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To do list / motivation

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mr_blasto

1/2 ton status
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Nov 8, 2004
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Location
Irvine, CA
I don't know what it is, but I just haven't been motivated lately to do anything on my K5 - probably because it seems there is always something else that needs to be done. I am hoping to join up with everyone for blazer bash (I am living in UT right now), but I am not really sure what I need to get done before that. Maybe you guys can help.

In two weeks my build should look like this:
400 sbc with TBI (need to figure out where / how to mount the box and check engine light, they are just dangling atm)
Th-350 / np205
D60 w/ crossover / D70 with detroit locker (4.56's)
38x15.5x16.5 SSR's on H1's
4" springs in front, shackle flip + zero rate in the rear
Rear bumper with recovery points

Here is a list of things I want to do (in no particular order), but I need some help prioritizing:

Cage
Decent seats and a seating solution for a 2 year old
Soft top / bikini top
Winch?... which would mean I need a different front bumper too
Sliders
No doors / tube doors?
Spare parts / trail equipment (hi-lift, etc.)?
Skid Plates?
Long travel shocks (anyone have a setup for using shocks with 15" of travel without in-boarding?)

I have rust in a few places, most notably the rocker boxes and in the bed. I am pretty worried about body flex, but I think a cage and sliders would help out a lot. I have a limited (but not fixed) budget, little to no tools, and no place to work on it. All my tools are in CA, and I am living in UT as a student until Dec., so it's kind of awkward to do my own wrenching. I think it's the combination of limited funds, work needing to be done, and no means to get the work done that is perhaps stifling my motivation. I am hoping by publicly declaring my intent to go to BB and get this crap done, it might automagically happen.
 
Even without any of the upgrades, your k5 is more capable than mine was when I went to blazerbash the first time. I brought a keg of beer and a few tools I had thrown in. No lockers, jack, or even a spare tire on a 1000 mile trip from ca to ut.

Just get it running reasonably well and come on out. If you happen to get something else done before then, enjoy it.
 
Yup

I'm with Brian on this one! Being prepared will take the thrill outta damn near anything.:laugh:
 
ChefBear said:
I'm with Brian on this one! Being prepared will take the thrill outta damn near anything.:laugh:
Click to expand...

Man, that sounds like something I would have said a few years ago. I have sure gotten soft since being married and having a kid. That is reassuring though that I should be able to have fun as is... but it isn't helping me get any more motivated :doah:

Let's say, hypothetically, that I want to get more done. As far as a top goes, I think that has to wait until I get a cage. Regarding a cage, it seems it would make sense to do that, sliders, and seats at the same time, right? Let's just throw bumper and winch right off the list, unless someone thinks it's critical. As far as shocks go, I have the 15" bilstein 5150's sitting around waiting for me to figure out how I'm going to do the rear, so it's more of a puzzle than a huge burden to overcome.

Revised plan:
Try to sort out shock mounting by next weekend when I do the axle swap
Drive it to UT and figure out cage, sliders, and seats (anyone know the best setup for a little one?)
After cage, find someone locally to do a bikini top cause my wife would kill me if we sat in the sun all day
No doors or tube doors are likely a luxury that likely just won't happen in time

Skid plates, diff covers, steering stabilizer, doublers, triple stick, overdrive transmission and any other craziness will have to wait till after graduation.

Well that was easy, now I just have to do it :doah:. Again, hopefully a public forum will help me feel some sense of accountability.
 
I had my little girl on our second year out and she just sat in a car seat buckled into the rear bench seat. The kid seat had a 5-point harness. This year, both kids will be strapped back there.

For the record, there has been thunder showers almost every time I've been there. The first year was so wet, I saw some unimog trucks abandoned in a wash of mud! You should have some kind of covering for both sun and rain if you care about that stuff. :)

I'm not saying sit around and watch tv for the next two months, but don't try and rush a bunch of stuff you either won't finish or have to jury rig just to make the trip. I'd focus on any safety details that need it and then if there's time pick a few upgrades to work on that wont kill the trip if they aren't finished.

You obviously need two axles, seats and belts, and reliable brakes. Make sure it doesn't leak fluid or break down too much or overheat when run hard.

