Plus Castle Rock seems to get a lot more snow than the rest of the I25 corridor anyway.
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
1989 Crew Cab Tow Rig Build
- Thread starter Kay86K5
- Start date
because you're slacking....
BUMP!!!!
BUMP!!!!
Lol, and after reading Obijuans build now I want to see this going even more.
I had a feeling you guys were gonna call me out after I posted on @obijuank5's thread, haha.
Well, this thing is sitting in my 3rd bay of my shop, just waiting. Poor thing had the rims and tires stolen from it this last week and put on my new to me dodge cummins, just to get some use out of them. The dodge (pics below) is a 1999 Cummins quad cab with 259K miles on it. Just had a hot rod rebuild done on the auto tranny cause it was gone when I bought it with billet everything (sold my 96 K2500 to my brother and the proceeds went to the tranny rebuild on the dodge). So far I'm $2500 out of pocket on this dodge
. So plan is to use this dodge while I get the crew cab done over the winter.
Well, this thing is sitting in my 3rd bay of my shop, just waiting. Poor thing had the rims and tires stolen from it this last week and put on my new to me dodge cummins, just to get some use out of them. The dodge (pics below) is a 1999 Cummins quad cab with 259K miles on it. Just had a hot rod rebuild done on the auto tranny cause it was gone when I bought it with billet everything (sold my 96 K2500 to my brother and the proceeds went to the tranny rebuild on the dodge). So far I'm $2500 out of pocket on this dodge
. So plan is to use this dodge while I get the crew cab done over the winter.
And here is the poor crew cab looking sad on my crap roller tires while the BFG's are on the dodge. She will live soon enough! Like I said, plan is to buy another running 8.1 (either another c-list deal, or may just pay the big bucks and order a Tilden Motorsports package, see what I find). Once I have a known running 8.1, it's as easy as a simple weekend motor swap and have it up and running. The current 8.1 will get pulled and torn down for a full rebuild with possibly a cam and some heads. My brother and I plan to put that motor into a rock buggy we are building together...so It'll still get used, just in a different way then I had intended, haha
Tires change a vehicle so much
So what was the deciding factor on the motor not running right?
Boiled it down to crank sensor issues. Don't think it's the actual sensor as I've changed it 3 times with no change, wondering if its the reluctor ring on the back of the crank. My thoughts are there is an issue with the ring itself, or other issues with the ring/sensor interfacing. But need to pull the pan to see it (can't get the pan off with the ORD crossmember in), and the ring is pressed onto the crank, so to remove it and replace requires a tear down. This motor was in a wreck and then sat for years before I bought it. So needs a full rebuild anyways. So decided, sense that was the case, I would just pick up another known runner, and then donate this motor to the buggy build and let my brother pay for the rebuild...knida win-win for both getting this crew cab running faster, and have a motor for the buggy build. In fact, the original TH400 that came out of this rig for the NV4500 swap is getting a full rebuild and will go into the buggy too, haha
Last edited:
Just so you guys will quit calling me a slacker...got some progress going on this dumb thing...
Noice!
Not like you have a garage or anything to work on this in...............
Let me tell you...having this shop is the nicest thing ever...this was a must when we were looking for a house up here. Its so awesome to have a full bay to dedicate to this thing...while still having the other bays to store rigs and work on rigs...after working in the dirt outside and small garages my whole life...I dont take this for granted at all!
There are a few things I’d like to change up to make it even better, and that will happen with time...but for the time being, this shop is freaking awesome!
I forgot to update this thing a little while ago...I pulled all the workhorse brackets off the front of the 8.1...I will be saving these to eventually throw on the new motor I pick up. getting the crank pulley off was annoying, but a big 3 jaw puller got it off. I also confirmed that this is actually a 2001 motor based on the timing gear, though it was in a truck with a 2002 VIN#...GM does weird crap like that sometimes. I also got the NV4500/205 dropped out (this trans jack is the tits), and got the motor out and on the engine stand.
I tore the intake, oil pan, and heads off, and so far everything looks real good. All the cylinder walls look in good shape, the lifters and push rods all looked almost brand new. And the heads themselves looked in good shape
I tore the intake, oil pan, and heads off, and so far everything looks real good. All the cylinder walls look in good shape, the lifters and push rods all looked almost brand new. And the heads themselves looked in good shape
So the plan is, like I mentioned before, my brother is taking this 8.1 and he wants to build it with cam and such to put in the 4 seat buggy we are building together. The drivetrain of that will be 8.1/TH400/Titan205/front and rear steering 2.5 ton rockwells, 4 linked front and rear. Below is a rough pic of what we are thinking for design of the buggy. We have the whole drivetrain now for the buggy, so hoping the whole setup will be done and ready to rock by next summer and then we will start building the chassis.
So my plan, after everything I've been through with this stupid thing...is I'm going to buy a Tilden Motorsports 8.1 package from them. Sure it's a bit more money, but I just want it running so I can enjoy the truck for a while. Maybe later I'll throw a cam in it with a different tune, but for now I want this truck running so I can iron out the kinks, and also painted. So new motor will be ordered right after the holidays.
So my plan, after everything I've been through with this stupid thing...is I'm going to buy a Tilden Motorsports 8.1 package from them. Sure it's a bit more money, but I just want it running so I can enjoy the truck for a while. Maybe later I'll throw a cam in it with a different tune, but for now I want this truck running so I can iron out the kinks, and also painted. So new motor will be ordered right after the holidays.
CUCV2
5/4 ton fun
Well, they say when your in a rut, do something radical to get yourself going again. I think this qualifies.
I concur
We have wanted to build a buggy for a while now. Something that we can take to competitions and be competative in, but can also trail wheel too. Usually people have to sell/part out their current rigs to make that happen...thats why we are going in on it together so we can both keep our current rigs and build this one too. We didnt plan on using this 8.1 for it, we were gonna go 6.0. But with all the crap I was dealing with, I mentioned I might just get another 8.1, and thats when my bro asked if we could use this current 8.1 for the buggy. He thinks he can get it running, and with the upgrades we will do to it, we are shooting for 600 hp (cam heads, intake clearancing, and a healthy tune should get there). It was kinda win/win for all the projects.
Last edited:
Oh, and I already have the steering rockweels sitting in my shop right now. The rig should be bitchin by the time its said and done (they already have mowhawk kit, beefed knuckles, welded spiders, pionion brakes, and aftermarket double ended ram steering setups for them...they are pretty much ready to go 
)
)
