Just bought the 17yr old boy a '74 Chevy 4x4. Pretty much all stock, all there and in decent shape with new paint. Funny how if you take the 4x4 truck out of the equation, it's pretty much a Chevelle underneath!

Hoping some could help out with a few opinions on some minor issues...

1) Steering is REALLY sloppy. I'm talking 6"-of-play-sloppy in the steering wheel - reminds me of a Greyhound bus. Steering box? Bushings? All?


2) The brake peddle goes about 3" down before engaging First thought is low fluid or low pads - it has disc up front and drum in the back. Any other thoughts? Brakes are fine once they engage, as is the e-brake.

3) Seems to load up at idle in gear, but no smoke. Push it into neutral and it runs better. Brand new Rochester 4bbl - thinking it's just out of tune, but perhaps a vaccuum leak. Other ideas?

4) It has some kind of funny-looking short little shift thingy in front of the seat on the floor. The Chevelle doesn't have one - I hear something about making all four wheels turn at once like some kind of ultimate double-posi... Think this has sumthin' to do with that?? :D

Steering link (drag link?) that hooks from the pitman arm to the rest of the steering is a typical wear item. If it wiggles with just light hand pressure, it needs new pieces. That is where I usually start for loose steering on that era of trucks. Is it stock height? My rigs with lift and bigger tires do have a bit more play than a car but it does not feel like a gap. Earlier this year I out all new ball joints etc in my 81. It has over 200k.

#1, check the rag joint, then the steering box for play and all the steering linkage, do fix it before driving it again.

#2, The brakes may just need adjusting of the rear, Personally, I don't trust anyone elses brake work, I would inspect all brakes and take appropriate action.

#3, Carb may just need proper adjusting and an overall look at the whole tuneup.

#4, That would be the shifter handle for the transfer case, to engage the 4 Wheel drive including the front axle, does it have manual hubs on the front, things that need to be turned by hand?

Hope this helps.

Back in '74 all V8 4wd Chevy & GMC trucks up to 8600 GVW (in other words, all pickups, Suburbans, Blazers & chassis cabs) came with full-time 4wd. I believe it was a New Process 203 transfer case. Only the six cylinder 4wd trucks had part time 4wd via the NP 205 transfer case.

You should only engage the lock position on the transfer case when you are in low traction conditions, typically off road.

GM was targeted (unfairly in my opinion) for having gas tanks outside the frame rails, supposedly making them vulnerable during a side impact. Blazers & Suburbans don't have the tanks there BTW. 20/20 got caught sensationalizing it by rigging a truck to burst into flames during a televised demonstration. Meanwhile millions of big rigs have saddle tanks... Tell me, are explosions with saddle tanks causing an epidemic of explosions? :rolleyes:

These were popular trucks and were good trucks. They are known for rust, I figure it's due to the thin sheetmetal they started using in that generation.

1) Steering is REALLY sloppy. I'm talking 6"-of-play-sloppy in the steering wheel - reminds me of a Greyhound bus. Steering box? Bushings? All?


Have someone crank the wheel back and forth while you watch the linkages. You should be able to easily see where that much slop is. FWIW, I had an 81 4x4 (same chassis I think?) and I too once had HUGE amounts of slop in the steering. At first it seemed like the steering box bolts to the frame were loose, but it turns out the frame was tearing around the bolt holes, and allowed the box to move. Relatively easy to fix if you can weld.

Actually Cam it was Dateline (NBC)

My closest friend has relatives who were paid out for a bad/fatal fire due to the saddle tanks damage during an accident.

Back in '74 all V8 4wd Chevy & GMC trucks up to 8600 GVW (in other words, all pickups, Suburbans, Blazers & chassis cabs) came with full-time 4wd. I believe it was a New Process 203 transfer case. Only the six cylinder 4wd trucks had part time 4wd via the NP 205 transfer case.

You should only engage the lock position on the transfer case when you are in low traction conditions, typically off road.


