My Build Thread - The stuff actually works

[AZ79K5Project]

Rear Bumper Mounted

Finished the rear bumper and got it mounted today. I didn't do the swing out on it. I didn't like the rear overhang. I still may add the fold down stinger type of mount.

I tied the corners in to the frame. I made brackets that bolt up to the stock mounting holes.

 

[GsxrMike]

SWEEEEET build! Nice fab skills. How long did it take you for the rear bumper? What kind of tubing did you use and what kinda bender did you use. I saw a bender at harbor freight that was like a bottle jack. Wonder if it would work.

 

[Dafey]

That looks awesome!!! What paint did you use?
I just got my front bumper from Blazen today.Cant wait to get it mounted.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

SWEEEEET build! Nice fab skills. How long did it take you for the rear bumper? What kind of tubing did you use and what kinda bender did you use. I saw a bender at harbor freight that was like a bottle jack. Wonder if it would work.

Thanks. I have probably over 40 hours in the rear bumper. I'm certainly not the fastest one around, but I got it done.

I would stay away from those pipe benders. They are not designed to bend tubing. They will cause kinks and poor bends for tubing.

I bought bender from Tools Plus for around $1000. It's air over hydraulic. It came with four dies but the bend limit is 90 degrees. I really like the bender. Well made. But I had a heck of a time getting it delivered.

Here's a link discussing different benders. http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220295

 

[AZ79K5Project]

That looks awesome!!! What paint did you use?
I just got my front bumper from Blazen today.Cant wait to get it mounted.

If you can afford it, get it powder coated. I was too impatient to wait once I got it built.

I used a couple of coats of Krylon "Bare Metal Primer" and multiple thin coats of the Krylon rattle can gloss black paint. The gloss hides my crappy looking welds a little better than flat black.

I put two receiver tubes in to use as lift points for my high lift. I also have a D-ring that slides into either receiver hitch as well.

I used 1/4" thick plate on the rear mounting points and 3/16" for the frame tie-ins and as a backing plate for the rear mounting points .

 

[supersize75k5]

as always clean fab, looks like you take your time and try

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Took this week off. I decided I wasn't going to work on my blazer at all this week. Planned on doing house stuff that has been overlooked. That lasted until Tuesday morning.

I built a wiring block. I have relays for my on-board air, front off-road lights, and one for the kill switch for the dizzy. I need to buy one more for the hidden starter kill switch. My winch will have a 300 amp fused line. I forgot to order the fuse when I ordered the fuse holder. For now, everything is wired to the hot side of the fuse.

I wired the 10 circuit fuse panel with 14 gauge fusible links.

Here are a couple of pretty cool tricks (at least in my mind) --> I have a keyed switch for the dizzy kill. I have a hidden magnetic activated switch. You have to hold the other half of the magnet to a specific spot in order for the starter to work. I'll finish wiring that next weekend.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

I busted my a** on this thing this week. I also built a frame and mounted up my on-board air. It's wired. I still have to fab up a mount for the pressure switch and run the line to the 7 gal tank that will be in the back of the truck.

Questions for anyone running on - board air: Did you run a copper line to a tank or a soft line? Any issues or problems?

 

[AZ79K5Project]

And finally this week was the switch box. The thing fell off the hanger and landed face down right as I got done painting it.

I sanded it once it dried. I repainted it and got a bunch of runs. I sanded it down a third time and gave up getting a smooth surface. I painted it and left it.

This is where it started with rough cuts for the switches. I had to add some metal back in on two openings for the switches.


It is the exact width of the tuffy box. I made it from 14 or 16 gauge steel. I'm not sure what it was. I had a scrap piece laying around. A little overkill, but I didn't have to worry about making any frame for it. I also used heavier metal for security.

 

[BGKYK5]

I am almost embarrassed to ask this question, but does that leave enough room for the cupholders? I'd like to do something similar (assuming I have the cash to fork over for a Tuffy one day), but a fella's got to stay hydrated!

 

[AZ79K5Project]

I am almost embarrassed to ask this question, but does that leave enough room for the cupholders? I'd like to do something similar (assuming I have the cash to fork over for a Tuffy one day), but a fella's got to stay hydrated!

No problem. There's plenty of room. I kept looking on CL. I was checking once or twice a day, and I mean everyday, when I was looking for specific things. I came across this after a few months of looking for something (???). That's where I got my carpet kit, rear axle, STC soft top, Edlebrock intake manifold and a couple of other things.

I still have to vacuum the metal shavings out.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Almost done with a stinger spare tire carrier.

Took a break from that today and began working on my non functioning AC. There was no pressure so I wasn't concerned about venting R12 out.

I began to flush the evaporator - wholly hell - a sludge like green pea soup oozed out. I haven't seen anything that nasty since my kids were infants when they started eating solid foods.

Orifice tube broke off and shredded inside the evaporator tube and I can't get it out. $$$

The PO put on an R134A fitting on the low side. It looks like the dipsh!t added R134A to the R12 system. and now more $$$

FOCK MEEEE!!!!!!!!

For sale - 1979 Chev Blazer...I'm looking for a used Yugo. J/K

Convert to R134A or keep it R12 - I still can't decide.

 

[supersize75k5]

alan here in az has my old complete ac system off my 75 blazer that he no longer needs...

 

[Dafey]

Convert to R134A or keep it R12 - I still can't decide.

Convert , i34 is cheaper , to have it done anyway.

 

[BGKYK5]

What needs to be done to convert from R12 to R134A? Just replace the seals and oil the compressor?

 

[AZ79K5Project]

What needs to be done to convert from R12 to R134A? Just replace the seals and oil the compressor?

Depends to a certain extent on the truck's equipment -
At a minimum -
Have the system "drained" at a certified place to capture the R12 (unless already empty)
Most people say replace the compressor due to the incompatible oil soaked internals. They cannot be "cleaned".
Open the system up - and solvent flush the system
Replace ALL of the O - rings and the orifice tube with the Ford blue
Replace the receiver/dryer
Replace the R12 connections (screw on adapters) with the R134a type.
Replace the oil with the R134 stuff and fill to around 80% of the R12 capacity.

Many people stop here and have decent cooling, but the R12 condenser is not designed for the R134A. You really need the parallel flow condenser for proper heat exchange.

The R134A's use a high and low pressure switch. The R134's can get too high of pressure (beyond my knowledge) and have a pressure switch to protect things.

In my reading - the A4 compressor is not designed and cannot handle R134A for any length of time. The A6 is a little better suited, but still not the best. Sanden compressors have been highly recommended.

I have been doing a lot of reading at these two places -
http://www.autoacforum.com/
http://www.acsource.net/acforum/index.php

 

[BGKYK5]

Sounds like it may be easier to just swap all the parts from a later model that came with R-134A. Of course I'm sure that isn't a direct bolt in either.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Sounds like it may be easier to just swap all the parts from a later model that came with R-134A. Of course I'm sure that isn't a direct bolt in either.

I thought about that.

They do make a bolt in Sanden R134A setup for around $750.00 to replace the factory AC R12 setup.

I'll be at $400 with new (rebuilt) A6 compressor, new lines, new evaporator, new dryer and other small stuff for the R12 system.

 

[Dafey]

Why not rebuild the R12 system and convert it to 134a with a kit from the auto store?

 

[AZ79K5Project]

The changeover using the existing condenser won't do well in the summer (115 degrees) according to the shops and "experts" I spoke to.

At highway speeds it would work OK, but not at idle or on the trail.