CK5
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The Green Grendel
- Thread starter campfire
- Start date
So the list now looks like this:
Fab up a real shifter.
Get my shifting boots mounted.
Swap out the 33" tires so the axles match.
Figure out what's weird with the brakes.
Eliminate fuel leak.
Get speedo cable. (@Rugby_7 might have one, waiting to hear back at Christmas time)
Extend the clutch rod so I can have my 12MM socket back.
Figure out whether the blower motor is dying or just grinding dust out of the bearings.
Long-term:
Replace ball joint(s).
Watch for fluid leaks.
Wire reverse lights, if I feel like it.
Fab up a real shifter.
Get my shifting boots mounted.
Swap out the 33" tires so the axles match.
Figure out what's weird with the brakes.
Eliminate fuel leak.
Get speedo cable. (@Rugby_7 might have one, waiting to hear back at Christmas time)
Extend the clutch rod so I can have my 12MM socket back.
Figure out whether the blower motor is dying or just grinding dust out of the bearings.
Long-term:
Replace ball joint(s).
Watch for fluid leaks.
Wire reverse lights, if I feel like it.
This is also the first day of a projected 40* temperature drop for us (from 40* to 0*). Work is pretty near gonna halt on this thing when the temperatures get that low. Even 20* felt cold today (some of that was wind). Hence the push to get this thing drivable this week. Routine things like ball joints and brake fiddling can be done on warm days or hired out if urgent enough. But that only works when the truck is somewhat functional! 
I did move insurance from Big Blue to this thing, so the goal is to give it some road time and see how it shakes down.
I did move insurance from Big Blue to this thing, so the goal is to give it some road time and see how it shakes down.
This is also the first day of a projected 40* temperature drop for us (from 40* to 0*). Work is pretty near gonna halt on this thing when the temperatures get that low. Hence the push to get this thing drivable this week. Routine things like ball joints and brake fiddling can be done on warm days or hired out if urgent enough. But that only works when the truck is somewhat functional!
I did move insurance from Big Blue to this thing, so the goal is to give it some road time and see how it shakes down.
Really glad to see this thing up and operational! All that work paid off for sure good job dude
Really glad to see this thing up and operational! All that work paid off for sure good job dude
Thanks. I'm both surprised that I didn't find any drivetrain issues and annoyed at the smaller things that I now hafta look into. I can't complain, though. I bought a junkyard tranny and a used flywheel with no idea what condition either one were in, it sure was nice to watch it smoothly shift through the gears with no noises or issues. Very thankful for that.
We'll see how far down the list I get before the weather closes in. The forecast is getting worse each time I look at it.
2 more things. The column shifter has messed me up several times now. In the other truck, that's the go-stick, but in this truck it just sits there and mocks me as I try to grab it out of habit. 
And the other thing I did today was finally mounting up that angle iron beam that I welded up 687 posts ago. I can now square dance with an elephant without caving the floor in.
And the other thing I did today was finally mounting up that angle iron beam that I welded up 687 posts ago. I can now square dance with an elephant without caving the floor in.
Nice works @campfireyethanyooperpooperdudeman
I did the official test drive this morning. First I drove it down to the pump to fill it up (my first time). The monstrous filler nozzle is quirky.
From 1/8-tank to full, it took this much fuel. The fuel gauge did rise like I would have expected. I'm guessing I have a 25 gallon tank? I thought I had read somwhere that the military rigs came with the 31-gallon tanks.
My rusty filler neck also lived up to my suspicions. The small line leaks slowly when the tank is full. I kindof expected this, and almost declined to fill it completely up, but ultimately decided that I wanted to know what I actually owned.
I then drove it into town, making half a dozen stops. The cold-weather blanket over the radiator doesn't look like it's going anywhere, but I have snaps for snapping onto something that appears to be missing.
I also drove it out to the lighthouse at the edge of town.
From 1/8-tank to full, it took this much fuel. The fuel gauge did rise like I would have expected. I'm guessing I have a 25 gallon tank? I thought I had read somwhere that the military rigs came with the 31-gallon tanks.
My rusty filler neck also lived up to my suspicions. The small line leaks slowly when the tank is full. I kindof expected this, and almost declined to fill it completely up, but ultimately decided that I wanted to know what I actually owned.
