91 K5 -Procrastination Build - bikini top!

[nvrenuf]

Got a little work done today. I noticed after the last ride that all of the front spring bushings were wasted so I replaced those plus the upper shackle brackets in the frame. It was definitely time.

I’m still trying to get the steering worked out. I bought an offset TRE from partsmike.com, it helps but there’s still overlap of the rods at rest.

Tomorrow I’ll get someone to cycle the steering while I watch and play with the floor jack to see if it’s fixed.

 

[nvrenuf]

I almost forgot..... all this time I thought my front axle was pushed 2” forward, it turns out it’s actually 3.25” forward. Before I was baffled at why I was having these problems but I understand now. I like the wheelbase and position as it is so I don’t want to change it, I’ll make it work somehow.

 

[thatK30guy]

You should have looked into WFO Concepts arms.

 

[nvrenuf]

You should have looked into WFO Concepts arms.

View attachment 333817

I did, they wouldn’t work. I thought they would be the cure-all but after having mocked them up I don’t see how they’d work on a leaf sprung truck with less than 12” lift (maybe more), just too close to the oil pan.

 

[thatK30guy]

Damn. What'd you do with the arms?

 

[Bent77]

I almost forgot..... all this time I thought my front axle was pushed 2” forward, it turns out it’s actually 3.25” forward. Before I was baffled at why I was having these problems but I understand now. I like the wheelbase and position as it is so I don’t want to change it, I’ll make it work somehow.

Truth is out!

 

[nvrenuf]

Damn. What'd you do with the arms?

I’ve still got them. I guy at WFO messaged me on IG and offered to help with returning them, considering I never contacted or tagged them I thought that was really dang cool. If you’re interested in them let me know.

 

[nvrenuf]

Another moment of disappointment, the stupid Jet Hot coating is beginning to flake off my headers.

 

[thatK30guy]

Are those the Sanderson headers? I'll shoot you a PM later to talk price on the arms.

 

[nvrenuf]

Are those the Sanderson headers? I'll shoot you a PM later to talk price on the arms.

Yes, they are Sanderson’s but it’s not their fault. I bought the headers bare finish trying to save money but they were so nice I decided to have them coated after the fact and sent them to Jet Hot. I need to pull out my paperwork, I think they are lifetime warranty on the coating.

 

[Truckman4life]

Got a little work done today. I noticed after the last ride that all of the front spring bushings were wasted so I replaced those plus the upper shackle brackets in the frame. It was definitely time.

I’m still trying to get the steering worked out. I bought an offset TRE from partsmike.com, it helps but there’s still overlap of the rods at rest.

Tomorrow I’ll get someone to cycle the steering while I watch and play with the floor jack to see if it’s fixed.

Can you switch the drag link and tie rod? Move the tie rod to the front set of holes on the arms and then run a straight drag link down to the hole on the pass side that the tie rod is currently in or does that throw off the geometry and make new issues.

 

[skunked]

Keep a close eye on those offset TRE’s, they have a tendency of bending easier than a traditional TRE. Especially if they protrude far outside the bung.

 

[nvrenuf]

@Truckman4life i haven’t tried that but I think it would create problems. The drag link gets pulled forward in the sweep from left to right so it would be pulled across the tie rod.

Thanks @skunked ill watch that.

 

[Truckman4life]

I

@Truckman4life i haven’t tried that but I think it would create problems. The drag link gets pulled forward in the sweep from left to right so it would be pulled across the tie rod.

Thanks @skunked ill watch that.

I was wondering if they would interfere like that.

 

[truck-oholic]

I did, they wouldn’t work. I thought they would be the cure-all but after having mocked them up I don’t see how they’d work on a leaf sprung truck with less than 12” lift (maybe more), just too close to the oil pan.

I went to a high clearance (smaller sump) pan from Hamburgers Performance. It was just about the only high clearance steel pan I could find for a 5.3L that wasn't outrageously priced. Went with steel specifically so I could armor the bottom for puncture protection. The factory 5.3L aluminum truck pan probably would have still cleared ok with my bumps set where they are but I've also raised my drivetrain 1.25" over the original SBC height.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Cut your tie rod and put it back in stock location?

 

[nvrenuf]

Stretch your tie rod and put it back in stock location?

fixed

 

[MTBLAZER89]

fixed

Oh yeah huh! I wasn't thinking LOL. Just splice it, it'll be fine.

 

[nvrenuf]

I noticed my upper radiator hose was hanging kind of low and getting close to the alternator pulley. I found a bracket on eBay that worked great to fix it.

Saggy hose.

90-96 Corvette upper radiator hose bracket.

Fixed

It’s not as flashy as installing a set of RCV’s but it was bugging me.

I’ve also decided to move forward on cleaning up and repairing some dash wiring, too many taps / piggy backs / splices so things are getting undependable and hard to trace / diagnose. No pics right now because I’m just trimming the fat, once I start building an auxiliary fuse panel I’ll show y’all what I’m doing.

 

[max 02]

I noticed my upper radiator hose was hanging kind of low and getting close to the alternator pulley. I found a bracket on eBay that worked great to fix it.

Saggy hose.

90-96 Corvette upper radiator hose bracket.

Fixed

It’s not as flashy as installing a set of RCV’s but it was bugging me.

I’ve also decided to move forward on cleaning up and repairing some dash wiring, too many taps / piggy backs / splices so things are getting undependable and hard to trace / diagnose. No pics right now because I’m just trimming the fat, once I start building an auxiliary fuse panel I’ll show y’all what I’m doing.

Cool fix!