CK5
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DO NOT OPEN IN PUBLIC, YOU WILL BECOME INSTANTLY ERECT!!!
- Thread starter truck-oholic
- Start date
Worked on some more skid plate stuff while the kids took afternoon naps.
like i said before, this fit is really tight against the t-cases
I didn't get the angle of this pic right. I was trying to get a side shot of the bottom of the frame for perspective but instead just got straight on side of frame.
I am going to cap those open tube ends
I have the bottom bolt out of the PTO cover right now since I need to make a recess for it in the tube
See why the bottom bolt is out on the PTO?
like i said before, this fit is really tight against the t-cases
I didn't get the angle of this pic right. I was trying to get a side shot of the bottom of the frame for perspective but instead just got straight on side of frame.
I am going to cap those open tube ends
I have the bottom bolt out of the PTO cover right now since I need to make a recess for it in the tube
See why the bottom bolt is out on the PTO?
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Not sure if you can tell but there is a tube sleeve that goes through the box tube and gusset plates. The bolts are 5/8 Grade 8
These side plates serve two purposes. They give me some more beef at the bolts for the rear cross member tie-in and they also strengthen the joint where I butt-welded the tube to make the upward kick. They will get welded all the way around and the open box ends at the bolts will get capped too.
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Got some more done on this thing.
Welded up the gusset plates during the week. Going to cap the open tube ends tomorrow and then grind all the welds smooth.
Biggest news is that I wound up having to modify my rear main crossmember due to clearance issues with 1350 CV driveshaft. Hated to do it but the end result turned out pretty good.
I completely boxed the inside of the tube where I notched out and left that one 1/2" wide section intact. Once the tube was boxed out I added a vertical gusset piece underneath the 1/2" wide section tying everything together. Lastly I added the angled gusset pieces for more rigidity then ground the welds down around the 1/2" wide section for a more seamless look and max clearance
You can also see the PTO bolt head notch I made in the trans support/belly skid. I will box that back out tomorrow, leaving the required bolt head clearance.
Welded up the gusset plates during the week. Going to cap the open tube ends tomorrow and then grind all the welds smooth.
Biggest news is that I wound up having to modify my rear main crossmember due to clearance issues with 1350 CV driveshaft. Hated to do it but the end result turned out pretty good.
I completely boxed the inside of the tube where I notched out and left that one 1/2" wide section intact. Once the tube was boxed out I added a vertical gusset piece underneath the 1/2" wide section tying everything together. Lastly I added the angled gusset pieces for more rigidity then ground the welds down around the 1/2" wide section for a more seamless look and max clearance
You can also see the PTO bolt head notch I made in the trans support/belly skid. I will box that back out tomorrow, leaving the required bolt head clearance.
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This is installed and at ride height
Also at ride height
Also at ride height
Last one at ride height
adapter yoke side
This is with driveshaft not in pinion yoke and just hanging to simulate worst case scenario full droop
The actual operational angle of the shaft is a few degrees less than this so it should never contact since there is still a good bit of clearance here
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I have a feeling that is still going to contact. One thing most forget about is when you put that thing in gear as it's running, it will torque to the passenger side (even if you have new poly bushings both on the motor and trans mount). That is close enough that it will most likely still contact. probably worth doing some more clearencing now while you are doing it instead of finding out later.
Build looks sick BTW....keep at it
Build looks sick BTW....keep at it
I have a feeling that is still going to contact. One thing most forget about is when you put that thing in gear as it's running, it will torque to the passenger side (even if you have new poly bushings both on the motor and trans mount). That is close enough that it will most likely still contact. probably worth doing some more clearencing now while you are doing it instead of finding out later.
Build looks sick BTW....keep at it
You think it is going to torque that bad even with the rear case support i have tied directly into that same main crossmember?
I'm optimistic.
Thanks for the compliment.
Yeah, I do. I think we don't realize how much it can torque, especially in 4lo. If you think it will work, then I guess roll with it, but it always sucks to have to redo something that you are already done and installed
Tons of nice fab work going on!
Felt like working on my half doors a little tonight. These crossbars tie both sides of the door together and will give me a place to build an angled tube armrest possibly with cup holder once the rest of the door is boxed in and seats are in place.
1.75 .120 DOM
I am going to box the door in all the way around with 16 ga sheet welding the sheet to the crossbars for extra strength
This was my best weld, the rest were not as pretty but you get the idea
Also capped the open tube ends on the rear of the belly skid and started grinding some welds down smooth
Here is the other area I had to cap on each side
1.75 .120 DOM
I am going to box the door in all the way around with 16 ga sheet welding the sheet to the crossbars for extra strength
This was my best weld, the rest were not as pretty but you get the idea
Also capped the open tube ends on the rear of the belly skid and started grinding some welds down smooth
Here is the other area I had to cap on each side
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y5mgisi
1 ton status
Enjoying what you got going so far!
Everything gets weird when your between a rock and we'll a rock. Things twist like you would never expect. I would give my self more clearance on that cv. Also metal bends. It just does. I have bent 3/8 plate alarmingly easy.
The umhp whatever stuff needs a backing. It will not survive on its own 1/4" is plenty.
BTW thank you for using square tube , much easier to attach things too
The umhp whatever stuff needs a backing. It will not survive on its own 1/4" is plenty.
BTW thank you for using square tube , much easier to attach things too
If i have to clearance the crossmember more I definitely will . . . but not right now. I guess a lot of people use round tube for aesthetics and also being able to put bends in without a joint but I think a well designed square tube crossmember and skid can look just as good and like you said is easier to build off of. Now, there are some people that build some pretty ugly looking stuff with square tube . . . like roll bars. There will be plenty of DOM round tube on this thing for a cage, sliders, rub rails, and bumpers. I have 235' sitting in my garage for all that. Just have to get my tubing bender built first.
