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'90 K5 - The Nevada Blazer [Post 1437: School me on alternators)

what bender do you have? Im thinking about ordering one and trying to figure out what size die would be most useful for beginning. Im looking at the jd 32 I think it is, most useful one, and I think i could make it hydro using dads enerpac stuff.
 
Roof rack thoughts....

A friend of mine modified a pickup ladder rack that actually boted to the top of the bedrails to fit his K5 once to move some long things. He basically shortened it to fit the blazer. However this was a temp thing and was during the summer and he ran topless. I had wondered at the time if a guy could widen it to fit over the topper.

Another idea by the same friend was a light bar that actually pinched between the cab and the topper. I cant give the details because I didnt see it appart but it was basically a plate that he tied into the bolts that go into the cab across the top he then contoured a pipe to edge the plate that protruded from the top and added light tabs to the pipe.

So the idea is to basically build a frame that matched the top contact to the cab with a sort of exo-cage so that the top could slide into it.

Im just kinda thinking out loud here but maybe it gives ya some ideas.

hauler-campershell-cap-rack.jpg

simular to this but with your skills and artistic ability I think you could make it look better

Nice work Colby, the new truck is looking GREAT!
 
I think he might be trying to support it off the side of the bedrails maybe, between the topper and the bed rail. Put the weight to there instead of the fiberglass.
 
KansasTwister said:
what bender do you have? Im thinking about ordering one and trying to figure out what size die would be most useful for beginning. Im looking at the jd 32 I think it is, most useful one, and I think i could make it hydro using dads enerpac stuff.
Click to expand...

I have the JD2 Model 3 bender. I think you'd be well off to get the 1.75" die, as it is good for bumpers and cages. ;) I already have that size, this 1.25" die should round out my options nicely. :) Consider the radius of the die before you buy. I got the tightest radius possible for the 1.25" die at 3.5". My 1.75" die is a 6.5" radius. If I were to do it over, I'd probably go for a tighter radius on my 1.75" die if one were available.

Regarding the lumber rack, it's going to be awfully hard for me to describe, so you'll just have to watch what's up over the next month. :)
 
colbystephens said:
I have the JD2 Model 3 bender. I think you'd be well off to get the 1.75" die, as it is good for bumpers and cages. ;) I already have that size, this 1.25" die should round out my options nicely. :) Consider the radius of the die before you buy. I got the tightest radius possible for the 1.25" die at 3.5". My 1.75" die is a 6.5" radius. If I were to do it over, I'd probably go for a tighter radius on my 1.75" die if one were available.

Regarding the lumber rack, it's going to be awfully hard for me to describe, so you'll just have to watch what's up over the next month. :)
Click to expand...



What do you mean by radius? Is that how tight of a bend it can make?
 
As said above, yes, it's how tight the bend can be. So the new die I've ordered has a 3.5" radius from the center of the die (the perceived center of the circle) to the centerline of the tube. So, this will actually appear to have a VERY sharp radius. If you could make a circle out of it, it would be 7" diameter, center of tube to center of tube, or it will have a circle 5.75" in interior diameter, or 8.25" outer diameter. Does that make sense/help?
 
colbystephens said:
As said above, yes, it's how tight the bend can be. So the new die I've ordered has a 3.5" radius from the center of the die (the perceived center of the circle) to the centerline of the tube. So, this will actually appear to have a VERY sharp radius. If you could make a circle out of it, it would be 7" diameter, center of tube to center of tube, or it will have a circle 5.75" in interior diameter, or 8.25" outer diameter. Does that make sense/help?
Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks guys that helps alot. so if you get the tighter radius die you could still make any of the larger sizes right? Just have to plan of you want a larger 180.
 
KansasTwister said:
Yeah, thanks guys that helps alot. so if you get the tighter radius die you could still make any of the larger sizes right? Just have to plan of you want a larger 180.
Click to expand...

Kind of. If you want a larger diameter 180* bend, for say, a tire carrier hoop, you'll have a segmented hoop - potentially a rounded rectangle, triangle, etc., as you increase the number of bends. If you get real good at it, you could have something that looks an awful lot like a smooth 180* hoop - but it'll be a challenge.

