1986 K5 The over-achieving grocery getter

[CriticalAction]

I’d avoid the overpriced AA stuff. Just going off what close friends have dealt with on them. No experience with the other brand but it sounds like a good option.

Don’t forget you can get away with using an early gmt400 bellhousing with the pass side slave if you have enough lift. That is if you can find one.

Unfortunately I'm sitting at 2" of lift and was going to try to clock the 205 up a little when putting it in. Due to this I assumed I should write off that factory early bellhousing right away...

I appreciate the feedback though. Have to talk to you more at BB2024. Not sure I've seen your camper since the 8.1 install.

 

[ZooMad75]

Unfortunately I'm sitting at 2" of lift and was going to try to clock the 205 up a little when putting it in. Due to this I assumed I should write off that factory early bellhousing right away...

I appreciate the feedback though. Have to talk to you more at BB2024. Not sure I've seen your camper since the 8.1 install.

Yeah clocking up or only 2” of lift kills the stock early setup.

 

[CriticalAction]

Brake brackets showed up from Torq finally. Was about a month from order to delivery with one of those weeks being 4th of July.

Had to clearace the bracket a bit to slide nicely over the knuckle casting bulges but not that much. Used 610-383 wheel studs, Powerstop calipers/pads, and stock replacement rotors.









I forgot to order banjo bolts of course and apparently the Dorman #13874 is unobtanium at Autozone, Napa, Advanced, and Oreillys off the shelf... Which is crazy due to all the applications it serves. However the Oreillys guy was actually good and started looking up based on thread pitch in the system. Found this Brakebest #H9448-2 is actually a direct cross but is not listed on any catalog.



Conveniently it's also cheaper and is zinc plated instead of black oxide which I think holds up better here in ND winters. Managed to buy 3 for the price of 2 Dormans. Just a heads up for others that might need one in a pinch.

Don't have a good picture but we elected to just turn the hub down until the rotor was a slip fit. We did the same thing on the back hubs when I converted to slip on discs and it has worked well.

Also finished mounting the beadlocks and took some poser shots. Just about done with the first 100 miles so I'll retorque everything again tonight.





Just need to finish up odds and ends but BB2024 is coming fast. Just like I expected the larger front calipers requires a little more travel in the pedal to engage due to the volume but they definitely grab a lot harder. Locked up all 4 earlier this week just messing around with plenty of pedal travel left.

 

[Fastereddie]

Brake brackets showed up from Torq finally. Was about a month from order to delivery with one of those weeks being 4th of July.

Had to clearace the bracket a bit to slide nicely over the knuckle casting bulges but not that much. Used 610-383 wheel studs, Powerstop calipers/pads, and stock replacement rotors.

View attachment 483334

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View attachment 483336View attachment 483337

View attachment 483338

I forgot to order banjo bolts of course and apparently the Dorman #13874 is unobtanium at Autozone, Napa, Advanced, and Oreillys off the shelf... Which is crazy due to all the applications it serves. However the Oreillys guy was actually good and started looking up based on thread pitch in the system. Found this Brakebest #H9448-2 is actually a direct cross but is not listed on any catalog.

View attachment 483339

Conveniently it's also cheaper and is zinc plated instead of black oxide which I think holds up better here in ND winters. Managed to buy 3 for the price of 2 Dormans. Just a heads up for others that might need one in a pinch.

Don't have a good picture but we elected to just turn the hub down until the rotor was a slip fit. We did the same thing on the back hubs when I converted to slip on discs and it has worked well.

Also finished mounting the beadlocks and took some poser shots. Just about done with the first 100 miles so I'll retorque everything again tonight.

View attachment 483332

View attachment 483333

Just need to finish up odds and ends but BB2024 is coming fast. Just like I expected the larger front calipers requires a little more travel in the pedal to engage due to the volume but they definitely grab a lot harder. Locked up all 4 earlier this week just messing around with plenty of pedal travel left.

