Should I rename this to crawler hauler.. So confused..
CK5
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84 K20 "Ethel" Not an Sbc/NV4500/241C
- Thread starter sreidmx
- Start date
Semi restoration of a 1984 K20 pickup.
5.3 LS, nv4500, np241c.
Well, your poll is nearly a 3-way tie, but "Ethel" is still winning at this point. So I guess that's the opinion of the public...
No that's too close to what I named my non build. 4" on 295's won't be bad at all for towing.
If you are going to lift it, stick to 2" or 3".
Martin
Martin
When did this become a trophy truck?
Ill preface this with.. I shoulda known..
I started on the swap kind of late, I had all the parts I needed to make this work, I wanted to have this done asap so I could use the truck as much as possible this summer.
I went to Vatozone, got the bushings, brake lines and a mityvac to make the bleeding easier.
I stopped by Harbor freight for a high torque drill because I planned on using a holesaw for the shackle pivot hole.
I also picked up a new plug for the plasma.
I got to the shop around 1, based on my previous experiences leaf springs swaps are 4 hour jobs.. I thought this was going to be the same. Boy was I wrong.
I got the truck on the lift, and popped the hubcaps off, put the impact on the lugs and they all were really sticky? its really hard to explain, the only thing I can guess is it sitting for so long has "gunk" in the threads.. they all need to be tapped and might even need new lugs.. that added 20 mins to a job that should be 5..
Once I got the wheels off I pulled the shocks, and u bolts, I attempted to remove the sway bar but the bolts would no budge, I didnt want to break any wrenches so I left it. Ill have to put heat or cut those bolts off.
I then removed the passenger leaf spring so I could mock up the new leafs and figure out where to put the shackle. Based on my previous experience with these leafs I new that a 4 inch shackle would be plenty because the spring didn't change length much, only about 2 inches or so and these have about 8 inches of free arch.
Once I got the spring into position I marked the location of the perch, it ends up at the very end of the opening for the body mount, the shackle is vertical at full compression and does not move past that, I was not aiming for ultimate travel here because the springs will provide way more than the rest of the drive train and steering could handle, I also didn't want a rising rate so having the shackle past 90 deg at bump would have that effect, or so based on cycling these.
Anyway... I was going to start cutting with the hole saw.. I didn't realize that I could no get a good position because the drill hit the body. When I tried I just broke teeth off the hole saw, crap.. out comes the plasma and another 30 mins wasted.. I wired in the new plug on the plasma, and started to cut, well... the hole was bigger than I planned and wasn't very pretty, but itll work, I got the other side much better and didn't have to make a small patch for the oversize hole I cut, I tacked in the mount and went to work on gusseting the bottom side, I notched some plate to have a saddle for the mount, and allow me a long weld at the bottom of the frame. I got that made quickly and was probably the only part that went smooth and welded nice, the rest was a joke and pain in the butt, and no I don't have any pics.. Ill get some.
Ok, once that was done I was on the home stretch, all I needed to do was drill out my shackles to 9/16 and get the springs in, by this time it was almost 9 and I was now rushing because I have a curfew at the shop of 9.. lets just say I blew past that almost two hours, this didn't make anything better because I was sweating profusely and pretty much drained of energy 3 hours ago..
I had to get the bushings, into the frame but I didn't realize the bushing was tapered quite a bit.. which screwed me because I couldn't get it to seat. At this point I now wish I had my bearing press tools because I would have forced it in.. We had some all thread in the shop so I rigged up a press dealie, and proceeded to press it in about 80% and I finished it off to 92% with a sledge and some DOM.. still not all the way in but close enough.
I got smart and ground the other bush down pretty far, that went in really nicely and tight.
Once that was done, I just needed to mount the leafs, I had already re positioned the lift on the frame to allow the springs to clear, that was sketch at best but what are you gonna do.. no lift points anywhere else.
I got the passenger side in pretty smoothly, the springs drooped out nicely, I got the new ubolts in and tight with out much fuss, I then move onto the driver side, the steering was fighting me because I forgot the column locks, so that really messed me up for a while until I realized the deal. Once I unlocked it I got it pretty close to lining up but the sway bar was fighting me now, thank God for sloppy bushings, I doubt I would have gotten it to line up if those hadn't been toast! I see the value in the disconnects adding another joint now.
Got that leaf on, tightened up, and now to lower it to see where it really will sit, Im in a haze at this point, I measure 22.250 inches, it was sitting at 21.125 earlier.. lol I got about an inch, I bet those leafs are screaming lol I gotta put the two last leafs back in and that should just level it out.. I new these were soft so I didn't expect much, I have some other springs around to bolster it if needed.
Based on my measurements I have 12 inches from the bottom of the bump-stop rubber and the u bolt pad, when its at the level ride height that should give me about 4-5 up and 8 or so inches down. Which should flex nice and ride really really good.
as I was following my angry wife home I noticed even without shocks you cannot feel any of the bumps like before, its crazy how much different it is to drive, goes straight and is much quieter, I have some work left to do but overall I think I got what I was after, something that you can look at that looks mostly stock, until you flex it, then the jaws drop..
Cant wait for KOH this is gonna be fun.
