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'89 K5 The Bulldozer
- Thread starter Tnsejed
- Start date
1989 K5, linked, caged, backhalfed, LS3, Hero case, on 42's
Ok here was some changes on the front axle which I missed before. But now I'm questioning if I missed it or not or if the timeframe is all wrong. FML, I have no idea what is what and my shop is on my property so I don't really know what day it is, ever. Anyways its now a free for or all with little detail timeframe.
Based on a text from one of my buddies this was june 2017. Photo dates are all the same from when my phone got connected to my computer and ****ed everything up.
I had junked 1 set of kingpin bushings. Which realistically was pretty good in my opinion for what I put them through. I'm not a crazy driver anymore as I like my parts to last and be able to drive home, but they didn't live a happy life.
With that I was getting ready for full hydro to accommodate the future mods. So Reid knuckles were in the cards.
I also wanted to do something I hadn't seen done yet. Bronze kingping bushings with Crane spring eliminators. Crane specifically doesn't recommend this. The poly spring is non-linear and is even crazier inside a bore. Something I actually deal with for my job in one of my mechanisms and I could solve that easily. The unknown was the kingpin tolerance.
So swap to new kingpins, swap to reid racing knuckles (with all new hardware and bearings), plate the inner C's, fit the bronze bushing rollpins, take out the knuckles slack and start machining. I started with brand new artec arms and manually interpolated a bore. Then drilled and tapped the arms for a custom cap, which I could add spacers, and then re-machine as more preload was needed.
After that I trued up the crane poly springs, and started going for the correct preload. I was quite a bit different side to side (I think .020 if I remember correctly). After kingpin measurement I definitely found the culprit.
I took this specific picture with a potato camera.
Now the only final pic I have of it. Down and dirty with large stepover, but WGAF.
As someone who really appreciates body and paint, but generally just receives a participation trophy in the special olympics of body and paint, I should say how much I like the rustoleum hammered rattle can. I have single handedly raised the stock price of rustoleum.
Based on a text from one of my buddies this was june 2017. Photo dates are all the same from when my phone got connected to my computer and ****ed everything up.
I had junked 1 set of kingpin bushings. Which realistically was pretty good in my opinion for what I put them through. I'm not a crazy driver anymore as I like my parts to last and be able to drive home, but they didn't live a happy life.
With that I was getting ready for full hydro to accommodate the future mods. So Reid knuckles were in the cards.
I also wanted to do something I hadn't seen done yet. Bronze kingping bushings with Crane spring eliminators. Crane specifically doesn't recommend this. The poly spring is non-linear and is even crazier inside a bore. Something I actually deal with for my job in one of my mechanisms and I could solve that easily. The unknown was the kingpin tolerance.
So swap to new kingpins, swap to reid racing knuckles (with all new hardware and bearings), plate the inner C's, fit the bronze bushing rollpins, take out the knuckles slack and start machining. I started with brand new artec arms and manually interpolated a bore. Then drilled and tapped the arms for a custom cap, which I could add spacers, and then re-machine as more preload was needed.
After that I trued up the crane poly springs, and started going for the correct preload. I was quite a bit different side to side (I think .020 if I remember correctly). After kingpin measurement I definitely found the culprit.
I took this specific picture with a potato camera.
Now the only final pic I have of it. Down and dirty with large stepover, but WGAF.
As someone who really appreciates body and paint, but generally just receives a participation trophy in the special olympics of body and paint, I should say how much I like the rustoleum hammered rattle can. I have single handedly raised the stock price of rustoleum.
The next big modifaction was what the truck always needed. It used to drive like a school bus. I'd run the hills going as fast as I could downhill to lose it all uphill. Gutless but it always ran, no matter if the cell was filled with mineral spirits, gasoline, or used qualichem. Gotta give the TBI that, shit has always worked in every vehicle I had with TBI. At my home altitude of 8500' I was rocking probably 120hp and 40's. Yotalife.
So I figured this would work. LS3
@Bent77 LS3
So I figured this would work. LS3
@Bent77 LS3
Time to rip it apart again, before ripping it apart again. Haha.
As was said before the LS3 swap was a 2 step swap with the last step being the backhalf of the truck. This is because of the ride height change, wheelbase change front and rear, and where things were heading.