Good find on the banjo bolt. I’ll be adding that to my notes!

 

[nvrenuf]

Very nice! I'm brake jelly. :drool:

 

[CriticalAction]

BB2024

Had a great time seeing a bunch of you guys again! Managed to not break anything too bad but I'll outline what issues I do have in a carnage post later. Zero issues with truck and trailer though.

Total of about 2500 miles on Duramax/trailer and about 150 on the K5. Averaged 11 mpg pulling my tan billboard on a tall bumper pull with the job box in the bed loaded with tools.





The beadlocks were 3.5" backspacing so we ended up having to space the fenders out an inch per side over my prior steel rims. Good thing we test fit long before needing to leave and figured this out.







We ran Hells Revenge, Gemini Bridges, Gold Bar Rim, "The Crack", and Fins N Things. Also stopped on the way down to pick up a pile of parts from ORD to save on shipping. Actually managed to get the majority of my magnum while I was there even though I only ordered 2 weeks before BB. Only thing I'll have to get shipped to me later is the Magnum shaft, triple sticks, and machined speedometer housing for VSS.

Before I left I ran out to my buddies place and picked up a 32 spline NP205 so I don't have to machine my other cases. Of course i didn't notice until I got it back home that it's a front synchro case... It wouldn't be an issue but I bought the 32 spline output from ORD and matching flange so I need the non synchro parts.



He is going to let me take one of his other non synchro cases to rob all the parts from. Then I'll just put his synchro parts in the 2nd case for one of his stock trucks.

 

[CriticalAction]

Should have turned a bit more left before dropping in. Pinned the steering hard when my left front went in the Crack. Power steering pump was hating life for a second... By far the most I've articulated the blazer before.

View attachment Messenger_creation_123368D1-591B-4490-A310-0F906F5E4DE3.mp4

Better angle of Dave coming through.

View attachment 20240907_130949.mp4

 

[CriticalAction]

Carnage (Not really)

Came off a 3-4 ft under cut ledge pretty hard with my rear tires a little fast on Gold Bar Rim... Fancy gas tank skid didn't like that...



I'll have to add some bracing after I bend it back. But it did save my gas tank and from ending the trip!



37s also let me know it's a little tight in the rear. Crazy thing is I was expecting it to rub in the back of the rear quarters not the front.





The interesting thing is it never touched the driver side. Any angle "in" you see we added on Friday night after seeing what the tire did to the other side



I definitely flexed the K5 harder on this trip then ever before. Coincidentally I forgot to trim this u bolt and it gives a good look to how far my axle got up there. Bump stops doing their job.



All in all not really that much damage. Got some cosmetic damage on every other piece of metal under the blazer but that's what it's their for.

 

[nvrenuf]

Is that a CFM gas tank skid? Based on the description I thought it might be stronger. I know it did its job and saved the tank but how do you feel now about the product? I really want one but shipping is brutal so I haven’t worked up the nerve yet.

 

[CriticalAction]

Is that a CFM gas tank skid? Based on the description I thought it might be stronger. I know it did its job and saved the tank but how do you feel now about the product? I really want one but shipping is brutal so I haven’t worked up the nerve yet.

Yes it is the CFM. I won this one at BB2022 raffle but I probably would have ordered one anyways. But after this hit I definitely think they should have done some better bracing on the mounting tabs.

The rest of it is plenty beef and it fits great over all but the mounting could use some more triangulation. It was a hard hit but I definitely did not expect it to do this.

 

[72gmck5]

It did its job.
Looks like the crossmember probably failed first then the load bent the skid plate.

 

[Wes Harden]

yeah that cross member is fubar. glad I have a trailer hitch to take that hit. My tank skid is factory option no where near as HD as that 1

 

[Fastereddie]

This is what happens with a stock plate haha

 

[CriticalAction]

It did its job.
Looks like the crossmember probably failed first then the load bent the skid plate.

