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  • Originally posted by tardis454 View Post

    I shared this video here once before, and I showed my friend Matt the video too.
    Matt bought 2 footballs and popped a huge dent out of the right door on his '05 2500HD.
    You can barely tell where the dent was. He was very pleased with the results.

    I can almost reach it.. from the back. I bet I could try that. I remember you sharing that one.
    I pluck the dent out. The next day it popped back in. I created an exact annoying self dent dent.
    Previously boxer3main
    the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

    Comment


    • I like that a LOT! I'll put that in the memory banks for future reference. While he did well it would have worked just a tad better if he'd tapped the edges of the dented areas with a hammer to release a bit of the stored energy (use a soft faced hammer if you want to save the paint). Berry, that's how you get rid of the oilcanning that you're experiencing.

      Dan
      Last edited by DanStokes; September 7, 2015, 05:21 AM.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by DanStokes View Post
        I like that a LOT! I'll put that in the memory banks for future reference. While he did well it would have worked just a tad better if he'd tapped the edges of the dented areas with a hammer to release a bit of the stored energy (use a soft faced hammer if you want to save the paint). Berry, that's how you get rid of the oilcanning that you're experiencing.

        Dan
        This dent is so gentle.. I am assuming the 65pound strength of the magnet with a hook, and strapped to a twig of a branch to a tree..
        I already got my favorite rubber mallet, regain the crease. Half inch wide stock of wood as well.

        With pickups, there is a real annoying thing to me.. I like the straight sides in the mirror. The only trucks I really remember driving a lot are from 79, to the mid 80s. Very square and straight. Looking back at waves and dents and dimples. Drives me a bit crazy.

        the 88 to 98+ is curvy.. but cannot get away with the dimples and imperfections.

        Will see how the magnet does.
        I got a long term recovery pop out of right side B-pillar, glad that happened. all the cab mounts perpendicular to frame, and cab. Cannot get any straighter. The rocker had a long term torque twist..not easy to see. The manual tranny really layed it down for 350k miles. Had to seek those types of fatigue out. that is where metal never failed, but shows the work load of time.

        Now my version of interior/bottom covering on the rocker and cab corners will be simple squares. Tried and true. This style and years of body is very good. Fast recovery. down to little things.

        I like the dents in the bumper. All my dads rigs since I was 5 years old (1978).. none were perfect. Brand new to flaws was less than a year. As long as the corners that wrap around to be in line with the body are good, the dents are a proud statement to me. So, will just tug the left down curve to straight up.. leave the bumper.

        This is no doubt the fat rails no one admits. All cross sills bad, all cab mounts, p-rated tires with belts broken all the way around on all four tires...sway bar stretched one half inch on a bolt to more than one ton of every day life..
        ..and it still sailed down a maine highway year round in to the 80s mph.

        Don't need calipers or a ping test for these rails...one sideways photo on craigslist is all it took. This one has been a real pleasure.

        feeling this out, hunting tires.As it turns out the brand I bought from only has one tougher in their entire inventory..and that fits a newer gmc. Those would be the 18 inch wheels that invented another load rating, 3460 pound sidewalls. 3415 walls was king of the road for us regular vehicle drivers for decades. This tire I bought is a strong warranty, may humor something someday. The E load rating..as long as I can remember. Those have been out a long time. GM also had a 16.5 wheel, military spinoff or something. 8 lug, real nuisance. I remember 16 inch and 6 lug was a big day for the trucks. still very useful today.

        I also found swapping to 8 lug for this model is easy. The goal being the bigger 14 bolt diff, The front simply gets a hub swap. Find an old floater for the back, and swap the front cheap..

        I'll leave it alone for now.
        Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 7, 2015, 11:21 AM.
        Previously boxer3main
        the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

        Comment


        • hottest ride ever and rug cleaning
          added some fuel, went for a ride.
          very hot today. My subaru would have given me a stroke. My body would not be found but days later because the subaru is buried into the wilderness with my dead body in it.

          what am I saying.
          I must have relapsed my subaru ptsd.

          Awesome tip, learning as I go along, this one is from me:
          You have never seen a clean vehicle carpet until you run a vacuum cleaner off a generator.
          Holy Cow.
          The vacuum engine does not even bog down. Something different going on there.

          onto my hot ride before cleaning, with a whiff of ferment that drove me nuts...

          This is also a time for the modern 3 way cat (began in 1996), the sulfurs on a day like today are horrible. Multiport injection is a huge bonus.
          How many choose to forget less than 20 years ago...
          better off staying home.

          Took the truck for a longer ride, see if anything gets bouncy or squishy. It is right on tough now. Sway bar is not even tightened in yet.
          It is really good. It does not get any hotter for America: september and a last hot 95F spell after it has had all summer to warm the ground.
          The a/c is not anywhere near full strength and still kept me alive. Not much traffic for this labor day. Heat must be the reason.

