84 Crew Cab Build

[Blazr77400]

Thought I would make up a build thread for it.

It started as a dually with a longbed flatbed on it. Running boards and visor. Looked more like an old man truck. Had a stockish 454, 700r4, 205, 60 and Dana 80 dually rear.


Some of this may be in the wrong order so just deal with it.

 

[Blazr77400]

I originally bought it to be a daily driver/tow truck for my old blue truck. So first thing to come off was the running boards and visor. As I started driving it I noticed it was bitch to drive in parking lots and I actually ran into the concrete post at the bank with the bed. So I decided to make it a shortbed dually, then decided on a shortbed/flatbed. So I sold the flatbed and drove it around with no bed for a 3-4 months while I planned out the tube bed.
Then I decided to sell the Blue truck and work on the crewcab a little bit at a time. Now with some direction to go. I bought a Short bed and threw on it. Drove it around with the a 14.5" gap in between the bed and cab for about 6 months. Then finally shortened the bed. I also bought some single wheel hubs and ran spacers so i could use the stock alcoa wheels off a late model truck.

When I shortened the frame I just cut a straight 14.5" section out of the frame. Then I just butt welded it. I then trimmed the pieces of frame I cut out and made them fit inside the frame. Then I welded them and bolted them to the frame to help strengthen everything.

 

[Blazr77400]

I then started gathering parts for the build.
When I sold the blue truck the first thing to get ordered were some wheels and tires. I ended up getting some 20x12 Rotary forged Centerline wheels and 41x14.50 Irok radials. This truck is gonna see road mainly so I wanted some tires that were round and were somewhat good on the street.

I also started making some of the suspension pieces. I milled some shackles and some upper spring mounts for the rear of the front springs. They used the bigger bushing and 9/16" bolts. I also made a billet Crossmember that lowered the mounts 2" and tied the front of the frame together.

I also machined the end cap for the steering box for the hydraulic assist and I just tapped the stock cap on top.

I then had a friend laser cut me the pieces to make a 4 inch reverse shackle flip for the back. I modified them to have the bushing in the mount instead of the shackle so I could use the same shackle front and rear.

 

[Blazr77400]

Next was a billet steering arm with an angle built into it. I also decided to go springless with a 3/4" set screw for the kingpin pre-load. It uses the big tierod end also.

I also started working on the rear end. It was just a 3/4 ton 14 bolt. So the spring perches had to be moved inward to match the 1 ton width. The spring perches are from Offroad design. When I was welding the spring perches on I also made a 1" weld on the housing to the tubes on both sides to help keep them from spinning.
The 14 bolt got disc braked with some brackets form Ruffstuff Specialties which use 3/4 ton front calipers and rotors.
I have always liked the look of the finned aluminum covers, but was always worried about the strength of them. Plus they were like $160. I finally found some for like $90 and decided to get em. I plan on just making some rock rings on down the road to help them from getting beat up by the rocks.

 

[gone huntin]

There's a 2wd dually with that exact paint job around here.

 

[Blazr77400]

Next thing to order were suspension and some more of the crossover steering pieces. So I called up Offroad Design again and got some Tuff Country 52" long 4" lift springs for the front and 64" long 3" lift springs for the rear along with all greasable bushings. I also got a bent draglink and dropped pitman arm.

Somewhere inbetween all of this I started on my rear bumper so I wouldnt get pulled over anymore for no bumper. I still have 10 sticks of 1.75" .120 wall dom from the exocage I never did on the blue truck. So I just bent a top and bottom piece with my dads exhaust bender and made some filler plates out of 1/8" steel. I still need to finish welding it, but its kinda low on the list for now.

My brother didnt like the Phantom grille on his blazer so i traded him my stock grill and light buckets for it.

It was getting pretty hot during the summer so I added and AC kit from ACkits.com. I didnt think my stock radiator would cool good enough with the ac so I got an aluminum radiator from summit and some Ferd windstar van fans and made them fit.

 

[Blazr77400]

When I finally got most of the parts together to do the lift and crossover I started pulling out the rear axle. When my dad had the truck he swapped out the 14 bolt in favor of a Dana 80 out of newer 2 wheel drive dually which is 6 or 8 inches wider then a single wheel 14 bolt.

