TnA's 86 Jimmy Shop Build / Product Development Thread - (Trailing Arms?!?!)

[CFMi]

It is looking like I better plan on more weight on the rear of mine than I thought!!! I like what you are doing!!

Lol, it ended up right around 80 lbs. (equivalent to about 13 gallons of gas) It's not too bad for the truck to carry, but shipping this thing is going to suck!

love it.

Thanks bud!!

Dammit! my big ass truck is gonna need one of those! gimme some time on this one though, i'm sure it'll cost more than the shock mounts..

Yeah, just a bit more than the shock mounts lol. I'm going to try and keep this thing really reasonable and hope to sell a bunch, but the fact of the matter is that there is a LOT of steel in it and that adds $$. I think I can make it happen for $275 plus shipping of course, but I have to run some numbers before that's a concrete figure. I think it's worth it, since everyone else seems to be making skids in general out of 3/16" plate, and I see them banged up quite often. I think this one should hold up to a LOT of abuse before it starts to fail. And overkill is just right when we are protecting our fuel tank!!


-Darren

 

[CFMi]

Oh, I forgot to post up about the tank skid... The trial fit went really well, I had to cut down my tabs (where the nuts are welded for the attachment bolts) but that's it. So I fully welded the beast, and then hung it in the paint booth. I undercoated the inside, then just hit it with Silver Rustoleum Hammered on the outside. I figure that this will be continuously getting scratched, so and easy finish to touch-up would be good. I'll hit it with another coat in the AM, then hopefully have installed pics later in the day!

Talk to you all tomorrow! (unless my phone goes off enough to make me get back to the computer, lol! Hehe)

-Darren

 

[Deuling]

Make an unwelded package. That may save you on shipping.


I know id have zero problem welding up my own, for the amount it would save in shipping.

 

[drew4x4]

nice man, i love your work!

 

[CFMi]

Make an unwelded package. That may save you on shipping.


I know id have zero problem welding up my own, for the amount it would save in shipping.

It might save a little on shipping, but not much. It's not the box size that's the huge deal, it's the weight. Breaking it into two boxes though, each one being a little lighter might help a tiny bit at least.

nice man, i love your work!

Thanks man!!!

 

[Smokinthehippies]

It might save a little on shipping, but not much. It's not the box size that's the huge deal, it's the weight. Breaking it into two boxes though, each one being a little lighter might help a tiny bit at least.



Thanks man!!!

If it fits, it's ships!

 

[sokoloka]

High clearance rear looks great! What's the timing on the truck version with plate wings to match the front?

You're killing it man! Love every product you've put out thus far.

 

[CFMi]

High clearance rear looks great! What's the timing on the truck version with plate wings to match the front?

You're killing it man! Love every product you've put out thus far.

Thanks so much man! Hearing things like that keeps me going!!

As far as the truck version goes, it will have to be after I get back from Blazer Bash sometime. I can mock up brackets and such on a friend's rig, but I don't have a truck here at the shop, so it might take a little longer than it has for the previous development. If you would, email me pics of the side of your rear frame horns so I can see if it looks like any of the bolt holes might come close or not. Also, get me a measurement outside-to-outside across your rear frame rails. I'll try to see how close it is to this one, and maybe get an idea of how much work it will be to create the truck version


-Darren

 

[CFMi]

Okay - another short story:

This morning I got to the shop, and had to help out at my other job for a couple hours. Then I decided that I needed to get the proper u-joint for my rear driveshaft before I could really drive it anywhere (it turns out that the PO had put a 1310 joint that was in the driveshaft into the S44 yoke on the axle and it slid side-to-side about 1/4", lol) So after some digging, I located an adapter joint from a 1310 (outside snap rings) to an S44 (spicer wide with inside snap rings) and put that in. Cool. After that I hopped in the Cherokee and drove to the license plate place to get my temp tags renewed. Found out that in Weld County, unless you have a failed emissions report, you can only get a one-day temp tag. Great. So I immediately added some fluid to trans in the K5 so it would shift properly, and headed to the gas station. Put some gas in her, and she seemed to drive okay, so I headed over to the emissions test facility. Drove up, got out and went to the waiting area with my fingers crossed. I then watched one tech open the hood and stare for a while, then get another tech, then another, then another, and finally the manager. With flashlights out they perused my engine bay for quite some time, then one of them came in and hesitantly asked if it was the original motor. He said he thought it was, but that truck didn't come with fuel injection and it was supposed to have an AIR pump on it. But it didn't look like this one ever had one. Lol.
Unfortunately, the State Inspector's office is in the same building and he happened by and looked at it, then told me once they ran it, to pull it over to his bay. Damn. I was caught!!!
So after they ran it on the dyno (passed with flying colors by the way!) I spent what seemed like eternity with the state inspector going over what all had to be in place for the engine swap. Even down to the charcoal canister having to be replaced because it was labeled wrong (even though it would still function properly). Friggin' awesome. Oh, well. It was all just little crap, but enough so that I certainly couldn't take care of it today.
So back I drove to the license-plate-giver-outers, and tried to get a new temp tag since I now had a failed emissions report. The woman there sympathized with my plight, and gave me a 60-day temp tag!!! Sweetness! Now I can deal with it when I get back from Blazer Bash, and still be legal while in Moab! Whew!