          One whiff of my brothers empty upside down beer can from last months fishing trip. I cleaned and scrubbed...got a whiff today, and then it disappeared...as if to tease that I did a bad job cleaning last month. Elusive pig. Hiding in there somewhere. He is a perfect jerk to everything I owned...casually, like an omen.
          Gave interior some arm and hammer, the pet remover version with a nice odor. I then took my 12amp vacuum cleaner and hoked it up to a 63cc generator. I knew that was not 12 amps. Don't ask me how I know. It is the same assholes that labeled household air conditioners. This truck did have little white poodle hairs when I got it. Vacuumed very thorough, with 5hp garage cleaner when I got this truck some months back. No sign of pets. Just my brother.

          My next move, and my only time to go to a professional, is to get the a/c recharged with the vacuum drain first. I have found a way to do this myself.. but would feel bad about letting chemistry go to atmosphere. This state known as vacationland is ruined by our own waste. In fact that is why I need to leave.
          Anyway, that is the last chore for a nonstop transcontinental wonderful.

          And it smells good and looks good inside. That generator trick...just wow. As if to break the little bonds of sticky little hairy things and elements, plucking it out like a magic trick.

          73F at 1215 am.

          That is seriously warm for this place. Several years (2009 I believe) since I have seen that..and it was in the pig sty of bangor maine. ..preceding a hurricane.That place must be at 78 or so right now. This is with a rain cloud coming from the north in the radar.. not far off now. Weird stuff.

          11 am Click image for larger version

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          found these unique tail lamps. Placed a bid. Used, scuffed, no circuit board. Perfect. I wanted to dim down parking and reverse by a few hundred candlewatts. After dropping 40 amps off the parking circuit, my tail lamps are extremely bright and vivid..and I Hate it.

          my LED reverse lamps look like a mig welders light...they are that sharp. My favorite tails are the very old round ones, and up to the 1987 with the simple squares.. Simple as could be. I will still use two bulbs for the parking, as one is a very low watt led. I hope I win my bid. I do not know the brand, and cannot find new ones. My current tail lamp has an error, driver side is a broken tab. Replacing one is a different tint every time. Looks like 2 different tails. So... I needed to find a pair. This one got my imagination.

          Something I remembered from the 1980s here...

          Try to make you truck a unique ID. Black is extremely popular, in fact I have spotted this trucks twin as a duelie axle and a single cab right in the rural place..but from the front, you might think it was me. I am keeping a dented bumper, and making unique lighting.
          Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 8, 2015, 08:17 AM.
          Previously boxer3main
          the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

          Comment


          • woops on the gear calc.


            I spoke of the weird event trying to get on the highway, some weirdo thought I was challenging a race or whatever.
            the primitive ape in me did find it cool that I finally left it behind more than several seconds after the speedo was buried..
            this one stops at 90.

            as it turns out...
            the final drive in the tranny is .73, and the rear diff is 3.73
            I punched it in as .78 and 3.9

            so... my 119 was actually 120 something climbing respectfully. I simply let off. I now understand why the car behind me was confident. They probably had a 115 limit or even 120.

            silly kids. That is an american v8 you are challenging.

            the same site I used last time, bumped it up just two miles an hour, compared to my incorrect numbers.
            At 121mph I let off.

            this also concludes the true top speed, I am sure the front end aero will go walled...5200 rpm is as far as I got in other gears.
            4200 rpm in fifth is actually easy. No doubts at all. Ironically similar to a corvette with a manual.

            that is 145mph.
            I have it taking longer with 200 pounds of tires and the 6400 pound brake option. For these trucks, I understand 6600 is about as far as they label them. This one reads light for the manual tranny.
            Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 8, 2015, 06:59 PM.
            Previously boxer3main
            the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

            Comment


            • tow all


              very clever.
              A byproduct or addon for this.. no receiver hitch, but a whole bumper with it built in. Further the strength line parallel with the rails.
              I hate reciever hitches.
              My uncle worked carnivals for years, wandered the country, a little monkey with him. ( we were not all that related, a half brother to my grandma)
              That was my first education at how many times a chevy truck can get cussed at. He had the big camper, freighted. Everything creaked and moaned.He did warp twist break crack every piece of them trucks in the back.
              I then come to maine where just one skidder tire can break a frame..quarter cord of wood as far as one can go safely.
              I almost thought all this stuff was wimpy, until putting my own geometry lessons from trucking in place.

              I'd do this setup for a weird half ton, 3/4 ton drivetrain, back end locked out to wimpy tails. That is decades of trucks cured..

              I remember the land being built where I used to live, a complaint was how many times they had to tow an empty bulldozer trailer to move equipment. He had multiple projects going.
              A pickup would have been a great candidate, double mileage. Haul the empty trailers that do the heavier work by bigger machines.
              like a yard dog for the road.


              very warm today. I look at the steel underneath every day. Monitor the progress of densifying. I do not know the psi of the rails, only that I added some, and realigned beyond eyeball. the 18 foot run the long way.. nearly impossible without body shop gadgets. This one fell into all factory, to the 0/100th of an inch, no veering off any measure. it is exactly factory. The poly mounts are way more accurate, snapping into the mount holes like a echo thud. I knew this one was going to make it back then after the swap.

              Looking at the old mounts I kept in a box today, finally threw those away. Very bad rubbers. This truck is lucky.. although steel is never lucky. It is good or bad.
              Walking in the parking lot today, I could not help but notice, 15 feet all the way around the truck is much warmer than any other spot in the lot.