I then drove it into town, making half a dozen stops. The cold-weather blanket over the radiator doesn't look like it's going anywhere, but I have snaps for snapping onto something that appears to be missing.
I also drove it out to the lighthouse at the edge of town.
I'm really thrilled with how well the truck handled the road. It is a noise-amplifying tin box, and my holey exhaust can get loud when the pedal goes down. But there weren't many noises to hear. This truck doesn't whistle like the others do. There were no drivetrain noises. At highway speed there was a little bit of tire noise, but the tires are all a little low and I hafta switch 'em out anyway. The Detroit continued to make U-turns chirpy, but did not click between shifts (as I had been told to expect). The brake pedal is softer than I expected, but it will still cause skidding if applied firmly. I'm pretty sure that the back is locking up too quickly, but I'll check that with a spotter. The steering is a touch loose, but there are no shakes or shutters. Not at high speeds or low speeds. The new shocks give a decent ride. The heater worked like a charm (again, though, it took a couple minutes for the blower motor bearings to stop squealing). The cab got warm enough that I was able to glue on the rear view mirror button (which had fallen off at some point).
Basically, the truck did everything I told it to do, and nothing that I didn't. No complaints are possible.
The big test (for me, at least) comes when I decide to drive it to work. That raises the bar when it comes to dependability, showing up late is frowned upon. But that is the next step, and I'm feeling pretty confident.
Basically, the truck did everything I told it to do, and nothing that I didn't. No complaints are possible.
The big test (for me, at least) comes when I decide to drive it to work. That raises the bar when it comes to dependability, showing up late is frowned upon. But that is the next step, and I'm feeling pretty confident.
Film clip of crossing the Yooper bridge. At the 18-second mark I shift from 4th gear to 5th gear. In a 35MPH zone. 
This thing needs more gears for highway speeds, and it's only gonna get worse when I downgrade the tires.
This thing needs more gears for highway speeds, and it's only gonna get worse when I downgrade the tires.
Right on! Good for you getting it driving!
The column shifter just comes out if you drive that roll pin out.
You and the mismatched wheels and tires drive me nuts!!
The column shifter just comes out if you drive that roll pin out.
You and the mismatched wheels and tires drive me nuts!!
Right on! Good for you getting it driving!
The column shifter just comes out if you drive that roll pin out.
You and the mismatched wheels and tires drive me nuts!!
I originally wanted to repurpose that shifter for the T-case linkage. But it looks like the NP208 and NV4500 are going to get along, so now I don't need it. I just might remove it yet.
And the 33s are coming off of the back, I just haven't shuffled tires around yet. You guys may still hate me for only having 4 matching rims instead of 5, but that's what I have.
Cruising the parking lot at the lighthouse/boat ramp. This is 3rd gear shifting to 4th.
IIRC, my M1009 had the 25-gallon tank. The 25 gallon should be about 10 3/4" tall, versus the 31 is like 12 3/4".
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Campy, I'm impressed. Glad to see the K5 out of the barn and on the road. Making the 8lug upgrade and 5 speed swap happen is awesome. Looks pretty straight. Great progress.
beags86
Eastbound and Down
You and the mismatched wheels and tires drive me nuts!!
Thank God, I am not the only one!
Thanks. That means a lot.
I meant it when I said that I plan to DD this thing through the winter. Whenever the TinyCar sells, this is going to be seeing road time.
P.S. - I have found a hydraulic SM465/NP208/W-crossmember combination for sale locally. If I bring it home I will have my last required parts for doing this whole shebang over again in the Suburban (Bell housing, cross member, and 32-spline input shaft). I was wanting an NV3500 in there, but after driving this one around, and also driving the farm truck, I'm not overly worried about the lack of gears or the wide split between 3rd and 4th. I can live with that, and using the second NV4500 that has dropped into my lap makes more sense than hunting for an NV3500. I do predict the second one taking half as much time as this first one has taken. I've learned a bunch of things the hard way.
@78K30, that farm truck just might be in pieces come springtime!
I think you'll love the DD duty. I'm not driving mine every day, but at least once or twice a week. It's those DD road miles that will build up the trust level in the rig and get your comfort up to stretch it's legs on some longer drives later.
