The cots fit perfectly. I wrapped them up in a tarp because we're supposed to get rain. I was concerned the tarp might add too much bulk but it's fine.
CK5
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'89 R3500 Crew Cab 2wd to 4wd conversion & beyond
- Thread starter mrk5
- Start date
Started out with 2wd TBI350 with SM465 to current 4wd with 454, 700r4, NP241
Looks almost rubicon ready
The decal, or the trail?
At least the decal and maybe a “trail rated” too
That's a good point. I hadn't even thought about this being a good trial run for the Rubicon. Definitely takes some thinking to pack now with much less bed space.
Y
You're not coming with 5 passengers are you?
I am sure you can use the back seat for all the personal stuff
Ou don't need too much bed space, you also have a crew cab.
You're not coming with 5 passengers are you?
I am sure you can use the back seat for all the personal stuff
It's hard to know for sure how many would run the Rubicon with me; for sure my youngest son and maybe my wife. I think I would just take out 1 of the rear seats. The highback suspension seats take up a good bit of space. This is how I'm loaded for this trip with my son and I for 2 nights.
I wouldn't normally haul the canopy that's strapped to the spare tire, but we're supposed to get rain all weekend.
Oh my, you're like my wife. You bring too much stuff.
Me other than cooking stuff and a tent, I bring a little bag for my clothes
You can never bring to much stuff.
When we tent camp for just one night with all 6 of my family we can easily fill an 8 foot truck bed minus the space the toolbox takes up but its got camping related stuff in it too LOL.
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
Since doing some backpacking out here, I’ve learned the value of reducing stuff down to the bare necessities. But its different when you have a vehicle that’s providing a way back home.
You see I come from a backpacking background so I am used to minimalistic packing.
My wife always wished she could take more stuff, so now that we are doing more camping and parking next to the campsite she wants to bring the whole house, but I limit it to what we can fit.
I am working on building a camping trailer from my chalet shell that I have and hopefully it will be done before I get too old, so I can transition to a more comfortable camping and she can have most of the stuff in the camper.
I still want it small and nimble so we can go to the remote places we like
It was all for naught, the crewcab wouldn't start. No spark. The CD box has a solid red light which means either the coil or the box itself has a failure.
The box works with about any standard coil so I robbed a known good coil off the 66 C20 and wired it up.
Still no go. Couldn't get a replacement box before Saturday so I threw our gear in the company truck and rode on the trails with Nate for the weekend.
I'm in a bit of a quandary. A replacement hyperspark box will be a simple plug in swap. Or due I get an MSD offroad CD box because I'm thinking it was probably vibration that done in this box. Or do I get the cheapest CD box I can since I'll be swapping in. The L29 in the next year.
Speaking of that, I'm rethinking my plans there a little bit. I want to keep as much factory original as I can on the L29. This will be the 4th time aftermarket has failed me. ECU, coil driver (replaced by the CD box), distributor, and CD box. My biggest issue, aside from having failures in the first place, is not being able to easily source replacement parts.
The box works with about any standard coil so I robbed a known good coil off the 66 C20 and wired it up.
Still no go. Couldn't get a replacement box before Saturday so I threw our gear in the company truck and rode on the trails with Nate for the weekend.
I'm in a bit of a quandary. A replacement hyperspark box will be a simple plug in swap. Or due I get an MSD offroad CD box because I'm thinking it was probably vibration that done in this box. Or do I get the cheapest CD box I can since I'll be swapping in. The L29 in the next year.
Speaking of that, I'm rethinking my plans there a little bit. I want to keep as much factory original as I can on the L29. This will be the 4th time aftermarket has failed me. ECU, coil driver (replaced by the CD box), distributor, and CD box. My biggest issue, aside from having failures in the first place, is not being able to easily source replacement parts.
Are you talking about the ECU on the Sniper? I still don't recommend any EFI with the ECU in the throttle body. I want the ECU out of the engine compartment and under the dash on the other side of the firewall for isolation of the heat, vibration, and weather and also the electronic "shield" in a way.
Switching to DIS eliminates the distributor ignition module and the CDI box (I've had good success with CDI boxes for decades thus far). It also gives you 8 coils so if one goes bad you still get home. I have already done that to the Regal BBC and have the parts to do the Blazer next.
I don't like to run the Sniper line of EFI components (including Hyperspark). It was made to compete with FITech on the cheap.
The Terminator X ECU is made in the USA and the Dominator ECU is made in Canada.