But swapping over to manual hubs was fairly popular...

In High School, I drove a '78 Blazer, where the hubs had been converted to manual (Warn?)... Fun times, as I found that by dropping the transfer case in "Low" made for incredible launches, but a top speed of about 45 MPH... Until I blew out a new front U-joint...

Interesting tidbit? My Blazer had a GVW of OVER the 8600 lbs...
It had a factory Tach, factory 400 SB, "full time" transfer case, 3.73s, etc... We sold it, because it had NO smog equipment: no cats, no smog pump, no fuel tank restrictor (ran on regular leaded gas), even the gas guage did NOT say "unleaded only"...

Turns out, it was a factory HD version (higher GVW), and despite being a California vehicle, the smog system wasn't required... I was told very rare for a Blazer (of course, told this several years after selling it)...

Wish I had it back...

Actually Cam it was Dateline (NBC)

My closest friend has relatives who were paid out for a bad/fatal fire due to the saddle tanks damage during an accident.

Wow JWA, that's awful! :(

GM was forced to retrofit the tanks with some sort of guard thingy. GM also gave a credit voucher to be used during the purchase of another GM vehicle. Bear in mind that these were old vehicles when GM did this.

Another thing to consider are skid plates if you drive it in the rough.

To answer a few of the questions;

- Tires on it are 32" tires, the ride height is stock.
- I know about the 4x4 shifting - just a failed attempt at humor - it IS full time 4-whl dive. Is this a good thing or is it avoided? Seems like an interesting feature, but maybe ard on tires and tranny.
-Truck had some rust, but being am always-California truck, it's minimal. Prior owner had cut out the rusty panels prior to doing a garage paint job. It's pretty dirty and leaks some oil underneath, but all in all it's mostly there.

Should be fun for a 17-yr old boy!

Back in '74 all V8 4wd Chevy & GMC trucks up to 8600 GVW (in other words, all pickups, Suburbans, Blazers & chassis cabs) came with full-time 4wd. I believe it was a New Process 203 transfer case. Only the six cylinder 4wd trucks had part time 4wd via the NP 205 transfer case.

Not so fast my friend.
ALL auto trans 4x4 1/2 ton------some 3/4 ton auto trans were equipped with the full time transfer case

4x4 1/2 and 3/4 ton with the manual trans would have freewheeling hubs (locking).

Many attempted to put locking hubs on the full time trucks for fuel mileage gains---but this would not really work all that well.
With the hubs unlocked, it was necessary to run the transfercase in 4hi lock. in order for the truck to move.

If you had the t-case in 4-hi, the differential inside the case would only spin the front driveshaft and completely bypass the rear end.

The full time 4-wheelers really shine on wet or patchy ice roads, much more stable at speed than the trucks with the locking hubs locked.
And on real icy roads, the part time trucks with the hubs locked are just downright squirrely.

My experiences are Idaho hiways with a 76 3/4 manual trans. part time 4x4.-----------My later 78 1/2ton AT trans full time 4x4 was almost a pleasure to drive on the ice-----and I did not even need to lock the t-case (but of course in 4-loc it was gonna go anywhere)

Another feature that was included on some 1974 Chevrolet pickups was the new for '74 Hydro-boost brake booster. It would be included on Camper Special or Trailering Special models. One easy way to i.d. if your truck has it is by a nameplate on the lower cab-back appliqué (the trim piece under the rear window that wraps around to the door.) I think Camper Specials were series 20 or 30 only, while Trailering Specials were series 10, 20 and 30. I could be wrong, Hydroboost might have only been on high GVW series 30 (I'll have to go to some reference material). In the meantime, your 4x4 will certainly have some sort of power brakes, just see if you have a hydraullic pump for your power brakes.

Not so fast my friend.
ALL auto trans 4x4 1/2 ton------some 3/4 ton auto trans were equipped with the full time transfer case

4x4 1/2 and 3/4 ton with the manual trans would have freewheeling hubs (locking).