While we are on the subject of half doors I thought I would share a couple of pics how I rigged the hinges up for fast door changes.
These are just pins from TSC. They originally had a bulky handle that I cut off and put the rings in place of.
Since the factory bushings in the hinges were plastic, wore out, and not the right size for the pins I got some oilite bronze bushings from Ebay and put them in. They stay in place on the body side of the door. I did this when I first got the truck a year ago so I don't remember all the details but I think there was some upsizing of holes with a drill. End result is a nice smooth operation with no noticeable slop and MUCH faster door changes.
These are just pins from TSC. They originally had a bulky handle that I cut off and put the rings in place of.
Since the factory bushings in the hinges were plastic, wore out, and not the right size for the pins I got some oilite bronze bushings from Ebay and put them in. They stay in place on the body side of the door. I did this when I first got the truck a year ago so I don't remember all the details but I think there was some upsizing of holes with a drill. End result is a nice smooth operation with no noticeable slop and MUCH faster door changes.
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Got the belly skid frame back in place. Now it is time to start tying it into the frame up front. I am hoping to do two tie ins on each side but the passenger's side is going to be tricky to get the second one with the driveshaft and exhaust.
I'm going to do one more cross brace that you see here tacked in place. It will have the gussets and flange nuts at all four corners just like the rest of the skid frame.
I think this is a better shot of the cv to crossmember clearance at ride height. If you think about it, the rear driveshaft is not going to be going up and down that much since the axle will mainly be articulating about a center point. The only time that the shaft would drop down like I had it to simulate "full droop" would be if I aired the truck out and both sides of the axle were at full droop simultaneously.
This is where things will get interesting with driveshaft, exhaust, and skid to frame tie in
I think my only viable option for exhaust routing is to turn a kicked 90 and do a Y pipe under the trans and above the skid.
There is plenty of room there for a 2-2.5" pipe to go through and I would just come up with some form of heat shielding to protect the poly trans bushing
I'm going to do one more cross brace that you see here tacked in place. It will have the gussets and flange nuts at all four corners just like the rest of the skid frame.
I think this is a better shot of the cv to crossmember clearance at ride height. If you think about it, the rear driveshaft is not going to be going up and down that much since the axle will mainly be articulating about a center point. The only time that the shaft would drop down like I had it to simulate "full droop" would be if I aired the truck out and both sides of the axle were at full droop simultaneously.
This is where things will get interesting with driveshaft, exhaust, and skid to frame tie in
I think my only viable option for exhaust routing is to turn a kicked 90 and do a Y pipe under the trans and above the skid.
There is plenty of room there for a 2-2.5" pipe to go through and I would just come up with some form of heat shielding to protect the poly trans bushing
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Felt like working on the antiwrap bar a bit this afternoon. Got the main tube welded up and in place.
Main tube is 2" DOM 1/4 wall and length came out to about 38". Top tube is going to be 1.75" DOM 1/4 wall.
I got the main bar to within 1 degree of the driveshaft angle
I have the driveshaft propped up because it is too long and needs to be shortened by about 3-4". I picked it up used along with the adapter yoke for the t-case for $180 so I can't complain. It is very well made and beefy too
These are Ruff Stuff "laid back" antiwrap brackets
Having done one of these before I learned to leave those tie plates the last thing to weld in
I set the shackle angle to be perpendicular to the angle of the main tube which was 20 degrees
I made a double pass at the bung with my 110 welder and then ground it down to smooth it out for a nicer finish
Main tube is 2" DOM 1/4 wall and length came out to about 38". Top tube is going to be 1.75" DOM 1/4 wall.
I got the main bar to within 1 degree of the driveshaft angle
I have the driveshaft propped up because it is too long and needs to be shortened by about 3-4". I picked it up used along with the adapter yoke for the t-case for $180 so I can't complain. It is very well made and beefy too
These are Ruff Stuff "laid back" antiwrap brackets
Having done one of these before I learned to leave those tie plates the last thing to weld in
I set the shackle angle to be perpendicular to the angle of the main tube which was 20 degrees
I made a double pass at the bung with my 110 welder and then ground it down to smooth it out for a nicer finish
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Rather than weld the top tube directly to the main tube I am thinking about using tabs and another heim joint like WFO Concepts design below. I think it gives a cleaner look and is a bit easier to build.
Yep easier to do. I hate that long cope. Takes some work to get it to come out nice
Yeah, the one I did on my old Ranger was a royal PITA with the long cope and doing it all with just an angle grinder
For anyone that cares, here is the last truck I built. Took it all the way from stock to what you see below. This is my first Chevy build and there is way more support for these square bodies than for the RBVs. I wound up selling the truck right after these pictures since I was starting my union electrical apprenticeship and took a significant pay cut with a 1 yr old at home. Now I am on the other side of that apprenticeship but am up to three kids so still not a whole lot of play money.
That truck was on 42s and would still drive in and out of the garage with no problems. Not the case with this K5. It is way taller as it sits right now but I am hoping it squats a good bit with all the weight back in it and maybe or or two less leaves in the spring packs if necessary.
That truck was on 42s and would still drive in and out of the garage with no problems. Not the case with this K5. It is way taller as it sits right now but I am hoping it squats a good bit with all the weight back in it and maybe or or two less leaves in the spring packs if necessary.