              Making a move today. Staying away from it. Grabbing the spring layers I presume. Been a couple of weeks since weld. Stubborn old rails. The toughest part of the chores.. I wait for them, monitor closely. These chores can self combust chem chains, friction a battery sitting on a metal tray underhood... dump fuel to a tea pot gurgle... a lot of madness. This one is well thought by factory. Enjoyed the steel work.

              Beyond guessing, the last of the cv wobble while on brakes is done after today. It is that kind of move in the steel... and I know it.
              Sway bar links tomorrow, going for the usual ride. Meanwhile, staying cool...and listening to strange music.

              Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 9, 2015, 12:27 PM.
              Previously boxer3main
              the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

              Comment


              • tail lamps
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                lost my bid on trying to cheapskate out of a full swap on tail lights...
                went with the full build LED. $100. Steep price...oh well. The reverse light will still get my LED.
                parking and reverse will be 100% LED.
                The truck will be a 44 bulb swap for a summary.
                reminds me to get 10 more 194 LED, and the little dash LED as spares. The dash and heater control still has 3 more bulbs to swap in to LED. That would be 47 bulb total.

                upon the individual led swapping on original circuit boards, a few months back, I found the LED bulbs they designed for this truck were not working in the middle bulb socket.
                I then noticed, the brake, blinker, hazard and parking all worked on themiddle bulb. the top one stayed only a parking light.
                I thought "why is the middle bulb doing everything, and what stops one circuit form another?"
                answer: rock paper scissors apparently, it is not in the design to do 3 things at once. By chance of a bigger circuit, the blinker apparently owned the brake if it was on while braking.

                so, I got the top spot to be an led bulb as a parking light..and it was a stubborn connect, like it was fighting something.
                did not like that at all. Furthermore... the middle bulb had to go back as a regular bulb, else abs did not work at all...no relay trigger, and no ABS fault light came on during this experiment.

                I then finally found a wiring diagram for this circuit board, and my lights do not match it. According to diagram,The top parking is the brake light, the middle is the blinker. And both bulbs, like original, are parking when not using the brakes or blinkers.

                All the weirdness gone now, the electric brake almost fried the left rail. The blisters in young paint, (real paint - urethane) at the back of the bed corners is all that is left...near tail lamps. Assuming that is where the loser of rock paper scissors went...I am just going to scrap the lights. the whole thing. Both of them.

                This may be the long term front cv wobble.... ABS false reading a pulse. Long story short, pun intended..


                May have found the last monster. Given this has 350 k miles and a stack of bills worth more than the 21000 price in 1996.. It must have been smooth sailing for a long time. I have concluded someone took the 1996-2000 updated tail and swapped in the junk ones.

                Maybe get some thief deterring screws for these..
                Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 10, 2015, 05:13 AM.
                Previously boxer3main
                the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                Comment


                • energy suspension sway bar link
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                  dug into the chore this morning.


                  cutoff wheel, 63cc generator. I can change a sway bar in the middle of a forest. For no emergency reason what so ever.
                  some good news, these were already polyurethane. Made in usa. Same length middle pipe.. I changed passenger side only and away it goes. Click image for larger version

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                  The lesson earned from a stretched sway bar bolt?
                  The frame was out of whack, get after the steel. Just like blowing light bulbs after welding..point to the opposite rear corner for the culprit of source. For the chevies local, the right rear regains continuity to blow cab interior bulbs at the driver side..and the right front sway bar tells you the left rear was straining for dear life.

                  The sway bar's job is so primitive and gentle, something else made it do what it did. Use it as a tell all about the framing and cross sills, and cab mounts.
                  For this truck, just browse through the posts, you'll conclude how it stretched a bolt. Same old gmc. At least 40 years of them..same result.
                  For the final touches of all that rigid tough I made..this is a perfect finale.

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                  I am cringing at the thought of the frame side bushing, when the time comes... as those two little bolts aren't coming out like a fairy tale of new install.
                  I am assuming a whole new bushing mount, hack the old one off the truck. Start a groove with cutoff wheel, fresh sawzall blade the rest....

                  ...when the time comes.


                  This should be the final aligner as all the measures are factory, all the way to the tail end. A funny thing today, brings back a memory. After the welding is done, one may realize the rear suspension has barely ever moved on its hangers.. the bushings will be creaky. I stood on the bumper to get into the back and realized it. This one has to use its big bad half ton suspension now. This truck was at that stage of using the frame more than the springs... like 30 million other blind gmc owners. Click image for larger version

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                  And this is what the bolt looks like, holding 6000 pounds to an alignment of bad cross sills, cab mounts, tail ends, shock mount and rockers. The previous owner did alot for this truck, and stopped cold at steel. Anything to do with steel was real scary for some reason.

                  it is still lucky. the torsion right front has a slight bow, but all in good measure. I remember that from the quick lube days. The chevy and the right torsion bar. A straight one had less than 50k miles on the odometer.Too many years ignoring this stuff is a longer wait state after welding... but it is indeed all fixable. This one did not go all that far....and slow if it did take any longer rides. Beyond 60 must have been the end of the world for someone normal.

