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I get to build a truck for work.

Corey 78K5

Corey 78K5

1 ton status
Joined
Feb 17, 2000
Posts
13,055
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2
Location
Humboldt County, CA
We have been wanting an off road recovery truck at work for a while since We get a lot (Bay Area)People stuck out on the river bar in the summer time. Well in the last six months We spent well over 100k to replace our trucks. Not something You would want to take out on a river bar.
So today My Boss asked Me If I could build a truck. I was like hell yeah. What He wanted is something light simple to work on and something that We already had and something We wouldn't mind denting or scratching.
We setttled on a 73 K-10 We had setting around. Its got a 4" Rancho lift 350ci TH350 NP205 and of course D-44/12blt.
The engine is junk so Im putting in a new long block. Which I started on today. Im gonna mount a winch in the bed and run it off the PTO from the t-case. Then make an adjustable A-frame in the back of the bed with pullys for better pulling power and better pulling angles. Also gonna add a winch up front and a few other goodys like air and lights. Then Im gonna paint it primer gray /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif for all the scratches We plan on putting in it /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
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We get a lot (Bay Area)People stuck out on the river bar

[/ QUOTE ] My thoughts for that is 1-Ton axles, and 38" Boggers. But I really don't know the area. Just thinking online.
 
How 'bout one of those fancy-pants Vulcan beds? And ya need a light bar... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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My thoughts for that is 1-Ton axles, and 38" Boggers.

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Nope. Like I said it will be used on the river bar and over at the beach. So You want it to be light the axels are only to get it to where it needs to be and trust Me big heavy axels are not needed on the sand. As for 38" boggers that would not be ideal. In this area the best thing on the sand is a 33-35" all terrain tire with low air pressure. The winchs will do all the work, the truck will just get it there.
 
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How 'bout one of those fancy-pants Vulcan beds? And ya need a light bar...

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We have an extra Vulcan bed from Our 85 K-30 wrecker but that thing was a big heavy pig along with the rest of the truck. As for a light bar Im gonna build a heavy duty headache rack for that purpose and just incase a line ever breaks.
 
Sounds cool.

So are you gonna build something like an old Holmes unit in the bed for the different angles and such?
Consider some slip in spades for the rear. Build the mounts into the bumper or on the frame and carry them in the bed slip em in back in to set them and you can pull out some real heavy stuff.

Rreally gonna want some pictures of that once it's finished!

The only truck my boss let me build when I towed was the plow truck for our place, 85 heavy half Burb 2.5" lift and 33" Dunlops (freebie) with an old 4 spring Meyer.
 
Yeah Michael, Im gonna pretty much steal a bunch of ideals from old Earnest Holmes /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif As for mounting it We're gonna work on that ideal together since We have a few choices but nothing has been set in stone just yet.
 
Here some of the things I would want to add to a recovery vehical if I was building one. First off is it a Long or short bed, If it’s a long bed need to bob the end, approach and departure angle. Add dual batteries, 150+ amps Alternator, on-board welder, quick connect power connectors front and back (for jumper cables), Snorkel, Roll cage and sliders, Bucket seats with 5 point harnesses, Vent the rear axle, transmission, t-case up through the bed to keep them clean and out of water, both trans and oil coolers, your taking about having onboard air (I would also add a mount for a Chitta Tank to blast beads back on the rim), a couple of jerry cans mounted in bed, Replace all factory gauges with aftermarket including trans temp, 2~battery Voltage, 2 gas gauges on for each tanks ( I’m guessing that it has dual tanks.
 
Would athought at least a bigger rear end. Still might need to yank it a few times to break the stiction.
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We get a lot (Bay Area)People stuck out on the river bar

[/ QUOTE ] My thoughts for that is 1-Ton axles, and 38" Boggers. But I really don't know the area. Just thinking online.

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Yeah what about a welded 14B SF, one of the best light duty axles IMHO. That and a simple bobbed flat bed to mount a boom and a winch /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
That would work.!

I still dunno about the AT's vs MT's for sand. AT's on sand in my opinion just dont do nearly as well as MT's. Yes, the AT's will make you float more, but if you need traction, the AT's may not be there.

Would even say try a 33" 15" wide tire, on a narrower rim, and run some low PSI. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif not to mention, as he tries to winch, He'll need traction to pull the other guy out.

I had that once. Someone couldnt make it up a hill, I try and winch him up, and it started pulling me down. Another time, in sand, It was digging me forward and down into the sand. And thats probably not as extreme as what he will be dealing with!
 
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I still dunno about the AT's vs MT's for sand. AT's on sand in my opinion just dont do nearly as well as MT's. Yes, the AT's will make you float more, but if you need traction, the AT's may not be there.


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I grew up in this area and AT's work best in this area for sand. MT's just want to dig down in the sand We have. Gonna use 33/12.5 on 8" rims. We plan on having atleast 500 feet of extra line so that We dont get in to an area that would cause Us to get stuck as well. The big thing is it's illegal to be driving in these areas and We would only be called out by a sheriff or park ranger since Were surrounded by the largest redwood national park. So tread lightly is the whole ideal behind going light weight.
 
Winches are definately the best way for the "tread lightly" /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif Nuttin worse than seeing 3 foot ruts.

BTW, so your basically using AT's (like a BFG?) and float on top?

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I still dunno about the AT's vs MT's for sand. AT's on sand in my opinion just dont do nearly as well as MT's. Yes, the AT's will make you float more, but if you need traction, the AT's may not be there.


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I grew up in this area and AT's work best in this area for sand. MT's just want to dig down in the sand We have. Gonna use 33/12.5 on 8" rims. We plan on having atleast 500 feet of extra line so that We dont get in to an area that would cause Us to get stuck as well. The big thing is it's illegal to be driving in these areas and We would only be called out by a sheriff or park ranger since Were surrounded by the largest redwood national park. So tread lightly is the whole ideal behind going light weight.

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