76ChevyTrucker

You didn't happen to get any pictures of the things, did you?

Don't feel bad. I'm really wanting to get my '76 Chevy back up and running so that I can park my Impala for right now so that I can replace the struts along with a few other things that are starting to nag at me a little.

Ahh, I shall have to do this. I've got two entries......my truck: 1976 Chevy C10, 3rd Generation owner, 212,000-miles.....and my granddad's 1983 Chevy C20, 2nd owner, 228,500-miles....

Yeah, it said it drinks beer.

Someone had a LOT of spare time on their hands to teach that parrot all that, but I have to admit, that's amazing to see/hear.

*makes mental note to never, never, ever ever ever, drive in that tunnel* Sheesh, and my wife thought I drove badly.

B-E-A-utiful truck! I've always wanted a truck like the one Mel Gibson had too, but alas I have something just as good, my 1976 Chevy 1/2-ton (with 3/4-ton rear springs from the factory) That is until the Impala is 90% paid off, then I can get my crew-cab duallie truck like that, but I'm debating on the Duramax with the Allison, or the 8.1L with the Allison.....

Yeah, the sound is from the turbocharger spooling up and forcing air into the engine to get extra power, that's why most 18-wheelers you hear running around don't really make a lot of noise, they just kinda hiss as they go by you because all in all, a diesel at rpm is actually pretty quiet, its during idle, acceleration and deceleration that they're noticeable because the turbo stops spooling the extra power in.

All right, the "tud" sound you're hearing when you've got the wheel cocked and the feel in the floorboard could be the Shock Mount Bearing Assembly. In the top of the strut tower, there is a bearing inside that mount and it allows the strut to flex and lean with the suspension and a lot of times that bearing can go bad, causing a pop, or "tud" sound to come from it and a slight vibration through the steering wheel. As far as CV axles going bad, you can normally inspect the boot and look for evidence of the boot being busted, and if it is, then go ahead and replace that bad boy, because it's only going to get worse. As far as the cost of the Strut Mount, you're looking at about 60 bucks, no big deal and while you're at it, you might as well replace the struts too, since you have to take them out of the way to gain access to the mount. The moaning sound could very well be the power steering fluid level being really low, and on those cars, GM engineers didn't have the foresight to remote mount the P/S reservoir, so its ungodly hard to check it, but it is possible, just have small arms and a cool engine. Also jack up one side of the car and wiggle the tire, if it has excessive play, replace the wheel hub assemblies, probably cost you about 150.00.

Yeah, too bad I came in a little late on the power curve with this one. I've driven a couple of cars with the cat bad on it and it acted just like that, but at the same time, you can have a catastrophic convertible (what a customer one time called it) go bad and have it just rattle.

Wow, ball joint problems, sounds like our good friends over at DCX tossed the crappy balljoint problem with the Durango's over to the Tundra.....at least my truck has no problems with its suspension (with the exception of 30 years of driving under it with NO replacement)....

I definitely realize the idea of having an extra gear on long trips, but with the exception of a long trip and long endurance-type cruises, do you need six gears to drive 2.5 miles to the grocery store and then 2.5 miles back home? Or how about the 7.6 miles to work and back? I know I'm happy as hell with my 4T65E in my Impala, or even better, the THM350HD in my Custom Deluxe.

I've always known it as the Eco-Tech engine, at least that's how its spelt on the Wife's Cobalt, therefore, how my mind thinks to pronounce it. Although I'm going guess that some of y'all think I'm a backwards, pickup driving, tobacco chewing hick with a gunrack in his truck. Or some of you might accidentally agree with me.

I agree with Camino, or, in the absolute worst case senario, you've got a wheel hub assembly (if the car uses one, I'm not horribly sure even with all my parts knowledge), is going bad and the sound is of the wheel bearing inside the hub assembly starting to no longer like you.

capriceman, the 350 and 305 are the same basic design with a different bore. Exhaust placement is the same, if you stripped down the two engines and walked in someone who knew engines, they wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between them until you got the heads off.

Very good article tama. I like what Lutz is doing, although I agree with what a couple of y'all have said about the constant "wait till next year" line, it is getting tiresome, but at the same time, it always keeps us wondering about what will really come out next year.

You know, part of me thinks that the people designing transmissions in today's cars and trucks were all OTR (over-the-road) truck drivers at some point.....I mean you don't EVER need 6-gears for a family car, unless its a highly stripped, very powerful, higly modified family car. Think of it, asside from your local Frieghtliner, Peterbuilt, or Kenworth, what else needs a ba-jillion gears to get it moving?

Lets see, Saturday after working at CarQuest for my normal 8-whenever shift, it'll be dinner with my family at their house, then Sunday will be easter service (led by the kids) and then dinner with my wife's family. After that.....I'm going to find somewhere along a lake, and put a line in the water.

Lots of 07 Tahoes, at least one 07 Escalade (possibly two, didn't get a really good look at the second one), my second Solstice, several 9C1 '06 Impalas, and at least my fourth new (as in '02-now) Ford Super Duty on the side of the road broken.....

The Camel Toe song was great, I really needed that laugh, and I've seen some that bad a bunch of times before....especially during the summer.

Its good to see the HHR getting good press like this, now if the marketing bozos can get some paperwork out stating this to the dealer network, then there might be more on the road. I know I would buy one if I didn't need a full-size pick up right now, and if I can convince the wifey out of a Dodge Magnum as her next purchase, we'll probably get the HHR for her.

I'm normally not a hugh Saturn fan, but I have to admit both interiors look good.

Good read, thanks for finding it wildcat. I'm glad to hear that Lutz is putting up a fight with the media and the analysts.

I'm just wondering here.... What would happen if we contracted the nice folks over at Catepillar to build a diesel for Chevy and GMC trucks? I know that they already have an engine avialable for the M/D and H/D (as in 4500-9500 series) but what about the 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks, can't they get a Cat under the hood too? Thoughts, questions, and no I'm not bashing the Duramax in anyway, its a great diesel.

Hmm......seatbelt failure....gee I think I'd be firing an engineer or some other stupid-head for that one....And I for one know that the Nipponese like to have their seatbelts lock up and stay that way anytime you even use mildly heavy brake authority....friend of mine's camry would damn near choke you if you had to get on the binders too heavy.