There are plenty of people around with a winch that have always helped out anyone who needed it. Make sure any stuff you carry is securely tied down so it doesn't fly out and kill someone after dropping down a small ledge or rock. A good cage takes so planning and work so start it now if you decide you need it before then. I might suggest a heavy duty diff cover since it protected my front gears from a boulder that tried to sneak under my axle.
 
1. Safety items first...especially if you are bringing a 2 year old on the trail
2. Reliability is next
3. Performance is last

Do all items in category 1 before starting on item 2.....same rule before starting anything in category 3.

DONE :deal:


:usaflag:
 
Sounds like some pretty solid advice there Greg.

I have about a week until I go back to CA and swap the axles and drive to UT. I am sure I will run into some problems during the swap, so I'll definitely have some more posts in the not too distant future.
 
Seriously

Greg gave me the same advice years ago and was one of the driving forces for the cage and harness combo that I went with. He has not been able to do anything about me being a smartass, but we all keep hoping.:wink1:

For the us and the kids I did PRP seats because they come in a variety of sizes. I'm big, wife is normal I have an 8 year old and a 3 year old. Having a seat sizzled for the little one was a great choice. Build a cage with harness bars and a seat bridge and you'll not regret it.

I think one point everybody was kinda trying to make as well is that getting out and enjoying your rig is very important, making it a family thing is also very important. No better motivator than happy memories!

IMG_1783.JPG
 
Chefbear, would you happen to have some pics about how you did your cage? I want to have harnesses that tie into it, but I can't seem to think of a good way to do that without severely limiting access to the rear seats. Our little guy can't strap himself in yet, so it has to be adult friendly. It really seems tough to make a cage that has good rear seat access and harness bars. I don't have a center console atm, so I guess the bar doesn't have to go all the way across and we could walk through there, but that means I will never have a center console (it could be worse though).

I know safety is the biggest deal--I am completely sold on it, but I still can't help but feel like the cage will have some major drawbacks. Love the picture of your daughter. Just the notion that I can do this with my family has kept me into it, otherwise I would likely be into some other form of motorsports.
 
pics

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The two hoop approach seemed like the best fix at the time and still works well for when you have to crawl back there, but most of the time you just stand on the rear tire and strap them in.

attachment.php


attachment.php

using lots of Kurt's stuff saved time and money at the shop, staked cage flanges let me unbolt it and lift it out. http://diy4x.com/
 
Thanks for the pics. They are quite helpful.

For anyone out there that has a cage, did you use 1.75" DOM or 2" (I am assuming no one used 1.5"). I know 1.75" is less expensive, so I am leaning toward that, but I just want to make sure it won't look goofy on such a big truck. Pretty sure either will be strong enough.
 
mr_blasto said:
Thanks for the pics. They are quite helpful.

For anyone out there that has a cage, did you use 1.75" DOM or 2" (I am assuming no one used 1.5"). I know 1.75" is less expensive, so I am leaning toward that, but I just want to make sure it won't look goofy on such a big truck. Pretty sure either will be strong enough.
Click to expand...

I used 1.75" on mine and I think it looks plenty stout for a truck this big. I actually kinda think 2" looks too big unless its just used for a roll bar, but both meet the requirements if built well. Check out gregs thread, his cage is well built so far and looks easy to climb through to the back. Mine is pretty easy to since my wife has to climb back there to strap the kids in.
 
In other news, Greg's thread is entirely too long!!

It seems he wrestled with those diagonal bars supporting the b pillar. Chefbear's solution doesn't seem to add strength to the cage, but provides a mounting point for the harnesses and makes walking through between the seats really easy. Greg's solution obviously adds tons of strength to the cage at the cost of rear access - though the rear is still accessible. Bigblock72 http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222300 doesn't appear to run any tubing near the interior and doesn't run 5 point harnesses (and I have a ton of respect for him, the work he does, and the help he has previously given me).

I always assumed that I would run 5 points, but maybe Chad has the answer. Here's a thought. Would it be worth it to make a compromise between greg's cage and chefbear's cage by doing the mini-hoop behind the seats like chef did and then running a bar from the corner of the b pillar hoop to the corner of that behind the seat hoop? Or would that be tube for the sake of tube rather than actually contributing to the integrity of the cage?
 
Strength vs Aesthetics vs Real-World Functionality is a tough balancing act in rollcage design.

