LUVTruck.com

Man that sucks dude!!! Swap sounds like the way to go to me.

_________________
Click on C.M. logo to go to my webpage


RIP R.J.B.

You can always try find a used tranny on here. Or, there is a 4x4 LUV for sale on craigslist- FRESNO for $600. They would probably take $500 or less, its been on there for awhile. They say its complete, just won't start. It even has a lift already. Thats not too far from you, you could pick it up and have everything you need to fix yours, and then some.

Good luck whatever you decide.

_________________
No LUV anymore, but still in the GM truck family. Running a lifted 2002 Silverado Z-71!

what year is your luv i might have missed it but i got all the clutch kit new for a $100.00 and you can get a used 4 speed or update it to a 5 speed trans i have a 5 speed trans out of a 89 pup the thing with mine it has a remote shifter on it so it needs to be changed or cut the shifter hole 6-8 inchs back i will sell mine for 150.00 and i also got a disc rearend out of the same truck and the drive shaft all for 300.00 ok just 1 of your options

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/ez.cracker
dangerous-toys4life
73 3-door avalanche bdydropped on 18s
86 1-ton 4x crewcab short bd 15"lift
75 k-5 2x
94 king cab

This all sounds a bit crazy.

Heres what i would do if i were you.

Spend the $1700 on tools.

Get under your truck and start ripping bits off it. Youve got your Haynes book. It will tell you whats what and how to check it its servicable.


Before you start get a second opinion. I dont see how he diagnosed the problem properly. Took it for a drive, hes full of shit.

You need to get onto someone who knows how to check a uni joint. The haynes manual should tell you how its done.

Put the truck up on stands or ramps. Remember saftey first.

First visually check, look at all sorts of stuff. Make sure the exhaust is secure and nothing has been rubbing on the back of the gearbox or on the tail shaft. If something has been rubbing on the tailshaft it will be al shiny.

Grab driveshaft with a hand either side of the U-joint, wobble it all around in any and every direction. There should be Zero clunk clunk and very little movement. Actually if you can notice the movememnt youve got too much. Do the same at both ends of the shaft.

Grab the shaft before the uni, where it comes out the rear of the box and try moving it around in the back of the gearbox. It should move up-down side to side a little bit but not much. If the seal is in good order chances are theres nothing wrong with the output side of the box. Rotate the tailshaft listen for bad noises inside the gearbox. Put the truck in gear and rock the tailshaft, again listening for noises.
Get a pry bar, tyre lever or a heavy duty screw driver and get into the mount at the rear of the transmission. Se if you can lift it, move it etc. Visually inspect it, it the rubber has perished (oil does this) and cracked chances are the metal keepers banging together and the gearbox flopping about is causing your trouble.
Check the engine mounts too.


Do the similar things as above but to the front of the diff.

Make sure the U-bolts that hold the diff to the springs are done up and secure. Make sure the centre pin that holds the rear spring packs together is there, im not real sure if you can get to it on a Luv. If its busted the diff can slide backwards and forwards on the spring.


If you cant find the trouble pull the drive shaft out and get it looked at by someone who ballances tailshafts. If the ballance weights have fallen off this could cause your issue.

If that shows up nothing and you suspect the gearbox, remove it.
Sorce your new box and but it with the tailshaft that was in it. Thats one of my silly rules. Buy a box get the tailshaft. Thats to make sure you get the correct yolk for the box. If its not the same you can get it fitted to the front of your tailshaft.


If your truck is a 73 you will need a trans that has the starter on the drivers side.


Cheers, Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

Guess what dude...it sounds to me like your friend sent you to a crook and a BS'er.

Both front and rear u-joints cost less than $100.00 and you can buy a complete clutch replacement kit for usually under $150.00. A decent used transmission would probably cost you around $200.00-$300.00 at a junkyard, and a decent used driveline usually costs under $100.00 too.

But regardless what is wrong with your truck, spending $1700.00 in repairs on an old 73 Luv is just plain ridiculous. You could shop around carefully and probably buy 2 more that run for less.

IMHO I suggest you try to find some guy that works at an auto parts store and knows what the hell he is talking about or another reputable repair shop that you can trust and get them to look at it first. Another option would be to talk to the nearest auto repair program at a voc tech college or high school near you to see if they can take a look at it and/or possibly help you fix the problem.

If you purchase a decent Haynes or Chilton repair manual, it will show you step by step how to inspect and repair whatever is wrong with your truck yourself. With a few basic tools and some patience - you can probably fix it all by yourself.

It's too bad some member here doesn't live close enough to stop by and take a look at it for ya. If you were close enough to me, I'd come over and help ya out. Maybe some member here that lives in the San Jose area can spare the time to help.

Good luck!

