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Trail truck Rebuild, 77 gmc

YZEATER

YZEATER

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
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Location
TARENTUM, PA
might as well have a build thread here also. to get some more idea's of what to do.

specs as of now.
offroad only
77 gm 1/2 ton frame
d60 locked with drive slugs, 14 bolt ff welded and shaved, both 4.10's.
350/465/205
52" main built pack about 6" of lift
56" rear, with zero rate (still there from when truck was road worthy)
shackle flip, hd shackles
M.O.O. engine crossmember
steering box braced and welded
x-over steering, has high steer arms but still using stock tie rod location
jeep yj pitman arm reamed to chevy tie rod ends.
cut 38.5 boggers on 15" wheels
square front driveshaft
in boarded rear shocks
ford towers up front
cab, no doors, no bed, cut hood

this what it looked like before i took it wheeling for the last 3 months. doors came off, ripped off visor and smashed up the cab some more. this setup flexed as much as i need it too, it works great. we do mud, trails, hill climbs, will be getting into some rocks.

IMG_0446.jpg


IMG_0441.jpg


what needs to be done before i take it back to my buddy's where we wheel. it gets cold here, and we go in all types of weather so i need a cab.

what needs accomplished:
needs to be shorter lengthwise, narrower, and less tall, more ground clearance to belly, with out gaining lift height.

s-10 extended cab
454 engine with some mods.
DIY engine mounts
new clutch / hydro clutch
twin stick 205, rotate 205
new tranny, t-case crossmember
hydro assit or full hydro
long travel front drive shaft
shorten wheelbase and then frame
maybe 3/4 elliptical rear suspension, already have a setup from a friend
different wheels for the front (more backspacing), put 3/4 ton brakes on d60
add 8274 winch
traction bars w/shackle
fuel cell

i want to decrease approach and departure angle. i want to try and have the wheels hit first into any obstacle. i will redrill the front spring perches and maybe move the zero rate to the front. this will also make me redo the front bumper, then still try to mount the winch up front.

i know it's not pretty, it is my definition of funtion over form. let me know your idea's. pretty long description, but will appeciate your help. and so it begins. :D
 
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With moving your axle forward as far as you are saying, you will need full hydro, otherwise your u-bolt plate will make contact with your pitman arm.

Also i'm curious to see how your 3/4 elliptic rear works out, as I was thinking of doing the same thing someday
 
Looks like a good truck to wheel to me! chicks dig body damage!

got a few questions.
How do you like the square driveshaft?? im on the brink of building one for myself. endless slip and plenty strong.

and if you go 3/4 eliptical, are you goin to sell the shackle flip?? if so how much :D
 
pennsylvaniaboy- there's pics of it??

OffRoad- not worried about the looks, altho some might. it goes where i want it to go, that's all the matters to me. it was full bodies when we started wheeling, but the trails were narrow, and there was a time with some real thick ice and a beaver pond that smashed up the front.

muddermilitia - it is already pretty close from the 52" swap. i'll have to see what happens when i get that far.

Irork- can't sell parts in the garage. the square driveshaft rattles and vibrates, but works like it should. i have some parts for a new driveshaft that is going to be put on, after i get the wheelbase figured out. it will have d60 axle yokes and a long splined slip. i have pics in another thread.
 
and so it begins.

IMG_0564.jpg


the cab fell off.

IMG_0567.jpg


might need a new frame, this one is pretty beat.
don't know why this pic won't show

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/YZEATER/TRUCK REBUILD/IMG_0566.jpg

thinking of starting over with a 1-ton frame, i have one, and i know where there is another one. so it wouldn't be that hard. alrady have it torn down this far, and it shouldn't be that hard to start with a fresh one. the only thing i modified was the steering box area and if i go with full hydro, it won't need it anyway on the new one.

wheelbase right now is 120" gonna trim that down too.
 
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well, it's not gonna be a '77 anymore. started over with a '80 1-ton crew cab frame.

i took the 1-ton crew cab i bought a while ago and stripped it down on saturday and took the rear dana 70 out. removed the cab, engine, tranny, t-case. then slipped the 14 bolt in the d70's place. the frame was loooong, so we got a rough estimate on length and cut it down. tonight i took out the front DRW 60 and put my SRW 60 in it's place. i gotta add the spring hangers for the 52" springs up front. it's sitting a little high, but i'll have to fine tune it later once all the weight is on it. it's sitting at 113" wheel base. nothing is permanent yet. i would like to move the front axle forward about 2" or so by re-drilling the spring perches and maybe adding a zero-rate. the rear can then be moved later, i'm not going to bolt it down till later.

what do you guys this would be a good wheel base? i'd like to run 39.5 tires. maybe even a little bigger. i'm going to keep it low.

100_0087.jpg
 
the project before this one was cleaning out the garage, to be able to get it in there. today i got the front axle in, put 52" springs up front, like i had on my last truck, now i can roll it into the garage. the other night i was out working on it, it was 15 degree's. i stopped working on it for a minute and was doing some measuring and got cold, so i quit for the night.

maybe tomorrow, i'll get it in the garage and start on dropping the 454 in.
 
i got the 454 set in. i've been waiting to find a hydro bellhousing. i found one in a whole truck, bought it, and now gotta tear the truck apart this weekend to get it out.
 
hmm, got the 465 and 205 in and twin sticked. waiting to get another s-10 cab, one with clutch pedals in it.

if i would quit buying and scrapping trucks, i could maybe get something done with this one. now that i got the blazer i'll be working on it.
 
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