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'91 K5 Four Wheel Camper

This is the build for my 1991 V1500 Blazer, AKA the K5.3. It started out life being sold to the U.S. Government with a 350 TBI/700r4/241 combo. 4 years with a 5.3/700r4 Combo and now moving to an 8.1L Vortec and NV4500 5-speed.
Overview Gallery Discussion
imiceman44 said:
Remember chromos are without the u joints.
Add up all the cost you're not far off
I would wait and put my money once on the right parts
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Considering rock crawling is a part time gig for this truck chromos should be fine. I've pulled up yukon chromo axle kit for $550 with Spicer joints on Amazon.

I don't have the budget for $1200 or more for axle shafts. For that money I'd just be better off finding a cheap 60 and putting money into rebuilding it.
 
ZooMad75 said:
You are totally right, the top heavy nature making the CG just far enough off normal to make the ordinary line somewhat sketchy in our trucks. I think Wade's and Mark's experience here shown through. They had a feeling of how they might behave and suggested the bypass on most of the difficult stuff. If there wasn't a bypass they spotted us. At first, I'll admit there was a couple of sections I felt I could have done at the beginning on hell's, but went with the bypass out of preservation of the truck and not wanting to be "that guy" for not listening and getting out of shape causing a major issue holding the group up. Plus we felt better at proving the right line for Ron to go through with his issue lacking low range and his taller truck. As we found despite Ron and my truck's similarities, they did behave differently.
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I think that obstacle you described on Flat Iron where you didn't take the bypass is a really good challenge for people new to Moab wheeling, or even wheeling in general. It stretches your limits and kinda shows you, "hey I can do this stuff in my truck!"
 
mrk5 said:
I think that obstacle you described on Flat Iron where you didn't take the bypass is a really good challenge for people new to Moab wheeling, or even wheeling in general. It stretches your limits and kinda shows you, "hey I can do this stuff in my truck!"
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Totally how I felt at that moment. I checked with @onetonjimmy and @red EOD and it looked very similar so some of the climbs we did on hell's. Wade said it was up to me. So I went for it. Just need to remember my line may not always be the same line most take.
 
mrk5 said:
I think that obstacle you described on Flat Iron where you didn't take the bypass is a really good challenge for people new to Moab wheeling, or even wheeling in general. It stretches your limits and kinda shows you, "hey I can do this stuff in my truck!"
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I felt like that on all of Hell's Revenge the first time. After the first few obstacles I was following Phil(who I haven't seen on here in a while) and I was like well he's built similar to me and he does it just fine so I will just follow him.
 
Truckman4life said:
I felt like that on all of Hell's Revenge the first time. After the first few obstacles I was following Phil(who I haven't seen on here in a while) and I was like well he's built similar to me and he does it just fine so I will just follow him.
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Wade was smart to have me follow Dean through hell's but was very specific not to follow his line as he is better equipped and more experienced. In an indirect way by not taking his lines every time I could take the lesser aggressive line.

But as we went through the trail I felt more confident and comfortable with how the truck was working. Plus I could feel the tipping point better by the end of the trail. It felt good to know what the truck is capable of doing.
 
On one of the club trails there's a very tricky rock climb and I've had a couple of the Jeeps follow my line. I try to tell them they can't take the same line as a truck with a 14' wheelbase. Last time a guy followed my line he ended up with a busted transfer case.
 
mrk5 said:
On one of the club trails there's a very tricky rock climb and I've had a couple of the Jeeps follow my line. I try to tell them they can't take the same line as a truck with a 14' wheelbase. Last time a guy followed my line he ended up with a busted transfer case.
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Yep, done that too. The wheelbase difference between a K5 and a jeep is enough to throw them off. Had a kid follow me through the roughest section on Hancock pass (which isn't much at all, really) and he ended up tearing up a flare and step. He was warned to not follow me. He understood afterward. :haha:
 
ZooMad75 said:
Wade was smart to have me follow Dean through hell's but was very specific not to follow his line as he is better equipped and more experienced. In an indirect way by not taking his lines every time I could take the lesser aggressive line.

But as we went through the trail I felt more confident and comfortable with how the truck was working. Plus I could feel the tipping point better by the end of the trail. It felt good to know what the truck is capable of doing.
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Driving behind you on Flat Iron Mesa I could notice your comfort with the truck increase along the trail.
 
mrk5 said:
I think it's a pride thing, "what do you mean I can't follow you...."
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Some Jeepers seem to think it's only possible for a jeep to do these trails. I like to prove otherwise. The look on faces when I do is priceless.

red EOD said:
Driving behind you on Flat Iron Mesa I could notice your comfort with the truck increase along the trail.
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That was until I snapped the axle shaft. Glad to know you saw it. I felt better as we went for sure.
 
ZooMad75 said:
Some Jeepers seem to think it's only possible for a jeep to do these trails. I like to prove otherwise. The look on faces when I do is priceless.



That was until I snapped the axle shaft. Glad to know you saw it. I felt better as we went for sure.
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Haha the best experience I've had with a "incapable" rig was on a trail here near Lehi Utah called "Forrest Lake", has some technical parts to it/muddy/and a squeeze between 2 boulders but nothing crazy. We were helping the forest service rebuild the fences up there and the ranger asked if anybody had a vehicle with room for passengers/cargo. Mentioned that my crew cab did (87 crew cab dually flatbed, 6" lift 35" tires) and she stated that "Sir there's no way your truck can make it up that trail." Spent all day driving up/down that trail moving people, equipment, and chopped down trees hahahaha.

Always fun taking the larger rigs places that 'they can't fit'.
 
I'm slowly going through the video footage we took. I've cut out some short clips and posted some to my Instagram account.

I'll be working on tying some of the footage together into some longer videos to be put up on the YouTubes.
 
Bent77 said:
Back on the chromo subject;

Which shafts were those Amazon specials?
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They are Yukon's.
Linky
I found 3 other brands out there selling shafts for the GM D44. The image in the Amazon link is not correct, but the description is right. I ran the number in the ad on Yukon's page and it's the right stuff.

It's probably the set I'll get when I get the funds together.
 
Editing video is slow going. But I mashed together the footage I had for the Rimrocker portion of the trip. No fancy overlander multiple angle shots, just a simple GoPro mounted to the mirror and turn it on and go. This comes from about 3.5 hours of total footage that I've sped up 4 times to shorten the length up a lot. Even with that the finished length is almost 40 minutes. So grab a beverage (or two) and watch the cool scenery roll by.

 
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