I would definetely say a second opinion is in order. Worst case scenario, if your truck does have all that stuff wrong with it, then I would check for used parts on here and do the work yourself, instead of paying $1700 for it.

To me, it seems like that is a lot of stuff to go wrong all at once. Even if the driveline, the clutch, the tranny, and whatever else was all bad, those would each give you some sign that they needed help. It wouldn't just start to vibrate all at once.

If your clutch was bad, you would notice noises, vibration, pressure (or lack thereof) when you pushed in the pedal, or you would have issues getting into gear, or shifting.

If the tranny was bad, you would have issues or noises while going into gear, shifting, vibration in the shifter itself, noise in nuetral, etc.

If the driveshaft was bad, you would have vibrations (like you originally described) clunking noises, etc.

Each symptom has its tell-tale signs. I'm not saying the above issues will cause all of the above symptoms, but you will notice something. If this were the case, you would have been on here weeks ago saying you had problems with this, or a noise with that. It just seems hard to believe everything took a crap at once. I'm not saying its not possible, but not likely. A second opinion is definetely a good idea.

Maybe call the guy again and write down everything he says is wrong with it, then call a transmission shop and tell them what he said. Most of the time they will give you an honest evaluation over the phone. But ask about the possibility of multiple things being wrong.

Or you can diagnose some stuff yourself. Does it go into gear and reverse normally, while stopped? Any noise? let the truck idle and push the clutch pedal in and out (with trans in nuetral) can you hear the clutch engage/disengage, any grinding/weird noises? Jack it up and double check the drive shafts and u joints.

Stuff like that can help you narrow it down to a certain area.

I'm surprised he didn't tell you that you needed a new rear axle, 4 new brakes, and new wheels and tires.

Good luck.

_________________
No LUV anymore, but still in the GM truck family. Running a lifted 2002 Silverado Z-71!

Yeah I was thinking that he might be trying to pull a fast one. Did I forget to mention that I drove the car to the shop. During idle everything is okay. Shifting is okay. Reverse is okay. It just seems like something is banging together down there. The vibration is a little less this morning with it being bad on 3rd and 4th gear but not as bad as when I was driving it back from Sacramento. I gave the mechanic a call and told him I would get the car tomorrow morning and give him his $85.00 for taking a look. Imma high tail my pup out of that shop and bring er safely back home and plan the battle from there.

THANKS TO ALL. You guys are the best. I am just a newly arrived member and all this help. WOW! I am honored.

Sau

Thats why we're here.

I've been a member on several different car related forums and this one BY FAR has the most friendly, helpful bunch of guys on it.

_________________
No LUV anymore, but still in the GM truck family. Running a lifted 2002 Silverado Z-71!

here is what I have done when I want to look under the truck... go to Midas or any brake shop that does free brake inspection, while it is on the lift I will ask if I can check something so I go and spin the tires to see if anything rattles, grab the drive shaft and move it around or try to like everyone said but also check your pinion bearing mine was bad and did the same thing... anyway you get your brakes checked for free and you get to use the lift for a little bit for free and may be able to see or hear what is wrong... just my 2 cents worth. Good luck

_________________
My old but now gone Luv...

Sounds like a *perfect* excuse to swap in a SBC to me....

Merlyn

SBC sound like a lot of hard work to me.


Just updating to the later 1.8L and 5 speed would make a world of difference.


Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

I just picked up the truck from the mechanic and drove it home. It drives fine, just a shaking is all there is. Something doesn't seem quite right with what he told me. With all those issues how can I drive it home. He then said something...about one of the bushings....then he stopped talking...was that a slip...???

Sau

Could well have been.

Have a look over it yourself. Im sure you will work it out, well you and your Haynes book.

Could turn out to be the best 10$ you ever spent.


Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

Hmmm leaf spring bushing rotted???

_________________
Click on C.M. logo to go to my webpage


RIP R.J.B.

Tranny tailshaft bushing?

_________________
If you think no one cares, try missing a couple of payments...



FIAA!

SFPP!

Haynes and some elbow grease going to set it straight.

Sau

That's the spirit!!

Man,what I could do to my LUVs with $1700.00

_________________
"You can't please everyone,so you've got to please yourself"

GUYS! HAHAHA! You know I bought the truck two weeks ago right? Well there is a receipt in the glove compartment dated January 3, 2008 from a PD Auto Motor and Transmission for $450.

I called the number listed for the place and the owner he told me sold a rebuilt transmission for my 1973 Chevy Luv. I am going to drive there tomorrow just to have him confirm that its true.

Sau

So you are saying it maybe has a rebuilt trans in it now? As in This month?

Cool. You just need to wiggle things under there and figure out what is wrong.

_________________
OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

Aren't you glad you didn't just fork over $1700?

_________________
No LUV anymore, but still in the GM truck family. Running a lifted 2002 Silverado Z-71!