So the engine swap also included redoing the front 4 link and alot of the engine cage. I did not need to redo the dovenose as I had taken into account all of these ideas when building that.
Lowered ride height, 42" bias Treps, full hydro, LS3. I want to pass people on the highway and be able to hit rocks.
So I needed to ditch the hydro assist steering as it was in the way.
PSC ram, Same P-pump but a new one, complete new lines made and new reservoir location, and same hydroboost.
I modified an Artec mount to fit between the frame rails at full stuff. My frame rails are boxed but I had modified them a bit already to fit my Warn 12k between them. So they were already a little wider than stock. But I still needed to mod the mount to come close to puzzle piecing clearance when at full stuff.
The other thing that needs serious attention due to panhard is axle swing depending on articulation side (or even just uptravel). I always spent a shitload of time working that. My original build had the axle offset with a purposeful dogtrack. Now I was going a different route. I grabbed another ORD panhard mount but cut it apart and shortened it quite a bit. Shorter panhard kind of sucks but with a real low ride height and hydro I can work with it.
I ripped everything off the axle, and inspected the insides which looked pretty good. Superior Gears held up well.
This is my 'almost bump'. This picture was my main uptravel reference where link mount/ bumpstop pad was even with the lower plane of the the frame. Now I had the edge blend radius of the frame to play with as well on uptravel. But shown here is my datum.
Axle stuff In progress, New Ron davis radiator in and mounts made etc...
Orbital getting close, everything else tacked except the ram mount. If you'll notice the ram mount is stepped for the frame, but I also curved it. So the edges are back about a 1/2 inch per side.
Also frame holes getting filled, steering shaft getting close, and a million other things. There's so much stuff that goes on its hard to remember it all. You just keep pushing through and little problems are not problems, they are just normal.... but its fun as hell.
As was said before the LS3 swap was a 2 step swap with the last step being the backhalf of the truck. This is because of the ride height change, wheelbase change front and rear, and where things were heading.
So the engine swap also included redoing the front 4 link and alot of the engine cage. I did not need to redo the dovenose as I had taken into account all of these ideas when building that.
Lowered ride height, 42" bias Treps, full hydro, LS3. I want to pass people on the highway and be able to hit rocks.
So I needed to ditch the hydro assist steering as it was in the way.
PSC ram, Same P-pump but a new one, complete new lines made and new reservoir location, and same hydroboost.
I modified an Artec mount to fit between the frame rails at full stuff. My frame rails are boxed but I had modified them a bit already to fit my Warn 12k between them. So they were already a little wider than stock. But I still needed to mod the mount to come close to puzzle piecing clearance when at full stuff.
The other thing that needs serious attention due to panhard is axle swing depending on articulation side (or even just uptravel). I always spent a shitload of time working that. My original build had the axle offset with a purposeful dogtrack. Now I was going a different route. I grabbed another ORD panhard mount but cut it apart and shortened it quite a bit. Shorter panhard kind of sucks but with a real low ride height and hydro I can work with it.
I ripped everything off the axle, and inspected the insides which looked pretty good. Superior Gears held up well.
This is my 'almost bump'. This picture was my main uptravel reference where link mount/ bumpstop pad was even with the lower plane of the the frame. Now I had the edge blend radius of the frame to play with as well on uptravel. But shown here is my datum.
Axle stuff In progress, New Ron davis radiator in and mounts made etc...
Orbital getting close, everything else tacked except the ram mount. If you'll notice the ram mount is stepped for the frame, but I also curved it. So the edges are back about a 1/2 inch per side.
Also frame holes getting filled, steering shaft getting close, and a million other things. There's so much stuff that goes on its hard to remember it all. You just keep pushing through and little problems are not problems, they are just normal.... but its fun as hell.
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After the axle was all finished and a plan for everything was thoroughly discarded I put the engine on my cherry picker and grabbed an etch a sketch.
This is a picture of my thumb and an exhaust manifold for size reference.
The only way to remove the cherry picker is with motor mounts.
Engine crossmember is definitely a no go with all of this. But I planned for that on the etch a sketch.
This is a picture of my thumb and an exhaust manifold for size reference.