During the swap I had a friend helping me with alot of it. After we got the axle and springs out. We started taking all the spring brackets, exhaust bracket, spare tire crossmember,shock brackets, and brake line brackets off the frame. We then wire wheeled the frame from the rear all the way to the front cab body mounts. I then went and welded all (most of them) unused holes up and ground them smooth. I also had to smooth out the frame where the previous owner(before my dad) welded the hitch on. After it was all smoothed we rolled on some Rustoleoum gloss black enamel.

The stock spring were 56" long and I was putting in 64" springs. The 56" spring has the center pin 26" from the front where the 64" springs are 32" from the front(actually they are centered). So I had to move the front bracket 6" forward which makes it sit lower because of the frame dropping. I then put the reverse shackle mounts on opposite sides for the extra length on the rear. When swapping the mounts it moves the spring eye back a few inches for a good shackle angle.

I also got a ubolt flip kit from Offoad Design. The stock 1 ton ubolts and hangers bolt from the bottom and can get damaged by rocks. This just flips it and comes with new U-bolts, spring plates, and nuts.

I also got some stupid (I thought they were cool at first) clear tail lights. They will get replaced with some new stock style ones. I guess that was my inner rice rocket trying to get out.

I also put some 1.5" spacers on the 14 bolt to make it the same width as the front.

 

[original balzer]

wow that thing is gunna be blingriffic. Not that thats a bad thing.

 

[Blazr77400]

I had to lift the truck up with the jack and get some pictures of it so it looked like the front was lifted. Was getting more excited to get the front done.

We yanked out the 60 and the 2" lift that was already on it. I also took off the steering box to replace it with a box that i already swapped the 4 wheel drive sector shaft out for a 2 wheel sector shaft. We also wire wheeled the rest of the frame.

When putting the bigger bushing mounts on you have to make the hole bigger for it to fit. So I used a way I found on here to cut the hole bigger with a hole saw. Just drill the hole in the bracket and use it as the pilot hole. Worked pretty good.

I also mocked up the front spring perch to see how it fit.

 

[Blazr77400]

We also wire wheeled the rest of the frame and I filled in all of the unused holes and smoothed them out. I also got rid of the stock bump stops and spring stops. I then finished painting the frame with the rustoleum gloss black.

The spring crossmember I made uses six 1/2-13 grade 8 bolts to hold it in. I used some keenserts in the aluminum to help keep the bolts from pulling out. With keenserts you usually upsize the holes 2 steps bigger for the inserts. They used a 3/4-16 hole. Loctite that came on the inserts keep them in place.

I also installed the upper spring bushing mounts in the frame. With the advice of a member on here I ended up sleeving the aluminum with a piece of 1-3/4" .120 wall tubing to help keep them from ovalling out.

Next went the front springs. At first I didnt want to move the axle forward so I decided the front mount would be 2" forward of the stock location. This would put the axle in the stock location and then I wouldnt have to move the upper mount forward and I would have a good shackle angle. I also used the same shackles in the front as I did the rear.

Next was the dana 60. I also wire wheeled everything on it. Then painted it with the rustoleum gloss black. Another finned aluminum cover was installed. I turned the front rotors and put new seals in it too. I didnt replace any of the U-joints or upgrade the 30 spline outers because I plan on going to the Longfield CV's in the future. I also installed the Steering arm which I later changed the nuts to regular lug nuts.

I also got my extra steering box cleaned up. I installed the sector shaft and new seals. I also put the machined end cap on and the top cap which I drilled and polished up. I used a 3/4-16 oring to -6 fitting for the hydrualic assist lines which I capped until I was ready for the hydrualic assist. I also put the ORD pitman arm.

 

[Blazr77400]

It was finally sitting on all fours. I still needed to do brake lines front and rear and also shocks front and rear.

For shocks I went with a set of ES 9000 shocks front and rear. I decided to paint them a flat black. I used all the stock mounting locations, but replaced all the bolts with grade 8 hardware.

For the brake lines I went with russel DOT rated -6 stainless braided lines and adapter fittings. I changed the front lines that go from the proportioning valve to the calipers. I wanted a smoother look on the frame so I made some bulk head fitting plates that use two allen head bolts to hold them on. I then got some 90 degree fittings and then wire tied the lines to the shock. I pushed the shock up to its limit to make sure nothing would get pinched. On the rear I split the lines at the adustable proportioning valve (which sits inside the frame right where I spliced it to shorten it) and used bulk head fittings at the frame with the same plates to hold them on. I then ran the lines down the leaf spring and made a little bracket the bolted to the spring plate. Running them Like this makes it so I dont have to worry about how long the lines are and it cleans up the differential.

