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Transition of my blazer, and a tribute...

M

MR4WD

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jul 28, 2002
Posts
133
Reaction score
1
Location
Fort McMurray, Alberta.
I've been coming to this site for years and probably without it, would have bought a jeep for a project instead.

In any event, I bought the Blazer and in the last year have made the transition from stock to whatever it is now...

Right before I got rid of my old 84 pickup, I stripped the turn signals and brake lights off it, and put them on the blazer. Then, I rhinolined the exterior to ward off the rust. I did some motor work and replaced the charging system with 2/0 wiring and 2 new batteries. Then came a new top end for the winch along with a motor and 175' of 5/16" cable. Over a few weeks, I installed the JB conversions SYE on the 241 and high angle drivelines 1350 rear CV (with a 1410 on the diff end) along with around 12" of rear lift and 8 in the front. Then I installed my disc braked, detroited 14 bolt with 5.13's and matching 35 spline Dana 60. At the same time I replaced my fuel tank, pump and filter and while I was back there I replaced the steel brake line and hoses on the 14 bolt... I then acquired a used set of 38" swamper radials on AR 16.5x9.75 black wagon wheels and drove it around until the weather cleared up. Then I installed my tow cable set up, forward facing night lamps and rear pintle hitch. Last weekend I bolted on my bushwacker cut outs and 44 inch boggers on 15x14 eaton bead locks. Tomorrow, I plan on adding 2 more shackles to the front leafs (1 shackle per corner) and linking the axle to control movement. Hopefully my 3/4" heims hold up!

Then, as time permits I'll add my rear inboarded shocks, and work something out for front shocks... Then I have to come up with SOMETHING for a t-case crossmember and work out how I am going to attatch my rear winch and install my 12,000 warn up front. From there, I can run my High Angle BAMF CV in front and build a new exhaust.

After that, I'll break the truck for the rest of the year.

I'll probably buy a soft top for it at some point but next year I'm going to concentrate on shoving my big block and turbo 400 in and turfing the tbi 350, 465 and 241.

Anyways, here are 3 pictures I just uploaded. NO trail shots yet.

6102DSCN0708.JPG


When I first got it

6102P2290058.JPG


When it first rolled out of the garage

6102P4100020.JPG


and how it looks now...

Thanks for steering me clear of the jeep thing CK5...
Chad.
 
NICE /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif We need more photos of its recent look
 
DUDE! that thing looks mean! I like how the 44s sit on it with the lift. BTW- are all those things hanging down from the frame the P-brake or something?
Anyway, that truck looks MEAN! Reminds me of how those matchbox K-5s with the huge wheels look.
 
Man, those 44's look monsterous! I'd be scared to be the car in front of it /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif Aweosome job! /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif
 
Thanks for the props.

Those cable things you see hanging down are tow cables. I have two eyebolts backwards in the front bumper and the cables looped into those. From there, it runs to the back bumper and another loop rests in the hitch. Whenever I get pulled out backards, it will work in compression against the front bumper while at the same time lifting up on the back axle. When I pull from the front, I built a loop into the existing cable to pull from and it will pull on the back bumper while lifting up on the front axle. Tested and proven on the trucks at work...

I got the new front suspension set up in and it rivals the bead locked boggers for in terms of how good it works.

I can't seem to upload those pictures though, so you'll have to wait for me to find another free site to upload pictures on.
 
Thanks.

Sorry about the picture size, I'm unable to edit it.

Here's an ultra large pic of the front suspension. I think everybody should do it for how well it works.

post-18-1082423563.jpg


And another of the updated truck.

post-18-1082423804.jpg
 
I like that idea with the cable from the winch to under the axles /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Shackles on both ends of the leaf????????

WTF??????????????????????? /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Shackles on both ends of the leaf????????

WTF??????????????????????? /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

what don't you get?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Shackles on both ends of the leaf????????

WTF??????????????????????? /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[/ QUOTE ]



what don't you get?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm just waiting for the paintjob like you had on other truck..............

/forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Black and red?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, not the black and red. I'm talking about the rainbow paint job that it had when the pics were posted on PBB awhile back..........
 
My only comment is that you need to learn to use cable clamps correctly. That means that three need to be used at a time, and the bottom part needs to be on the working end, not the bitter end.

Steel cable is fine to use for what you're doing, but please make sure you use it correctly or you could seriously hurt yourself.

I'm trying to be as nice as possible so please don't flame me. The ones on your winch cable and passenger side tow cable appear to be correct, but you need another one, and it looks like the bitter end is fraying so I'd suggest doing something to keep it from unraveling, then installing THREE cable clamps in the correct direction.

On your big tow cable (drivers side) your cable clamps are on backwards and you need to turn them around and install another one as well.

What size bolts are in those front shackles?

Is that a lock washer under the head of the bolt I see?

BTW, those bolts are TOO SHORT!! Those are supposed to be 9/16" bolts. I'm thinking yours are 1/2" from the looks of them with about 1/4-3/8" of thread engagement. That is insufficient. You need bolts long enough to ensure that some thread is at least sticking out of the nut.

That looks like some pretty scary stuff that can be fixed very cheaply. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
My only comment is that you need to learn to use cable clamps correctly. That means that three need to be used at a time, and the bottom part needs to be on the working end, not the bitter end.