                  Sway bar does next to nothing.. I use it to reveal what the rest of the truck is doing. Many opposite minds out there.... look at nothing else but the 3/8ths mild steel bolt sway bar end link... and blame that instead. Ignore the 6000 pounds all around it. Just keep a savant like focus on the sway bar bolt dumbass.

                  Always put this in last, all chores to framing complete first. For trucks, even the LT tires is a part of the strengthening. That is about the only unusual for this vehicle.. the tires being part of the equation for final framing.

                  in fact..the p-rated tire is the first strain that sets off the first domino. Tragedy.
                  Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 10, 2015, 09:04 AM.
                  Previously boxer3main
                  the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                  Comment


                  • incredible...

                    seems like boasting. I am the finale.
                    Stopped in at a garage I lived next to for 7 years to drop off some oil for their furnace. I got chatting with the mechanic. First time I saw his face was when I pulled in back in 1993. A 1974 chevelle.
                    Never thought I'd fly halfway around the world and then live there, from 2007-2014. My memory was so bad it took 3 years to remember where I saw that guy..

                    Got chatting today. Complimented my truck, he remembers my subaru well. He even caught me cussing at it.
                    we got talking of the chores, value increases to work done. He took in a 2006 caddy for $1800. engine was failed. Spent the big dollars for a very good engine, and still doubled the value of the car.

                    The truck, as always with builders, they end up priceless. If I put it out on that busy street for 5k even, firm..it would sell for cash.

                    Great guy to talk to. His first day on the job was 1968. A true professional.
                    I went about the food store, sams club, got fuel and food. Two lanes over looked like broken frame pickup. Sat very high in the right rear, way down at the left cab corner. Nothing dangling. I was so curious, I was going to approach the guy while pumping fuel.

                    My own is sitting way up, I'd swear it gained half a foot...the long way. 12 foot wheelbase straight and tall? I look every time. Between the LT sitting tough on the walls, and the welds..cab mounts even gained a half inch or so. poly tough. The cross sills at the front of bed was another half. The gain is not my imagination. 12 feet between the wheels, straight and tall. Sailed home 80 on the cruise, eating my sams club chicken.
                    fuel is back up to a value I have not seen. Today it appears to be 26mpg, I was hugging the highway for most of my chores.
                    The LT is easy rotating for the cruise.

                    This is by far.. out of 23 machines the greatest think I have committed to yet: an aging well kept gmc needing my favorite subject...simply steel. Best thing I have ever done.

                    As a summary of ride..smoothest truck I can remember, and actually using a squishy suspension. Even my old f100 had a thump with no cure. This one is simply beautiful. The sway bar connect is noticable in certain scenarios..but the event goes by so fast, not many would think I did anything to fix it. I notice, my hands on the wheel. The city is real noticable, boarding parking lot edges, certain bumps and terrain. The biggest thing is hard throttle on... straight up tugs the front end, laying the rear tires right in.

                    Brake hop or diff hop is not quite done, but easy to live with. This one will get the time it deserves to settle the greater alignments long term. For now wheel straight, smooth, right on. Don't need to fight with leaning roads once off the highway.

                    A signature is already in place.. looking at a glance in any place I park in the busy city:
                    a dirty tire, and looking like it went fast at the same time. Streaks of 90mph wildlife on the hood deflector, top of the windshield. mud bogger, highway super star, and city stop and go all in one spot. Taking off a bit faster than the rest to get on the highway and head back to the mythical woods...
                    trucks will never die here.
                    Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 10, 2015, 04:45 PM.
                    Previously boxer3main
                    the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                    Comment


                    • L30 performance tips
                      Based on my time at a quick lube..
                      this engine had some drama like some of the first double relief oil cooled 305 and 350. That design dates back to at least 1984.. it may be even older.

                      The oil filter was #1. Cannot afford a billet? k&n has a design that works.
                      my own on a manual tranny, at least 250hp. No mods at all.

                      that was just the oil filter swapped to billet.

                      the ramp, or what most call horsepower, is almost silly with the equal length wires. I would not be surprised to see upwards of 300hp on a dyno from my own truck...
                      The newer fuel pump simply brings a faster warmup..and this just means sustainable when working heavy throttle for long periods..and of course there is tat fairy tale called horsepower again...and again.

                      the intake valve is a massive 1.94 inches..the exhaust is a shreaking 1.5 inches. This does mean you can treat this multiport to old style shorty headers and it will respond. old carb style performance exhaust systems. the only drawback to that is disrupting an even signal to bank 1 sensor 1 o2, and bank 2 sensor 1 o2. They won't like the blippy pipes.
                      The real win would be a slightly fatter y-pipe...go duals sometime after the merge and bank 1 sensor 2 o2 sensor.

                      real shame to fail these engines...
                      I have not even targetted this to my version of performance building. it is that impressive already. Click image for larger version

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                      The last thing is electrical physics. (I actually approached that first thing - equal length plug wires). I had learned of the monster parking circuit since the boxy 1980s. This 1996-98 is the peak of complete jackass on the subject. Most of the LED swap is just for parking. This even fixes the ramp of data curve the PCM considers precious just to function. I had learned computer building on my own since then, still building my own.(1997 to today). My current custom computer is over 70000 hours running, and am here with it today.

