total newb with plenty of questions, need so much help everyone read.

mr.smartass · Aug 13, 2004

I've been in love with K5's for about 4 years now and i finally got me one. It's an '89 in better than excellent condition. Here's the problem, i know hardly anything about them... or 4x4's in general. I know what i want it to look like and what i want it to do but i have no idea how to get it there... I want it lifted with new rims and i think 38" tires, top end speed isn't that important to me but i would like it to have lots of acceleration. I also need suggestions on exhaust engine upgrades pretty much anything and everything i don't know anything about axles gears differentials or any of that so maybe some explanations on those i'm so freaking excited and just need help. Also, it looks like it's already lifted a little bit but i'm not sure, how can i tell??? so to sum it up, need help on--- tires, rims, suspension/lift, exhaust, intake, anything to do with the engine, axles, gears, like i said everything. I don't plan on doing an awful lot of off-roading just the occasional romp but i still want it to perfrom while looking really nice. So all i can say is help me and teach me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

surpip · Aug 13, 2004

well a good start would be to post the same thing three times and go from there /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

84gmcjimmy · Aug 13, 2004

yikes, 3 different threads? keep it to one, they look almost the same

mr.smartass · Aug 13, 2004

I deleted them... and people think i'm a smartass... ha!

ugly_blazer · Aug 13, 2004

Welcome to the forum smartass /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

surpip · Aug 13, 2004

ok now for real, it all depends on your budget, and time,space you have to compleate the project, got out evaulate what you want to dowith your rig and buy the stuff you need to do it, i would say with 38 inchers you would need 8 in of lift so as to not have to cut your fenders, what lift you buy is up to you, howmuch you spend and quality, rims tires same thing, if your not going to beat on your truck buy cheaper stuff you dont need the top of the line stuff, build your truck for how you plan on using it, and most of all always keep your ears open and learn from other peoples mistakes and stuff that went right for them as well, do as much research as possibile ans spend your money wiseley /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gifgood luck dude i just am abotu to "finish" mine to finnally make it a 4x4 again takes alot of time and effort to make everything work well together /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif

txfiremank5 · Aug 13, 2004

[ QUOTE ]
Welcome to the forum smartass /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey... that's MR. Smartass.... /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

All I can say is: read , read, and read some more... then ask to fill in the fuzzy parts.

85mudblazin · Aug 13, 2004

BACK TO THE QUESTIOn.......I think the first thing you need to do is swap out the rear end for a 14 bolt full floater which is very different from your rear that you have know and I will try to explain in a bsic form, you 10b puts all the weight of the truck on the axles which are inside the rear end and the 14bff supports the weight on the rear end not the axle, and the 14bff has a much larger ring and pinion which is what turns the wheels, they have ratios such as 3.73,4.10,4.56 and so on you 10b prolly has a numerically low gear such as maybe a 3.73 which is not a good gear if you want bigger tires, the higher numerically gear the easier it is for the tires to get going which = more acceleration, plus it relieves stress on the trans and motor.
Hope some of this has helped and im sure I left alot out but that is the jist of the rear end.
Ill help you out more on the lift and such when I am a little more rested.
-Chris

84gmcjimmy · Aug 13, 2004

words well said chris /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif

R72K5 · Aug 13, 2004

Can Can · Aug 13, 2004

Everybody has good points, but I think the very best starting point for you at this stage is to sit down and think about what you will be using your truck for primarily.

Do you just want a big, loud truck to boot around town in? Nothing wrong with that, cause it will cost you a lot less to mod up if you plan on becoming a mall wheeler.

Can you see yourself partaking in some hardcore wheeling? Are you planning on wheeling through mud? Maybe rocks? How about lots of time in the desert?

Do you want to be able to tow a trailer with your K5?

How important is gas mileage to you? These suckers use enough gas as it is, but if you really want to you can set them up to use double that amount!!

Do you see what I'm getting at? Most of the mods you can do are multipurpose and can be used in a variety of settings without affecting your overall ability. But if you plan on specializing in one kind of area you may have to sacrifice in an another.

