acquire one of these trucks again...
To bad I love them so much and can not have one.
To bad I love them so much and can not have one.
CK5
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Modification you would "NEVER" do again...
- Thread starter Metal Twister
- Start date
K5dreamer
1/2 ton status
Hindsight being what it is, making the decision to go with H1 beadlocks (which i dont really need but like the cool factor) which necessitated going with DRW axles, trying to find SRW hubs from a pre 88 axle, and the headaches that go along with the swap. A set of 3/4 ton axles that bolt right in, and a set of cheap steelie rims, would have been a much smarter way to go.
Also, sticking to my original plan of a 4in lift, that would allow me to keep my stock driveshafts and not spend the money on custom CV shafts. I just got a sick deal on the 6in springs from a CK5 member and ran with it.
Mod im most likely to regret... the swap from a TH400 auto to a NV4500 manual with a tripple sticked 203/205 doubler, simply for the massive migrane headache factor that mod is likely to be.
Luckily ive been smart enough to wait until i have ALL the parts on hand before i tear my truck apart, so its been driveable throughout this whole process.
Also, sticking to my original plan of a 4in lift, that would allow me to keep my stock driveshafts and not spend the money on custom CV shafts. I just got a sick deal on the 6in springs from a CK5 member and ran with it.
Mod im most likely to regret... the swap from a TH400 auto to a NV4500 manual with a tripple sticked 203/205 doubler, simply for the massive migrane headache factor that mod is likely to be.
Luckily ive been smart enough to wait until i have ALL the parts on hand before i tear my truck apart, so its been driveable throughout this whole process.
fire3311
Registered Member
Got ya all beat.
Worst mod- Spending 10 years fixing modding everyone elses crap as a professional mechanic and never spending the money and time to build something of my own. Never getting out on the trail because I was just to burned out on cars. Never starting because I didn't have the money to make it perfect. Waiting till I was 45 to start building my first 72 K5. It's the journey don't miss it. Even if you cause it to suck.
Oh ya! Rear disc brake conversion, Warped, poorly designed, swap meet headers. 11 yr old big O tires with good tread = catastrophic sidewall failure.
Worst mod- Spending 10 years fixing modding everyone elses crap as a professional mechanic and never spending the money and time to build something of my own. Never getting out on the trail because I was just to burned out on cars. Never starting because I didn't have the money to make it perfect. Waiting till I was 45 to start building my first 72 K5. It's the journey don't miss it. Even if you cause it to suck.
Oh ya! Rear disc brake conversion, Warped, poorly designed, swap meet headers. 11 yr old big O tires with good tread = catastrophic sidewall failure.
Nazarethk5
1/2 ton status
turning a transmission replacement into a frame off resto... thanks ck5 for all the ideas haha.
dirtygoat
1/2 ton status
haha yah my trans replacement is well since I have it out and have a 203 and 205 why not put a doubler in
Come to think of it, everything started with a blown 700r4.
Might as well do the 400/205. Need a new driveshaft, might as well put the 14 bolt in.
Hmm disk brakes, Detroit, 56s, shackle flip, beef shackles.
Might as well do the 400/205. Need a new driveshaft, might as well put the 14 bolt in.
Hmm disk brakes, Detroit, 56s, shackle flip, beef shackles.
Adventurous 4x4
1/2 ton status
I took the radiator cap off and don't remember much after that.
GMC1977
1/2 ton status
Probably worst (and best) thing to happen to me and my rig was finding this site....Now im addicted and cant stop the 
from happening.
from happening.
79bonanza
1/2 ton status
well after i poped the hood i seen my engine was dirty so out come the rags ahh nice and clean but now my fenders are dirty o well i sand them down and paint them, well its easier to take them off and doit ahh nice and clean but now my axle is dirty, out it all came hahah 2 months later i hade frame rails sitten in the grage with the body on saw horses wtf hahaah
kendal.smart
Newbie
Headers
I will never use the big lazily designed headers again. They are always in the way when I'm trying to do other mods. I will go with short headers from here on. Another one is ever starting a major swap without a donor truck. I recently did a manual tranny swap and it was a breeze because I bought a running k5 with a sm465 for 500 bucks. Ended up used loads of parts off of it. Soon to swap the rear axle too because it's better geared and a 12 bolts as opposed to my 10 bolt. Chasing down every little part for a swap is a headache and waste of time and I ended up saving a lot of money and found other goodies on the truck I didn't even buy it for.
I will never use the big lazily designed headers again. They are always in the way when I'm trying to do other mods. I will go with short headers from here on. Another one is ever starting a major swap without a donor truck. I recently did a manual tranny swap and it was a breeze because I bought a running k5 with a sm465 for 500 bucks. Ended up used loads of parts off of it. Soon to swap the rear axle too because it's better geared and a 12 bolts as opposed to my 10 bolt. Chasing down every little part for a swap is a headache and waste of time and I ended up saving a lot of money and found other goodies on the truck I didn't even buy it for.
Your gonna be polishing a turd with that 12 bolt.
My contribution would be trying to get any kind of power out of the 350. Spent tons of money of motor upgrades just to be polishing a turd.
If I had it to do over again I'd go with a 383 at least.
kendal.smart
Newbie
Main reason for the swap is gearing. I have 3.08 right now and the 12 bolt is 3.73. I have no budget for this stuff and having the axle on hand makes it tempting. What would you suggest on a low budget to make it more worth my effort?
not really a mod I would never do, but the closer you keep your truck to stock the more reliable it is.
My rig has the stock tbi 350 in it. No mods, no headers, no chip, nothing. My TH 350 is basically a stock rebuild, I do have a doubler but the axles are stock other than disc brakes and a front detriot. That might not do it for guys on the east coast but for rockcrawling stock or as close as you can get rules.
My rig has the stock tbi 350 in it. No mods, no headers, no chip, nothing. My TH 350 is basically a stock rebuild, I do have a doubler but the axles are stock other than disc brakes and a front detriot. That might not do it for guys on the east coast but for rockcrawling stock or as close as you can get rules.
Jumping right into a "Frame Off" resto within days of owning a rusted POS that i should have passed on and had some patience until i better truck came along, then having a "buddy" do all the super extensive rust repairs on the body only to see it turn into a ruined, missaligned, twisted piece of primer colored junk....Then after hours of labor come to terms that the frame is twisted, has huge chunks cut out of it, and kind of a junk piece of steel also.....
On the plus side i have a brand new 350, rebuild th350/205, Locked/disk braked/4.56 1-tons, fuel tank, painless harness, numnerous DIY4x and ORD parts, etc.....
Plan on finding a good running first gen with a decent body (rust wise) and swapping in parts one at a time so i can enjoy the thing.
On the plus side i have a brand new 350, rebuild th350/205, Locked/disk braked/4.56 1-tons, fuel tank, painless harness, numnerous DIY4x and ORD parts, etc.....
Plan on finding a good running first gen with a decent body (rust wise) and swapping in parts one at a time so i can enjoy the thing.
Did you get this off of craigslist? I saw 1 it was camo in kerrville and 500 bucks. I almost went and got it.
I guess if its free to you it doesn't hurt I just wouldn't invest any additional money into that axle. And the change in gears is nice.