Switching to DIS eliminates the distributor ignition module and the CDI box (I've had good success with CDI boxes for decades thus far). It also gives you 8 coils so if one goes bad you still get home. I have already done that to the Regal BBC and have the parts to do the Blazer next.
I don't like to run the Sniper line of EFI components (including Hyperspark). It was made to compete with FITech on the cheap.
The Terminator X ECU is made in the USA and the Dominator ECU is made in Canada.
I've only had the 1 failure of the Sniper EFI itself, and that was the ECU. I've gotten over 12,000 miles on the replacement so I feel somewhat comfortable with that.
The biggest problem I've had is the ignition system. Thinking about this "out loud", the best scenario for easy maintenance and to not dump a bunch of money on a setup that will be replaced is to let go of the EFI controlled timing and drop HEI into it. To keep the EFI timing control, I have to have a CD box.
I am still planning the DIS setup on the L29 because I can use parts that are factory type and easy to source.
I am on the fence about the using a Terminator X ECU or the factory ECU programmed with HP Tuners. One nice thing with the factory ECU is that it's already setup to run a 4L80e.
The biggest problem I've had is the ignition system. Thinking about this "out loud", the best scenario for easy maintenance and to not dump a bunch of money on a setup that will be replaced is to let go of the EFI controlled timing and drop HEI into it. To keep the EFI timing control, I have to have a CD box.
I am still planning the DIS setup on the L29 because I can use parts that are factory type and easy to source.
I am on the fence about the using a Terminator X ECU or the factory ECU programmed with HP Tuners. One nice thing with the factory ECU is that it's already setup to run a 4L80e.
I think the nice thing you picked out is the same as the Terminator X Max, it's already setup to run the 4L80E.
I can see how someone with a stock setup in a stock vehicle would want the factory ECU because it interfaces with everything else.
Once you swap the engine into a different vehicle, I'd rather have the aftermarket ECU.
You can still use all the factory sensors and ignition. You aren't going to get a custom tuned factory ECU at the parts store in a pinch either. Although I am sure GM put the factory ECU through more testing than anything else, I've seen it myself. I've also had good luck with aftermarket ECUs.
I remember one time back around 2006 or so I was at a test chamber where we were testing cam and crank sensors at the customers site. And they locked down the EMI chamber as they bombarded the whole vehicle with RFI, EMI, etc. They had a whole "lockdown" procedure to make sure no one was in the chamber with the vehicle when they turned on the chamber. I asked "what happens if you are in there?" They responded, "it will kill you!".
I said, "Well if the driver is dead does the engine really need to keep running?"
I never really got a solid answer for that and it made me wonder if they were exaggerating but I didn't want to find out.
Or maybe it would be a slow death and you can still get the hell out of there since the engine is good to go, maybe someday I'll know, and not the hard way please.
I can see how someone with a stock setup in a stock vehicle would want the factory ECU because it interfaces with everything else.
Once you swap the engine into a different vehicle, I'd rather have the aftermarket ECU.
You can still use all the factory sensors and ignition. You aren't going to get a custom tuned factory ECU at the parts store in a pinch either. Although I am sure GM put the factory ECU through more testing than anything else, I've seen it myself. I've also had good luck with aftermarket ECUs.
I remember one time back around 2006 or so I was at a test chamber where we were testing cam and crank sensors at the customers site. And they locked down the EMI chamber as they bombarded the whole vehicle with RFI, EMI, etc. They had a whole "lockdown" procedure to make sure no one was in the chamber with the vehicle when they turned on the chamber. I asked "what happens if you are in there?" They responded, "it will kill you!".
I said, "Well if the driver is dead does the engine really need to keep running?"
I never really got a solid answer for that and it made me wonder if they were exaggerating but I didn't want to find out.
Or maybe it would be a slow death and you can still get the hell out of there since the engine is good to go, maybe someday I'll know, and not the hard way please.
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That is a good point as well. Keep everything factory type and only use aftermarket on the ECU.
Decided to put a tool box in the rear bed space. I also made a little basket for the top of the tool box.
I haven't been using that area for anything but a couple of ammo cans with fluids strapped down. Eventually the UV will kill the strap so I wanted to get the fluids relocated in a tool box. Anything else I've had in the open bed can go in the basket, like bag chairs or a big water jug.
I haven't been using that area for anything but a couple of ammo cans with fluids strapped down. Eventually the UV will kill the strap so I wanted to get the fluids relocated in a tool box. Anything else I've had in the open bed can go in the basket, like bag chairs or a big water jug.
Should have just built a Suburban at this point.
Wheelbase is too short.