                      The incandescent bulbs have no place on this planet of computing.

                      The tail lamps, I was not expecting...I even left the middle bulbs as old school. The very last thing I did not swap. This one was just wrong. As it is this year is the first to overlap data and ABS in the same morphing realm to what we have today. Rather than find the 1 in 10 lamps circuits that is correct for the short time frame of 96-99, best to go get a full led swap. That is where I finished the performance gains.

                      A tip if you are using the old lamps... find the circuit board with the top light slot facing up and down, not horizontal. Horizontal is the old circuit board. For some reason my 1996 had the nastiest blurred scuffed scraped broken tab on fire piles of shit... should not have had them. I hope I did not kill abs circuitry. Seems it levels off, no pulling..something is still thinking in there. I may be a lucky one.

                      Also another old school tip. Once LED is owning 40+ bulbs, the headlamps for this year are welcome to stay hot. I even kept the little high beam indicator in the dash as a warm old bulb. There is still one more old physics chore for the tungsten, I won't babble what it is. This year of truck has single filaments for headlights, no bleed. I like them being warm old bulbs. If to keep incandescent, keep them up high. That is all I am saying on this subject.
                      Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 12, 2015, 06:57 AM.
                      Previously boxer3main
                      the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                      Comment


                      • headache rack, future custom addons
                        found an awesome set of keywords for this truck and frame photos, forum repairs, backyard stuff..
                        "gmt400 frame"
                        this frames initial specialty was fully boxed in up front and welded by gm in certain places. Something obviously changed as silently as the tail lamps...1995 or 96. That is why I wanted the 1996 and onward. The welded part means attack it when it turns 20, gm has it built in to accept it. Some of the photos are really good reference.

                        The main cross member on these can indeed rot out, found some photos. My own is still in the flaking stages, full connect. In fact still has black paint on a lot of it, no exfoliation on most of it..original layers. If to be seeking an old truck.. you will notice the1996+ does not do what the older did. I dare call it a double in something... very strong. I was just in there today to wrap up the fuel pump wires...from inside the bed, not underneath on the wet ground blind and getting hit with iron flakes. The access panel is very convenient. My version has the front cross sill as part of the access opening frame welds. I did realize what I built... good enough for me. The front cross sill is not factory. My only steel alteration in a big way...you will see why in the near future.

                        Strong cross sills in the beginning would leave just the tails to play with some time down the road. It is all so dynamical, it is difficult to fail. Break anything, keep going with the weld chores..even stronger. Fear of the sight of metal not being in its original shape.. people are bizarre. There is some wait state, invisible mystery to tune into. That must be the fear. I love the steel, grew up with trucking.

                        I also found something nicknamed "diamond the frame", simply means out of square the long way due to time. Must be relating to single cab, and the old style version of something. Found it in a gmt400 search anwyay.
                        That may be the last walk I am waiting for, although it could be ABS. Very smooth at 85... no weirdness in this one. In fact, not sure why I thought about that diamond stuff. Simply not happening. The sway bolt is a revelation of a movement like a diamond frame..but I pounced this around, after removing bed. I must have got it all back without noticing anything in the first place. Factory holes are all right on. 16 of them between all the cab mounts and bed mounts. No wrestling anything..fell right in.

                        The extra beam I added at the tire crossmember, and the patch at the shock mount is the locker. No "diamond the frame" for this one. Only getting stronger. The last fear is the molecular level at 60hertz being a rejection. I am sure it is past those stages as of now..that is a short lived event if to witness it. Sometimes dramatic. Maine delays all frame changes by weeks and months remembering 26 below in a january before.. amazing stuff to learn the steels.

                        the way this dialed in, (and still doing so.) This first cool day, some hefty rain. Even the gap between stainless trim on the fenders to the top of tire is within .25 inch all the way around this 12foot wheel base. That is truly amazing.

                        Somebody really did care for this... just simply stopped at steel chores. I found the "J 2014" on the cv joint. This means just turned a year old. The dealer was indeed genuine, he did not play with car fax for the last 2 years of the trucks time with him. Did a lot more chores, simply told me what they were. Awesome to trust word. Click image for larger version

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                        I used to laugh at some accessories..like a receiver hitch, I still do, unless its a straight 1 foot wide symmetrical railed 1 ton... it is absolutely ridiculous to see those on anything less.

                        the other one was headache racks, due to the wimpy cross sills of 3/4 and 1/2 ton trucks.
                        My own now is thicker than a little foreign pickup trucks entire frame rail...22 pounds for just 5 feet four inches. Not including the weld, and remains of original that go with it.

                        I am ready for a custom headache rack. I may make it so the truck could rollover onto it.
                        6000 pound capable and side slams during a rollover. I have seen it all here, including an end for end rollover. Short bed v8 truck for that one.. but it happened. I'll put two skulls on top with glowing red eyes.

                        other than that, I may try a tougher shock combo..but factory mounts suck, seems they always will. The fronts seem to be able to take a good brand, but the back..better off with the wimpy plain jane cheap stuff.

