Belinda the Beluga Whale 1990 Chev r3500 build

[SuperBuickGuy]

I guess an air or e locker is the ticket then....

if I need to pull the truck, I can use the Corvette.

[Dan Barlow]

I guess an air or e locker is the ticket then....

I'm not an air locker fan I don't trust that little airline . A few of the off-road YouTubers I watch have had problems with them . In Airlockers defense , non have converted to a more conventional traction multiplier . I haven't seen the need for it yet but we had a fairly warm winter last year.

[DanStokes]

at this point, finding 4 friends who don't have spinal specialists on call is problematic

Too true!

[silver_bullet]

open, if you need traction, you put chains on both wheels.
the other benefit is it drives with less steering input when the rear wheels are trying to follow ruts
with that said, I have 2 (or 4 depending on how you count) badadz 4x4s if it gets 'stuck'

and with that also said, driving something that lose traction with both tires in slippery conditions is not a lot of fun. Sure, one wheel peel is 'embarrassing' but side sliding into a ditch is worse (or having both tires locking up then jackknifing isn't optimal either).

I guess an air or e locker is the ticket then....

[SuperBuickGuy]

That fork lift is cheating. You're supposed to wait until you can gather 4 friends (plus you to align bolt holes), ply them with the beverage of their choice and promises of lunch, and get them to manhandle (or personhandle, depending) that sucker onto the frame. One of the friends will be significantly shorter than the rest (that is usually me) making keeping the bed level pretty much impossible. So yes, you're doing it all wrong.......

at this point, finding 4 friends who don't have spinal specialists on call is problematic

[SuperBuickGuy]

Kind of curious on your opinion on a tow pig , open diff or a unit to get power going to both sides .

open, if you need traction, you put chains on both wheels.
the other benefit is it drives with less steering input when the rear wheels are trying to follow ruts
with that said, I have 2 (or 4 depending on how you count) badadz 4x4s if it gets 'stuck'

and with that also said, driving something that lose traction with both tires in slippery conditions is not a lot of fun. Sure, one wheel peel is 'embarrassing' but side sliding into a ditch is worse (or having both tires locking up then jackknifing isn't optimal either).

[silver_bullet]

always a locker.... you need traction to pull.... Tru-trac is preferred over a G80.... G stands for grenade....

[DanStokes]

That fork lift is cheating. You're supposed to wait until you can gather 4 friends (plus you to align bolt holes), ply them with the beverage of their choice and promises of lunch, and get them to manhandle (or personhandle, depending) that sucker onto the frame. One of the friends will be significantly shorter than the rest (that is usually me) making keeping the bed level pretty much impossible. So yes, you're doing it all wrong.......

[Dan Barlow]

Kind of curious on your opinion on a tow pig , open diff or a unit to get power going to both sides .

[SuperBuickGuy]

onto stuff.... welded the frame back together

and the 5th wheel hitch back onto the truck

and note, not that I'm planning on pulling a horse trailer - but this does a great job of filling the hole in the bed.
forklift makes quick work of putting the bed back on

and done

[SuperBuickGuy]

( screen shot of what I typed , then got an error code and it wouldn't post )

first.... it's a Dana 70HD - and it's failing, so stop talking to me about the fail that seems to be Dana. I mean, you can spend a lot of money to have them fail less but if this issue was on a 14 bolt, I'd pull the pinion, reshim it and call it a day.

ratios. I don't know, but I did notice that there is a speedo conversion on the transmission - so it's been changed guess, 4.56s

the transmission dilemma. I do have an abundance of 4l80es - but - they require a computer to operate. Had I bought a 91, it would have come with a 4l80e (a junk one but that's a simple 'bolt in a newer, updated one' fix). So that leaves my options as
1) 4L80e and a stand alone computer (or borrow the Meqasquirt stand alone I have for the Buick wagon - then put a terminator x in the Buick). Lowest cost ... probably. But it's cost would be a Terminator X - $1300 with all the frills.
2) steal the 4L80e out of the motorhome - for all intents and purposes the motorhome is dead, right now it's just a tiny house but this would probably be the lowest cost because of the P30 chassis wiring. The trans works great, the motor is TBI - so that would leave 'dash' issues - and that could be solved with a Dakota Digital dash.... at $1300.
3) Buy a gear vendor. They have a lifetime warranty - so I'm not sure about the bitching.... there is one available nearish for $1700

the biggest problem with #1 is I have no idea which (if any) of my 4L80e transmissions are good. The 4x4 one from the H1 probably is good but it's a 4wd so would require making it 2 wd. I have the 2wd version in the Buick but I've never run it so have no idea if it works or not. The 2wd version I bought has a ear broken off - which I could ignore, but not sure I trust that it works (seems to be fine, but the guy selling it was the definition of sketchy).

Or I just wait for my wife to hate the TR4060 in her Jeep then put that in my truck....

[Dan Barlow]

( screen shot of what I typed , then got an error code and it wouldn't post )

[SuperBuickGuy]

driveshaft, fixed

installed but the pinion shim is loose (and won't tighten)


with that said, I may just send it until it can't be sent anymore.... looking at other diffs - probably find a 14 bolt.... but for now, fix the tow and it's gonna work (after it gets a coat of paint)

[SuperBuickGuy]

so since 4 projects in a day is slacking, why not work on this.... removed the bed - the fenders were incorrectly installed and I needed to pull the driveshaft to get it fixed.

need to weld the frame back up - though I'm waiting for a behind the license plate hitch to arrive
and reinstall this - but may notch the frame to accomplish

never fear, if I do, I'll put a flatbed floor at the wheel well height - which will give me, basically, a flatbed inside the bed and 2 trunks thus I get a low truck while maintaining a 5th wheel hitch and a useable bed.

[SuperBuickGuy]

so she's next up to get painted - but it'll take a moment to get it ready. That said.... fun was had removing tint

then assembly...

installed

hate my camera.... there was a bit of rust under the molding... thankfully not severe...
but not picture.... ah well