CK5
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1986 K30 - Rapid Learning

Get 'er cleaned up and solid.
Ya, I figured it would just be a case of "look at where your leaf springs mount to the frame and you'll see them pretty quickly". Ha
 
Got the new steering stabilizer installed, and primed the carb using the trick that @ZooMad75 mentioned (drug store ear syringe). Fired right up. I also tightened my u-bolts. I could turn them easily with a breaker bar, so they were definitely loose.

On my test drive, I hit a few of the same old potholes and manhole covers that would cause death wobble in the past. It didn't happen this time, and I was purposefully going between 35-40 mph.

Definitely an encouraging result but I am going to continue checking some of the other things mentioned in this thread just to make absolutely sure:
1. Check how snug the steering box is mounted to the frame.
2. Check the spring eye bushings... I don't know exactly where these are located but they shouldn't be hard to find.
3. I probably should get my tires balanced. I am assuming they are balanced because they were run on a Suburban before I bought them... but wouldn't hurt to double-check.
Cool, between this and the K5 you are batting 1000. That's gotta be giving you a warm and fuzzy feeling. Gonna try and get your window mechanisms working next?
We might have to start planning another snow run so you can get some trail time.
 
@Capt Ron yeah, I need to get my driver's side window replaced pretty soon here. Whenever I drive the K30 it rattles really badly inside of the door.

I also need to check the starter engagement with the ring gear. It commonly makes that god awful noise when cranking, and I know that if I don't fix it I'll damage the ring gear soon (if it isn't damaged already). Whenever this conversation comes up, people tell me to take a look via the transmission cover/door. I presume that's on the bottom of the bell housing, but I don't recall seeing anything last time I was under the truck. I need to do some reading about that - hopefully my freakin' ring gear isn't already damaged.
 
Got the new steering stabilizer installed, and primed the carb using the trick that @ZooMad75 mentioned (drug store ear syringe). Fired right up. I also tightened my u-bolts. I could turn them easily with a breaker bar, so they were definitely loose.

On my test drive, I hit a few of the same old potholes and manhole covers that would cause death wobble in the past. It didn't happen this time, and I was purposefully going between 35-40 mph.

Definitely an encouraging result but I am going to continue checking some of the other things mentioned in this thread just to make absolutely sure:
1. Check how snug the steering box is mounted to the frame.
2. Check the spring eye bushings... I don't know exactly where these are located but they shouldn't be hard to find.
3. I probably should get my tires balanced. I am assuming they are balanced because they were run on a Suburban before I bought them... but wouldn't hurt to double-check.
I don't remember if I did respond here but both in my crew cab and my suburban I had that happen and both were solved by tightening the u bolts on the springs
 
Just been driving it. My Mitsubishi is down and the Blazer is still down. Having this thing available to me has been invaluable in recent weeks.

I haven't done a damn thing other than tighten the u-bolts, which appeared to get rid of the death wobble. Sort of hilarious that I did all that kingpin work and all it needed was some u-bolt tightening. Oh well, good experience.

The starter is still jacked and the truck still shakes and wobbles like crazy and there are about a million things I want to do BUT it runs and drives and gets me around. I love it like a child.

PXL_20210519_224954766.jpgPXL_20210505_203524108.jpgPXL_20210331_014113918.jpg
 
I was refreshing my insurance cards recently. I still keep physical print outs of my registration and insurance cards in all of my vehicles.

Anyway, I noticed this for the first time on my registration card:

image.jpg

I am not allowing myself to completely freak out, but I am kinda sorta freaking out already. How did I not notice this? I've taken so many actions thinking that this thing needed emissions on it.

If September comes around and my registration renewal doesn't ask for emissions, I am going to party like there is no tomorrow.

EDITS:
-------
- LOL at it weighing almost 3 tons empty.
- I drove the K30 over to @Bent77's place last weekend to pickup the Tech1 scan tool (@ZooMad75 I have it at my house and can get it back to you whenever). Bent helped me out a ton. We checked the timing, he found a couple of vacuum leaks and helped me fix them, and we just drove it around a bunch and he called out some things for me to fix. I am going to focus on the K5 with this Tech1 tool for now but once I get to the K30 I'm going to focus on steering, fixing the temp gauge, and also might advance the timing a little bit. I've also started putting premium gas in to help out the motor. It idles so much better that it did before. Thanks again, Mark!
- @Capt Ron I promise that I will pick up that window ASAP. Been slacking lately. Do you still have it?
 
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Still have the window for you. Your emissions will be an every other year thing if I remember correctly. My K5 crawler reg says the same and we both got plates about the same time last year.
 
They're sitting in my garage. I haven't reinstalled them since taking apart the front axle.
 
Terror. Dread. Uncertainty. Anger.

PXL_20210818_163323581.jpg

Looks like I have two options:
  1. Try and get it registered in a non-emissions county.
  2. Install all the emissions parts that I have sitting in my garage.
#1 would be a lot better but I've never tried that before. I'm a little scared to make the phone calls.

#2 would be a permanent fix but I am sure it is going to be a hassle.

:thinking:
 
I got the same notice. I guess it is because of how we "did" our test last year. I know that normally emissions test are bi annual. Maybe try what we did last year?
 
I am mulling over options right now. I don't know how we'll be able to repeat last year's workflow because it was triggered off of the title complete notice. If you make any breakthroughs let me know.
 
I kommiefornia your bi annual emissions test is scheduled from the last digit of Vin number. Odd or even. If you do purchase test on an odd vin in an even year you will get a notice to test for the next year,odd, registration.
 
The one thing that is for certain, is that failed tests don't count. Just costs the 25.50 or whatever it is now...

I have gone from one test place where I failed, directly to another, where I passed. Hope you have a re-re running the visual, and as long as it passes the sniff factor you should be fine.

My old Mitsu was on 22 lbs of boost, no Egr, no evap solenoid, and a hollowed out catalytic converter and passed the sniff.

Run the f*** out of it before you go, and have fresh gas and oil, fresh filters, and see what happens. I had good luck at the test station over on Peoria and 31st(?). Somewhere over there...
 
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