                        Some good electrical odor changes are finishing the welds themselves today.. first cool days since welding.

                        I am also giving up on the door panel lamps. Seems the truck is too hard already. Fresh pins and springs and bushings at the hinges probably do not help my quest to make a cadillac out of this. Won't keep any version of the 194 bulb I give them for more than a couple weeks. This problem was common with 3/4+ tons... I must be playing in another realm of signals...the bulbs tell it like it is.
                        Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 12, 2015, 08:23 AM.
                        Previously boxer3main
                        the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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                        • bed pipes
                          Click image for larger version

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                          with all the welding done, time to let the bed go to the real steel. Those railing pipes are handy for an aging little tail truck. I spotted a truck just like mine today, straight as an arrow- 1996 to 1998. Must be something similar in manufacturing.

                          no pipes on the bed. I finally remembered I changed the geometry.. gotta let the bed go to the cross sills. No hang ups.
                          The bed should fatten up some, to a shrink length or just straighten to a lengthen. I also wanted the squares holes up front back for my headache rack when it is done.

                          front back.
                          Quirky english.
                          I bet those pipes fit a subaru wagon. Click image for larger version

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                          without the pipes, truck got very quiet. No complaints before.. it was quiet already. They used to gently sing. I also spotted right away how to get the dent out with a few short moves and a big hammer.

                          Conquering the steel in a 10 speed subaru is quite a feat. This truck and a wheelbase longer than the subaru... feeling very rewarded. Best thing I ever took in. It is off by Zero. No errors at all. I am finding that amazing...

                          I found one led out in a tail lamp. The one I mentioned was as if to be fighting to plug in. The all new LED lamps are due this coming week... I'll be done with the old stuff for good. I am guessing the memory of shared ground with captain asian commmado electric brake fantasy tour is stuck in the way it operates. Start over fresh. Even less watts...and dioded.

                          Ready to call this complete, the bumper is going with unique ID. Yes I am serious. I saw this trucks clone at a wal mart. There is 50000 more where that came from. May curl up the front left edge... if I have a chance. Bumper dents are staying.

                          I banged and moved the bed edge by hand this evening, and it is hanging onto the straight side dent plucked out to looking good. Magnet is due this week, will work the final creases. This should self heal the bed sides, it was a selling point since the 70s. This one is very young and malleable, changed daily to the welding etc.

                          Calling this complete.
                          Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 12, 2015, 06:09 PM.
                          Previously boxer3main
                          the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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                          • radiator /front mounts
                            Click image for larger version

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                            got poking at the last two mounts, way up front under radiator, as those look like they have done nothing for all 19 years. Sure enough, they was so old I dropped the lower washer driver side by hand. So very gently just sitting there with no job to do. The top part of mount is in good shape. I gave it a pry bar test to check the weight.. not much.. about 50 pounds or so. Found a shim leftover to act as a washer, and am reusing the old cup for the new poly. Just need to get fresh bolts.

                            You can see the top of the bottom rubber mount in photo.. it never had a stressed move in its life. Just chemistry enough to rot steel and human brains. That is all. nothing more than that for 40 years of the same complaint ignored by gm. The water bomb was in place..some other nicknames from maine for that. potash infected, some others. Potassium cyanide was another one. That would be instant headache at first, then chest pain..and oh. Then death. This truck only goes to mild heart attack. Very lucky.

                            Bless rockauto for not offering anything but energy suspension version of the cab mounts...polyurethane brands. I am assuming evolution is finally taking place. The nitrile .. absolutely insane. It could munch with chemistry, water logged like a sponge.. 1/2 inch pate steel to the size of itself to iron disappearing acts. Monster chemistry.

                            But even after all that twisting and bending and creaking to 6 bad cab mounts, 4 bad cross sills, 2 rockers, a broken shock mount, dangling tire hanger and mutilated tail ends of the frame...350,000 miles, 19 years and a bent bumper right nearby...
                            The front mounts by the radiator did nothing but sit there...and took their time to rotted...dangling. Stress free. Nice rails indeed.
                            it is rather funny.

                            This is not like the trucks I remember. Must be the squared in frame of gmt400. The very front cab mounts was big drama on the single cabs, old style frames. This one stands ground with the main body and very strong front framing.
                            will wait for garage time, give a layer on top of the steel that holds them, and humor the new poly mounts, new washers and bolts. The swap is to remove the last of baby killing, steel rotting nitrile chemistry of the old mounts...and not much other reason for the given spot. Do not need much high performance there.

                            The bed dent stayed "outplucked" today, truck settling in without bed rails. The first real chill since spring in the air.. some cold smoke in the exhaust. Had the heat on warm too. A new experience for me is how much this one wants to dry these situations. Remind myself it is not headgasket or other weeping coolant problems... it is really drying the air. Impressive.
                            Miles rack up for a reason...many reasons.

                            This tail of the chevy dragon chore is subconscious... I am sure of it now. Even the order in which I got things done. It was that common here. My first time on my own was a truck less than 10 years old. Falling apart, not quite 100k miles. My dad wanted me to give it back, thought I was getting ripped off. I got a ticket in my own driveway, it was hauled off. I was due in basic training in mere weeks. No time to argue with anything. I learned somebody stole stuff off of it when my landlady took it back over. Neither of us paid the parking charges. The end of a chevy.