Ultimately, it ends up being as many tubes as you can stand installing and still have the access you want. The b-pillar supports are hard because they really DO help prevent the cage from shifting laterally during a rollover, but they immediately limit rear seat access.

In practical terms, since I knew I'd be running a center console there was no reason to give clean access from the center of the truck. In the old days, it was convenient to stand up from the driver's seat and move into the back through the center, but now the console makes that an awkward move anyway.

If you keep the factory style flip-forward passenger seat (or at least use a similar mounting system on an aftermarket seat) then a design like my diagonal b-pillar bars isn't really all that impractical..... it's a pretty good angled shot up into the truck and then into the seat behind the driver. The minor inconvenience was worth the tradeoff for me.

As for 4-point belts which I do eventually want, there should be a way fairly easily to install a small horizontal bar inside each of those b-pillar supports just below shoulder level to get a proper mount for the shoulder straps. If space gets tight for two straps, I think they make a version of the belts where they come together in more of a "Y" shape so that you only need to have enough space to bolt a single strap.

More food for thought.... :thinking:



:usaflag:


ps. I agree my thread is too long....so is the build....... 2+ years and counting??
 
mr_blasto said:
In other news, Greg's thread is entirely too long!!

It seems he wrestled with those diagonal bars supporting the b pillar. Chefbear's solution doesn't seem to add strength to the cage, but provides a mounting point for the harnesses and makes walking through between the seats really easy. Greg's solution obviously adds tons of strength to the cage at the cost of rear access - though the rear is still accessible. Bigblock72 http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222300 doesn't appear to run any tubing near the interior and doesn't run 5 point harnesses (and I have a ton of respect for him, the work he does, and the help he has previously given me).

I always assumed that I would run 5 points, but maybe Chad has the answer. Here's a thought. Would it be worth it to make a compromise between greg's cage and chefbear's cage by doing the mini-hoop behind the seats like chef did and then running a bar from the corner of the b pillar hoop to the corner of that behind the seat hoop? Or would that be tube for the sake of tube rather than actually contributing to the integrity of the cage?
Click to expand...

The red lines are what I was thinking as far as comprimising between the two designs. The yellow line was to add strength. What do you guys think? I think rear access will be through the center, because I haven't really ever used the passenger seat folding forward, so why start?

gregcage1.jpg
 
Maybe.

In a rollover, none of that bracing is a single solid tube, it looks like a bunch of small segments that would not have the same ultimate strength as a single straight bar. The problem I see is that you've got a cage node with 4 bars intersecting but it's not supported in any other plane....so what's to keep it from pulling forward or backward?? If the yellow bar was run to the base of the rear wheeltub, instead of the base of the b-pillar that would strengthen that design.

Ulitmately, those short vertical tubes off the floor add very little to the design...If you were adamant about a walk-through design, it might be better to simply run the support bars like I did in my original design, but just put space between them where they land on the floor (Maybe 12" - 16"). You can still support it with the horizontal bar and even the yellow bar if you wanted to.

Also, your sketch shows a really wide walkthrough....more than you'd really ever be able to use with seats installed. If you redrew that image with a more realistic dimension, some of the angles might end up looking a bit out of proportion with your current design.


:usaflag:
 
I think if you mockup gregs setup, that V in the center would be easy to walk through if the console wasn't there. You can just grab one of those bars and step through/over. Get a little PVC tube and try it out. If you use the folding seat like me, I've got about 30" of space between those posts on the floor and its plenty o space to walk though even with the console there.
 
greg - Yeah, the slightly wider V makes more sense than my sketch. Thanks for explaining the feedback - it really helps with understanding.

bp - I think I could walk through Greg's fine, but I have a few reasons why I would want a bit more space there. I couldn't quite picture what you were talking about in the last sentence, mostly cause I have no idea what your cage looks like. I tried searching for some of your threads, but you have too many posts (too helpful I guess). Do you have a link to another thread where your setup is pictured?
 
Thanks for finding that for me. I love the CAAD drawing of your cage, way slick. Do you feel like the extra tubing at the b pillar really adds much strength with how close they are? I could see how that setup works great with the seat flipping forward too.

Another (unrelated) question for the masses: is there a way around doing some sort of vertical support between the B and C pillars or is that a terrible idea?

I know the whole point of a cage is to make the rig as safe as possible, and I am not trying to cut any and all corners - just trying to fully explore everything.
 
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