Family wheeler - 83 K5

[RSWORDS]

time for a bump!

Since you asked so nicely in June.... lol


The wife and I decided to go wheeling the 25th for our 5 year anniversary since our cruise was canceled.

We have some friends that are coming and the Yota Truggy would be WAY overkill for the type of wheeling we want to do (potts mountain) So its been decided to get the K5 in full service. I've been driving it around and its running great but the 10 bolts sure won't live for anything other then street queen duty. Everything I wind the stout little 350 up and smack the shifter on the manual valve body i get excited when i hear a tire chirp and not a rear end killing itself. Lol

1st order of business..... Soft top. Ordered my softopper last week.

2nd. Winch. I've run smitty builts on every wheeler I've had and theve never let me down.

 

[RSWORDS]

Now that I'm profiling and can pull myself put of dumb places I shouldt be.... let's make this thing able to get to those places

Tossed the 4.56s and Detroits in the 14 bolt and Dodge 60.



Swapped the 60 to 3/4 ton brakes with some ruffstuff brackets and rotors, calipers off a 75 k20. Went ahead and mocked it up for no surprises while waiting on other parts. To toght of a deadline to find out last min something doesn't fit..

Clear my 15" bead locks fine.

 

[RSWORDS]

Also got lucky and scored a crossmember from ORD put of the bargain barn and ordered a steering box brace

 

[RSWORDS]

Axles all finished up with 4.56s and detroits at both ends. Some paint, new bearings and seals and time to go in.

 

[RSWORDS]

Little bit every day

 

[RSWORDS]

And more parts rolling in. These barnes 4wd diff covers are BEEF!

 

[RSWORDS]

Almost forgot. Put in Cranes kingpin spring elimitor kit also.

 

[RSWORDS]

Today I got the lugnut4x4 rear disc conversion on the 14 bolt and put the cover on the 60. Little bit everyday in the limited time I have. Saturday the axles go under.

Big old tech drums


Nice new discs


Cover looks good and strong

 

[RSWORDS]

And we have a complete 60. Goes in the truck tomorrow

 

[RSWORDS]

Tie rod just clears the cover

 

[RSWORDS]

Today we swapped the 60 in. Out woth the old...




Frame was cracked about as bad as I've seen. Ground them out and welded them up. A frame brace kit and ORD brace should get it straight

Also an ORD crossmember for some more room

 

[RSWORDS]

Got the RuffStuff cross over mounted. Everything clears beautiful



Sots about an inch higher best i can tell

 

[RSWORDS]

Got the 14 bolt in and picked up some 37s in 17" wheels for street/light wheeling

 

[RSWORDS]

And shes back on her own 4 feet and driving.

Thing handled amazing, better then when it was stock IMO.

The 4.56s wind the motor up pretty good at 65 but some 40s will help that.

 

[RSWORDS]

Soft topper on. Other then that been driving it and enjoying

 

[eclipse85k10]

Looking good! Solid build

 

[RSWORDS]

Took the truck wheeling on Potts Mountain end of September and it went great. No issues and worked better then I could have asked.

So next round here we come.

First up is on-board air. Got a 210 York from a Ford and went to town. Decided the easiest way to attach hoses was to drill and tap the inlet and outlet. A k&n filter will keep trash out. Hood clearance is gonna be tight but I can put it on a 90 if I need to




Also made up a manifold with a gauge, 175psi pop off, and 125 on 150 off pressure switch.

 

[RSWORDS]

Oh and yeah.... I tapped the intake crooked.... lol

 

[RSWORDS]

Oh man where to start....

Decided to go to full size take over. Truck did great other then the leaking rear maim seal that caused a smoke show everytime the nose got in the air.

Then it was MUD Bog season so night before I decide to toss the 4150 Holley on with a NOS Cheater plate kit, some 39.5 TSLs and went and had some fun.

 

[RSWORDS]

Almost another year so time for another update.

Truck has sat alot. Haven't had time to really mess with it.

Did take it to Gore to take the family wheeling.... what a shit show. Blew a brake line the night before loading it on the trailer (beats on the mountain I reckon) lost a trailer tire on the way up. Went I'm the mud hole and lost the fuel pump half way through, after winching out and getting pulled out by a Juggy that broke a front RCV doing it unfortunately, we found the problem. Got a jump and the guy hooked his cables up backwards and smoked EVERY fusible link under the hood. Spent the next morning fixing that. Got everything running good and went up the mountain on the easy-ish stuff (kiddos 1st time). At the top of pinnacle we got back in, hit the key and the damn starter broke the snout off and busted the mounting boss on the block in the process. That was a fun tow back down. Spent the rest of the time drinking and swimming.