Project Hammer

[hammermachine]

Labor day weekend wheelin

So my crew got together again this holiday to do some wheelin and a little cooking out. This is a new spot for us, and a pretty good one (even though I'm not a big fan of rocks and hills). This is also the same place my body bushings came apart at. So as far as I was concerned I had prove my K5 was good enough to hang. We have a wide ranging group of trucks, Montreo, Blazer, Bronco, 4 runner, jeep, Suzki and even a Hummer. It was a good run, about 4 hours working the hills and gullies in Northern NJ. My truck and the Hummer had trouble climbing the steepest spots, and I avoided the craziset rock shelves I've seen.

I did manage to get aliitle damege, a crumpled passanger door, worn out/ over heated steering pressure lines, and some missing Superwinch hub screws (WTF!). I'm more pissed about the screws than the rest, I lost 5 out of 6 screws on the way home. (WTF!)

 

[mudboggink5]

where did you go wheelin. What town?

 

[hammermachine]

New part!

Just added a aftermarket power steering cooler. It took me longer to install (only because I couldn't find my teflon tape). I bolted it to inner fender wall and ran the replacement hoses to the pump and steering gears. It looks pretty cool (HA!) the cooler installed pretty straight forward. Later I took the K5 for a run around town, after bleeding the system. It didn't seem that the cooler made any difference to the touch. After the 1/2 hour run the power steering lines and cooler were hot to the touch. I don't know if it was any cooler than before. I'll see how it'll go the next time I'm off road.

 

[WAR WAGON]

Where did you find new factory "cup washers?" And the upper washer/sleeves? I'm guessing my best bet is the junk yard, the only way to get them from the dealer is with rubber body mounts.

 

[hammermachine]

Body mounts

Where did you find new factory "cup washers?" And the upper washer/sleeves? I'm guessing my best bet is the junk yard, the only way to get them from the dealer is with rubber body mounts.

I got lucky, I was able to refurbish two out of six cup washers, one in front and one on the driver's side. I used 1/4 thick square stainless washers from work as washer cups. I used two on each point for added strengh. I checked them after the last off roading weekend and they held up damn good. They are thicker than the OEM washers.

 

[WAR WAGON]

So they are just flat, and not cupped like the stock ones? That's what I was thinking about doing.

Thanks,

Ross

 

[hammermachine]

Washers

So they are just flat, and not cupped like the stock ones? That's what I was thinking about doing.

Thanks,

Ross

Yeah they are just square stainless steel 9/16 thick washers with a 1/2 hole in the center. I thought the square ones would work better than trying to get round washers to fit tight. Again I'm still new at this, but so far I have had no problems.

 

[WAR WAGON]

Thank you for the info, changing out the bushings turned into a bigger project than I ever thought.

 

[swettysblazer]

Where in Jersey are you? I am from North Jersey, and have a Blazer that looks EXACTLY like yours... 4 inch RC lift, 35 inch Mud Terrains, same bull bar, red interior, etc. I had to do the same thing to the floor, but on both sides.

 

[hammermachine]

Blazer!

Where in Jersey are you? I am from North Jersey, and have a Blazer that looks EXACTLY like yours... 4 inch RC lift, 35 inch Mud Terrains, same bull bar, red interior, etc. I had to do the same thing to the floor, but on both sides.

That's funny! What year? I'm in South Orange where are you?

 

[hammermachine]

Last work of the year!

Monday during my last vacation days I decided to tackle the last work on the project this year. I bought Energy Suspension’s sway bar bushing replacements a month ago, but it’s been too rainy or cold to do the install. So I guilted myself into doing it even though it was in the low 50’s, and grabbed my gear and attacked my truck. I started with a heavy dose of PB Blaster on all of the exposed nuts and bolts. I soon found two things that slowed me down all day. One I don’t have a socket that is large enough to handle the bolts attached to the ends of the sway bar. And second GM somehow decided to hid one bolt in a metal half cup, which of course made removing it a F*CKING BITCH. That said I finally got the sway bar out and had a bitch removing one of the old OEM bushing. The first one was so rotten it came out in one hit of a hammer. The second would not move. I pried, pulled, and hit it, and nothing. Of course I could burn it out, but I didn’t own a torch. F*ck! So after a trip to Sears (who didn’t sell them anymore, I got one from Depot). After struggling to get it going I was able to burn the rubber OEM out in a couple of minutes. Getting late in the day I sanded down the bar and repainted it first with Rustoleum Rust reformer and then a coat of Rustoleum safety red paint.