I started on the swap kind of late, I had all the parts I needed to make this work, I wanted to have this done asap so I could use the truck as much as possible this summer.
I went to Vatozone, got the bushings, brake lines and a mityvac to make the bleeding easier.
I stopped by Harbor freight for a high torque drill because I planned on using a holesaw for the shackle pivot hole.
I also picked up a new plug for the plasma.
I got to the shop around 1, based on my previous experiences leaf springs swaps are 4 hour jobs.. I thought this was going to be the same. Boy was I wrong.
I got the truck on the lift, and popped the hubcaps off, put the impact on the lugs and they all were really sticky? its really hard to explain, the only thing I can guess is it sitting for so long has "gunk" in the threads.. they all need to be tapped and might even need new lugs.. that added 20 mins to a job that should be 5..
Once I got the wheels off I pulled the shocks, and u bolts, I attempted to remove the sway bar but the bolts would no budge, I didnt want to break any wrenches so I left it. Ill have to put heat or cut those bolts off.
I then removed the passenger leaf spring so I could mock up the new leafs and figure out where to put the shackle. Based on my previous experience with these leafs I new that a 4 inch shackle would be plenty because the spring didn't change length much, only about 2 inches or so and these have about 8 inches of free arch.
Once I got the spring into position I marked the location of the perch, it ends up at the very end of the opening for the body mount, the shackle is vertical at full compression and does not move past that, I was not aiming for ultimate travel here because the springs will provide way more than the rest of the drive train and steering could handle, I also didn't want a rising rate so having the shackle past 90 deg at bump would have that effect, or so based on cycling these.
Anyway... I was going to start cutting with the hole saw.. I didn't realize that I could no get a good position because the drill hit the body. When I tried I just broke teeth off the hole saw, crap.. out comes the plasma and another 30 mins wasted.. I wired in the new plug on the plasma, and started to cut, well... the hole was bigger than I planned and wasn't very pretty, but itll work, I got the other side much better and didn't have to make a small patch for the oversize hole I cut, I tacked in the mount and went to work on gusseting the bottom side, I notched some plate to have a saddle for the mount, and allow me a long weld at the bottom of the frame. I got that made quickly and was probably the only part that went smooth and welded nice, the rest was a joke and pain in the butt, and no I don't have any pics.. Ill get some.
Ok, once that was done I was on the home stretch, all I needed to do was drill out my shackles to 9/16 and get the springs in, by this time it was almost 9 and I was now rushing because I have a curfew at the shop of 9.. lets just say I blew past that almost two hours, this didn't make anything better because I was sweating profusely and pretty much drained of energy 3 hours ago..
I had to get the bushings, into the frame but I didn't realize the bushing was tapered quite a bit.. which screwed me because I couldn't get it to seat. At this point I now wish I had my bearing press tools because I would have forced it in.. We had some all thread in the shop so I rigged up a press dealie, and proceeded to press it in about 80% and I finished it off to 92% with a sledge and some DOM.. still not all the way in but close enough.
I got smart and ground the other bush down pretty far, that went in really nicely and tight.
Once that was done, I just needed to mount the leafs, I had already re positioned the lift on the frame to allow the springs to clear, that was sketch at best but what are you gonna do.. no lift points anywhere else.
I got the passenger side in pretty smoothly, the springs drooped out nicely, I got the new ubolts in and tight with out much fuss, I then move onto the driver side, the steering was fighting me because I forgot the column locks, so that really messed me up for a while until I realized the deal. Once I unlocked it I got it pretty close to lining up but the sway bar was fighting me now, thank God for sloppy bushings, I doubt I would have gotten it to line up if those hadn't been toast! I see the value in the disconnects adding another joint now.
Got that leaf on, tightened up, and now to lower it to see where it really will sit, Im in a haze at this point, I measure 22.250 inches, it was sitting at 21.125 earlier.. lol I got about an inch, I bet those leafs are screaming lol I gotta put the two last leafs back in and that should just level it out.. I new these were soft so I didn't expect much, I have some other springs around to bolster it if needed.
Based on my measurements I have 12 inches from the bottom of the bump-stop rubber and the u bolt pad, when its at the level ride height that should give me about 4-5 up and 8 or so inches down. Which should flex nice and ride really really good.
as I was following my angry wife home I noticed even without shocks you cannot feel any of the bumps like before, its crazy how much different it is to drive, goes straight and is much quieter, I have some work left to do but overall I think I got what I was after, something that you can look at that looks mostly stock, until you flex it, then the jaws drop..
Cant wait for KOH this is gonna be fun.
When did this become a trophy truck?
It didnt lol I was wondering if anybody was paying attention!
bergerking
1/2 ton status
When did this become a trophy truck?
Don't worry next week it will be a trug gy and in 2 weeks it will be an ultra 4
charity case
1/2 ton status
13 Leafs per pack, this has the torque leaf, its all jeepspeed race stuff, custom dave pack, has its own part numbers too.. Deaver told me they hadnt seen a pair like that in 10 years..
I have no pics yet lol, Ill get those other springs in it before I take any, I want it level.
Ultra 4 diesel 6.2.. Ill never have to pit for fuel..
Btw, I just passed the 1/2 tank mark. Pretty sure im getting insane miles per smiles..
6.2s get 50mpgs
