83 Jimmy build, what to do first?

[K5trs]

Well I'm starting a new thread to actually start my (slow) build. My first question, what do i do first? After some bad news i believe my engine is only a 305, still not for sure because I don't know how to check. How underpowered are they? It runs good and appears to have been rebuilt, I won't be taking it through anything crazy just some mud and maybe the occasional dune trip. Do you think it can handle that? What should I focus on first? Swapping in a 350? Maybe Re-gear, and axle swap (Which i know almost nothing about either). Maybe I should lift it and put on bigger tires? Also part of the reason I bought this Jimmy was to learn about mechanical work, so I'm not afraid of working on it myself.
As you can see I'm a little lost/overwhelmed and i would like all of your opinions on what I should be starting with. I trust that with all of your unlimited knowledge you guys can give me a good starting point. So go ahead and give me advice all is appreciated!

 

[snowdriver]

did you just get this,if you did i would concentrate on making what you have functional and right and drive it for awhile,will give you a better idea of what you will use this for and what you will want to do with it,then start modifying to suit your needs and wants,and if you will be running dunes,you will want alot more power

 

[K5trs]

I got it in August but I have been short on time lately so i haven't been able to work as much as i want, I'm intimidated by an engine swap, I don't know where to buy a decent 350 for a good price. And that installation sounds difficult.

 

[K85 Octane]

My advice....

drive it, get to know it, work it hard, put it though the paces and really learn where the bad points are

if the engine runs good, GREAT, leave it be. You could swap the engine only to end up needing a trans shortly after. Same goes for lifting with tires, just puts strain on everything...... boom it's axle rebuild time.

I highly recommend stressing the truck and putting serious miles on it before doing any upgrades.

The very first thing I did when I bought my truck...... AutoClub 100 mile towing

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

AAA is a great success!!!

 

[K5trs]

Haha what do you mean? And I'll run it hard haha. Should I do an axle swap before I lift? What gears should I run?

 

[K85 Octane]

Haha what do you mean? And I'll run it hard haha. Should I do an axle swap before I lift? What gears should I run?

That needs about a novel's worth of info MORE than what you've provided. Lift kits work with all axles, so do whichever you want first. If you want 10" of lift and 44" tires, I would do the axles cause you are more than likely on 1/2 axles.

Start with a breakdown of what you want to do with the truck. Your end goal and such. Also, if you want to work out what gears you need to run in your dream truck, check out this link. Enter your info and it gives you an idea of how things will run.

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

 

[K5trs]

You're right I do need to let everyone know my goals, The maximum lift i want is a 6 inch and 35's. Mainly it will be used to cruise around, go on trails when i go hunting, go through some mud, and maybe to the dunes...I'm not sure about that yet. I basically just want to turn it into a good off roading vehicle that I can have fun with and practice wrenching, as i already have a daily driver. My main concern is engine power I just wonder if it can cut it.

 

[blazinzuk]

How does the engine feel now?

Underpowered, fine etc.

Dunes and mud mean more horsepower is fun but if thats your main goal with the truck why do a small block?

More power means you need tougher axles, 3/4 tons would be fine, 1 tons would be fine a 6 lug SF 14 would be fine, your stock axles may be fine if you don't run lockers ( if you stay with 35s)

What do you like and not like about the truck right now?

Its a pretty general question really. Read around here on some of the build threads and post more info about what you like and what you don't like on the truck now. Also we require pics.

 

[K5trs]

I'll get some pics up haha. When I look at build threads i just feel so lost! Well one thing i need to fix is my steering, the steering wheel is really unaligned. How do I fix that?

 

[K85 Octane]

pictures first

 

[swettysblazer]

Take the advice the guys give you here and go with it. I wanted to do what you want to do, but then I sat down and thought about it and decided to go a different route.

The first thing I did with my truck was lift it 4 inches, and keep the 33's on it. Then I went to the 35's, did some add on stuff to the motor (exhaust, headers, etc) and right now I want to get a set of 3/4 ton's at least this way I have some deeper gears and a little bit more faith in the axles. Drive the truck, get to know how it works in stock form, and then decide on what you want to upgrade from there. Learn to drive the truck stock and go wheeling stock. You'll become a much better driver, and when you do get a bigger lift, tires, and lockers it'll be a breeze.

