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New 1990 k5 blazer project

J

Jaustin612

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Greetings from the West coast!

Well where to begin, I've been lurking on this site for a few months, but I just recently got a login. I'm a Drill Instructor for the Marines here at the Recruit Depot in San Diego, I'm about done with my tour so now I have some free time to work on my new project...


I've recently just bit the bullet and picked up a 90 k5 350 tbi with a 4 inch procomp lift on 33s, it's a solid truck, no leaks and fairly clean compared to my previous projects.



There is a whole laundry list of things I'm working on, but with a 7 year old, a crazy wife with another little one on the way in a month I don't really have any time or funds lol. I figured I would document the progress on this thread, I'm not an amatuer but far from a pro so if anyone sees anything insane just let me know...

So far I've done some basic stuff to it, oil change, front diff rear diff and header gaskets. The entire drivetrain under the body is in great shape, no leaks what so ever thankfully and it's a Cali truck so no rust.

This weekend I'm planning on yanking off this old spare tire holder, it looks like hell and I believe it's just bolted to the sheet metal on the outside panel of the rear... It's cheap so it has to go.
 
Also as an update, thanks to this board I found out about redhead steering boxes, mine is worn the hell out so I said screw it and ordered a new one from redhead, it looks awesome, I'm going to get it put on hopefully this weekend... I'll post pics up later it looks beautiful compared to my old one...

On a side note, the pitman arm, do I need a new one? I haven't done a box swap before and I figured that since I am pulling it maybe I should get a new one... Not sure about that figured I'd ask
 
First, thanks for your service and congrats on the lil one in the oven

Did you order a 2wd steering box? If so the arm is different from a 4wd box. I swapped the sector shaft from a 2 into my 4

Welcome to CK5!
 
You don't need a new pitman arm but it's a good time to check your drag link ends
 
Honestly I'm not sure which one I called redhead and told them what I had, they found the part number and sent it to me, I'm going to take picture of the box when I get home and I'll see if it's the same one that I have. It's a 4x4 truck, I wasn't sure there was a difference in steering boxes... I'm gonna be pissed if I have to send it back... Which one do I need? I'm presuming it's the 4x4 since that's what my vehicle is.
 
A 4x4 steering box swings front to back. A 2x4 steering box swings side to side.

When doing crossover you need a 2wd steering box.

But without a lot of cash just stay with what ya got.

What is the end game for this truck
 
Thanks for the replies I'll check out the truck in a feW.

As far as end goals,
New 350
Rebuild the 700r trans
Dana 60 14 bolt front and rear with appropriate gear
New gauge setup with a tach instead of the worlds biggest gas gauge, I can't really figure out wtf gm would not put a tach on the gauges for these trucks...
Keep the 4 inch lift how it is, I'm really on a if it isn't broke don't fix it attitude right now,
 
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Sorry for the confusion.
Eventually you might want the cross over steering , cross that bridge when the D60 shows up
 
No worries, it's a learning process for me. There are so many different places to start with this project, just not enough money lol. I'm focused on the steering for now, there's a shit ton of play in the steering wheel, I had a buddy steer it with me out of it and the slop doesn't go past the steering box so I'm starting there. I'll put some pics up this weekend when I'm pulling the box
 


This is what I'm
Looking at... The question I have is that do I need a drop pitman arm? Do I have one already? Soorry for the newbie questions I'm just not sure where to go from here as far as getting new stuff
 
There are a couple ways to correct the stock steering.

Dropped pitman arm. Since your gonna already have a new box might be a good way to go. Oh btw the frame cracks around the steering box. I bet yours is cracked and at least part of the play is coming from that.

Raised steering arm is another way. This is what the drag link connects to on the axle side. Held onto the knuckle with 3 studs.

Then a dropped draglink. Which actually doesn't correct the angles at all it just puts the dle ( drag link end) at the pitman arm level, then drops to make it level at the steering arm
 
You gonna just take it up to the mountains for lesuirely drive?

Rockcrawler?

Expo rig?

Or a do it all type.
 
Ok. So looking at what I have it looks like stock pitman arm with some kind of jumbo bushing underneath it to make up for space... I'm assuming a four inch drop pitman would be the best?
 
It would be a do it all with mud as a preference, I don't want to go rock crawling with the 10 bolts I have on it yet lol
 
The "bushing" is just the grease boot on the drag link end. I personally would pick up a drop pitman arm for it while doing the box swap so you won't have to mess with pulling the old one off the old box. Nice truck also!
 
Here is a pic of my steering

This is a 6" lift with a 4" raised steering arm and stock pitman arm



Closer pic of the raised steering arm

 
Awesome.. It looks like mine has a raised steering arm already. I'm going to order the drop pitman arm today. Are they any other parts I need to order for that other than the pitman arm itself
 
You may want to check into a steering box brace from Off Road Design while you have the gear off and also check the frame for cracks behind the gear. If you don't damage the drag link end where it attaches to the pitman arm and its in good condition you can just reuse everything else. Make sure the joint where the steering shaft attaches to the steering box looks good also.
 
No worries it's been a pleasure id do it all over again in a heartbeat...

I saw the frame reinforcement stuff out there from ORD. May as well order that too. I checked underneath the frame there are no obvious cracks but I may as well order that one while I'm at it.

Here's my question,
Honestly I'm not even sure what size lift I have on it in the first place. I'll grab a measuring tape not sure where to go from where with it. Should I measure from the ground to the frame?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm the only redneck with a truck around here I think... No one else has one lol
 
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