Burn it in!
Some vertical plating would be more beneficial though I am sure.
Some vertical plating would be more beneficial though I am sure.
CK5
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My "Official" Stepside Restoration Thread and LS Swap 2021
- Thread starter Chevy305
- Start date
^^^ This. Vertical plating is your friend (maybe box it in?)
And be sure you use a metal plate, burning cardboard won't add anything structurally.
wetoolowdingbangow
1/2 ton status
I like it. Perhaps more rhombus shaped would be more appealing to the eye or at least it would draw less attention.
Maybe I'm missing it, but why are you plating across the bottom when there is a vertical crack all the way up the side of the framerail?
-G
I don't even know where it's cracked exactly.
On my frame the bottom part your wanting to plate was the only part not cracked. All up the side and the top was cracked in half. I plated the top, PO burned in the backside of the frame.
On my frame the bottom part your wanting to plate was the only part not cracked. All up the side and the top was cracked in half. I plated the top, PO burned in the backside of the frame.
The crack is minor but it's actually on the bottom and curls up the side. See the booger here:
The top had cracked as well as spidering from where the shock bolts on. Those were repaired and seem to be holding up. Would boxing the frame be a better idea?
The top had cracked as well as spidering from where the shock bolts on. Those were repaired and seem to be holding up. Would boxing the frame be a better idea?
Took the truck to the lake today. Beautiful day for a cruise. Got a few thumbs up along way 
It'll be a bit of a bitch to make but making a L-plate would be the best as it would give the most support to that area. I would use a steel of similar thickness so the frame doesn't get too much heat put in to it from welding. You wouldn't have to fully weld it either. Could just wrap the corners and some long stitch welds would work. You could fully weld it but would be over-kill and could actually weaken it enough causing it to crack somewhere else.
Took the truck to the lake today. Beautiful day for a cruise. Got a few thumbs up along way
View attachment 213166
damn that things sexy!
Took the truck to a local cruise night. My first time going and the truck stirred up a lot of interested people and compliments. I thought it could actually be a contender but still didn't win the "best in show" people's vote. Some guy in a stupid purple hemi Cuda won. That's beside the point. The point is, I did a burnout on the way back from the show and the O ring on the power steering pump blew out. It dumped all the fluid all over the underside of the truck all the way back to the rear bumper. What a damn mess, and right after I detailed the thing to bring it to the show. I'm guessing it's my own fault too since I tightened the power steering belt earlier today. I'm thinking I must have hit or tweaked the hose tearing the O ring and leaving the fitting loose. Then some sustained redline bouncing finally did it in... 
Sooo I Just spent the last hour and a half wiping down the undercarriage with a rag and some cleaner all because I hate belt squeaks. I am so done with V belts.
I sense a serpentine conversion in my future...
Sooo I Just spent the last hour and a half wiping down the undercarriage with a rag and some cleaner all because I hate belt squeaks. I am so done with V belts.
I sense a serpentine conversion in my future...
I love this truck and the fact that you drove it all that way!
That's one good looking stepside!! I noticed your not running the brace from the tc to the bell housing, have you had any issues not running it? Not sure if I'm going to have room on mine, with long tubes and the tc clocked up.
My V belts don't squeak anymore. Maybe on a cold startup, but just for a second.
After trying lots of belts, the cheapest ones work the best. Duralast etc.
The fancy ones all squeak.
After trying lots of belts, the cheapest ones work the best. Duralast etc.
The fancy ones all squeak.
Hey Adam was this one of those joke posts that is the opposite of reality?
If you change the cam and intake and put headers on you'd be able to chuck those duralast belts with one blip of the throttle, they are junk. For V-belts I will only use gates. For serpentine I don't like gates, I like good year gatorback.Glen, you wouldn't regret a serpentine swap. Although if you turn around and swap in a big block or LS you may feel like you wasted your time.
Did you get the fishplate in?
Thanks
Nope no brace. Truck never had one and I've never had any problem. I think most people on here don't have them so I wouldn't worry about them.
TROLL
Hey Adam was this one of those joke posts that is the opposite of reality?
Glen, you wouldn't regret a serpentine swap. Although if you turn around and swap in a big block or LS you may feel like you wasted your time.
Did you get the fishplate in?
Agreed I've only bought 2 Duralast belts and they constantly spit at any quick rpm change or sustained high rpm. Never again. I only run Gates now. Any serpentine belts I've used the Gatorbacks with good results as well.
I'd love to do the swap but right now it doesn't make sense. I'd have to change the brand new water pump again to a reverse rotation, new alternator, and reroute wiring and hoses. Like you said it'd be a waste of time while I'm sitting around biding my time for an LS swap.
No progress yet on the fishplate.
Is there such a thing as an idler pulley retrofit for v-belt setups? It seems like anything that can prevent the longest section of the belt from stretching WAY out of position under high-RPM would help keep it from jumping off the pulleys.
-G
-G
I suppose there could be but just using quality belts, they only jump off if too loose or pulleys are badly misaligned. I haven't had a problem with that for a while.Is there such a thing as an idler pulley retrofit for v-belt setups? It seems like anything that can prevent the longest section of the belt from stretching WAY out of position under high-RPM would help keep it from jumping off the pulleys.
-G
March Performance does have serpentine retrofit kits that use serpentine belts in place of the v-belts:
http://marchperformance.com/chevy/c...mall-block-long-water-pump-super-economy.html
However I don't see the point to throw money at fancy pulleys when you still use the same old bracket adjustment to tighten the belt just like V-belts. If it had a tensioner pulley like a standard serp setup then maybe I'd be interested but based on the prices of their kits it's not worth it. I'd rather use factory brackets for a fraction of the cost.
Go with factory.
I had a problem with the march stuff lining up.
I had a problem with the march stuff lining up.
I also was able to configure brackets and I now have the same length belts for PS, and ALT, so 
