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73 K20....crossmember time

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skunked said:
:hack:
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Its almost sawzall time!

Im going to get my tires tomorrow morning because they have a free mount and balance promo! I cant wait to have some real tires on this thing instead of these little goofies.

I got the insurance too of course and he confirmed its no questions asked. Just dont have the same 1 inch blade slice in each tire...
 
Well ive been hard at work with this thing. picked up my 40's and im currently finishing up the trimming on the front. The tires are super beef and I think ill be happy with them! Trimming the sheet metal sure does suck. Theres really no perfect tool when you have to battle spot welds and curves. Between my 20/24 tpi sawzall blades and a cutoff wheel im making it happen. Ill post my trim pics up soon as there just not enough out there. Im hoping to be done trimming this week and start swapping the rear end this weekend coming up.

Ive got all the k20 brake parts, ruff stuff disc adapters, dually studs, 1350 u joint on the driveshaft, u bolts, spring plates, ez- inches, 56 inch leaf springs, shackle flip and new spring perches to weld on. The only thing im missing is the brake lines I think. I have the center extended one from ORD but from the caliper to the T is a mystery right now.

Im debating on whether or not its worth getting stainless lines or rubber? Or should I re-use the brake line off of my 14 bolt semi float?

Also my 56 " springs consist of 9 springs including the over loads. Is anyone running them without over loads? Id like them to flex a lot :D

Other than that my last update is that Im getting a 5.3l lm7 for $100 with the wiring harness. My buddies uncle took it out of his running truck because it has a bad bearing (not a main bearing). So we'll see where that adventure goes but for that kinda money I can gamble! Seems like a good running lm7 can make 400 hp with a few bolt ons...
 
most don't run the overloads unless they actually need to tow or haul heavier loads, I removed them from the 57's I run.

WFO sells all the brake line in various lengths, adapters and tee's if you wanted to do it all in flex stainless.

Other wise you could bend and flare some hardline down the axle tube :dunno:

and we need pics of the 40's!
 
skunked said:
most don't run the overloads unless they actually need to tow or haul heavier loads, I removed them from the 57's I run.

WFO sells all the brake line in various lengths, adapters and tee's if you wanted to do it all in flex stainless.

Other wise you could bend and flare some hardline down the axle tube :dunno:

and we need pics of the 40's!
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Ok cool the overload is coming off then!

Ill check out the WFO stuff. I also saw some nice lines from Summit as well.

Nothing better than reeking like rubber down the highway!





Oh yeah!



Trimmed this off on both sides...





Looking meaty.






Gonna need to do a little more trimming hear unless i move the axle back, which is what im leaning towards.



This shot is looking up into the rear fender...wondering if i can do something abou this inner lip. It has some supports inside that makes it difficult to cut off. We'll see i suppose but i dont want to cut my brand new tires. More pics coming tonight...


 
skunked said:
with the 56's it will move back anyway right?
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Im not sure lol. Thats a question ive though about posting in the garage...

The center pin is offset so youd figure it would. Ill also have the zero rates too. Im not sure if a 14bolt SF is shorter that a FF yoke to axle tube?
 
wetoolowdingbangow said:
Trimming the sheet metal sure does suck. Theres really no perfect tool when you have to battle spot welds and curves. Between my 20/24 tpi sawzall blades and a cutoff wheel im making it happen. Ill post my trim pics up soon as there just not enough out there.
Click to expand...

When I did mine, I used the hell out of an air nibbler

http://www.harborfreight.com/16-gauge-air-nibbler-96661.html

Some pix and notes on how I did mine in my build thread

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209791

posts 9-13 (bottom of page 1 and start of page 2 in the default view.)

Mine was way beat, so I went postal on it and cut it to the inside of the wheel wells. Where the two met I ended up bending some 3/8" solid rod and welding it around the lip, which gave some structure to it and helped melt away the Bondo :(

-- A
 
Hey thanks dremu for the input! Its always nice to have some reference!

In thinking about the 56s I believe the axle will be in the same spot. The shackle end of the spring will get pushed back. Im still thinking about running the 1 inch back on the rear zero rate for fender clearance. still have a slip yoke so I need to keep that in mind.
 
wetoolowdingbangow said:
Hey thanks dremu for the input! Its always nice to have some reference!