Yeah I can't complain too much. Easily fixed and saved me from having a worse day.

yeah that cross member is fubar. glad I have a trailer hitch to take that hit. My tank skid is factory option no where near as HD as that 1

Should have good access once I pull the bumper to bend it back straight. Funny thing is I took a Curt hitch and diy skid setup off for this job... But I bent that one a couple ways as well...

This is what happens with a stock plate haha
View attachment 486301

Oof

 

[CriticalAction]

Will be a while before I start ripping out the old drivetrain but I can get little things done. Decided to try some of this Seymour paint.





Also the obligatory:

 

[CriticalAction]

Winter progress so far. K5 is on the hoist now and will start pulling the 350/700r4/241 on Thursday.

Tore the 205 all the way down, hot tanked, shot blasted, swapped the synchro front output for nonsynchro, and assembled with Magnum.











Swapped to a Holley offroad pan with baffle. Also installed the painted ORD LS swap mounts. This pan should allow me to clear my SBC ORD crossmember so i dont lose any uptravel. I don't have pics but I deleted the vvt with a GM LS3 cover and swapped to the non spring type chain tensioner. Stock cam for now.





Going to run a Holley mechanical throttle body with Terminator X controlling everything. Since i have a Dakota digital dash I'll run dual oil pressure and water temp senders to avoid BIM modules. My cruise control will continue to work with the new throttle body and ORD machined my output housing for the speed sensor. So my speedo will be always be accurate regardless of low range.

Terminator will control my 4l80e as a 2wd with the sensors on the case to avoid splitting with the Dakota Digital. Looks like I need to trim about 3/8" off the output shaft to make the Magnum not bottom out.

 

[CriticalAction]

Figured seymour Tan would look nice with the aluminum accents so I did a quick fog on it.





Pulled the NP241 and 700r4 today. Found I had snapped the bolt again for the front output brace rod at the bellhousing. I might do something beefier once the Magnum/205 goes in.





Should have the 350 pulled tomorrow along with a lot of other ancillary things not being used with the L96.

 

[CriticalAction]

A frame lift and top side creeper made the job not too bad. Time to clean and start ripping out any wiring I won't be using with the LS.

 

[CriticalAction]

Some interesting math for those curious. Done with a straight edge and tape measure. Was just trying to get an idea on how much my driveshafts are going to change.

700r4 length with 4wd adapter: 26.875"

Np241 to rear flange: 14.625"
Np241 to front flange: 2.25"

4l80e with 4wd adapter: 28.5"

Magnum/205 to rear flange: 17.5"
Magnum/205 to front flange: 3.5"

Rear change: 46 - 41.5 = 4.5" shorter
Front change: 32 - 29.125 = 2.875" longer

Rear axle will be going rearward 1" or so for fender clearance and the engine will be .75" forward with the ORD mounts. So likely 3" taken out of rear and directly added to the front.

Current driveshafts are I think 30" front and 38" rear. So they likely will not end up equal but they will end up more even then they were before. As well as gaining some much needed length in the front for any increases in travel.

Disclaimer: I understand these are linear driveline changes and the driveshafts are at an angle. So these aren't really accurate but good for an idea I think.

 

[CriticalAction]

Finished prepping all the wiring as far as I want before the engine goes in. Pulled the L96 over and put on the injector harness.



Cut the 4l80e output shaft to make sure my magnum isn't bottoming out. Test fit to confirm since I was paranoid after reading @Fastereddie experience.



Robbed some of the factory heat shielding from the OEM can harness. Figured these little protectors must do something if GM bothered to spend the money on them. Knock sensor covers and main transmission connector protector.



Got bored and wanted to see what the shifters might look like. 3 of the 4 bolt holes lined up perfectly for the 205 shifters. Might be able to slide the underdrive shifter tight up next to it. Guessing they will go in and out a few hundred times once it comes time to permanently mount them.