The next day I installed the new poly bushings, using the supplied grease. They are nice, and went in pretty easy. The reinstall of the sway bar went pretty easy except the big bolts only had to be switched twice before they decided to screw in? Whatever they finally went in and the install was complete. I took the K5 out for a spin and didn’t really notice any major difference, but it is improved.

 

[hammermachine]

Score!

Today a buddy from my club called me and said that he had to "get rid of some of his Mud terrain tires". They won't fit his old truck anymore (upgraded to 1 tons) and he needed to get them out of his house. A set of four mudders (two pair different brands) two in really good shape, one in okay shape one write off. He also gave me another all terrain tire. So including that one I now own seven All terrain tires. I'll keep one as a spare and get one new mud tire and sell the rest. Cool!

 

[hammermachine]

Weekend Wheelin chaos!

Today was a beautiful day to do some 4 wheelin, the crew got together to go to our new spot. Some private property in greater north Jersey,and more than half of out club turned out. This spot has sent me home twice, once it showcased my body bolt problem, the last time I dented my door and had power steering leakage. This time it was really good run, scary tight, with a lot of tight gullies and washouts. It sucked as far as I had the only fullsized rig there, so I now have new dents on the passenger side and the driver's side rear. Most will pop out once I work on them. I may have to re-think some of these "trails", most are not even passable with jeeps. Oh well it's about the fun not the damage.

 

[mudboggink5]

Nice. Next time you go out there give me a call, maybe you'll have another fullsize out there.

 

[odin]

I'd like to go out with ya.
Still have my number?

Cant let ya be the only fullsize out there.

 

[hammermachine]

Hey guy!

I'd like to go out with ya.
Still have my number?

Cant let ya be the only fullsize out there.

Save me for searching for it, PM me!

 

[84CUCV]

where is that? i know it just cant place it

 

[hammermachine]

Finishing touches!

Today I spent some time repairing some of the damage from last weekend. Minor but important stuff, like the cooler lines(fittings) and new passenger side mirror. The mirror was the last victim of the wheeling carnage, the last tree as I was leaving the spot clipped the mirror and popped the glass out (which sunk in deep mud). The cooler I've been fighting with for weeks, the return line pressure kept leaking the fittings that came with the kit. So I found a industrial fitting and hose(wider) from work, and within a 1/2 hour I had the cooler hooked up and holding pressure. (NO MORE LEAKS!) The mirror was a very simple and easy install, and best of all it was only $20+ from LMC.

 

[hammermachine]

Snowstorm 09

This past Saturday we got hit by a major storm, this is only noteworthy because we haven't had one in a long time. It dumped near me 6 to 8 inches of really fluffy stuff, but some people got hit harder. This was the first offical trek out with the K5 lifted and complete. Last yaer it just missed the big storm.
I managed to head to work for a emergency call in the middle of the storm only using 2WD. I really didn't want to use the 4WD with the front locked. I made the trip without any major issues 44 miles round trip. Since then it's been a perfect truck handling the snow and ice without problems, The BFG's AT are great so far, I might reconsider swapping in MTs.

 

[hammermachine]

Armor

I've been thinking over the long winter season that I needed to protect my rig better. I'm still considering where to buy some rock sliders. But I was able to locate a Diff cover from my rear 10 bolt. I found purple Cranium, they make spider diff covers for most vehicles including Chevy 10 bolts. I have no plans of upgrading to D60 and 14 bolts (too much cost, too little off roading). So the stock 10 bolts have to be protected. (I'm still trying to get a diff cover from Rockcrusher for the front axle.).

The purple cranium diff guard was pretty straight forward install, (except they orginianlly sent me the wrong stainless steel screw bolts) They realized they're mistake and shipped me a new set. Once I was totally set I installed the guard within a 1/2 hour with no problem. It looks pretty cool, even my half assed paint job on the diff cover isn't too bad.