 

[Bent77]

Once you work the bugs out, read the build threads for similar years and learn what works and what doesn't before you go crazy.

And welcome to the K5 addiction

 

[tRustyK5]

I'll get some pics up haha. When I look at build threads i just feel so lost! Well one thing i need to fix is my steering, the steering wheel is really unaligned. How do I fix that?

This is a pretty clear pic of the front end and steering stuff (working on my junk right now)

So, in the foreground you have the knuckle with 6 small studs. In this pic the axle shaft and spindle are not installed. On top of the knuckle is the steering arm held on with three studs.. At the end of the steering arm is where the Drag link attaches on one end. The other end of the drag link is attached to the pitman arm.

That drag link is what you use to center your steering wheel. In the center of it you'll see a sleeve with two bolt/nuts.

What you need to do is drive the truck in a dead straight line, or find another way to make sure the tires are dead straight. Loosen the two nuts on the adjuster sleeve, make sure they're good and loose.

Turn the key so the steering is unlocked but the truck isn't running. Turn the adjuster sleeve to center the steering wheel. I've driven a flat screwdriver into the slot on the adjuster to open it up with good results. Makes it a lot easier to turn using a pipe wrench. You'll soon see which direction to turn it...one way will make the wheel farther off center, and the other will get it closer to center. You may need to adjust it a few times to get it perfect.

Don't take it for a test drive without tightening the adjuster back up...

 

[K5dreamer]

First off, Congratulations on the new rig

What to do first? the basics. get to know the truck, all its quirks, give it a tune up, rotate the tires, bleed the brakes, swap out all the fluids, wash it, wax it, love it, drive it. Getting your hands dirty on the basics is like starting as a PDI tech at a dealership. once you get that done, step up to more complicated stuff as your skills increase, like being promoted to a tech assistant, and then a line tech.

things like changing out gears require special tools, and a bit of skill, that I would not reccomend for a novice wrench spinner. mistakes can be very expensive. vs. swapping a rear axle, which can be a simple bolt in procedure.

If you're not very mechanical then I applaud you for getting an old truck on which to learn, I did the same thing with my brother (although he went with a 1973 ford bronco instead of a bowtie, I try not to judge ) And despite not being very mechanical, by the time he was done, he was swapping in a ford racing 302 engine with me just helping him via phone while i was at school in Vermont.

My advice follows what has been said. You've got a new truck. First things first, establish a baseline on its reliability, fuel economy, if its burning/leaking any oil, etc. etc. Fix things like the steering, which could be as easy as having the alignment checked. could be from a previous fender bender that bent something. before you start modifying, make sure your foundation is solid. Aside from making your life easier, its going to make trouble shooting easier later. when you start modifying, and an issue pops up, its gonna be easier to fix if you can say, "well, that wasnt there before I did "X". "

Also, if you have a 305, its not the end of the world, its a great affordable starting point. anything you buy that will bolt onto/upgrade that 305, will transfer to a 350 (or 383 ) short block later down the road. Alot of people will bash the 305, especially if you need the HP to do dunes and mud, but its a solid starting point. and will motivate the truck while you sort the rest of your plan out.

 

[magik235]

Start with the basics. Make the Jimmy safe to drive. Fix all fluid leaks. Drive it several hundred miles over various terrains to establish how it works for you. I have always liked the Icelandic approach to wheeling. If it breaks once, fix it. If it breaks twice, upgrade it.

 

[byggyns]

If you want a diagram for your steering instead of a pic, the bottom diagram is the one you want. The drag link parts are number 10,11,12. The Procedure I followed to straighten my wheel is exactly what tRustyK5 showed above.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/csb/full.aspx?Page=149


Also, before you start tearing into anything, I'd suggest getting a basic repair manual from Haynes or Chiltons. It will walk you through the easy stuff. Then, when you are ready to tackle the hard jobs, upgrade to the full GM factory service manual.

 

[496truck]

The elders have spoken. Do you hate us yet? We are not trying to crush your dream of having a cool lifted K5. Just trying to help you learn, a bit at a time, before jumping in with both feet and getting over your head.