Many attempted to put locking hubs on the full time trucks for fuel mileage gains---but this would not really work all that well.
With the hubs unlocked, it was necessary to run the transfercase in 4hi lock. in order for the truck to move.

If you had the t-case in 4-hi, the differential inside the case would only spin the front driveshaft and completely bypass the rear end.

The full time 4-wheelers really shine on wet or patchy ice roads, much more stable at speed than the trucks with the locking hubs locked.
And on real icy roads, the part time trucks with the hubs locked are just downright squirrely.

My experiences are Idaho hiways with a 76 3/4 manual trans. part time 4x4.-----------My later 78 1/2ton AT trans full time 4x4 was almost a pleasure to drive on the ice-----and I did not even need to lock the t-case (but of course in 4-loc it was gonna go anywhere)

Point taken, Bryan. I believe you are correct, they may very well have switched to the part time transfer case on manual transmission trucks.
My information is coming from the 1974 and 1975 brochures where they show on the specification charts in no uncertain terms, NP203 with on all V8 K10 & K20 models, NP205 on all 6 cyl K10 & K20 models. I don't have them handy, but I seem to recall that The Complete Chevrolet Book (3rd edition 1973 & 4th edition 1975) co-oborated this. I believe you are right that they changed the applications somewhat in later years. I don't know if this was due to customer demand, in field feedback, cost accounting, fuel consumption, whatever. I have heard that there was a slight fuel economy penalty with the full-time 4wd system.

As for the operation of the full-time system, again you are right. They did have a few quirks that one needs to become familiar with (RTFM as they say ;) )

Have someone crank the wheel back and forth while you watch the linkages. You should be able to easily see where that much slop is. FWIW, I had an 81 4x4 (same chassis I think?) and I too once had HUGE amounts of slop in the steering. At first it seemed like the steering box bolts to the frame were loose, but it turns out the frame was tearing around the bolt holes, and allowed the box to move. Relatively easy to fix if you can weld.


This is common problem..GM actually sells a bolt on repair plate..better if welded though..:thumbsup:

Yeah, it's a model "10" and does have some kind of extra braking setup.
Well, it did anyway...

There's the usual brake box bolted under the dash that is disconnected, and there's an extra brakline that is wound up around the M/C, but it is not attached to anything. Looks like a 3rd brakeline just hanging in there.
Thought we'd take it off since the truck will likely never pull anything anyway and it doesn't appear connected anywhere. Can that be done without impacting anything?

We'll check underneath later today and see what the steering issue shows. It's a heckuva lot looser than I would guess, but hard to imagine that it's capable of tearing out! Yikes!

As to the brakes, I'm starting to hear from others that 3+" of play in the peddle is not uncommon. Admittedly it's a bit frightening when you're not prepared - we'll pull the wheels off today and see what it looks like...

Also, it's a full-time 4WD with a Hi and Low and lock for both. Cannot imagine why one would ever use the Neutral, but it's there too.

Also, it's a full-time 4WD with a Hi and Low and lock for both. Cannot imagine why one would ever use the Neutral, but it's there too.

Manual trans trucks (4-spd) had provisions for a PTO
This could be it.
Or.
If everything is in neutral (trans, T-case, hubs unlocked or removed) it could be pushed/pulled much easier.
Dunno

I still don't know why the build cars that never leave the city with "high Beam" capabilities at night.
Or why everyone thinks a horn is necessary----I can get to the brakes faster than the horn.

Well, further inspection reveals that the bushing between the Pitman Arm and the front drag link is toast. I'd bet 1/2 of the free play in the steering occurs before that pivot point actually begins to move the wheels. Steering box looks to be tight and no sign of stress on the frame. Pitman arm itself looks okay - that sucker is expensive, so hopefully it's good !

As long as we're under there, I figure we'll wind up replacing all the rod ends and maybe even the ball joints - we'll see...