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

I think all of the above are good ideas and will definitely help, but I still say some sort of brace to the frame will complete the upgrade. Those ribs are simply spot welded to the body.

I know farther along in the destruction of mine as I continued tightening the bolts It started to split where those ribs attach to the bottom of the body.

I am not super hard on my sliders as far as landing on them, but more leaning on them or pivoting on them. I also didn't really start having problems until I added the step bars. Lot of extra leverage at that point.

Just my .02 :waytogo:
 
I do like the connection to the frame w/ a bushing idea a lot. I'll probably go that route in the future, but I don't see that happening before the Rubicon next month.

I finished up welding the driver's side slider last night. Hopefully, I can get all my day's work done early so I can bend up a tube or two for the tree bumpers tonight. I'm having date night with the wife, though, so there's a good chance it'll get interrupted... and I like that kind of interruption. :wink1:
 
You could also make an access hole in the rocker support and put some short bolts through the bracket with nuts on the inside. If I were to go this route, I'd definitely double up the bracketry as andyblack suggested and use the short bolts for them as well.
 
cybrfire said:
You could also make an access hole in the rocker support and put some short bolts through the bracket with nuts on the inside. If I were to go this route, I'd definitely double up the bracketry as andyblack suggested and use the short bolts for them as well.
Click to expand...

With all that work, wouldn't it be easier to just tie to the frame? Thats what I did. But then again I cut up so high because I don't have doors its almost like a boat side.
 
Quick update.

Been working on the truck projects a lot recently, but have been taking things very slow and methodically.

First, here's a picture of the old '73 Blazer loaded up on "alexsdad's" trailer, taking it to its new owner: "imiceman44." For more on that saga: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=299480


Build-1 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

Here's my current status on the sliders:


Build-2 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr


Build-3 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

They're turning out really nice. I'm proud of them, anyway. I bent up the tube for the tree-bumpers yesterday.

The other day I had come to a stand-still on my sliders, because I wasn't ready to bend the tube yet, but had them in the preliminary-completed state, so I started reworking the trailer hitch. Then, after I finished bending the tube yesterday, I needed to get back on that because I have to have a license plate/rear bumper for cruising around town. So, I didn't get any further work done on the sliders. I should be able to get a lot done this afternoon on them though - perhaps finish them, minus paint.

So, my trailer hitch stuff has gained me a ton of clearance and departure angle. Previously, the 2.5" lateral bar was below the bumper and then the receiver was even below that. I've reworked it to have the lateral bar tucked up under the bumper, and just the receiver will partially hang below the bumper. This gained me about 3" or 4" of clearance back there. Glad to not have a boat anchor any more. My first task this afternoon will be to get the bumper reinstalled.


Build-4 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

This picture shows that I raised the cross bar up about 4 inches. That means that the receiver tube was down nearly 7 inches below my bumper! This should reduce how frequently it functions as a boat anchor!


Build-5 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr
 
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Completed version.


P1070483 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

For your info: cutting your license plate with a 4.5" angle grinder and cut off wheel isn't the best way. I should've just put it in the shear. The heat build up melted the laminate and burned the print. :doah: Someday I'll replace it and shear it down to size.... Maybe I'll just find out if I'm required to run a front license plate, and if not, I'll shear that one down and replace it.

Here's a dorky photo of the rear of the truck from before, to show the comparison:

flex-8 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr
 
That's a pretty good improvement. Did you consider running it behind the plate, and using a flip up bracket? Or at this point is it already high enough, that with the fuel tank there it wouldn't make much of an improvement?

Martin
 
I did consider raising the actual receiver, but that would've required a lot more cutting/grinding, and would've presented more problems for a marginal improvement over this set up. The biggest problem is that, due to the fuel tank, the receiver can't go back under the truck any further. As such, if a flip-up bracket were used, the plate would be at an un-readable, upward facing angle. Alternatively, I could've gotten one of those receiver plugs that holds the plate, but then the light would be behind it, and it would look pretty awkward because it would stick out behind the truck.

So, I reasoned like you did, and left the receiver just below the bumper. It's still higher than the fuel tank, and if I'm still hitting the receiver, then it's just protecting my fuel tank. :D

Also, I flipped the bracket around for the trailer wiring, so that it's up and inside the bumper. This should protect it. It'll be a hassle to use, but I'll almost never have a trailer attached to it. At least not in the foreseeable future. You can see in that second photo that I'd nailed the wiring bracket and it was flipped out at a funky angle. :doah:

Here's another reference pic. You can really see how much it hung down in this photo:


Build-11 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr
 
lol. :D

Here's an update on the sliders.

I finished one up last night, but it still needs more paint. At some point I may add bars that go between the square and round tubes. I will also likely end up doing frame mounts with bushings, like was recommended to me earlier in this thread.


P1070487 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

I had intended to have a larger up-ward angle for the tree bumper, but I didn't leave myself enough tube when I originally bent up the bumper bars, so it ended up being much more compact and subtle. I'm very happy with it, though I think it would've been cooler to have it go higher.


P1070488 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

I'm going to take off work early today and finish up the other one. If I'm lucky, I'll have them installed tonight. :woot: We'll see. Paint always takes a while. I might end up going to Hot August Nights this evening (HUGE Reno classic car show, runs all week.)
 
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Front plates are required here. Cool to see that "alexsdad" has given my dad some business, his company builds those campershells.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk
 
Good to know! Thanks, Dan!

I got my sliders installed yesterday before the drag races. :D


P1070517 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

This pic shows that the mild tree bumper actually provides a pretty significant amount of extra protection, while keeping the truck as narrow as a fullsize Blazer is.


P1070516 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr

Hard to really see, but I like how subtle the sliders are.


P1070513 by colbyjstephens, on Flickr
 
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