Hope that kind of helps, brother. Welcome to CK5. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

boggerless · Aug 13, 2004

well you came to the right place. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gifto /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif

mr.smartass · Aug 14, 2004

well i posted this about 12 hours ago and i'm already in love with you guys. but yeah i've been thinking alot today (because my new job hasn't started and neither has school so i have plenty of time to sleep and think) and me and my friend started talking it over. with my present budget and time schedule i'm thinking let's start slower than changing out my axles... like tires rims exhaust lift... oh yeah and i'm thinking 35" tires instead. it might make me a poser... but i don't care! i just don't think i'm gonna have time right now between school and work for major performance upgrades so let's make it loud and shiny, now what do you guys have for me??? /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

jekbrown · Aug 14, 2004

ok then, where is rjfguitar when you need him? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

if you find the right donor, a rear axle swap can be dirt cheap... and it would be a great upgrade for any K5. That said, if all you wanna do is run 35s with blingy rims, you can do that with stock axles. I have no idea what your gear ratio is or what transmission you have... but if you have a 700r4 (overdrive automatic) I would recommend 4.56 gears in your axles that'll give ya plenty of gear to accelerate at a decent clip assuming your engine has any oomph at all. The cheapest way to get this would prolly be to buy a set of axles with 4.56s already in them from a guy who is upgrading to a Dana 60/ff14b. People like that tend to dump their old stuff cheap... and it'd all bolt right up to what you have now. New gears + the cost of installation = $$$$$... so if you can find them, identical axles with the gear ratio you want would be the way to go.

To keep your auto tranny happy with larger tires, I highly recommend getting a B&M tranny cooler like this . Heat is a trannys worst enemy, and the last thing you need when you're a k5'er on a budget is a $1000 tranny rebuild bill.

for what you are going to use it for, just go with some el-cheapo gabriel shocks and some super long napa brake lines. You'll save $ and there really isn't any need for anything more high-zoot than that.

Liftwise, I'd recommend 4" of suspension lift. Its about as high as you can go without a bunch of $ to fix various lift-related problems. Both Tuff Country and BDS make good inexpensive springs to lift K5s. If your suspension is flexy, you may rub your fenders a bit with your tires under max flex, but VERY minor fender trimming on the bottom corners oughta fix that. If you retain your anti-sway bar, I really doubt it will be a problem.

ok, thats all I can think of for now... any further questions, just ask. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

j

85mudblazin · Aug 14, 2004

yea I would recommend the tuff country lift also, I would just buy the front springs and u-bolts and then for the rear do one of these Homebrew shackle flip its is free and gives 4" of lift.

mr.smartass · Aug 15, 2004

hmm... my transmission is automatic with overdrive. ratio right now is 3.73. so everyone still suggests axle and ratio upgrade first. so i need to be on the look out for 10 bolt axles with 4.56 gears? how badly is this gonna hurt my gas mileage and top end speed, just wondering?

duece21 · Aug 15, 2004

If your putting on 35" tires then 4.56 ratio will be perfect for your 700r4. The overdrive ratio will help alot. I'm in the process of building my axles and swaping out to 4.56, but I am building up a D44 and a 14bolt in my garage right now. That enables me to keep driving the k5 and build the axles at the same time. Gas mileage? whats that? Don't expect great gas mileage out of these things you can ask anyone on here and it will range from 6mpg to 14mpg. I'm happy to get 12. I also think a 4" lift would do you well with 35" tires. I have 4" of lift w/ 36" swampers and they only rub occasionaly. Time to /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif. Just pick one upgrade at a time and go from there and remember these things take alot of time, love, and money so be patient and make sure you have fun w/ it. Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

jekbrown · Aug 15, 2004

[ QUOTE ]
hmm... my transmission is automatic with overdrive.

[/ QUOTE ]

time for a big azz cooler...

[ QUOTE ]
ratio right now is 3.73. so everyone still suggests axle and ratio upgrade first. so i need to be on the look out for 10 bolt axles with 4.56 gears? how badly is this gonna hurt my gas mileage and top end speed, just wondering?

[/ QUOTE ]

with 35s and 3.73s your rig will be real a dog... acceleration aint gonna be good at all. 4.56s will definitely give you a lot more "oomph" at low speed and since you have OD, you'll be able to drive at freeway speeds no problem. you will be chaning tire size at the same time you change the gears, and the gas mileage shouldn't really change all that much maybe 1 or 2 mpg max. running the wrong gears (too low or too high) for the tire size you are running is what would have a negative impact on mileage/acceleration/perf... and 4.56s are the right gears.

anyway, i highly recommend that you post "wanted" messages in the wanted forum both here and on pirate4x4.com... you oughta be able to find someone going 1-ton without too much difficulty and you'll be set. The added bonus of getting them from a wheelin' guy is that they will probably (knock on wood) be well maintained and may even feature some upgrades (better shafts, limited slip diff, better u-joints, maybe some steering correction parts etc)

j

mr.smartass · Aug 15, 2004

thanks again, i'll check on posting some wanted ads, plus i'll probably start looking around my local salvage yards would i have any luck finding any 10bolt axles with 4.56's already in them or would it be to much trouble to find some axles and put 4.56's in them or what?

mr.smartass · Aug 17, 2004

total newb with plenty of questions, need so much help everyone read.

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