CK5
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97 King Cab DS-Ton build - Rock Jock 60 and shaved 14
- Thread starter r3dd0g
- Start date
Since I have no heims I think I'm going to go currie. Just too much bad press from ballistic. Summit I couldn't find accurate pricing, but hear good things.
Ballistic is somewhat local to me (same state anyways), but I'm still burnt out on them. They got new management and changed their ways and were actually shipping and delivering in a timely fashion for a while, but I've heard they are back to their old tricks again.
When I did the front suspension I used a lot of Ballistic parts, but for the rear I used Ruff Stuff.
When I did the front suspension I used a lot of Ballistic parts, but for the rear I used Ruff Stuff.
I made some cosmetic progress today. I was also reminded of how much I hate bodywork. It's a good thing that the bodywork on this truck is already screwed up or I'd feel bad about the crap job I did on the gas door relocation.
I already posted pictures of the moved door, tonight I patched the hole where it came from. First I cut a piece of sheet metal to fit and bent it to match the body.
Then I welded it in, completely warping the body panel around it and ground the welds smooth.
I cleaned up the rust off the gas door patch job and scuffed up the paint on the door itself.
Then I sprayed it with an amazingly close matched can of Rustolium semi-gloss white. The sheen even closely matches the sun faded white paint...
Did I mention I hate doing bodywork?
I already posted pictures of the moved door, tonight I patched the hole where it came from. First I cut a piece of sheet metal to fit and bent it to match the body.
Then I welded it in, completely warping the body panel around it and ground the welds smooth.
I cleaned up the rust off the gas door patch job and scuffed up the paint on the door itself.
Then I sprayed it with an amazingly close matched can of Rustolium semi-gloss white. The sheen even closely matches the sun faded white paint...
Did I mention I hate doing bodywork?
Well it looks better then some of the monstrosities I have done.
We're quickly finishing off the to-do list. Today I started off by making a skid plate for the gas tank since it's more vulnerable now. I started off making it with 3/16" plate and decided that looked too weak so I added a second layer of 3/16" to the bottom to make it a full 3/8".
While the paint was drying on that I addressed the issue Marv brought up and added a brace to the diff cover for the truss. It bolts together so I can still remove the diff cover when needed.
Once the paint was dry enough everything got put back together.
With the added weight of the skid plate I'm only sitting about an inch and a half higher than I want. Hopefully the springs settle out a bit and I don't have to do anything else, but we'll have to wait and see.
While the paint was drying on that I addressed the issue Marv brought up and added a brace to the diff cover for the truss. It bolts together so I can still remove the diff cover when needed.
Once the paint was dry enough everything got put back together.
With the added weight of the skid plate I'm only sitting about an inch and a half higher than I want. Hopefully the springs settle out a bit and I don't have to do anything else, but we'll have to wait and see.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Super sweet! I like it all!
Today I finished up all the fab work that was on my before Blazer Bash to do list. The big job was replacing the drivers side inner C. I noticed last time I did the ball joints that the adjuster sleeve was tightening way to far down and this allowed the ball joint to wobble loose over time. I tack welded the castle nut in and started looking for a replacement C (it's the older 2.75" tube D44 so it's a little harder to come by). I ended up having ORD ship me a C from an old housing they had laying around.
When I pulled the knuckle apart I found that the tack welds had broken and the nut was just sitting there finger tight (it had sheared off the cotter pin). I've checked it a few times since I did that, but obviously it broke loose at some point. You can see in this picture how far the adjuster sleeve is protruding through the bottom of the C.
I had to remove half of my coilover bracket to get the C off, then the old c was removed and the axle was cleaned up.
The replacement C was tossed in the oven at 250°F for a half an hour and I iced down the tube to make positioning the C easier, then it was set back at the same position the old one was at.
A replacement shock mount tab was fabbed up and the C and shock tabs were welded back in place.
I was thinking about the brace I added yesterday and decided I wanted to add some gussets to my truss. I cut a big chunk of the truss off to make room for the coil perches so I wanted to attach it to the axle tubes better than it was. I think this combined with the brace I added to the diff cover should give me plenty of strength for the upper link mounts now.
Now I'm off to the lake for another shakedown run.