When I got back from that humongous ordeal, I slammed the gas tank skid on, and took some pics:

I think that this one is simple enough and fits well enough that I'm just going to post it right on up in the vendor forums now


-Darren

 

[y5mgisi]

Stop it! Your going to take everyone's money! You just need to calm down!

 

[Kay86K5]

Okay - another short story:

This morning I got to the shop, and had to help out at my other job for a couple hours. Then I decided that I needed to get the proper u-joint for my rear driveshaft before I could really drive it anywhere (it turns out that the PO had put a 1310 joint that was in the driveshaft into the S44 yoke on the axle and it slid side-to-side about 1/4", lol) So after some digging, I located an adapter joint from a 1310 (outside snap rings) to an S44 (spicer wide with inside snap rings) and put that in. Cool. After that I hopped in the Cherokee and drove to the license plate place to get my temp tags renewed. Found out that in Weld County, unless you have a failed emissions report, you can only get a one-day temp tag. Great. So I immediately added some fluid to trans in the K5 so it would shift properly, and headed to the gas station. Put some gas in her, and she seemed to drive okay, so I headed over to the emissions test facility. Drove up, got out and went to the waiting area with my fingers crossed. I then watched one tech open the hood and stare for a while, then get another tech, then another, then another, and finally the manager. With flashlights out they perused my engine bay for quite some time, then one of them came in and hesitantly asked if it was the original motor. He said he thought it was, but that truck didn't come with fuel injection and it was supposed to have an AIR pump on it. But it didn't look like this one ever had one. Lol.
Unfortunately, the State Inspector's office is in the same building and he happened by and looked at it, then told me once they ran it, to pull it over to his bay. Damn. I was caught!!!
So after they ran it on the dyno (passed with flying colors by the way!) I spent what seemed like eternity with the state inspector going over what all had to be in place for the engine swap. Even down to the charcoal canister having to be replaced because it was labeled wrong (even though it would still function properly). Friggin' awesome. Oh, well. It was all just little crap, but enough so that I certainly couldn't take care of it today.
So back I drove to the license-plate-giver-outers, and tried to get a new temp tag since I now had a failed emissions report. The woman there sympathized with my plight, and gave me a 60-day temp tag!!! Sweetness! Now I can deal with it when I get back from Blazer Bash, and still be legal while in Moab! Whew!


-Darren

Sooooo....I am about to do this swap too. I have an 89 k5 that was wrecked that I purchased that I am in the process of pulling motor/tranny as a whole and dropping it into my 86 k5 (and pulling harness, computer, tank/fuel lines, ect... And I plan on keeping all the accessories and serp belt setup, minus air conditioning though). I also live in emissions area and would like to still be able to drive mine on the road when I want to. Do you have a good link or something where I can find what all is needed so I don't have to dick with those "wonderful people" down at the emissions testing facility when I need to rerun mine for emissions again next year? I have heard that there is a bunch of paper work that needs to be filled out, but I would like to know it all so I don't throw something away on the donor truck before realizing I needed it for emissions. If you know of anything like that, let me know.

 

[CFMi]

Stop it! Your going to take everyone's money! You just need to calm down!

Lol, that actually made me laugh out loud! Haha! And no, I'm far from that, but if I can build something that you guys need in trade for a little of your hard-earned cash, then that keeps me going!