Steel cable is fine to use for what you're doing, but please make sure you use it correctly or you could seriously hurt yourself.

I'm trying to be as nice as possible so please don't flame me. The ones on your winch cable and passenger side tow cable appear to be correct, but you need another one, and it looks like the bitter end is fraying so I'd suggest doing something to keep it from unraveling, then installing THREE cable clamps in the correct direction.

On your big tow cable (drivers side) your cable clamps are on backwards and you need to turn them around and install another one as well.

What size bolts are in those front shackles?

Is that a lock washer under the head of the bolt I see?

BTW, those bolts are TOO SHORT!! Those are supposed to be 9/16" bolts. I'm thinking yours are 1/2" from the looks of them with about 1/4-3/8" of thread engagement. That is insufficient. You need bolts long enough to ensure that some thread is at least sticking out of the nut.

That looks like some pretty scary stuff that can be fixed very cheaply. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, I really didn't want to lay the smack down in this thread... But since you're continually wrong in most things you post and since you're trying to play superhero in mine, it's on;

First off: YOU need to learn how to use crosby clips correctly. I have effectively taken 2 months of school on rigging and if I so choose, I'd be able to weave a loop into the cable and not use crosby clips altogether. Furthermore, the terminology is "saddle and u-bolt". The saying goes, never saddle a dead horse, which means never put the saddle on the dead end of the cable (or better yet, never put the u-bolt on the live part, as it squeezes the cable)

My winch cable is a perfect example of how to install crosby clips. Look in your rigging book and you'll notice that you require only 2 crosby clips for 5/16" cable, and the spacing of those clips should be 32 wire diameters apart. I also installed a thimble to prevent crushing of the inner core.

Secondly, the tow cables underneath the truck are 9/16 6x19 IWRC with a SWL of 9100 pounds. The ultimate breaking strength is somewhere between 38,000 and 44,000 pounds in single line configuration. Since I have two, that would put me potentially between 80,000 and 90,000 pounds for rearward towing. So, take 80,000 pounds and subtract 30 percent (15 for each side) because I didn't use the third cable clip. I think the number you'll get will be well over the weight of my k5 (5500 right now) but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say it might seem to be 12,000 pounds stuck in the mud. Am I encroaching on the weight rating of my cables yet? Furthermore, you forgot to note usage of wire thimbles to prevent crushing of the inner core.

Now, since I proved you so completely wrong, we'll talk about the bolts.

I don't fully recall what the diameter of the bolts in the front springs are, but I'll say that they are a stock replacement. Two of them are the proper length and two are too long (since that's all they had at work for me to grab) but I made them work. Trust me, the length is keeping me awake at night as well, but maybe I'll replace them in the future. Thread engagement? If the bolt is all the way through the nut, then that's 100% engagement. Besides, clean your eyes, there's 2 threads sticking out of the locknuts. And at that, how many nylock nuts did you use on your truck? Pretty much whereever I changed a bolt, I used a nylock nut.

Now, because you're such an idiot and people could learn from you, I'll post some common cable sizes and wire clip requirements:
1/4"-7/16" requires two clips
1/2-5/8" requires 3
3/4 and 7/8 both require 4
1" requrires 5
1-1/8 and 1-1/4 require 6
and 1-3/8 and 1-1/2 require 7.

I expect a full apology since you gave improper advice as soon as possible.

And for the other dude that figure my tie rod was in the way of the cables, the pictures are pretty deceiving. The cables come into contact with the bottom of the Dana 60 well before they come close to the tie-rod, but I know what you were thinking.

Thanks,
Chad.
 
Looking at your cables, I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me. We were both trying to say the same thing, and I apologize as on further inspection all of them are traveling the same direction. The cable twists back in and I'd thought you'd, "saddled the dead horse."

I stand behind my statement that the lower bolts in your new front, "shackles" are too short. I can clearly see a shadow on the passenger side where there is space between the top of the nut and the bolt. Those bolts are too short, period. It's not a flame and you don't need to look at it that way. Just do yourself a favor and get some longer bolts so you can have sufficient thread engagement.

Besides, the shackle should not be riding on the threads anyway. It should be riding on the part of the bolt that has no threads, so even if that bolt was sticking through the nut slighly, it's still too short in the technical sense.

My intentions are only to help. I really like your truck but a simple hardware change to make the front of it safer is cheap and easy.

If you "grabbed them at work" they're probably not 9/16" bolts anyway. 9/16 is an uncommon sized bolt, typically you'll carry 7/16, 1/2, and then jump to 5/8, which means those are probably 1/2" bolts. If that is the case, although they're smaller, the bolts in the rear of the shackle are 7/16 so they'll probably be ok.

You asked how many nylocks I've used on my truck and the answer is none. My front springs have prevailing torque style locknuts on them.
 
Can you give any more information on your 4-Shackle Idea. I've been thinking about this setup for years, but I wasn't sure it would work. What springs did you use? How much lift do you have. Is there only 2 links? Do you have any more pics with flex?
 
I like it /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif Looks really cool with those fender flares too. Nice job /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

-pete /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif
 
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