Get your truck to (what I like to call) Stage 0. This is basically getting to know your truck and getting everything to work like the factory intended. Changing out fluids and filters, addressing leaks, addressing squeaks/crunches/clunks/vibrations/etc. and learning the difference between normal noises and abnormal noises. Tune up, new plugs/wires/cap/rotor. Get through this by yourself (with our help) and you will have a basic knowledge and understanding of your whole truck and all it's parts.

After that you can decide on upgrades. Everyone wants more power, but in reality most can get by with proper gearing. As long as the 305 is trouble free/running clean/no issues then leave it alone. Start with gearing and/or an axle swap, maybe a lift at the same time. Start gathering parts for a lift. I'd start with a 4" spring front and shackle flip rear with appropriate shocks and steering bits to go with it. Peruse the Off Road Design website for parts/prices. You can find cheap lift kits out there but they are just that, cheap. You don't want to do this twice, do it right the first time. A good set of 33" tires will work great for that lift and can get by on your stock axles.

After that look into an axle swap, maybe 3/4 ton swap will be best. You can usually find them readily available and cheap with 4.10 gears. The problem is that they pretty much require 16" wheels (grinding brakes for clearance is a whole nother story, so lets not go there just yet). If you plan ahead during your first step and buy 33" tires on a set of 16" wheels you can save from buying new tires after the 8 lug swap and only need to replace the wheels.

You could, of course, swap these 2 steps and do the axle/gear swap first and upgrade to 33s and 8 lug wheels at that time, then do the lift later. Or you could do one better and just gather all the parts for both and then when you have everything together swap it all at one time.

There is some food for thought. There is lots of ways to spend money on your truck. Keep us posted on where you are at and what you want to do next. Oh, and pics, we like pics. Plus, pics help us help you.

 

[K5trs]

Thanks for the replies everyone! They are really helpful. I was thinking about going to some local junk yards and looking for axles. What kinds should I look for? And how do I tell what gearing they have? So can I clear 33's stock? I have 31's right now. And I'd need 16 inch wheel 8 lug 33's to do a 3/4 ton 4.10 axle swap? Also one of my buddies has a jeep and is looking for a 350 to, And he suggested we buy some cheap engines from a junk yard or an owner and just repot them over time. Is that a decent idea, or would it be easier to just buy a new engine? I feel like it would help me learn but I also think it would be some hard work. What do you guys think?

 

[K5dreamer]

Thanks for the replies everyone! They are really helpful. I was thinking about going to some local junk yards and looking for axles. What kinds should I look for? And how do I tell what gearing they have? So can I clear 33's stock? I have 31's right now. And I'd need 16 inch wheel 8 lug 33's to do a 3/4 ton 4.10 axle swap? Also one of my buddies has a jeep and is looking for a 350 to, And he suggested we buy some cheap engines from a junk yard or an owner and just repot them over time. Is that a decent idea, or would it be easier to just buy a new engine? I feel like it would help me learn but I also think it would be some hard work. What do you guys think?

- shopping for axles you're looking for 3/4 ton 14 bolt rears, measure the spring perch spacing on your existing axle, and shop for axles with the same spring perch spacing. on an axle there should be a tag bolted to the cover, which includes the information like what ratio it has, assuming its not been changed by a PO. only real way to check is to turn the pinion, and count how many times you have to turn it for one revolution of the wheels. if you can bolt wheels onto it at the yard, it can be easier to roll the axle forward on the wheels one revolution and count the number of times the pinion rotates. hardly exact, but should get you close enough.

- clearing tires depends alot on what you're gonna do to the truck. My M1009 fit 33's without issue, and the front springs are so worn they are bent the wrong way. I however didnt do any flexing. just minor offroading in national parks. trails, some very mild rocks, mud, and stream crossings. but nothing that really "flexed" it. If I did they may well have rubbed.

- If you're not familiar with engines and knowing how to tell if its good or not, a junkyard engine can be a decent learning tool, but it can also be a gamble and a waste of money. I wouldnt expect to get it up and running my first try without someone helping you out. I wouldnt pay more than $100 for it. get an engine stand form harbor freight, and have enough space to disassemble stuff and lay it out so you can keep track of everything.

- All that being said.... be careful you dont get too many Irons in the fire. remember, we've all been saying baseline the truck. And you're talking about axle shopping and swapping, wheel/tire upgrades, and rebuilding a junkyard engine to swap in.