red EOD
1/2 ton status
Old bed is now being loaded up for scrap metal. Also hadn't realized it but the metal store gave me 8" C channel instead of the 6" I had ordered. Stronger, just 2" taller than planned for.
CK5
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dont forget your plate 
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Lol no guarantee on the plate.
Little teaser pic of how wide the bed will be and the rear box
Little teaser pic of how wide the bed will be and the rear box
how will you drive home legal with no rear plate ?
thats a NARROW flat bed you got going on there .
thats a NARROW flat bed you got going on there .
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Legal, what is this nonsense you speak of haha. License plate, having mounted tail lights, its diabolical having these requirements haha.
Have to run back to Texas on monday though before everything is ready, online class stuff that I need access to my home computer to complete. So the wrecker components will not be on yet, probably delayed for a month in that regard. Same with the aux tank. Sunday we will have all the main parts of the bed welded up and mounted.
The bed is narrow intentionally, gets the weight down and designed so that when I haul much cargo it will be with a trailer anyways.
Have to run back to Texas on monday though before everything is ready, online class stuff that I need access to my home computer to complete. So the wrecker components will not be on yet, probably delayed for a month in that regard. Same with the aux tank. Sunday we will have all the main parts of the bed welded up and mounted.
The bed is narrow intentionally, gets the weight down and designed so that when I haul much cargo it will be with a trailer anyways.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Forgot to update this thread oops.
Couple pics of the incomplete bed as it currently sits. The mud flap hangers are temporary and sit further back than the permanent ones will.
Also killed the original dual mass flywheel and clutch components 2 weeks ago.
Couple pics of the incomplete bed as it currently sits. The mud flap hangers are temporary and sit further back than the permanent ones will.
Also killed the original dual mass flywheel and clutch components 2 weeks ago.
Did you put a solid flywheel back in?
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Yep went with a solid flywheel, better reputation, much cheaper. New clutch kit along with new fork/pivot since the old fork was bent. Clutch works easier than it ever has since I bought the truck.
Fuel economy is up just a little as well, from 12mpg 13.5mpg. Clutch must have been slipping constantly. Originally was getting 15mpg when I bought the truck but it dropped when the SES light started showing up. Speaking of the light finally plugged my desktop into the truck (long USB cable) and read the codes. Sporadic codes 34, 35, 36 (related to injector pulse width) are whats popping up. The RPM gauge is off a bit as well, reading 150-200 RPM higher than actual according to the computer at idle. The funny part of that is, it throws off the math just right when it comes to axle gearing between 4.63 vs 5.13 so I don't know for sure which gear set it has hahaha. Going to lift up one set of duals and count the driveshaft rotations to find out, then find the correct sized alternator pulley (likely problem).
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Been awhile.
Truck has been getting some attention here and there while I was working. New AC system besides the evaporator, replaced/moved the PMD (little electric box for the fuel system) which cleared out codes and bumped fuel economy back up to usually 15mpg, 12mpg when towing. Also confirmed 4.63 axle gears when I got the scanner software, the tach is reading about 200rpm high so likely it has the wrong alternator pulley. New exhaust.
Making a spot for the aux fuel tank. Getting plumbed to run through some filters before getting pumped into the factory tank.
Grabbed an air ride gooseneck hitch back in August, makes for a nice smooth ride when towing. Added 5in to the hitch height so need to move the hitch down into the bed.
Truck has been getting some attention here and there while I was working. New AC system besides the evaporator, replaced/moved the PMD (little electric box for the fuel system) which cleared out codes and bumped fuel economy back up to usually 15mpg, 12mpg when towing. Also confirmed 4.63 axle gears when I got the scanner software, the tach is reading about 200rpm high so likely it has the wrong alternator pulley. New exhaust.
Making a spot for the aux fuel tank. Getting plumbed to run through some filters before getting pumped into the factory tank.
Grabbed an air ride gooseneck hitch back in August, makes for a nice smooth ride when towing. Added 5in to the hitch height so need to move the hitch down into the bed.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Ran across this deal a few days ago. No bumper is made specific for the HD's but this one is close enough that it only required some mount mods and later some trimming on the diamond plate so it doesn't block airflow to the bottom of the radiator (benefit to the HD's over the lighter trucks with cooling). Going to repaint it to match the grill/fender flares/bed.
red EOD
1/2 ton status
The more I drive this truck the more I like it and have ideas to build it haha. 2 biggest problems for me are the lack of 4x4 and being a regular cab but that's the only way these came from the factory. Kept the D60 and the np205 from the 82 to swap into this truck not to be a hard core offroad toy but an emphasis as a solid tow rig.
That being said, what kind of suspension would yall go with for a solid tow rig that is mildly offroad capable, like an expedition rig? Wanting to get away from leaf springs up front and looking into airbags or coilovers possibly and would like input.
That being said, what kind of suspension would yall go with for a solid tow rig that is mildly offroad capable, like an expedition rig? Wanting to get away from leaf springs up front and looking into airbags or coilovers possibly and would like input.
One thing I wish I would have done on my C3500 SAS is to go with a radius arm and coil suspension. Leaf springs are cheap and easy, but still not the ride quality I was going for.
Yeah I've always liked the arm and coil setup that ford and dodge run.
I want to do a full air ride tow rig setup some day though too. Start with rear and move to the front. Could possibly come up with something for the front like the semis with front air ride do with the leaf and air bag since you won't need flex for off-road as much
I want to do a full air ride tow rig setup some day though too. Start with rear and move to the front. Could possibly come up with something for the front like the semis with front air ride do with the leaf and air bag since you won't need flex for off-road as much
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Experimented with a version of that airbag idea on the 82. It's stock front springs were done.
Maybe as a option would be to take the stock 3500hd front springs (2 leaf pack) and remove the lower leaf, relying on a bag to hold the weight?
That's the best way, it's how it's on big rigs
Keldermann does a kit like you did for front suspension that just adds bags to leaves. Could go all out and do a setup like X2 suspension does.
https://www.x2industries.com/produc...front-air-suspension-kit-no-fittings-bolt-on/
https://www.x2industries.com/produc...front-air-suspension-kit-no-fittings-bolt-on/
red EOD
1/2 ton status
Surprised at the weight ratings of the bags used in the kits, I thought they would be heavier but it's just about the same as the helper bags I used on the 82.
The spring mounts on the axle don't match up with the HD (1" wider per side). Rather than cut the stock mounts off, move them out just a little, weld on new spring hangers, and go to a modified leaf spring setup I think the conversion to links/arms would be just a little more work but worth it.
Have to check with ORD but I bet their link mounts would be workable for this.
https://www.offroaddesign.com/b4-fr...s-only-with-hardware-to-mount-to-frame-2.html
https://www.offroaddesign.com/b4-fr...ts-only-with-hardware-to-mount-to-axle-7.html
Great... Now I need to build a Gin Pole for dad's 1/2 ton Cushman Truckster
I like the tow rig build. Can't wait to see what you do with suspension.
I like the tow rig build. Can't wait to see what you do with suspension.
Seen this the other day and thought man I need that for farm stuff. LOL https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/402018957511105/?ref=search&referral_code=undefined