The only way to remove the cherry picker is with motor mounts.
Engine crossmember is definitely a no go with all of this. But I planned for that on the etch a sketch.
Going with the orbital and no crossmember meant I could remove alot of the steering box stuff I had on the inside of the frame rails. I originally had alot of that all tied in with bracing to the various crossmembers. You can kind of see how I ditched that here. Starting to clean up in front of the engine for all sorts of coolers and pcv and whatnot. It starts getting really tight.
motor mounts done and picker coming off.
Everything was looking pretty good up to this point. I still had good clearance at my uptravel datum so I could take all of the bump travel past the datum point. That made me happy. This was definitely the high point of the swap. After this it all turned to fitting 10lb of crap in a 5lb bag. And all sorts of other issues.
motor mounts done and picker coming off.
Everything was looking pretty good up to this point. I still had good clearance at my uptravel datum so I could take all of the bump travel past the datum point. That made me happy. This was definitely the high point of the swap. After this it all turned to fitting 10lb of crap in a 5lb bag. And all sorts of other issues.
So I started running into fitment problems and accessory drive problems. I needed my pump at a pretty specific location to get the line runs correct and fitting the coilovers, as well as everything else. I also found the accessory brackets not lining up very well at all. They were all out quite a bit.
So first I started to machine standoffs to get everything lined up but the drivers side was a total no go. So I decided top just make my own brackets. Should have just done that from the get go.
I also completely re-routed the belt from this setup as I did not like the routing and overlap percentage. Modified the location of the tensioner as well.
Planning:
Integral standoffs on some sections of the new brackets:
Looking better
Completed drivers side with much better belt coverage and the pump right where it needs to be.
You can also see that I got the new shock mounts and engine cage crossmember in place.
So first I started to machine standoffs to get everything lined up but the drivers side was a total no go. So I decided top just make my own brackets. Should have just done that from the get go.
I also completely re-routed the belt from this setup as I did not like the routing and overlap percentage. Modified the location of the tensioner as well.
Planning:
Integral standoffs on some sections of the new brackets:
Looking better
Completed drivers side with much better belt coverage and the pump right where it needs to be.
You can also see that I got the new shock mounts and engine cage crossmember in place.
Also You can see the new tube crossmember under the engine that runs just in front of the pan in those pics above.
Awesome rig!!!! Your work is very impressive!!
After that last pic it was a bunch of wiring and finishing up all of the accessories and other supporting systems.
As well as remounting the bumpstops, getting the air intake done, and all the coolers. I run a Ron Davis dual fan rad and a CBR tranny cooler with its own fan. This has proved pretty decent so far.
All ready for the first fire up and with the new rubber:
As well as remounting the bumpstops, getting the air intake done, and all the coolers. I run a Ron Davis dual fan rad and a CBR tranny cooler with its own fan. This has proved pretty decent so far.
All ready for the first fire up and with the new rubber:
So the way my PCM works is as follows. The engine is a Gen IV LS3 direct from GMPP. I utilize a Gen III PCM with a 2002 Fbody program to control the engine. So I utilize Gen III knock sensors and a custom knock sensor table for that. That is segment swapped with a 2002 G style van for the transmission controls. For this I also use drive by cable and a Tilden 102mm throttle body. This is not a SD setup, its a true MAF tune.
For all of the tuning I use HP Tuners. With my setup there is pretty much nothing you can start with. I more or less had blank tables for everything. I took the LS1 air fuel tables and just started guessing for initial fire up. Spark is more or less the same thing.
Nothing even close to what it ended up being, so tuning was very slow as I did not want to hurt it. Injector side was pretty easy with just math. Transmission was all done custom to how I wanted the truck to feel. Knock was tough to get right but I feel good about it. Adaptive idle was a bit of work but is now pretty damn flawless.
So I spent numerous days on the program before even turning the key to see if it would fire. Just crunching numbers in my spreadsheets and hoping I'd be close.
It fired on the first try. Ran like dogshit but fired right up and stayed idling to get things warm and get fluids topped off while making sure she wasn't to lean during idle.
So my first couple of drives were on my dirt road. I found the first issue, tranny cooler. It was not big enough at all even just putting around and filing in cells.
