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77K5. The IronMaiden...9/2 headed for Blazer Bash 20!

jack of all trades build, overland, dunes, rocks, trails
Overview Gallery Discussion
Avery4jc said:
Unless you plan on doing multiple trucks down the road IMO it's not worth buying a bender. You can have a shop build a good cage for $1k or so, a good bender even without software can run that much and you haven't even bought the tubing and plates yet. :doah:
I'd call around before you pull the trigger on one.
Click to expand...

I've been checking into the benders. Paul, Rene, and a few others have commented about buying their units, and using them. I read a comparison about the Protools, JD3, and another unit, and for way less than 1000$ I can get started. I did talk with a fab shop, and a family cage, pretty deluxe, is 2000$ and up. Another I talked with said just a 6 point of his design, would be 500$ plus, put in the vehicle.
I feel like I should put the money into this equipment, and learn it, and have many options available; instead of having to keep hiring it out.
I would like to do more than just a 6 point cage in the future. So overall I feel it would be a very good investment for not only this project but others too. I would love to put a 6 point, with swing out door tubes in my Vette.

Bender thread:

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262765
 
76zimmer said:
HPIM1385.jpg
Click to expand...

The elusive front dooley. I like it. :waytogo: :D
 
:haha::haha::haha:
Thats a good one, I just had to find a place to put them. Them fookers take up a lot of valuable garage space...
I got to unload the trailer of all the crap that was inside the Blazer, and now put it back inside, so I can use the trailer to haul the frame to the strippers. Double the work, no result.....:rolleyes:
 
I got a call from my machinist tonight, he said the max block bore dimension is at 4.259 in one cylinder, and the scratch in one of the cylinders was deep enough to warrant a bore. The block pressure checked good, and the crank magged good. He's got the block cleaned, and will get it bored this week.




HPIM1315.jpg
 
got some more pics of the frame today....the numbers make me believe it is a 74 frame, so something, sometime must have happened. The body seems to have went through a lot of transformation through the years, and I know these things rotted out bad, when exposed to salt, but this frame is really clean...almost southwest clean, (meaning free from rust), certainly hasn't seen much of Michigan winters.

HPIM1396.jpg


HPIM1397.jpg


So does anyone know of, or recognize a difference between frames of 73-75, and 76-80?

I'll post another thread about this.
 
I skimmed your thread, I like it.

If you're going to beat it, box it and cage it. My '88 kept trying to break in half, I finally had to quit wheeling it.

Retroblazer has raced his for like 10 years, long time for a race truck. Boxed/tubed, one broken chassis tube in 10 years. Something like that.

beeter chris bowen who was in top truck years ago has beaten on his blazer so hard for so long it's unrecognizable as a blazer but the boxed frame holds up.
 
That is the plan. Flex is great as long as its in the suspension. Flexing frames lead to cracks eventually. Look at what the steering box does to the frame from the repeated flexing on those mounting points. I plan on putting at least an 8 point in to get safe, then building on that for strength, and longevity of the chassis, and passengers.
 
The weakest point is also the harderst to reinforce with the cage. Where the frame curves down from the engine compartment to under the truck, in the firewall area. Both my blazer and my brother's K10 broke there. The top flange will start to flare up and the frame will sag. I strapped over the top of it which helped but it needs to be boxed. One ton frames are taller but only firewall back, so it doesn't help much, though they are a little thicker. The way I'd do it is build a bumper triangulated to the frame horns, then run a couple tubes out to it around or through the fender area, with some sort of bridge structure beween them to make them rigid. Mine also broke a few places in the middle, but I think a lot of my frame breakage was due to rolling it and cutting the body/fenders out for 44" tires on 4" lift which detroyed the body's structural integrity, along with with lots of flexing abuse.

http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/DavidWhymore/MyFlippedBlazerTruggy/
 
Looking good, And im jealous about how not rusty and grease/oil covered that thing is. I have also been considering boxing the frame on my truck, Im thinking of going straight to a 1 ton though and save alot of work.
 
Well I got parts from DIY4X (Kert and Tracy)
Disc caliper mounting brackets, 3/8 rear cover, shackle flip brackets with shackles. The shock mounting kit, and the frame boxing kit are coming soon.
I got a 1410 U bolt yoke from Jesse @ H.A.D. and some axle seals, front pinion seal, pinion shim kit, crush sleeve, new yoke nut, and a Pinion pilot bearing (GM calls this a straddle bearing).

So off to the strippers the frame, gas tank, tank straps, an extra door (spotted with rust inside and out, otherwise new) a reciever hitch, assorted frame brackets, and hardware.

HPIM1408.jpg




The 1410 U bolt yoke compared to the stock 1350.
HPIM1406.jpg




The calipers needed to have a 3/8" tab removed from them to clear the mounting brackets: The ground off area is on the inboard pad mounting area of the casting.

HPIM1405.jpg




Some of Kerts craftsmanship:
HPIM1404.jpg

HPIM1403.jpg


And some new wheel studs. These are Dorman # 610-194 and measure 1/2 longer than the SRW studs. They are applicable to a duallie. I need the longer ones because of the thick flange on my aluminum rims. These were only 1.99 each at Autozone.

HPIM1407.jpg
 
Cost breakdown to date.

Previous Project total: .......$4118

High Angle Driveline parts...... 192
DIY4X parts listed above .......362
Wheel studs .........................34

Project Total to date ..........4706

Rear axle total to date ........$999
 
I'm setting up the ring and pinion, but don't know how many shims to put on the pinion support housing to get started, or if I need any at all.
The axle housing I took this pinion out of, didn't have any shims on the pinion support, and the axle housing I'm putting it into had one, and it was .010.
1) So where should I start? I looked for a number on the pinion shaft that the GM manual said should be on there for a reference, but didn't find one.
I got a new pinion straddle bearing in place, but the others (middle and front bearings) are good used ones that were already on the pinion support.
2) Should I shoot for about 15-20in/lb. for rotation, as it has one new bearing?
3) And has anyone used the existing crush sleeve over, is it necessary to use a new one?
4) I have a new yoke nut, and that should only be tightened down one time right?
 
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Start with no shims. It will be easy to tell if the pinion is too deep. Plus, changing shims on a 14FF is about as easy as it gets.

Do not reuse the old crush sleeve.

Use the old pinion nut to set the pre-load and crush the sleeve, then put the new one on....that way the nut will not be subjected to the abuse of getting the sleeve into submission.

Your guess on how much preload to put on the pinion is about as good as any. I would probably shoot for the 18 in/lb mark.
 
Thanks Brian, I was hoping you would chime in on this....

Man I really appreciate the advice. The last diff. I tried to set up, I failed at. It was a D44, and I pressed the bearings on/off a couple times and still didn't have the shims right, so I took it to a local rear end guy to do it right.
I know these 14's are much easier to get dialed in once you get the pinion depth/preload set right.

I have read where others have used a press to start the crush on the sleeve. How much should I compress it?

i.e. if the old sleeve length is .680, should I press it to .750, .725 ???


Thanks again.
 
all right then, I will try to get it put in tonight at work, they should have something in the shop I can use, to pull that kinda torque.
 
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