Here's why I'd go for a tighter radius:

IMG_4930.jpg


You'll note that the which tube goes from the B pillar to the C pillar is located in the middle of the bend. As such, it's down from the top, and in from the side. This makes it a bit awkward/more challenging to do your X bars in the top and side if you want them to look really good.

IMG_4952.jpg


You'll notice that because of it, in this one the top X bar slants down from the middle of the cage to the back C pillar joint, which is kind of weird. Also, the V that goes up from the middle of the side to the C pillar joint is inside the cage.

If you had a tighter radius, this would be minimized. Of course, with some creative bending, you can make it all look great with any radius, it was just beyond my skill set at the time.
 
I drove the truck out to the exhaust shop today. Should get it back later today. The driveline shop is a couple blocks away from the exhaust shop, so I'll get the measurement for the driveline and drop it off when I pick up the truck. Then I'll be nearly ready to go out to the desert. :D Just have to measure/order shocks and finish the e-brake. Bump stops will be a must before I do any real flexy 4x4 trail. :woot:

As an aside on US Standard Gear stuff. They say that they are noisier. I find that under load or in coast mode, they are as quiet as any other gear. However, when your engine speed matches your road speed (such as when you might shift without a clutch on a manual), you can hear a buzzing noise from the gears. Sure surprised me when I first heard it. I called up Randy's Ring and Pinion and asked them to confirm my suspicion, that it was due to USG being noisier, and they did.

My shifts seem harder since the swap. I could see it being related to the lower gears in the axles, but not sure. Can anyone speak on that topic?
 
Shifting harder... as in... faster or firmer?

Or as in slower/softer, like it has to try harder to shift... takes longer to complete each shift.
 
I'd say firmer. It feels like I have higher line pressure, like when you've selected D instead of OD. I am, however, in OD.
 
Then it's from the lower axle gears. The output is spinning faster (even with the larger tires) than it's factory set speed with the 3.42s and 30s. And you had 33s on there too, which lessened the mechanical advantage even more. This is why you are feeling a snappier shift, more mechanical advantage, or the trans isn't working as hard as before.

I hope I made sense there. Sometimes I can see things working in my minds eye but don't know how to convey that into words.
 
It does make sense. It's sort of what I was guessing was the case. Just strange. Another strange thing is that my speedo reads REALLY fast now. Like 60 MPH when I'm doing 45ish. :haha: going to have to fix that. I have a good link for how to do it, but have to find a proper component for it and having trouble. :doah:

http://www.tbichips.com/drac/

I need a 7 pin, 14 switch DIP switch.
 
colbystephens said:
It does make sense. It's sort of what I was guessing was the case. Just strange. Another strange thing is that my speedo reads REALLY fast now. Like 60 MPH when I'm doing 45ish. :haha: going to have to fix that. I have a good link for how to do it, but have to find a proper component for it and having trouble. :doah:

http://www.tbichips.com/drac/

I need a 7 pin, 14 switch DIP switch.
Click to expand...

45@35, 65@48, 75@55, pegged straight down at 75.
 
You're telling me what my speedo reads at a given road speed, right?

Haven't had the truck on the freeway yet. I only drive 60 MPH on the freeway, would be terrified to have a truck like this one going 75 MPH! :yikes: I'm sure people do it all the time tho...
 
colbystephens said:
It does make sense. It's sort of what I was guessing was the case. Just strange. Another strange thing is that my speedo reads REALLY fast now. Like 60 MPH when I'm doing 45ish. :haha: going to have to fix that. I have a good link for how to do it, but have to find a proper component for it and having trouble. :doah:

http://www.tbichips.com/drac/

I need a 7 pin, 14 switch DIP switch.
Click to expand...


No reason to try and modify yours, someone on here will do it for you. I forget who did mine, sweetk30?

$30ish, he sent me a new one with dip switches, i sent mine back. Works flawlessly!

Here is it:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273863&highlight=drac
 
COOL! Thanks for that info. Should save me some potential problems if he's still doing it.
 
colbystephens said:
COOL! Thanks for that info. Should save me some potential problems if he's still doing it.
Click to expand...


If you search DRAC in the for sale forms, there is one other guy doing it if Sweetk30 isn't anymore.

Definitely recommend him. Mine looked good, and works great!
 
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