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Another chevy build

410K views 1K replies 205 participants last post by  cda 
#1 · (Edited)
This is gonna start off more of an evolution thread being my truck is about done. A little back ground on how it got to where it is now.


this is about what it looked like when I got it a few years back.


fastforward thru a couple transformations and tire sizes.


always changing


the best it looked when still street legal, didnt have a digital camera back then so pics were few.


I skipped posting a lot of the mods I did to this point because they were all the normal chevy things, big bumpers, rock sliders, body lifts and normal junk like that. At this point the truck was still 1/2 ton 4" lift, 3" body lift. 38" tires.

The turning point that got me in the direction I am at now would be the tube bed. I got tired of smashing in the fender sides so I built this. It was actually 1 1/4" schedule 40 poop pipe, but worked great. Low budget was the only way I could afford to wheel.


I ran around with that bed all the way up till this year. At this point it was still a daily driver I used to get to work. Shortly after I also built an inside cage out of the same poop pipe. No pics of of that, I will have to dig thru old piles of photos.

I pulled the rock sliders for more ground clearance and before I knew about boat siding a cab I just cut the rockers off and welded some square tubing at the door opening, also cut the rusted corners out and reinforced the corners. These work good, actually still running the cab like that, simple but effective.



Never being able to leave anything alone I decide to tube the front end with the intent of leaving it street legal, I didnt own a tow rig or trailer so I didnt have any choice. So out of more poop pipe I run the cage thru the front firewall and built a pipe core support. That only lasted until I went to put sheet metal on, cause the first thing I did was narrow the front end. So a tow rig was now in order. Anyway fast forward again thru some more boring tech this is where I was at.


some beadlocks and the best upgrade I had done, a Dana 60 14bolt combo.


more to come.
 
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#29 ·
On your upper wishbone link at the frame, what was the purpose of using a flex joint? They are useless in that orientation, all you need the top link to do at the frame is move up and down. Poly bushings at the frame would allow the same vertical movement and give the rear that little bit more of extra flex.
 
#30 ·
Yup your right, I didnt gain anything with them there.

When I started the build I was gonna do a 4 link and somewhere along the way I changed it to this, so I used the parts I already had. Although I've seen 4 links with poly bushings on one side too. This is what happens when you start a build with out a clear cut plan and design before you start. Pretty much started making it up as I went.
 
#32 · (Edited)
One of the next upgrades I would like to do is air bumps. I was looking into getting some fox air bumps and saw they had 2" and 2.5".

The 2.5's are $125 more than the 2.0's. I know I went with the 2.5" shocks for the weight rating but do I really need 2.5" air bumps?

When on the trails I know either would work because the fat rubber bump has been working fine. Its when I hit the sand that I get some hard landings. I dont go out looking to jump the shit out of my rig but I do run it hard.

Or should I skip the air bump install?
 
#35 ·
im trying to get my front airshocks mounted this week, too. had coils, werent bad, but too much weight, too much lift, no adjustability. i got some 2.5 air shocks, and i am wondering if they will be enough to hold up my big block... I think the total vehicle weight is less than 3300 lbs.


I know youre running the a/s in the rear... did you say you were running around 80 psi in them?
 
#40 ·
Not a whole lot of updates. Just finishing up little stuff that got over looked. Also getting a few things done for our trip down to the con in June.
I ordered some DIY4X motor mounts since I have poly mounts on the t-case I am gonna need the same for the engine to keep it from wanting to twist the trans off the t case.



I did go to the local u pull it the other day because they were having a 50% off sale and picked up a few things. This particular u pull it also takes in scrap. Well it so happens they had a 14 bolt already removed from a vehicle that was brought in with a load of scrap. It was like brand new. It was new enough there was still grease/paint marks on the ring and pinion from checking the pattern. This thing was really spotless, not even sure if the brake lines were ever hooked up. I can see marks where it had u bolts installed and shocks. It looks like it has a limited slip and 3.07 gears

Any way I bought it so I could have a seperate axle to shave with out downing my rig again. This axle is a bit different then my 14bolt. This one has fins across the top and bottom. Also the case is twice as thick where the axle tubes slide in.

So I was just wondering if this is just the new style 14 bolt or if this is out of something other than a truck?



I dont have pics of the fins cause the batts went dead in the camera. This second pic sucks ass but you can see the old 14bolt is alot thinner.

 
#43 ·
unfortunetly it has drum brakes. I am sure it is a SRW the drums look the same as my old 14bolt.

I have disc on my other axle so I will just swap it over when I do the swap.

I will get a pic of the carrier maybe tonight, looks like a posi or ???. You cant see the spiders like on my other one. Looks like round plugs/caps held in with snap rings that are spring loaded. Either way it will come out and I will put the welded diff in.

Thanks for the info guys.
 
#44 ·
Doubt that it is a "posi", bet ya that its a gov-loc. Gov-loc's still have clutches in them. All the newer 14 bolts that I've worked on were either open diff or gov-bomb.
 
#47 ·
Eng cross member is home built, pretty simple no real bling to it. I'll go thru my pics at home and see if I can find a shot of it or take another.

This last run was just a shake down run to test the trans. First one I ever rebuilt. So far so good. It is also the first run with the new trans/t-case cross member as well. The t-case mount is all poly bushings and the eng was still running the factory rubber bushing so I ordered some eng mounts from DIY4X, not because I cant make them but I just simply was too lazy to. They didnt show up in time however so I went booty fab and welded a couple tabs on the motor mount to make them solid until the new mounts showed up. Last thing I need to do is pull the threads on this trans/tcase adapter.

We will be heading up to Browns camp (local trails) and run some rocks if the snow isnt too deep this sunday.
 
#48 ·
Nice lookin setup. Is 14" of travel enough on the rear? When stationary how much shaft is showing? Do you currently limit the up of down travel? I am totally in the dark with how long of coilovers to get for mine. My rear setup is very similar, links are also around 53".

Scott
 
#49 ·
I think I should have gone longer like 16-18". Although I'm not sure if the upper link on the axle could handle more flex being a single joint. If I changed to 2 links on top then definetly more shock would be needed. The original plan was to have the shocks on the links but I changed my mind and went straight links and put the shocks on the axle and I already had the shocks at that time.

I do lift a rear tire now and again but I can live with it.

As of right now there is 8 1/4" shaft showing. I am figuring after propane tanks are mounted and gear/highlift I should be about 7". As for limiting the travel the shocks do that at the moment. Hopefully in the near future I'll have air bumps to help with any bottoming out.
 
#50 ·
If you can find a pic that would be cool.
I'm just looking for idea's that I haven't already seen.
The ord one is nice, but I would rather build it than buy it.

I forgot to mention, I also like the battery setup. Good choice,
welding the pin to the hinge.:smokin:
 
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