                            Some of these front ends, they went hard metal or hockey puck and no lower squishy anything. The plow trucks. If these trucks manage to pluck that front mount out... better off taking it to junk, as that is evidence frame is real bad one end to the other. Does not happen much after 1992.. but have found some scary stuff up to 1995. After that, it is an idiot with a 1000 ton receiver hitch fairy tale literally breaking something on their own. We cannot as humans repair that long rail fail...only pretend. All else is fixable. Cracking in half is even fixable. The long twist sprung bend? melt it down and start over. We cannot fix it.

                            This one was all over the place in the back end, my version of all over the place.. maybe 1/2 inch. I am stepping away from 9 years of 10 geared subaru mind you..no truck is going to keep up with that chance for rigidity with four animal legs as AWD. I actually wanted squashy after my subaru years. Anyway, this one left a rotten front connection dangling...no stress. Tell tale, like the sway bolt. Good rails and connections to refresh. Classic case of the dragons tail. They did something right with this one.. no doubts at all. It is actually the toughest I have ever encountered. I hope they only got tougher...I do not know much after the c-rail designs.

                            We wondered where trucks like this one I took in came from. We theorized the Mr. Magoos, or well to do.. terrified of steel with a meticulous dealer record costing more than the truck in the first place, adding the years and miles and chores. Suddenly the path stopped cold all while looking good, and appearing ready to go on some more. The steel chores had to be encountered and conquered. That is where people like me step up. Mig weld a double for all their trouble.

                            #1 is the nitrile mounts. My god.
                            tied with #1 is p-rated tires.
                            #2 the receiver hitch
                            #3 cross sills made out of .. WTF metal.
                            #4 overload... just takes once.

                            the obd2 vehicles, big incentive to keep after the old chores of steel. well worth it.
                            Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 13, 2015, 03:50 PM.
                            Previously boxer3main
                            the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                            Comment


                            • leaf springs

                              growing up with the leafs... it was an art as much as science.
                              I learned some truck welding tips because of spring gurus. Click image for larger version

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                              "build it and they will come" was a joke about tough rails being made. Springs follow. With this tail chore done, I was browsing around for the different versions of leafs. This heavy gmc for some odd reason got the wimpiest half ton springs available. Red oxide scrubbed every inch of every layer in the stack after welding. Way too active.


                              Going to bump it up by the first upgrade option..and that is 600 pounds and another leaf. Feeling this out via welding and time. This should maintain the good half ton.

                              edit:
                              Changed my mind, as I like the truck being an animal...and in the winter. Holy cow. It is like a giant subaru. The toughening of all the steel helped tie in both sides to work more as one.. big sway bar in a way in the back.
                              Being I am not factory at all in the steel anymore, more than a double...spring ratings are going to be quite harsh...not in the plans by gm. Click image for larger version

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                              found this cheap hellwig, I can stay animal (that is actually the truck, not me) and just tighten whenever. Found 3 positive reviews, for k1500, all good.
                              This will equal it to a heavy half ton, (today that is called 1500HD) or gm's wimpiest 3/4 ton, minus 25 pounds.
                              My gvwr is 6200, the back end of my own cannot even do 500-800 to exceed it. Not going to spend a lot on springs for that reason. My tub-o-lard GMC just needs to carry itself.

                              For hellwigs instructions, the fullsize truck is about as big as they go. The U-bolts on my truck are 5/8ths, and they require 120 foot pounds. Nothing bigger in their list of U-bolts.

                              With custom cross sills, and frame strengthen, I could freight it... but won't.

                              Funny enough, as factory I pulled a boat and my subaru, no notice of swaying. Like nothing was there. Engine loved it.
                              I found the center for my own setup is also too active, all kinds of threads on the U-bolts to add stuff. I am off center both sides of the truck...tiny amounts, but I am coming from 9 years of 10 geared subaru I built myself. Leafs off align with each other through the layers. Very active.
                              I can realign while adding the hellwig, and the u-bolt for the hellwig should help keep it.

                              This will go along with my difference. Original intention for soft springs on any chevy truck is GM building a sports edition of some kind. Not a work truck. I do not want to kill this custom order by going the way of the ever common sasquatch.
                              Springs are an art as much as science. Worth a try.
                              two birds with one stone, as I feel the need to reset an alignment at the U-bolts anyway.

                              I ended up finding this for $69.63 from amazon...shipped to my door. The outstanding fact to go with this is the wills to review it. Amazon has 22 of them at near 5 stars. the spring site had five reviews..all positive. This part number also fits the toyota tundra, and found a video on you tube. Guy was trying to haul wood a little more stable, and it did work. Still complained of wheel hop on ribbed dirt roads..but he had p-rated tires (I could tell).

                              anyway, giving these a try. Now this is a realistic bonus for this one, as the manual tranny forced a build by gm to add extras. The 3/4 transfer was only one thing I found. This version of nv3500 has something extra as well. I believe it is the supercharger bearing somewhere in the middle. I really could do some hauling in the 3/4 ton realm, no problems..no thinking twice of it. Just do it.