When I pulled the knuckle apart I found that the tack welds had broken and the nut was just sitting there finger tight (it had sheared off the cotter pin). I've checked it a few times since I did that, but obviously it broke loose at some point. You can see in this picture how far the adjuster sleeve is protruding through the bottom of the C.
I had to remove half of my coilover bracket to get the C off, then the old c was removed and the axle was cleaned up.
The replacement C was tossed in the oven at 250°F for a half an hour and I iced down the tube to make positioning the C easier, then it was set back at the same position the old one was at.
A replacement shock mount tab was fabbed up and the C and shock tabs were welded back in place.
I was thinking about the brace I added yesterday and decided I wanted to add some gussets to my truss. I cut a big chunk of the truss off to make room for the coil perches so I wanted to attach it to the axle tubes better than it was. I think this combined with the brace I added to the diff cover should give me plenty of strength for the upper link mounts now.
Now I'm off to the lake for another shakedown run.
Nice work! love seeing S10's built like this
I got a few more things checked off the list, fixed some loose bolts, greased some zirks, checked some fluid and installed some new lower links.
Bling bling!
Old links are 2" .250 wall 4130 Chromoly, the new links are 2.25" solid 7075 Aluminum. The new links are 1.5lbs lighter per side and over twice as resistant to bending.
The only thing left on the S-10 list is to re-install the air horns (if I can find room for them). Now I'm off to Florence to give it a real shakedown run on the rocks for the first time with the 4 link.
Bling bling!
Old links are 2" .250 wall 4130 Chromoly, the new links are 2.25" solid 7075 Aluminum. The new links are 1.5lbs lighter per side and over twice as resistant to bending.
The only thing left on the S-10 list is to re-install the air horns (if I can find room for them). Now I'm off to Florence to give it a real shakedown run on the rocks for the first time with the 4 link.
Looking great.
Really glad you gussetted that truss. I was a little concerned when i saw how much you cut off of it and it just didn't look strong to me.
The diff cover to truss brace is great as well.
Looking forward to wheeling pics
Really glad you gussetted that truss. I was a little concerned when i saw how much you cut off of it and it just didn't look strong to me.
The diff cover to truss brace is great as well.
Looking forward to wheeling pics
Unfortunately it was a night wheeling run so no pictures.
The truck did great in the rocks and at high speed. The new links have some nice scratches in them, but they are still nice and straight.
The truck did great in the rocks and at high speed. The new links have some nice scratches in them, but they are still nice and straight.
So I managed to get all over the rear driveshaft and not notice it during the shakedown run. I took it out on the highway and it doesn't vibrate any worse than it did before (took it up to 80mph), but I know I have something screwy going on with the rear yoke on the driveshaft anyways. The u-joint is slightly loose in the driveshaft yoke, at first I thought it was just a bad u-joint, but I replaced it and the new one has the same issue. I guess I need to pull the shaft and take it back to the driveshaft shop and have them fix it.
Here's the damage I did wheeling, for reference the tube is 3" .120 wall 4130 Chromoly.
I managed to scratch up the new links a bit too, they look pretty now.
Here's the damage I did wheeling, for reference the tube is 3" .120 wall 4130 Chromoly.
I managed to scratch up the new links a bit too, they look pretty now.
Are you trying to get the rear end down by adding steel to the back half? Just seems that way. 
The skidplate certainly helped bring the rear down, but that's the only steel I added that puts weight on the rear springs.
After the weekend of beating on it offroad it's actually sitting an inch lower so it's right about where I want it. I'd bet by the end of Blazer Bash it's either right where I was hoping for or a little lower.
After the weekend of beating on it offroad it's actually sitting an inch lower so it's right about where I want it. I'd bet by the end of Blazer Bash it's either right where I was hoping for or a little lower.
pennsylvaniaboy
1/2 ton status
Do you pull a bolt on your radius arms every time you wheel? Or does it flex enough without pulling a bolt?
I have never pulled a bolt, it flexes pretty well without doing that. I used the big Ballistic poly bushings in the front so it would have more give.
The rear flexes incredibly well now, I can get up things open/open now that I used to need at least one locker engaged for.
The rear flexes incredibly well now, I can get up things open/open now that I used to need at least one locker engaged for.
Read the whole thread this morning. Amazing fab work as usual Brent! Deserved "the award" !(I will let you tell what award)
This should be good!
