Wow the mirrors have come down a lot, few years back it was like a 200 dollar swap!
CK5
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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.
I like that mirror upgrade a lot. I think I'll be doing that to my crew cab.
We've had a little spring weather around here so I didn't get much done today. What I did figure out once it cleared a little this afternoon is LMC screwed me on the headlight harness kit. Sent me one with headlight plugs for 9006/9007 bulbs, not H4's. Not really a big deal as I'll just splice in the connectors. I had an idea I found online by separating the bulb from the stock low beam housing and Reglue in a H3 bulb to the housing. You can take the bulb out. Just need a knife to cut the rubber cap off and remove one phillips screw. Once I got it apart I realized the issue with the relay harness so I aborted the whole mess.
I went ahead and got back on track with the air system. Two fittings in off of the compressor I realized I needed a male to male union. Off to the Farm store I go! New Big R store in Pueblo West is awesome! No more driving through the east side hood to get to the other Big R. Got what I needed and wandered the new place, it's huge compared to the other one in town. So tomorrow I should be able to get the plumbing done to the air system.
I went ahead and got back on track with the air system. Two fittings in off of the compressor I realized I needed a male to male union. Off to the Farm store I go! New Big R store in Pueblo West is awesome! No more driving through the east side hood to get to the other Big R. Got what I needed and wandered the new place, it's huge compared to the other one in town. So tomorrow I should be able to get the plumbing done to the air system.
Short of a couple of fittings I broke, the plumbing is done on the air system. I ran the system in order to check for leaks and over torqued one of the push lock connections and broke it inside one of the tees. I was able to get it out. The air compressor was able to get up to over 100psi within 5 minutes though. I couldn't find another metal push lock fitting in town on Sunday so I ended up grabbing a plastic one for temporary use.
The plastic line runs down from the compressor to the tank just below the fan shroud. I'll be adding some rubber fuel line for abrasion protection here too.
From the compressor the line enters the tank on the right side seen here. Also seen here is the tee on the front of the tank that will feed to the air chuck connection behind the winch bumper (the blue pushlock is seen in the top of the pic). The other side of the tee will be the smaller 1/4" line that will go gauge inside the truck.
From an earlier pic of the tank mounting I moved the pressure relief valve to a 2nd tee on the left side of the tank. A shorter drain is now in its place. Also on the tee not visible is the pressure switch for the compressor.
Here's the location for the switch, I'll be adding switches I have in hand for the aux battery and future off road lighting too.
So after breaking the 2nd push lock connection later this afternoon I put a pipe plug in so I could run the compressor up one more time to check for leaks. With the engine running, the compressor pumped up to 50 psi in about a minute and then the sound of the compressor changed. It seemed to labor more than before. It was struggling. Then it shut off on it's own. I let it cool and tried it again. No dice. So looks like I need to find a better compressor. Really, I'm surprised that little red one lasted so long. I've had it over 10 years and it always worked despite the reports of early failures. I got my moneys worth out of it for sure.
On another note, we did some cleanup at the shop last week and we came across so slider windows for a K5 somebody stuffed in a corner and forgot about them. Being the only one there with a K5 I brought them home.
One of the panes is cracked but for some reason it's holding together. I like the idea of the sliders, but don't really want go through the ordeal of removing the solid ones and putting in the others. I'll kick that one around in my brain for a little while.
The plastic line runs down from the compressor to the tank just below the fan shroud. I'll be adding some rubber fuel line for abrasion protection here too.
From the compressor the line enters the tank on the right side seen here. Also seen here is the tee on the front of the tank that will feed to the air chuck connection behind the winch bumper (the blue pushlock is seen in the top of the pic). The other side of the tee will be the smaller 1/4" line that will go gauge inside the truck.
From an earlier pic of the tank mounting I moved the pressure relief valve to a 2nd tee on the left side of the tank. A shorter drain is now in its place. Also on the tee not visible is the pressure switch for the compressor.
Here's the location for the switch, I'll be adding switches I have in hand for the aux battery and future off road lighting too.