I also replaced the factory differential breather lines with some cool fittings originally made for the toyota axles. http://www.trail-gear.com/diff-breather.html They will expand and contract as the differential heats up and keeps all the crap out even when submersed in water. I was able to just grind off the barb on the stock fittings and then clamp them on with a some hose clamps.

 

[Blazr77400]

Next was a set of Bushwacker cut out flares I bought on here. Lately the UHP has been really cracking down on no flares or mudflaps. My dad had a customer who had a blazer with a 6" lift and 35's but didnt have mud flaps. The UHP pulled him over and gave him a no mud flap ticket. Well he never put any on and his wife was driving it with their 3 kids and got pulled over again for no mudflaps. The UHP impounded it which i thought was Chicken ****. I know my truck is going to much worse so decided on some flares to try and keep it street legal. So on go the Flares and I will soon put on some mudflaps.

 

[73redblaze]

wow man hell of a build!

 

[Blazr77400]

After getting it moving on its own I decided to take it for a drive. It seemed to drive pretty good until I went around a corner and all hell broke loose. I thought the front end was gonna fall out. The steering wheel wasnt really shaking to bad so pulled over and got out to see the damage. The first thing that came to my mind was my aluminum shackles broke. I had posted pictures of some of the stuff on here that I machined and kept hearing that I was gonna kill a bus load of nuns when it broke. Well I couldnt see anything wrong. I was planning on doing Hydrualic assist so I cut the stock steering shock mount off when I cleaned up the axle. Then realized that it was the infamous DEATH WOBBLE. I never felt it before. It would wobble between 25 and 30mph. If I went slower or faster I was just fine. So I made it back to the shop and parked it till the Hydrualic assist went on.

For the Hydraulic assist I decided on a Double ended cylinder to replace the tierod. Jason Payne (Willyswanter RIP) did it on his truck when he had the dana 60. He said it was the best system he had used. The cylinder he used was out of stock so I went with a 1.25" rod with a 2" bore and 10" stroke. The stock axle shafts cant handle the full stroke, but the longfield CV shafts can. So I am gonna limit the stroke to 8.5 inches until then.
For the mount I bent up some more of the 1.75" tubing and welded it to the axles. I then bent another piece that fits on top and the Cylinder mounts to both pieces. I then braced it with one more tube that connects to the center of the axle in case I smack the front of the mount on a rock. For the mini tierods I used a ORD high steer tierod my brother had and cut the ends off. Then I waterjetted some tabs that I welded to the other end. Then I used some heavy duty 3/4-16 with a 5/8" hole heims from speedway that thread into the cylinder. For the powersteering and assist lines I used Russell Powerflex stainless braided -6 hose and Powerflex fittings. The hose is a cut to length hose so I got a 10 ft roll of it. I ran the hydrualic assist lines up the leaf spring so I wouldnt worry about how long they needed to be and if they would get pinched when the suspension fully compresses.
On the steering box, pump and hydroboost I used some o-ring to -6 fitting from speedwaymotors.com.
The assist seems to work pretty good so far. Doesnt seem to be to slow or lacking any power.

I also waterjetted an aluminum plate that bolts to the tube with the cylinder mount bolts. Used it so the tube wouldnt deform and also for looks. I still need to do some design and machine work on though.

 

[Blazr77400]