So before going any further I fixed that. This CBR unit has its own fan controlled by the PCM.
For all of the tuning I use HP Tuners. With my setup there is pretty much nothing you can start with. I more or less had blank tables for everything. I took the LS1 air fuel tables and just started guessing for initial fire up. Spark is more or less the same thing.
Nothing even close to what it ended up being, so tuning was very slow as I did not want to hurt it. Injector side was pretty easy with just math. Transmission was all done custom to how I wanted the truck to feel. Knock was tough to get right but I feel good about it. Adaptive idle was a bit of work but is now pretty damn flawless.
So I spent numerous days on the program before even turning the key to see if it would fire. Just crunching numbers in my spreadsheets and hoping I'd be close.
It fired on the first try. Ran like dogshit but fired right up and stayed idling to get things warm and get fluids topped off while making sure she wasn't to lean during idle.
So my first couple of drives were on my dirt road. I found the first issue, tranny cooler. It was not big enough at all even just putting around and filing in cells.
So before going any further I fixed that. This CBR unit has its own fan controlled by the PCM.
After days of driving around and tuning I had things really coming around. I did not dyno the truck, which would have made shit alot easier, but I'm very rural so I could do all sorts of weird driving to fill in cells on deserted roads.
Not only does this show me going Back to the Future, look at those maf numbers up there
Trims looking good. I think I only did a few more days (MAF and combined) and she was ready for a trail shakedown.
Not only does this show me going Back to the Future, look at those maf numbers up there
Trims looking good. I think I only did a few more days (MAF and combined) and she was ready for a trail shakedown.
My normal shakedown trail is Eagle Rock and Saran Wrap as its really close. Its also starting to get nice and dug out as its pretty much everybody's shakedown trail around here. You can almost guarantee at the very beginning of the season you see other cool rigs that just got built from around the area out there testing their junk before hitting hard stuff.
So before I went out I needed my cooker. I've always heated lunch on my manifold but the LS has no area for that. So bolted a breadpan thing onto the valve cover. It doesn't get as hot as the intake manifold on the 5.7l... but it beats cold lunch.
So before I went out I needed my cooker. I've always heated lunch on my manifold but the LS has no area for that. So bolted a breadpan thing onto the valve cover. It doesn't get as hot as the intake manifold on the 5.7l... but it beats cold lunch.
My god, I keep nominating you for GMOTM but after seeing more of what you got going on I am beginning to think we should have a GM of the Year. Great work!
Hell yes! I love manifold burritosMy normal shakedown trail is Eagle Rock and Saran Wrap as its really close. Its also starting to get nice and dug out as its pretty much everybody's shakedown trail around here. You can almost guarantee at the very beginning of the season you see other cool rigs that just got built from around the area out there testing their junk before hitting hard stuff.
So before I went out I needed my cooker. I've always heated lunch on my manifold but the LS has no area for that. So bolted a breadpan thing onto the valve cover. It doesn't get as hot as the intake manifold on the 5.7l... but it beats cold lunch.
So the shakedown was going awesome for the first 5 hours. My buddy and I were taking it easy and playing around in all the little play areas. Spending time chatting etc.. It was a pretty warm day out as I finished the engine late into spring.
I was getting amazing gas mileage. It was kind of blowing my mind and I was thinking maybe I was having gauge sending unit issues. Knowing know that the truck gets 12mpg on 42's I wouldn't have second guessed the fuel level sending unit. But anyways the tank level was still at like 3/4 of a tank. nearing the end of the trail.
Then it died. I was data logging alot of the trail. Everything was looking really good. It just straight up died and the fuel pump sounded like ass right when it happened. This pump I was running was a Walbro, and I always carry a spare pump. But it was instantaneous. Super loud pump noise right out of the blue and engine shut off.
My buddy came up right behind and yelled in the radio fuel was pouring out of the back.
Hopped out and fuel was pouring out of the vent line from the cell. I run 3 sides and down all the way around the C-hoop to a filter. When I got to the back I was able to watch the fuel stop its pour from the vent filter. WTF?
I first wanted to look in the cell. So I took the fill tube off and pushed a screwdriver down into the sealed fill plate stop. As soon as I did that it released a huge amount of fuel vapor out. It was f-bombing crazy like the f-bombing flying monkeys in the f-bombing wizard of oz, for all of those on their work computers.
