y5mgisi
1 ton status
Baba, it's important to note how much fun Heath has with the truck not being "perfect". So don't forget that his truck had been an evolution that he has enjoyed every step of the way. His was not a one and done.
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.
'83 K10 SB "L1TSBFIBBC" build
- Thread starter folkenheath
- Start date
Oh yes of course, I'll be putting in a set of factory springs most likely to start.
Thats very true, I still enjoy the truck every time I drive it. And although my RZR makes it seem like it rides harsh, I really realize how much smoother it is when I ride in a stock suspension type truck. There are many different levels of happiness. Plus, I drove it to MI and beat the crap out of it and accidentally got some air under the front and still drove it home, so it's pretty reliable right now for how much hp it has. Usually that much hp breaks things, I know it did the first few times I took it out with the BB.
One of the times I went for a loop I was driving up test hill just above idle and then when it started to loose traction I tromped on it and shot up the hill then let off to coast over and as I crest the hill to go down the other side I see/hear one of the guys standing up there yell at me, "Holy crap, that's what I'm talking about" as they give me the thumbs up, that always makes me smile...
right back at 'em. I think sometimes you need to go back and ride in what you used to have because you get used to your new ride and it becomes "normal". Last year I rode in a guys shortbed with big leaf springs(not a member, just needing helping diagnosing what turned out to be a missing motor mount bolt!) and it darn near rattled my teeth and I couldn't keep the seatbelt from cinching me in the seat everybump, then I remembered, yes, my truck is way smoother than it used to be.
Although when I take my RZR and go flying through the air and float back down I sometimes laugh out loud to myself, that is just a different kind of fun. Wade's K5 does that to me! His suspension setup is on a whole different level than my truck.
Nice meeting you this weekend man! Good luck with the family and the new home!
Have you considered running 64" leafs in the rear, they are a night and day improvement over the 52s in both ride and flex, I HIGHLY recommend the swap.
Glad to see ya back Heath.
You could go a long ways in the rear with some custom leafs. But there is that pesky problem of shocks. Always getting in the way and stuff.
Oh shoot once you buy custom leafs and the shocks and associated traction devises you mine as well link it.
My wife's sister just moved to north Carolina. Now your back in Wisconsin our planned trip out there sometime in the next 5 years just got longer
You could go a long ways in the rear with some custom leafs. But there is that pesky problem of shocks. Always getting in the way and stuff.
Oh shoot once you buy custom leafs and the shocks and associated traction devises you mine as well link it.
My wife's sister just moved to north Carolina. Now your back in Wisconsin our planned trip out there sometime in the next 5 years just got longer
I considered it for a little bit, but I doubt it I will ever spend money on more leaves. Those long leaves are so flexible I would definitely need a good traction bar, and by the time you build a good traction bar and mount the leaves you could of nearly linked it. If I do anything to the back it will be 18" shocks with a dual triangulated 4 link. Right now I am just using it the way it is.
Nice meeting you too Brian, and thank you. Glad you made it back safe.
I was thinking the same way Eric, it's a lot of time to make custom leaf mounts and longer shock mounts and a traction bar, your nearly link time!
Your welcome here anytime Eric. Your sig says you are building the crew cab now? I'll have to check it out.
Well not much progress we are moving to Wyoming. House is for sale so all my projects are on hold
Good luck with the sale. That's not always easy but it will work out in the end and you'll be better off when its over or you wouldn't be planning it.
pennsylvaniaboy
1/2 ton status
How much flex do you get out of the front radius arms without a link removed?
I don't know how to quantify that as I have never measured it. But I don't notice much difference with and without one upper link bolt removed. I think with my setup, the dual rate spring stops and air bumps limit the flex before the radius arms bind up. I think I would have to reduce the air bump pressure and move the dual rate stops all the way up to find out. Once it gets on the stiff lower spring it limits articulation more. You can see here in the one and only time I was ever on an RTI ramp.
This was in 2010 before I redid the rear suspension with the new shocks and shackle angle so the rear suspension has almost no articulation.
The front is limited by the bump stop and stiff spring. I think that I had the DS upper link bolt out for this pic, but when I put it back on I could not tell a difference on the ramp. I do know that if I lowered the dual rate articulation got less, but I have never raised the dual rate above where it is now to see how much more I could get as articulation wasn't my main goal for this build. In order to really stuff the one tire I need to raise the dual rate and lower the air bump pressure.
This was in 2010 before I redid the rear suspension with the new shocks and shackle angle so the rear suspension has almost no articulation.