So after breaking the 2nd push lock connection later this afternoon I put a pipe plug in so I could run the compressor up one more time to check for leaks. With the engine running, the compressor pumped up to 50 psi in about a minute and then the sound of the compressor changed. It seemed to labor more than before. It was struggling. Then it shut off on it's own. I let it cool and tried it again. No dice. So looks like I need to find a better compressor. Really, I'm surprised that little red one lasted so long. I've had it over 10 years and it always worked despite the reports of early failures. I got my moneys worth out of it for sure.
On another note, we did some cleanup at the shop last week and we came across so slider windows for a K5 somebody stuffed in a corner and forgot about them. Being the only one there with a K5 I brought them home.
One of the panes is cracked but for some reason it's holding together. I like the idea of the sliders, but don't really want go through the ordeal of removing the solid ones and putting in the others. I'll kick that one around in my brain for a little while.
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Almost forgot.. I've noticed my right rear shock leaking leaving a wet spot on my driveway. Probably a combination of age/use and getting inverted to fit the 14bolt. Brown Santa delivered these to me at work the other day.
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beags86
Eastbound and Down
It's funny you say that one of the panels is cracked on your slider. I also have a crack on one of my glass panels, and it run the entire length of the panel. But is holding up perfectly fine. It's been that way for years. So weird.
Got a Viair 450p, only used it a few times but seems like a good little unit. Has built in pressure shutoff and 100% duty cycle.
Was going to hard mount that in the truck at some point.
Was going to hard mount that in the truck at some point.
beags86
Eastbound and Down
I also run a viair 450p.
Good unit.
Get one.
Good unit.
Get one.
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tomford
1/2 ton status
Awesome truck! I guess i missed it, how much lift and what size tires?
Thanks
Tom
Thanks
Tom
I've been looking at the Viair units. They are sure proud of them that's for sure!
@tomford Thanks. I'm pretty happy with it. The lift is pretty basic as it is. 4" Rough Country springs up front. 4" ORD shackle flip out back with stock springs. Tires are 315/75 16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac. Pretty good combo for my useage.
@tomford Thanks. I'm pretty happy with it. The lift is pretty basic as it is. 4" Rough Country springs up front. 4" ORD shackle flip out back with stock springs. Tires are 315/75 16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac. Pretty good combo for my useage.
Stock shock mounts in front?
For now. Not really worried about uptravel with the stupid stiff rough country springs. I did grab some 4" long urethane bump stops off of a S10 Blazer just in case. The front springs are sitting higher in the front than they did on the 75. Big difference in weight between the all iron small block, SM465 trans and 205 t-case vs the aluminum head 5.3, 700r4 and 241 t-case. Hell even the winch and bumper didn't get the front springs to settle down.
beags86
Eastbound and Down
They really are quality units.
I picked mine up for 250 on Amazon.
That was the cheapest at the time.
https://www.amazon.com/Viair-Automatic-Function-Portable-Compressor/dp/B000X9EGFS
Remember they are 100% duty cycle.
I was looking at that one. The other is the large Smittybilt compressor. My buddy John has one in his Jeep and it works pretty darn good too.
https://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-2...rd_wg=soSyq&psc=1&refRID=S3P5SB7V5F43JH0CJ88H
beags86
Eastbound and Down
Probably won't go wrong with that one. Smittybilt seems to have decent stuff. Lots cheaper for sure.
Good write up over on the portal.
https://expeditionportal.com/overland-journal-air-compressor-test/
Good write up over on the portal.
https://expeditionportal.com/overland-journal-air-compressor-test/
I hadn't checked on the Khaki and Pith helmet site for the review. Thanks. They are pretty dang complete when they review stuff.
Tony Vickers
1/2 ton status
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2016
- Posts
- 128
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Not installed as of yet. Need to install my rear shock mounts on the 14b first. Gotta wait for our resident welder to heal up before he can burn them in. I expect it to change the ride in the right direction. The 10 year old shocks from my original Rough Country kit just ain't doing it anymore. Even large expansion joints or cracks on the highway get it unsettled to the point the rear tires are catching air. Add any steering input and when the ass end hops up the whole thing lurches sideways. So if the Bilstiens are as good as all I've heard and read I'll be a happy camper.
