. . . and if you have any questions about any of that stuff: soup to nuts with building, just holler.

You guys are both sweethearts and I am looking forward to doing this. I'm a little bit of a coward when it comes to this stuff. I start, get scared, close it up, read, ask a million questions, start again . . . go a little farther . . . that's just the way I am. If you need a wall repaired I can...

Bless your heart jw. I reckon once I've done this once or twice pulling the gears out of my front differential and reinstalling them would be as easy as 'pulling them and throwing them back in', but I've never in my life been as close to those gears as I was last night and my manual doesn't even...

That's what I'm thinking for now. And, yup, with the hubs on 'Free.'

MG, This is where I'm at now. I opened the differential and looked inside. I think I can do it too, but not now. I need to have my truck working for me. So I've started looking for a back up truck. When I get that I'll pull this guy apart without being under the gun. Here's the question: If I...

New Plan: I decided to open the differential and have a look first. I did and it seems like more than I can handle right now. I've never messed with these gears before and I need more time to get clear what I would do in there, so this is what I'm thinking. Putting the plate back on, putting...

Okay MG, that was my feeling too, after I slept on it. I'm going to try and drive it about 10 miles to where I live and work on it here. I'll let you know how it goes.

Well, Holtz, I'm going to give it a shot. I'm planning on bringing my truck down from where it's been sitting so that I can work at it where I live. I'll let you know how it goes.

Holtz has helped me understand the situation I'm facing: Replacing the oil seal around the axle spindle inside the front differential of my 78 4wd F150. I just replace the ball joints myself, a big job for me. I'm a carpenter and I work on my truck because every time I bring it to a mechanic I...

I can feel the pleasure you must have had doing all of this Holtzman. I can, I can sense it from here . . .

Okay, I'm almost there. On your drawing you're replacing the seal on the passenger side of the differential. The rod is coming in from the driver's side. If there was a seal already in the driver's side you would have to pass the rod through it, put the seal on in the differential housing and...

Holtz, That's beautiful. You've probably had situations like this . . . when you're in the dark and then you get the information you need. It's like a lighthouse. I really appreciate you doing all that. I'm guessing I'll be able to see exactly how the other seal is seated, the one on the...

Holtz. I want to hear about THAT! Can you tell me what to do? I'm figuring I take off the dif's face plate and drain the oil. then, though I wish wish wish I didn't have to I'm guessing I have to pull the spline back out and somehow replace that damaged seal that is holding the gear oil within...

Father Doug, I so wish it was. I fear there is a seal at the differential itself and that the end of the spindle, when pushed back in, disturbed that seal. I think the spindle bore seal is more of a dust seal. The inside of the axle housing was dry when I pulled the spindle out and then started...

While reinstalling the front axle spindle of my 4wd F150 after replacing the ball joints I noticed an oil leak from the axle shaft itself. Apparently a seal in the differential was damaged. I've been looking for information on this seal and how to repair it but no luck so far . . . Any suggestions?

Well I thought I'd done a good enough job, but apparently, while replacing the spline in the differential a seal . . . in the differential . . . was damaged and now oil is leaking out from the axle housing. I've looked online but so far nothing about what to do now. I going to write a new post...

Well good news. They're out, like a bad tooth, two bad teeth. Now to seat the new ones. I bought Moogs. They're serrated, ribbed, little grooves where they sit in the smooth race of the steering knuckle. Why'd they make em that way I wonder and there's a threaded insert for the upper and its...

Okay, Roger, I've got it in a vise and well, I'm a carpenter and I've got hammers and BIG hammers, but I'll try the press again first. I also may be able to set up a hammer drill with a socket (7/8) for the threaded rod and maybe even borrow an air impact driver. Would heat on the knuckle...

Okay . . . I've gotten the steering knuckle of my 78 4 wheel drive f150 onto the work table. I tried using the Ball Joint Press I rented from the parts store to press the upper ball joint out and I've whacked on it with a two pound sledge, but I'm uneasy about both of these procedures. The...

Thanks Holtz. I didn't have access to the internet for a few day . . . sorry it's taken me awhile to respond. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and they helped. I have a choice here. Driving to my church, which happens to have a great shop on the grounds and staying overnight, I figure at...

I figured out what PITA means, but could you tell me more about how the spindle causes this discomfort and why . . . and can I get a hammer head onto the lower ball joint too . . . tucked in as it is in the knuckle . . .

Big Hammer by itself or Big Hammer and pickle fork ?

I had to laugh about the loud blinker. I always make sure I buy the loud ones too. and a side note: today on my way to the parts store I look at the oncoming traffic and there is another old old truck like mine (78 4 wheel 150). He's got a primer patchwork like mine and just as I see him he sees...

Well I've decided not to put it off any longer. My 78 150 has had a lot of play in the front end, but it's really bad now. I bought a set of Moog ball joints for the driver's side (upper and lower), a new tie rod end and rented a ball joint press. I plan on starting tomorrow, but just now wonder...

No I don't have anything against the Duralast. I'm leaning that way, but I have this thing about checking around before buying things. I like to feel I've made the right choice, you know. I've had some rec. the Walmart brand, but I've heard horror stories about their crews and warranty and I...

My Duralast 'Silver' from Auto Zone has lasted 6 years in my 78 150 straight six, but is tired out. What do you all think is the best battery. I've been looking at the CarQuests models and some seem to like the DieHard, but as it is $100 bucks is my limit . . . I'm not going for top of the line...

So you guys think its the accelerator pump and you think I should look down into the carb while I work the throttle and see if I get a good squirt of gas. Okay I'll do that and let you know what I see, but does anyone think it could be the vacuum advance?

Here's the story: My '79 straight six (single barrel carb) has been hesitating a lot and until it is really warmed up it lurches and sometimes even warm it doesn't feel as though it's getting what it needs. A friend of a friend, bless his heart, sucked on the vacuum line to the vaccum advance...

Testing the coil and specifics about the hesitation:A question for you. I know, roughly, the idea of testing spark, but I've never done it. Do I pull back the boot on the wire from the coil and hold it to where it would set in the distributor terminal ? Or against the block ? Or somewhere...

HesitationThanks for the feedback guys. And this is the second time in a month I've heard someone say they keep a spare ignition module behind the seat. I've changed the fule line filter at the carb many times. I don't know of any other fuel line filter on my truck. If I wanted to try and...