The front is limited by the bump stop and stiff spring. I think that I had the DS upper link bolt out for this pic, but when I put it back on I could not tell a difference on the ramp. I do know that if I lowered the dual rate articulation got less, but I have never raised the dual rate above where it is now to see how much more I could get as articulation wasn't my main goal for this build. In order to really stuff the one tire I need to raise the dual rate and lower the air bump pressure.
pennsylvaniaboy
1/2 ton status
haha thanks for the pics....but I'm a basic member, so no dice. Love the build.
Thank you, sorry about that, I didn't have much time and didn't feel like uploading the pics and editing them and finding the url and then embedding the url image. I linked the member url pic, can you see them now?
K20Chevrolet
1/2 ton status
Nice build!
As for the rear, the easy way is either nice soft suspesnion or work truck. But you can do both but with way more thing going on in the back. I´m trying that once the front is together... 4-link rear with cantileaver setup to retain the full bed and get 18-20" of travel. And for the load capacity, cantileaver air setup!
I wouldn´t cut up that nice bed!
As for the rear, the easy way is either nice soft suspesnion or work truck. But you can do both but with way more thing going on in the back. I´m trying that once the front is together... 4-link rear with cantileaver setup to retain the full bed and get 18-20" of travel. And for the load capacity, cantileaver air setup!
I wouldn´t cut up that nice bed!
Thanks. I had a plan to ditch the saddle tanks and use some 10" shocks mounted 1/3 of the way up the lower arms and get 15" of travel without cutting the bed or using cantilever arms. Then I thought about cutting holes in the bed and stuffing 18" shocks in there. Then I rode in Wades rig and realized my F/R weight bias will never be correct and for now I am just enjoying the truck the way it is.
I've also thought about selling it and building another rig, or parting it out and putting the drivetrain in a home made tube buggy, or just building a home made tube buggy and keeping the truck. Who knows what the future holds, I'll figure something out.
For now I will just keep enjoying it the way it is. It runs real good and is fun to drive.
I've also thought about selling it and building another rig, or parting it out and putting the drivetrain in a home made tube buggy, or just building a home made tube buggy and keeping the truck. Who knows what the future holds, I'll figure something out.
For now I will just keep enjoying it the way it is. It runs real good and is fun to drive.
Heath leaving something alone? Wow 
Just messin I like the plan. And I can vouch for it running good. It runs so good that when its next to mine, it feels like my blazer is sputtering. Literally my blazer was vibrating
Just messin I like the plan. And I can vouch for it running good. It runs so good that when its next to mine, it feels like my blazer is sputtering. Literally my blazer was vibrating
Well considering the rear window is the only thing I haven't replaced/rebuilt or modified in someway, there really isn't much left to leave alone Adam. 
Thanks for the props though, glad you like my engine. That go pedal always puts a smile on my face.
Although sometimes I wonder what it would feel like in my Regal that weighs ~2000 lbs less. Then I realize the Regal doesn't need a torquey oval port 489, it needs a solid roller 540 or a twin turbo stroked 6.0. Then I realize that will cost too much and it'll be a while.
Someday I think it would be awesome to stroke an LS3 to a 417 or so and put it in front of a TH400/NP205 or Atlas. Then flip it around backwards so the engine is in the back, and build some light fabricated tube axles with maybe 9" centers and light brakes(flipped upside down of course), along with bypasses and maybe air shocks on every corner, and make it a 4 seat tube buggy. When I get used to it and think it's too slow than throw some turbos on it. Although that would require more planning ahead and even more money. I like spending dream money.
Thanks for the props though, glad you like my engine. That go pedal always puts a smile on my face.
Although sometimes I wonder what it would feel like in my Regal that weighs ~2000 lbs less. Then I realize the Regal doesn't need a torquey oval port 489, it needs a solid roller 540 or a twin turbo stroked 6.0. Then I realize that will cost too much and it'll be a while. Someday I think it would be awesome to stroke an LS3 to a 417 or so and put it in front of a TH400/NP205 or Atlas. Then flip it around backwards so the engine is in the back, and build some light fabricated tube axles with maybe 9" centers and light brakes(flipped upside down of course), along with bypasses and maybe air shocks on every corner, and make it a 4 seat tube buggy. When I get used to it and think it's too slow than throw some turbos on it. Although that would require more planning ahead and even more money. I like spending dream money.
I like spending dream money.
I hear you there!
Insane truck build! It's never ending is it LOL. WOW lots of great info in here. Perfect for me to research with.
Thank you, I have thought about taking a couple of th eposts and making threads with just that subject since it has been a question of many. Such as the Autometer dash setup. That questions seems to come around a lot so copying that one post as it's own seperate thread might not be a bad idea.
I still haven't decided what the next step will be, maybe cage it and link the back.
In the meantime I just keep having fun with it.
I still haven't decided what the next step will be, maybe cage it and link the back.
In the meantime I just keep having fun with it.
