It's almost time!!! All of the shifter linkages are hooked up and working properly, trans tunnel is back together, interior is in, front end is "aligned" and greased, and clutch/brakes bled. I am going to rebleed to brakes tonight after letting it sit for a day since this morning I felt it and didn't love the way the pedal felt before I left for work.
Driveshaft guy texted me and he's getting to work on it so maybe it will move before the weekend!!!
A couple of notes on the clutch bleed if anyone else is doing that atrocious job. The external slave for these trucks CANNOT be bled like any other hydraulic system and are a pain. After a half an hour or so of trying to bleed it at the screw like any normal clutch I gave up and hit the internet. There's a common thread of people having issues with them... What I found worked best based off a couple of different forum threads and a little experimenting was this:
Step 1 - Remove slave cylinder from the transmission as well as disconnect it from the master cylinder line.
Step 2 - Fully compress the cylinder to expel any fluid you had in it along with air.
Step 3 - Have someone else slowly fill the slave while you release the pushrod out. Keeping the fluid level above the actual cylinder walls (basically keep the "bowl" that the line goes into full of fluid so air doesn't get into the slave itself).
Step 4 - Once you get the slave completely full of fluid and your hand hurts from keeping it pressed in and slowly letting it out, ensure the master and line are full then reconnect the line from the master and install the drift pin.
Step 5 - Create new words as you struggle to reinstall the slave into the shift fork and the transmission.
Step 6 - Put a 2x4 or hammer handle between the floor and the clutch pedal. Until the clutch system has no air in it, pushing the pedal to the floor or cracking the bleeder screw will only put you back to square 1 and asking yourself why you didn't leave the truck an automatic. With the cap off the master, press the clutch pedal 50ish times and evaluate how the pedal feels and check the throw at the trans.
Since I don't have my driveshaft in yet I cannot confirm but the pedal feels good, disengages the clutch, and allows shifts but I will reassess once it has driveline in.
Now a couple notes on the ORD triple stick for the NP203/205 setup.
They do not come with instructions, just a couple of pictures that almost show you enough to halfway figure it out. It is relatively straight forward but equally confusing at first when you are looking at it all lying under the truck.
If you have not already installed the NP205 into the truck or even attached it to the 203 adapter... save yourself 20 minutes of playing surgeon and cussing at inanimate objects by installed the arm that connects to your rear shift shaft. It's a bear to get to once installed and getting the nut on the bolt is an absolute b$%ch!!!
Also, leave the bolt that holds the shifters themselves to the transmission loose-ish to move the individual shifters easily to connect the linkages. Some of the fits are tight when getting the heims and bolts onto there, so give yourself what play and room you can.
HMU for all of your alignment needs 😎 I'll bring my zipties and hoes and we'll have you on the road in no time!
The truck still will need both window regulators and see why the blend door is stuck on defrost... but otherwise it's back together for now!
Also going to clean the steering wheel because its gross lol
