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Weight reduction ideas?

B

bigk

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jun 13, 2001
Posts
358
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Location
Mendon Illinois
Less weight means more power, so I'd appreciate any ideas. I've considered a pickup tailgate and a soft top for starters. I don't want a tube buggy, though. I need to keep my inner fenders, and want it to be very streetable and as quiet as possible, and I need all the seats.

Karl
Temporarily Unemployed Underwear Model
87 3/4 ton
 
I'm actually doing this.First off was the tailgate(damn those things are heavy!),then off went the hardtop(swapped C'Moe for 35" tires),then all the interior(carpet and side panels).I did not have A/C on mine but it would of came off,too!.I have bed lined the whole interior and will replace the frt. w/ the OEM rubber mat.I live in Phoenix,so weather is not an issue for me.The rear came up 1 3/4" when I removed the tailgate/hardtop!Next on the list is dumping the heavy stock exuast manifolds/exuast,iron intake and going to a alum. 241 tcase.That should about do it without resorting to fiberglass body panels(read alot of $$$).Have fun!
 
Did you replace the tailgate, or do you just run without one?

Karl
Temporarily Unemployed Underwear Model
87 3/4 ton
 
No more twinkies....
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You can lose the doors.... get some lighter seats... little stuff adds up too more then you'd be surprised.... like gear wise. Take what you need most or get someone else to carry it. 200 pounds of gear could make a difference.....


&lt;&gt;&lt;<a target="_blank" href=http://www.chevycagal.homestead.com/steph.html>Steph's Webpage</a>&gt;&lt;&gt;
Suck Fumes Ford Boy
I keep trying to lose weight, but it always finds me!
 
Inflate the tires with helium!
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Forget 14-bolts and Dana 60's. Just run 10-bolts front and rear.
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Aluminum heads (or even go whole hog and get an aluminum block too!)

Let the body rust (everyone knows that air is lighter than steel!)
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Fiberglass body panels (or a Bummer kit! That really shaves the weight!)

Aw heck, just install a blower and not worry about the wieght.
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<font color=black>HarryH3 - '75 K5</font color=black>
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.angelfire.com/super/ThunderTruck>www.angelfire.com/super/ThunderTruck</a>
It's a great day to be alive...
 
You could always weigh it on a metric scale...2400 kgs looks so much lighter than 5300 lbs.
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Rene

<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>
<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/project_T2> tRusty pics...</a>
 
I am in Phx to, so cold temp really isnt an issue. I got rid of the doors, no hardtop, gutted the tailgate, stripped out all carpeting and underlay, took out the ac condensor and lines but kept the ac compressor because I might use it for onboard air, and I put a cheap japanesse front clip on it thats about half the weight. I also am putting in a plexyglass windshield. The reason all this came abot is because I rolled it though.

86Jimmy 4"&35"MTRs,87 burb 4"&35"MT,69Firebird w/525 hp,and 70GTO live in PHX,AZ<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/modifierperformance>My vehicles</a>
 
What about a fiberglass hood ?? I have already removed my hardtop and tailgate, no carpet and there never willl be and I am going to remove my doors also...

<font color=green>
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1977 K5 GETTIN IT AWN
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</font color=green>
GO BUSH
 
I dont know about you but I have alot of things smack my hood, and I would not want to have to repair it all the time.

86Jimmy 4"&35"MTRs,87 burb 4"&35"MT,69Firebird w/525 hp,and 70GTO live in PHX,AZ<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/modifierperformance>My vehicles</a>
 
Fiberglass panels for everything...lose the seats and put in plastic lawn furniture( I guess race seats will do...theyre heavier though...) get rid of all the mouldings and just use trim tape. Stop drinking beer and go to grain alc......8 fl. oz of grain will light you up quicker/longer than 12 fl. oz ever could.
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<a target="_blank" href=http://community.webshots.com/user/thatguydrew23>http://community.webshots.com/user/thatguydrew23</a>
"JEEP....SO GIRLY, BARBIE HAD TO HAVE IT"
 
Ditch the "big" and just go with the little "k"

Get creative with it. Swiss-cheese any-thing that you can (not including the frame). take a hole saw to the inner fender suport, shields, skidplates, brackets etc... With a "hole" lotta' work you might take out 10 lbs of useless sheet metal.

Does th A.C. work? If not- get rid of that too. 40 lbs worth of cold air.

Racing seats, problbly will shed 30 lbs total

Chromolly cage, maybe 100 lbs lighter than the normal cage.

Tube bumpers, knock off 10 lbs per end

Ditch the hitch, 40 lbs

Gut the under-dash junk, get rid of the heater doors and dash vents, block off the defoster door so it blows 50/50 (windshield/floor) so it'll pass a safty, no mo' tunes- 10 lbs

Plexieglass windshield, I've seen it done and "look" factory, 10 lbs

2 or 3 core radiators, better yet, go for the aluminum radiators and shed another 20 lbs off the front.

Make it de-delux, get rid of the chrome trim and "fluffy" stuff.

Still, a bare-bones K-5 will weigh in at around 4000 lbs, even the Bummers.

<font color=blue>Twiz</font color=blue>
 
buy a jeep.

seriously though, take a look at MTpockets rig...he's at 4500 pounds I think. Break out the sawzall and get to cutting!!! I lost a lot of rear weight with the bed bob, no tailgate or hard top and just a 20 gal tank!

Sherman, Tx
<font color=red>The blazer's almost on the road....anyone got tree fiddy?</font color=red>
 
i have taken out all my carpeting and underlay but my floors get really hot. i was woundering if yours doese too. my truck runs cool. and i live in tucson so its a bit warm.

i blew my main seal.
now my brain leaks
 
It gets a little warm but no big deal its a toy not a daily driver anymore. Belive it or not I had to use the heater on it last night because it was too cold to take it out to goof around by the house. I have no windshield so all the air comes in at you :)

86Jimmy 4"&35"MTRs,87 burb 4"&35"MT,69Firebird w/525 hp,and 70GTO live in PHX,AZ<a target="_blank" href=http://www.geocities.com/modifierperformance>My vehicles</a>
 
i have been through the no windshield thing. rocks hurt when they trhown at you. and never get behind a dump truck full of dirt. ;) i've just had stuff melt to my floor. not a whole lot of fun. but it may have has somthing to do wiht it being over 100 out side

i blew my main seal.
now my brain leaks
 
I would use aluminum wheels, gut a couple frame crossmembers (makes it flexy too), no seat tracks, fiberglass race/dune buggy seats, aluminum master cyl, gut the steering column, using just the centre shaft and a pillow block bearing to support it (like we do on the stock cars)-would be wise to keep the colapsable shaft though...toss out the park brake pedal assembly, gut the inner hood structure (the aircleaner holds it up at speed) go to single 3 inch exhast with lightweight muffler, newer style small alternater, stock car style small gear reduction starter, drill your rotors, go to the smaller rear brakes if you have the large ones, turbo 350 instead of turbo 400 or 4spd std..aluminum engine balancer and after you do this and all the other stuff listed here you can take out a leaf spring or two, cause it'll ride like a dump truck....just my 2 cents....some of the mods may not be exactly what you are looking for.....ED
 
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