                              I have never seen these in use. The net helped with video. The design of it reminded me of some dump trucks, a strange top leaf with its own design. Probably where the idea came from. This will give 4 leafs and 1 main, like a 3/4 ton. Still skinny in the width, that is most likely my desire for this. It wll never be a real 3/4 ton with the lightweight diff and skinny leafs. Stabilize the sporty edition of it. These can help trucks already saggin and cockeyed. My own is very healthy, factory height and sitting straight. The "one to 1" gear is indeed quiet (4th gear reveals drivetrain alignment).
                              Simple extra, set tension where I want.

                              Fresh welds heading into the first of the 250 ton days of autumn, barometers and other affects. Just today in fact, stood way back to see where my squares and lines went. This one needs a little bit of tension on the back of the right rear spring, etc etc. The hellwig can do that. I am liking it already..not even installed. Got the geometry going through my head. I first learned all this with my subaru, and it did indeed turn out to be coil springs as a finale. That one is truly a brick. Nothing moves it in any way sitting static. The shape of what we want can be very hard. All else is suspension. Never symmetrical. The engine turns one way...a little bit to learn there.
                              Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 14, 2015, 06:41 AM.
                              Previously boxer3main
                              the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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                              • radiator support
                                Click image for larger version

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                                the chunk missing on the lower mount left in photo was like a firecracker went off when it was in a hard state. These rubber materials ought to be outlawed by now. The lower rubber all the way around the cab was nearly gone.

                                huge improvements with energy suspension.

                                the toughest part of this chore is knowing the chemistry was munching away. This is actually the only OE error I found. The materials for these mounts have been a nightmare for a very long time here. Overloaded must be the culprit on the cross sills...owner error.

                                I opted to cut the welded bolts out and call it a day. Let the channel breathe to air falling out the low spot the bolt occupies. I am also contemplating waiting until the hellwig spring helpers are installed. I see a gain on left and right rear leaf to be had... let it ping all the way to the ends... get the cab front bolted after I know it has got what it wants. I found both washer spots indicate the radiator support was pegged to the passenger side for years. Does not need to stay there anymore. The sway bar bolt being neutral enough to hear the slop... it was time to get to these last tidy items. All content...straight ahead.

                                Let the front move if it can. I may weld a washer to look like gm original. 23 dollars for the cupped washer and bolts. No. I am not buying one.

                                One radiator support deck on the driver side needs a plate to fit new poly mount snug, the hole is munched to the bomb these cab mounts get here.. And that is the worst of it. Passenger side is doing good. Shamefully could not use the bolts again, will simply get some cheap stuff at a hardware store.


                                leaving it open will neutral the water gathering of cyanidenitrogylcerinhydrochloricacidate.

                                I added "ate" at the end for science.

                                to reiterate, I am playing with tiny measurements. The toughest truck I have ever encontered.The last person I knew who spotted these things like I do...
                                a .25 inch parallelogram in 12 feet....is deceased. I did carpentry for several years..that was another hand nailed reason to keep a good eye.
                                If you ever get a chance, feel the right rear drum on your chevy, regardless of year...I know why it is hotter than the others.
                                Winning the chassis will also reveal the springs. All kinds of things to align precise with your big bad chevrolet.

                                realizing this must be a lightning strike as well as maine's butt, the way the end of one of the 23 dollar grade 8 flange bolts broke right off flush with the nut..
                                that is impossible, I hath declare. I cannot even fathom how in hell one could get anything big enough in that area...

                                ...impossible without an act of god. After 20 minutes a piece with the cutoff wheel, a chisel, 22 ounce hammer and blind swinging, it came out. A chunk of the thread with the nut still intact revealed the most oblong connection I have ever seen... the metal changed, with the nut, to oblong together..sometime over the past 19 years. That has got to be lightning. If my camera wasn't a cheap fisheye, I could show and tell with a macro shot.

                                looking over the radiator support oem rubbers..the top is not failing like every other oe rubber did. Seeing it dried right away, after dropping that squashy cyanide donut for a lower bushing, it is all there but some center munching due to the lower bomb. Just going to slap it back together with poly lower, and new bolts. This front mount turned into a 50 dollar bill trying to plan it better than factory. Got enough into it already. Not spending 50 dollars.

                                backing off some on the pennies. I actually want softer there, I got old school headlights. The poly lower, when I had that for cab mounts, was very good..but that only showed the upper 6 cab mounts was also infected with the water brain melter as well as the lower. The rad support version is staying solid for an unknown reason. Maybe due to more air up front...the wheel well, curling wind under bumper. Just going to put it back together, poly lower. I am not even seeking grade 8.. grabbing cheap hex bolts nuts and washers. Click image for larger version

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                                I attempted a photo of the oblong nut/bolt . This is flush cut, cutoff wheel.
                                Assuming lightning.
                                Not all that sure..but is the rad support bolts nickname "lightning bolts"?
                                This trucks design is as old as me, but faded away and finished off with a vortec climax in the late 90s.
                                Last edited by Barry Donovan; September 14, 2015, 09:00 PM.
                                Previously boxer3main
                                the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

                                Comment

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