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Mountain Truck Build

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Vombrown

Vombrown

Mountain Man
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Posts
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Location
Great Falls mt
Vombrown submitted a new Build:

Mountain Truck Build

After moving from the south to Montana i have been in search of a truck that suits my very specific needs. It hadn't happened. So I decided to build what I need. We have a very unique situation where we live. My driveway is two miles of road that the local offload club uses for their mall crawler trail rides. I brought a very well built CUCV with me here and sold it after a fee months. It was essentially worthless. Here's what I've learned since buying my maintain.

Lockers will get you killed on ice and snow.
Big tires are great to look at. Wide tires are like snow plows.
Tall and skinny cut right through and keep you going. They also keep traction.
Winches go on the back not the front.
Good tire chains are essential.

I chose a 82 k1500 GMC for this build. Truck is in decent shape with a 6.2 diesel np833 overdrive 4 speed and np241. 10 bolt/12 bolt axles. Flatbed.

We starts out giving the truck a once over. Fluids brakes and whatnot. Then we swapped out the 15s for a set of 16 Toyota Tacoma wheels and 285 tires. Here that is about the largest, widest tire you want to run.

View attachment 230302
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Read more about this build here...
 
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Going into the shop tomorrow for the first round of upgrades and updates. New rubber, wheels and tires. Halogen headlight kit and a good once over. With all new joints and fluids. Winches are next. Front and one on the back. Then an a frame gin pole setup on the back for use in constructing our new log house.
 
This truck might also be destined for a dually conversion this summer. I have the parts just contemplating it.
 
Got her in the shop yesterday but not by much. Had to move the truck 8 miles to my shop. Upon first start the low coolant light was on. Since there is no liquid water to be found i had to chance it. Six miles in and she was warming up to about 200. I patted the dash and said come one Geraldine, work with me baby. Geraldine is the town I bought the truck in. She cooled down a little and we finished the short little trip. My girlfriend would have you believe it was just the cold weather but we know different. This is exactly how a truck gets a name. Add a new radiator to my list of upgrades.
 
Thought I might mention that this truck has the red block 6.2 that everyone talks about. Although in all the yesrs I have built and restored these engines i have never seen a difference in them.
 
There is conjecture that the early first year the engines had forged cranks and some other little things that made them more desirable. I've never seen it personally.
 
Snow build, MTS, I wouldn't run anything over a 265.
Deep, deep snow? 33/35 by 9
 
My local mechanic and tire guy recommends the 285 for our limestone roads. Hard to get a taller tire in ten ply.
 
Vombrown said:
My local mechanic and tire guy recommends the 285 for our limestone roads. Hard to get a taller tire in ten ply.
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285 is the width of the tire in millimeters, not the diameter. The aspect ratio (/75, /85, etc.) is what determines the heigth, or diameter.
 
Get 255/85/16s If you haven got the 285s yet.

Taller skinnier better! And they come in 10 ply.
 
Vombrown said:
Thought I might mention that this truck has the red block 6.2 that everyone talks about. Although in all the yesrs I have built and restored these engines i have never seen a difference in them.
Click to expand...
The red block has more nickel in the casting supposed to be stronger mix so the mains don't crack as easily.
 
I'm starting to feel like this truck might need a partial restoration instead of a beating as my new work horse. Its just a little too nice with all the right parts in all the right places. I might shift gears a little and make her pretty.
 
Your rig is pretty similar to mine, lemme know if you have any questions about diesels, stepsides, dual tank setups or any of that schtuff. Are you familiar with the '82-'83 dual fuel filter system? And good glow plugs are your bestest friend. ;)
 
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