'72 K5 - Greg's @MightAsWellK5 Build

[pblaze725]

I always enjoy adding views to your thread.




I wanted to note that when I welded my home brew links with slugs and bevel cuts I also drilled holes in the link and plug welded the slug in place.

If your bevels are this close together there is no weld holding the slug.




I realize this is a temporary part. Just wanted to point that out.
Carry on...

 

[Greg72]

Technically true, but in reality there was SO much heat going into the root of that weld that there's no way that slug could ever shift out of position.

Obviously there is no value (from a strength perspective) in sleeving a .500" wall tube with a .185" wall sleeve... the only reason it's there is to keep the link nice and straight while I did the welding. More of a cosmetic/aesthetic addition, really.

As long as the truck doesn't collapse on top of me while I'm working it's all good.


-G

 

[pblaze725]

It took me a minute to find this old pic. I chopped and welded stock drag links for cross over.

When I switched to the high steer set up I chopped and recycled the material. When I cut the link the slug slid right out.

That's why I did plug welds on the next round.

Be safe, overbuild.

 

[NorCal69]

Pinwheels come to mind when I look at the pic above.






Or was it rocket launchers...

 

[76zimmer]

Now... Get me to 500,000 views before Paul's build cracks the 1,000,000 mark!!!

It's a drag race, and I'm trying to get to at least half-track before the king trips the lights at the big end!


-G

So is this like Larry Dixon and Kenny Bernstein then?

 

[ryoken]

Now... Get me to 500,000 views before Paul's build cracks the 1,000,000 mark!!!



-G

plenty o' time...

I'll be stalled at 900 or so till x-mas...

 

[ashman]

The short-term solution was to move the front axle back until it fit the wheelwell properly, and temporarily let the wheelbase shrink below my 107" target. When I took the first measurement, it was actually at 103.5"...

Is there something special about 107" that makes you want to make sure you hit that number specifically?

 

[ktmoutfront]

It is a nice number to be at. I'm at 106" and can go up stuff with no front locker where lock jeeps can't.

 

[Greg72]

Is there something special about 107" that makes you want to make sure you hit that number specifically?

Have you ever seen the movie "This is Spinal Tap"?

In that movie, the band describes how most rock bands have amps that go to 10, but theirs go to 11......

Late-model Blazers have a wheelbase of 106.5". I figure if I get to 107"...... I'm basically taking this build to ELEVEN!!!

Plus, all my Excel calcs since the early 2000's have always been based on hitting 107" and I don't want to go back and re-do everything I've already done.


-G

 

[dremu]

It's one louder, isn't it?

-- A

 

[ashman]

Have you ever seen the movie "This is Spinal Tap"?

In that movie, the band describes how most rock bands have amps that go to 10, but theirs go to 11......

Late-model Blazers have a wheelbase of 106.5". I figure if I get to 107"...... I'm basically taking this build to ELEVEN!!!

Plus, all my Excel calcs since the early 2000's have always been based on hitting 107" and I don't want to go back and re-do everything I've already done.


-G

lol, I actually laughed out loud at that. Thanks Greg.
I assumed it was mostly because of not wanting to change calculations but I wasn't sure what made you pick 107" to begin with. Thanks for indulging my curiosity.

 

[MNorby]

My old 1st gen was at 109" and felt it was a good compromise of crawling ledges and maneuverability so I liked the idea of the buggy at 110"

 

[munepit]

I love this rig!!

 

[pomai]

A true work of art!!!

 

[thor72k5]

But 108" is a perfect 9' of wheelbase.

 

[Greg72]

But 108" is a perfect 9' of wheelbase.

But 107" is the first prime number larger than the factory 104" wheelbase....

And 109" (the NEXT prime) is just too much.


-G

 

[dremu]

But 107" is the first prime number larger than the factory 104" wheelbase....

And 109" (the NEXT prime) is just too much.


-G

If you get into Fibonacci numbers or Mandelbrots I *will* scream.

-- A

 

[Greg72]

2014.05.19 - UPDATE! - UPPER FRONT STRUT MOUNTS....

After another long hiatus, it was time to get back into the shop and finally figure out how to get my front struts in position.

My first attempt put the strut at a serious angle in both axes, and I'd always wanted to build the upper strut mount hanger inside that "triangle" of tubes that I'd created when the engine cradle was first built.

The other objective was to make sure that the upper mounting bolts ran laterally (across the engine bay), since the lower mounts run front-to-back

Step 1: Create a landing pad area for the mounts to build from....

I set up a temporary strut dimension with a scrap of 1"x2" tubing to match the overall length that ORI indicated was correct for 6" of bump travel.

Then it was time to start coming up with some triangular mounts to hold the strut. I wanted to be like the cool kids and use some thick spuds of tubing for clearance around the strut body... as you can see, this is before I cut it apart to create the final mount.

After messing around with angles for hours, I finally got the upper mounting tabs squared-up and aligned properly and was able to slide the ORI into position. (As you can see, I need to add the other spud but I didn't have a bolt long enough to reach all the way through yet!)

Here's the final layout. The strut is at exactly 90* when viewed from the radiator area, and is laid-back 8* which matches the caster on the front end (and keeps the lower mount squared with the strut so there's no chance of binding). The overall look is MUCH better than my first attempt was...

Here's the final stickout of the strut at ride-height... 6-5/8". I'm pretty confident that this is perfect but I'll check with ORI one final time before burning everything in for good. The last bit of travel on the strut is actually the bumpstop, so it's impossible to fully collapse the strut to the point where ALL of the chrome is hidden. That's why I can have 6" of bump travel with 6-5/8" stickout.

Anyway....that's all the status for now. I ordered some 5/8"-11 x 8" upper bolts today, and have another 4x4' sheet of 1/4" flat plate on order as well as a couple more 1.75" sticks of DOM.....

I don't want to head into the long Memorial Day weekend without adequate supplies!!!


-G

 

[bp71k5]

'72 K5 - Greg's "Might As Well™...BABAGANOOSH CALLOUT UPPER SHOCK MOUNTS!!!

That's a nice looking update...you going to weld both spuds to the mount or leave one loose to avoid using washers to keep the strut from shifting on the bolt?

 

[jekquistk5]

awesome update and awesome title change