doors off. SMH :) Once I'm putting the new rocker panels on and test fitting the doors I'll snap some pics and then post the whole process.

For now, I've put a lot of hammer and dolly time into straightening out the fenders and bed dings. That bed is stout!

I bought a running LQ4 with 4l80. 150k miles. I debated whether to go ahead and rebuild it but decided I'm too eager to drive this thing so I'm going to run it as is for a while.

Ordered motor mounts from BJ's, I have a new driver side rocker showing up, passenger side was in mint condition. Once I get the rocker replaced and my roll bar plates fabricated I'll pull the cab and bed and get going on my frame mods.

My next big acquisition push is to try to find an NP205. Would love to find a divorced one with passenger side drop but so far that has proven elusive!

I'm testing out Master Series metal prep on the frame rail and if I like it, I'm going to go with their silver primer on the chassis.

I'll make sure I'm picture heavy next time but most of my work to date has been demo so the good stuff is just starting!

I got my Dodge divorced NP205 (passenger drop) from a guy on Ebay. Fully rebuilt, painted, and ready to go in. I have info if you'd like. He doesn't give them away, but the cost and aggravation of finding an old take-out it was worth it. That being said, the stock NP200 served me well with no real issues even with many miles at 65mph. The 205 is much much quieter though...I have a very pretty NP200 that I'd sell for a song

Eighty I would love the ebay contact. That would save me a lot of time hunting. My NP200 is in great shape but I do want the benefits of the quieter 205.

PM sent, but keep getting error. Let me know if you get the info.

What rockers are you using? I know there are plenty choices for rockers that just don't fit. Some have complete profile changes that are not even close to the OEM shape. I used Melnicks rockers. The fit and finish was amazing for an aftermarket panel. I spent maybe 30 minutes making some adjustments to edges and corners to match exactly. Some panels I have used required days of fitting. The Melnicks ones were pretty nice. Just curious if you know who made them.

Unfortunately I am not able to see the pictures.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eightydeuce

PM sent, but keep getting error. Let me know if you get the info.

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Hi Eighty, got it, thank you! I got an error message when I replied as well so seems like a forum issue.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaiserjeeps

What rockers are you using? I know there are plenty choices for rockers that just don't fit. Some have complete profile changes that are not even close to the OEM shape. I used Melnicks rockers. The fit and finish was amazing for an aftermarket panel. I spent maybe 30 minutes making some adjustments to edges and corners to match exactly. Some panels I have used required days of fitting. The Melnicks ones were pretty nice. Just curious if you know who made them.

Unfortunately I am not able to see the pictures.

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Kaiser, I read your thread on rocker panels which is incredible, thank you for all of that great info!

I have two different rockers showing up. I ordered the ones from BJ’s because I read somewhere that they had corrected fit issues and I wanted to see if that is correct. I’ll let you know what I find. I also took a section to a metal fab shop that I have a stake in and have asked them to make me one. I want to see how hard it is for them to nail it just as an experiment. The profile didn’t seem that complex so I was surprised at how bad some of the aftermarket fits are and wanted to find out if there is more to it than it seems. Also a good way to test the skill of my guys!


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Would also like the np205 contact...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by benjamintx@gmail.com

My other question is, if all else fails on sourcing axles and I have to go to last resort, I found this guy:

https://www.hillbillywizard.com/comp...t-refurbished/

Anyone have thoughts on this? I expect it will be pricey but scarcity drives prices! If you are more comfortable sharing your thoughts on this in a pm please message me.

Thanks!

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As to Hillbilly wizard ... I just put those you point out under my truck with HMWVV wheels. 4wheel disk and 4.56 gears. See my latest post on my build thread... TEKING

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