-Darren

 

[CFMi]

Sooooo....I am about to do this swap too. I have an 89 k5 that was wrecked that I purchased that I am in the process of pulling motor/tranny as a whole and dropping it into my 86 k5 (and pulling harness, computer, tank/fuel lines, ect... And I plan on keeping all the accessories and serp belt setup, minus air conditioning though). I also live in emissions area and would like to still be able to drive mine on the road when I want to. Do you have a good link or something where I can find what all is needed so I don't have to dick with those "wonderful people" down at the emissions testing facility when I need to rerun mine for emissions again next year? I have heard that there is a bunch of paper work that needs to be filled out, but I would like to know it all so I don't throw something away on the donor truck before realizing I needed it for emissions. If you know of anything like that, let me know.

I don't know of anywhere that there is anything specific for you to go look at... But if you are any place like where I am, save EVERYTHING emissions related! Including that charcoal canister! Everything than any vacuum line attaches to or that goes to the exhaust. Put it ALL back on when you go to get your first emissions test. Let them get their computers info all set, then and only then, you can start any other mods. My guy said that he goes in through the ALDL port and checks to make sure of the year of the computer, and even checks the PROM chip to make sure it is what came with the donor truck.
Once the invasive testing is over, and their computers show that you have an '89 engine in there, you should be able to modify the program, add power options, etc... as long as it still passes the dyno/sniffer test for the newer engine.

-Darren

 

[CFMi]

...and just because.....

-Darren

 

[mrk5]

So glad I live in a rural area!

 

[Ned Kelly]

The rear bumper and gas tank skid plate look great!

 

[CFMi]

The rear bumper and gas tank skid plate look great!

Thanks man! They really look good together, I don't feel like the pictures do them justice, lol. I think when I can find the time to get the sides made for the bumper, the whole look will be awesome!

-Darren

 

[CFMi]

** Off Topic RANT! **

So this morning it took me 1 hr and 35 min to get to the shop. That's 30 minutes more than usual. There was road construction through one of the towns I have to drive through. The woman (I'd guess about 45-ish) in front of me was driving a 3/4-ton Dodge Ram. The construction brought us down to one lane, and I happened to be in the lane that was continuous. As typical in Colorado, the lane that actually dropped off was moving faster than the lane that went through - a fact that I can't understand but have come to expect in Colorado. It was unusually biased towards the other lane today though, so I was already getting frustrated.
As we got closer to the construction zone, the woman in front of me let a car in from the other lane, then a little while later, another. Then she let a tractor trailer in, and the little car behind it. Then she came to a complete stop, turned around in her seat and looked over her shoulder to see if there was anyone else she could let in. There was - another tractor trailer. I lost it! I started honking and yelling at her to get moving! She turned around and very clearly "mouthed" to me in her mirror that "NO, I'm not just going to cut everyone off!" Are you f-ing kidding me??!?!?!?!

Is it just plain ignorance? or actual stupidity? One car goes from one lane, then one car from the other lane. Kindergarten students could tell you that wold make for even flow of traffic. This woman thinks she is being "nice" to let more people go, but in reality she is just one of the many who cause all the massive backups out here. I just don't understand how so many people can't put just a small amount of thought into what they are doing.
On the other side of things, I'm originally from the East Coast, where the exact opposite happens. If you are in the lane that drops off, good luck trying to get into the lane that continues on. Nobody wants to let anyone in. So you get horribly stuck if you are in that lane. But that I can understand a little better - it is YOUR lane that drops off, it is YOUR responsibility to manage a way to move out of the lane. If someone in the continuous lane is nice enough to let you in, then good for you. But it is not their responsibility to let you in - they have the right of way!

Sorry guys, I just had to get that off my chest! Is there anywhere in the US that drives logically and flows traffic well?? Let me know your thoughts and opinions - I might consider moving!!! Lol. Well, either that or maybe move to the middle of nowhere where there are only four cars in the whole town, lol!


-Darren

 

[Ned Kelly]

Haha....I understand the frustration. The lady was making up for all those jerks that never let anyone in, but at the expense of everyone behind her. Ah well, if only everyone was TOO kind! Like you said, just a small amount would have sufficed and she should have let others behind her let in traffic so they could give some of the good kharma out also.

Hey wait a minute, aren't you supposed be at the shop ramping up production right now on all that cool stuff? .....

 

[LIVEAnimals]

wow that looks great. I might consider running one of those skids on my Sub