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Richard's Funky Fire Truck

Overview Gallery Discussion
I actually kinda missed being able to smash through the dirt bike trails with the blazer this year. Also, crawling dunes with glass packs is a lot of fun.
 
muddermilitia said:
Hmmm manual trans 6.2 blazer wouldn't make it up the sand hills. Automatic 6.2 truck made it up every hill. ......:whistle:
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My uninformed guess is that the 4.56 gearing made a bigger difference than the choice of tranny did. But that's just a guess. I still don't know squat about sand. :dunno:

Hey Adam, can I revive last year's invitation to have a late summer mini-dune-party? I should have some time in August or September to get over your way. Maybe it won't flood this time. :doah:
 
I had 3.08s in my blazer my first time out and 4.88s the second time. It didn't really make a difference.
 
Richcz28 said:
There won't be a pedal change in the near future. I need this truck together and working for the next year.

I do also have a gm turbo setup sitting in my garage... There may be some sort of complete drivetrain build over the next couple years.

I'm really leaning towards an nv3500 because of the close ratios and having a true 5 speed. I need to really look at what they are capable of. I want to continue to be able to tow a car trailer well. Fire truck drives straight and true on the highway and can keep up with the speed limit. I definitely think it would easily cruise 75 unloaded with overdrive.
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I didn't realize you were still running 4.56 gears. I think this is the first case I've heard about where a 6.2/TH400/4.56 combination kept up with the speed limit on a cross-country trip without soliciting complaints from the driver about the gearing. Definitely not my cup of tea.

FWIW, both of my 700R4 trucks (3.08/28" & 3.73/31") are able to keep up on the highway well. The 3.08 truck will have to downshift if I want to maintain 65MPH up any long grade steeper than 4% or 5%. The gearing difference is quite noticeable when trailering. But your rig is so overgeared that I would think you would either want a couple of overdrive gears or fairly large tires to make up the difference. You're not even starting to approach my cruising RPM range. :dunno:
 
Richcz28 said:
I had 3.08s in my blazer my first time out and 4.88s the second time. It didn't really make a difference.
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Really? Is this on the road, in the sand, or both? I have driven several 6.2/6.5 combinations, with gas mileages ranging from 12MPG-26MPG, and power output seemed to correspond accordingly.

Maybe I have overestimated the effects of gearing. :dunno:
I know I feel quite a difference between my 2 trucks.
 
I was just saying the blazer sucks in the sand and it has no correlation to gearing. I think the bfgs and running 8 psi may have had the greatest impact. Also, the sand seems to change drastically day to day.
 
Richcz28 said:
I was just saying the blazer sucks in the sand and it has no correlation to gearing. I think the bfgs and running 8 psi may have had the greatest impact. Also, the sand seems to change drastically day to day.
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Ok. Someday I'll get this stuff figured out. :dunno:
 
FWIW, 4.88 gears with 37's is like 4.09 gears with 31's, so he's not geared tons deeper than you.
 
This truck drove EXCELLENT down the highway... I can say that because I spent about 12 hours driving it... With the 37's on it it felt like the 6.2 was in its sweet spot.
 
What front Springs and shocks do you have? Looks like 4"tuff country hd? What shocks and how do you like the ride?
 
y5mgisi said:
What front Springs and shocks do you have? Looks like 4"tuff country hd? What shocks and how do you like the ride?
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Ride is great. I drove out with no shocks and ran deulings old shocks at dunes and home.

They are 4 inch hd TC with an easy inch shifted one inch forward and a 1 inch body lift from Kert with all new rubber bushings.


The rear is kerts flip with cross tied shackles and billstiens I bought for the front of the blazer so they are a little too big but work for now.
 
Can't you just pull the extra spring out of the hd if you don't like it?

I should add that I'm still running a sway bar.
 
I have long been under the impression that the HD are the same as ez ride except that they have the one extra bottom leaf. But I can't confirm that. I think I might just do the HD on account of the crew cab and the big block and hope for the best.
 
Oh yeah, in the crew cab definitely go at least hd.
 
I don't have crossover on this truck. I did have to cut the steering draglink? To get the turning close and it still needs some help.
 
Rich, unbolt the sway bar from the frame and see how it rides. I was amazed how much better mine rode without it.
 
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