Next on the list was my driveshafts and transfercase.
I have the stock 205, but wanted some lower gearing. I really didnt want to do the double route because of the price. So I went with the 32 spline NP208 range box and divorce mounted 205. This will give me a 1:1, a 2:1, a 2.62:1, and a 5.24:1 low range. I am in the process of installing both so I dont have any installed pics, but I do have some pictures of them ready to install.
For the 208 I tore it apart and cut the front ouput off. Got rid of the chain and shift fork for the front shaft. Waterjetted some flanges and some filler pieces. I then tig welded it all together. I then sandblasted the whole case and painted it black also. With the half the case gone it made it a bunch lighter.
I also had a stock th400 to 208 adapter which I thought would work with my 700r4 which has a Advanced adapter 32 spline output shaft and adapter plate. Its an Advanced Adapter swap kit to switch from a th400 to a 700r4 without driveshaft or crossmember changes. It made the back of the 700r4 look like a th400 so you could use the stock 32 spline 205 and stock driveshafts.
I didnt know the th400 output shafts are different lengths depending on a np208 or np205. So the adapter ended up being to short by 2-1/4" . So I ended up making my own adapter that is long enough and clocks the 208 up. (I dont have picture of it yet, but will soon.)
For the shaft in between the 208 and 205 I am going to use a stock 3/4 ton 1350 drive shaft shortened to fit. I will just use the slip yoke on the 208 as the slip for the shaft.

 

[Blazr77400]

Since chevy never had a divorce mounted 205 and the passenger drop divorced Dodge 205 were hard to find I decided to try swapping the internals out of a divorced Ferd and putting them in a chevy case. I found a Divorced Ferd case and a 10 spline chevy case to make my divorced Chevy case. The Divorced Ferd cases use the small bearing just like the 10 spline chevy case. So everything swapped right over.
I also did the shift rail modification for front wheel only and rear wheel low selection.
For the input I am using a 32 spline 1350 yoke. For the outputs I am using the np208 32 spline front output flange.
To mount the 205 I waterjetted my own mounting plates out of 1" aluminum. Then I milled the bearing retainers and seal holding locations in the right spots. I also counterbored the bolts holes and used Socket head cap screws for all the bolts.
The bottom of plates have a cutout for some more 1-3/4" tubing that use clamps that bolt with 3/8" socket head cap screws. I just need to make the tubular crossmember for it now.

 

[kgblazerfive]

I'm going to have to come up for a visit this week I see

 

[kgblazerfive]

I like the steering set up too

 

[Blazr77400]

Next were driveshafts.

I got a quote from the local Six States for some 1410 long travel driveshafts and all 1410 yokes. They wanted $1500.
So i decided to do the dana 60 1480 driveshafts. After gathering up 10 shafts I started the lathe work. The shaft material is very hard so parting them off was a little bit of pain, but was able to do it without breaking the insert or breaking the boring bar off into the shaft.

I also ordered some slip spline and 2 yokes from Jesse at High Angle Driveline. I talked to 2 other places and was able to get everything from Jesse for $60 cheaper shipped to my door. Its a 26" long 1-5/8" ten spline bar. The slip yokes are 6" long and have a grease zerk in them.
I have not been a fan of the slip yoke boot that keeps the grease in because it kept falling off on my blue truck. So I am going to waterjet some rubber splined pieces that I will use a cap to hold the grease in. Not sure how they will work, but I will try it.

The lathe I have been using on all this is a EZ-path 3 S at my work.

 

[Blazr77400]

Before I new the 208 flanges were 32 spline I was going to make my own. So I made the first flange and made the dana 60 yoke bolt to the flange.
After finding some 32 spline 208 flanges I realized my first yoke wouldnt work without modifications. So I set those aside and started making the flanges and tube spacers for the shafts. I just made the flange yokes fit the 208 flange. I made the tube yokes fit 3-1/2" .134" wall dom tubing. I also made some adapters to fit the spline lengths to the tube yokes.
For the spline lengths I decided to use 15" of the spline for the front shaft and 11" of it for the rear.
The stock rear shaft uses a carrier bearing. I decided to mount the 205 back far enough so I dont have to use a carrier bearing on the rear shaft and instead use a carrier bearing on the front shaft. For the carrier bearing I got a 2-1/4" pillow block from surplus center. The slip yoke OD is 2-1/4" so it will ride in the pillow block.

The Dana 60 and 14 bolt flanges were made from the original yokes. On the 14 bolt I just milled it down to an octagon then waterjetted a flange to press on to it then welded it all together. Then machined the location flange into it. They match the np208 flange. The 60 flange was made the same way, but I milled a rectangle out of it.

On all of the dana 60 shafts and the 14 bolt and dana 60 yoke I heated them up to 500 degrees in a heat treat oven at work. Pulled them out and tig welded them and then put them back in the oven and turned it off to cool slowly. The 60 shafts were much easier to weld. I assume its because the 60 shafts are forged and the yokes are cast. Not sure though.