So we let it cool off. Then drove it home and no problems. I started thinking about it and had a few theories. I made some calls and got some other theories. Bottom line is the fuel level stayed high all day, and with the heat in the fuel and constant splashing it worked its way up the vent, soaked the filter, and built up pressure. Then the theory is either the lack of vent on the pump side allowed cavitation at the pump inlet due to vacuum on that side, or it got so bad right at the end the heat in the fuel built up super fast and cavitated due to heat. Still no answers. But I have found this is not an uncommon problem after talking to Fuel Safe.
So the answer was to ditch my -8an vent and step to a -12an vent, with a Fuel Safe TT discriminator valve. This was the first step in acquiring parts for the backhalf and understanding where I was going with fuel system performance.
So if anybody has any other thoughts I'm all ears. Would be a good topic. I do know this vent setup, same 3 sides and down as before, just larger in diameter with a discriminator valve solved the problem.
And after all the runs here's my PCV
I was getting amazing gas mileage. It was kind of blowing my mind and I was thinking maybe I was having gauge sending unit issues. Knowing know that the truck gets 12mpg on 42's I wouldn't have second guessed the fuel level sending unit. But anyways the tank level was still at like 3/4 of a tank. nearing the end of the trail.
Then it died. I was data logging alot of the trail. Everything was looking really good. It just straight up died and the fuel pump sounded like ass right when it happened. This pump I was running was a Walbro, and I always carry a spare pump. But it was instantaneous. Super loud pump noise right out of the blue and engine shut off.
My buddy came up right behind and yelled in the radio fuel was pouring out of the back.
Hopped out and fuel was pouring out of the vent line from the cell. I run 3 sides and down all the way around the C-hoop to a filter. When I got to the back I was able to watch the fuel stop its pour from the vent filter. WTF?
I first wanted to look in the cell. So I took the fill tube off and pushed a screwdriver down into the sealed fill plate stop. As soon as I did that it released a huge amount of fuel vapor out. It was f-bombing crazy like the f-bombing flying monkeys in the f-bombing wizard of oz, for all of those on their work computers.
So we let it cool off. Then drove it home and no problems. I started thinking about it and had a few theories. I made some calls and got some other theories. Bottom line is the fuel level stayed high all day, and with the heat in the fuel and constant splashing it worked its way up the vent, soaked the filter, and built up pressure. Then the theory is either the lack of vent on the pump side allowed cavitation at the pump inlet due to vacuum on that side, or it got so bad right at the end the heat in the fuel built up super fast and cavitated due to heat. Still no answers. But I have found this is not an uncommon problem after talking to Fuel Safe.
So the answer was to ditch my -8an vent and step to a -12an vent, with a Fuel Safe TT discriminator valve. This was the first step in acquiring parts for the backhalf and understanding where I was going with fuel system performance.
So if anybody has any other thoughts I'm all ears. Would be a good topic. I do know this vent setup, same 3 sides and down as before, just larger in diameter with a discriminator valve solved the problem.
And after all the runs here's my PCV
Hell yes! I love manifold burritos
I have pulled burritos and hot sandwiches out of there on the trail and been looked at by people like I have 3 eyes. I don't even get how this isn't the biggest thing since sliced bread. Hell my dad and his buddies used to throw cans down inside of stacks then slam the throttle to get 'em out.
Nice work Todd! I have no advice on the venting.
@Capt Ron if we could ever get @Tnsejed to come to Blazer Bash a lot more people could appreciate his K5 and he'd be a shoe-in.
The floor boards by the transmission tunnel in my old K5 would get hot enough we could warm burritos sitting them there on the floor.
@Capt Ron if we could ever get @Tnsejed to come to Blazer Bash a lot more people could appreciate his K5 and he'd be a shoe-in.
The floor boards by the transmission tunnel in my old K5 would get hot enough we could warm burritos sitting them there on the floor.
I'm really thinking I may be able to do it this year. I've started changing how I do trade shows so my conflicting schedule is not as drawn out that time of year.
do you have any pics of how you tied your sliders into the frame?