In thinking about the 56s I believe the axle will be in the same spot. The shackle end of the spring will get pushed back.
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Sho nuff. The pain I feel from been there, done that might just save somebody else from the same pain :D

Wrt the 56"s, yeah, the pin is offset from the center so in their default position the spring is just longer to the rear and the axle stays put. As I recall if you flip the spring around, the axle is so far back that the diff cover wants to become one with your gas tank :doah: Unless you're running crazy lift, then, you gotta stay with the long part of the spring to the back.

-- A
 
82355 said:
Trimming sheet metal that clean almost makes me go all Dueling.

Martin
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I know, I know its not making me happy, believe me. The way I look at it is that it's going to be going over rocks so its either I trim or the rocks will have there ways. Sure I could run smaller tires (under 35") but it usually results in more body damage as well as undercarriage damage. :doah:

The other thing I try to keep in mind is its an 85 and not a 72. id feel really really bad about cutting up a pre smog with the old body style. Also as you know, like Arby's has all the meats, California has all the k5! :woot:

There's tons of straight, rust free body parts here so theres no reason it cant be half pretty and half trimmed! :D
 
Ok well as mentioned i have more pics to post. Ive been working hard at trying to do a decent trim job on this truck but i feel like im not doing so good. Im basing my cuts of another members dimensions so i know im ballpark and i think i just feel ****ty because its still rough and i have some shaping to do. Im a little embarrassed to put these pics up but it is what it is at this point. After turning the wheels back and forth on the truck ive decided this level of trim is necessary. I can get fenders for next to nothing but tires are $400 a piece and i don't want to mess them up.

Again i need to shape in the top of the arc on my cut and possibly taper the bottom out to create some flow. :doah:

Try not to laugh...







Both of those pictures were without full weight on the tire so it actually has about 5 or so inches until it meets the fender when sitting on its own weight.

There big ass tires...




This is my first time doing this as you can tell. I feel like a rushed a little bit but when you have a cutoff wheel spinning 20,000 rpms, its hard not to get after it.
 
82355 said:
Trimming sheet metal that clean almost makes me go all Dueling.

Martin
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Don't worry I'm cringing for him. (Not at your craftsmanship but at the thought of another super clean K5 getting chopped)

Why did you go with 40s? If 35s are too small then why not split the difference at a 37 or 38?
 
Chevy305 said:
Don't worry I'm cringing for him. (Not at your craftsmanship but at the thought of another super clean K5 getting chopped)

Why did you go with 40s? If 35s are too small then why not split the difference at a 37 or 38?
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Haha I know I'll never hear the end of it but at this point there's nothing done to this truck that can't be undone. Clean, undented fenders go for $100 for the pair here. We're over run with chevy parts due to all the prius offset. There were quite a few k5s that were way better lookers than mine when I was shopping and they bring 4 grand on a good day. I know a guy who has a chevy junkyard and he has racks upon racks of straight body parts. I'm doing my best to make this truck stay clean.

As for the reason I went with the 40s, I knew it was what I eventually wanted to run and I have a few friends with that size so I was egged on a bit too. More importantly for me was cost. I could have bought 38s and offed them when i was ready to move up but it's so close in size to 40s and it's not often that I have that kind of money so I bought them figuring I'll grow into them. I guess the last reason I went with 40s is because I met a guy with a bronco who was running 40s and it was exactly what I wanted this thing to look like...even though looks are secondary to function with this truck.
 
Just read through your build for the first time your making good progress! As for the brake lines on the back axle on the disc conversions I've done I ran steel from the center to just before the perch then rubber line around it up to the caliper I've got some that have a thick piece of rubber around them that is nice to help it keep from chafing. If that makes sense.
 
chevyman7579 said:
Just read through your build for the first time your making good progress! As for the brake lines on the back axle on the disc conversions I've done I ran steel from the center to just before the perch then rubber line around it up to the caliper I've got some that have a thick piece of rubber around them that is nice to help it keep from chafing. If that makes sense.
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Hey thanks! It's been very challenging so far but I'm enjoying it I'll enjoy it even more when I can see the fruits of my labor.

It totally makes sense I think that may be the route I head with the brakes.
 
I can take a picture of the line when I get home I can't remember what the actual vehicle it was for but it was cheaper then braided by a long shot.
 
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