73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Crew Cabs => Topic started by: bluecrew on July 03, 2012, 06:18:47 PM
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Sold off my mud trucks, scored a screaming deal on my new minivan.
(http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/929126/fullsize/imag0174.jpg)
(http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/929134/fullsize/imag0181.jpg)
(http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/929127/fullsize/imag0175.jpg)
1991 V3500 4x4, Dana 60, 14FF, sb350, 4L80E, NP205, 6" RC lift, and so far, 20MPG!!!!!
70,000ish miles, and not a leak anywhere.
Planning on some nice chrome wheels, 35" mudders, headers, some deep throaty pipes, a fresh paint job, some new stock bumpers, and some better trim up front. Open to ideas, suggestions, whatnots.
Small concern, I've been looking into this height sensing proportioning valve on the rear of my truck, and since I lifted it 6", you can imagine it don't line up anymore. I figure I'll have to fab up a longer lever assembly (~6") but what I'm not sure of is how it should look stock. Does anybody have a stock setup picture? I was foolish enough to not pay enough attention as to how it was before I pulled it apart.
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Small concern, I've been looking into this height sensing proportioning valve on the rear of my truck, and since I lifted it 6", you can imagine it don't line up anymore. I figure I'll have to fab up a longer lever assembly (~6") but what I'm not sure of is how it should look stock. Does anybody have a stock setup picture? I was foolish enough to not pay enough attention as to how it was before I pulled it apart.
I don't have pictures for you but if you don't need or want that set up you can do away with it.
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There should be a pic on here somewhere of the Load sensing valve, but unless you plan to load it down, which I would doubt since you are lifting, you can get rid of it like thirsty said.
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And if I get rid of it, will the rear brakes work like a regular setup, or will I muck up my rear brakes?
I don't plan to haul anything, this truck will be my street rig. Used to pick up groceries, truck parts, little things I can lift myself. I would prefer to have a stock setup like that of a regular 3/4 ton vs. this goofy contraption. Simplicity is king, this is one more thing to go wrong.
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from what I understand that valve just adds more rear brake when the truck is loaded and squats down. It is not needed for your intended use and the brakes will work fine without it.
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And if I get rid of it, will the rear brakes work like a regular setup, or will I muck up my rear brakes?
Your rear brakes should work like any truck that did not come with that setup if you remove it.
Simplicity is king, this is one more thing to go wrong.
I believe in this way of thinking.
I cannot remember if the the brake line mounting bracket that is on the rear of the frame is the same for the two different systems. If it is not then you can get one off a boneyard frame and bolt it to your frame. Then attach your steel brake line to a rubber line at that bracket. With your lift you will need to raise the attachment point for the bottom of the rubber line up where the two steel wheel cylinder lines go into it at the differential cover. It's simple, if you had mud trucks in the past then I am sure you have done brake lines before and this should be no problem for you. Just make sure you have the right connection point for the top of the rubber brake line.
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I picked up longer brake lines for the truck already, I have one that is longer for the rear and it will work.
stock rear hose length: 13.625"
Rear hose length off a 94 K3500 Dually: 21.375"
I opted to go Napa vs. lift company brake hoses as they cost about a third the price, (~$18) and are made to the same specs. I have done this in the past on my lifted trucks with success.
I was debating if I need to use this or not, and how I go about deleting this option. It's muggy and just shy of 100* outside, so I have plenty of time to tinker with my wrenching plans. My workshop is my gravel driveway. Weather permiting...
Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. This seems like a real nice forum. I might move in.
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Great lookin crew
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Now, that's my kind of minivan.
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As stated, removing it will make it non-load sensing, as it it won't vary the amount of pressure going to the brakes. You should be fine removing it.
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Good looking truck, can't wait to see the finished product. What kind of tires & wheels are you going with? What's the interior like, cloth or vinyl? Is it a former USAF truck?
I gotta be honest, I found this site via Google when I stumble on pics of your truck. At first I thought it was my old truck, yours is almost identical (scarey :o ). It really makes me miss mine. :'(
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Drove it for the first time since the lift install. It's taller than I planned. I forgot about the frame being 2" taller than a regular truck. Still have to change out the exhaust to put the front shaft back in. I love lifting these SUPER easy square bodies, simple and straight forward. It's just routine now. Buy truck, buy lift, install lift, then it's normal. Stock trucks look so lame to me...
I don't know the history of the truck. I bought it from a private party in Minneapolis. The interior is mostly stock. Someone, somewhere along the line put a different dash pad in there. It's got rubber floor liner, cloth seats, crank windows, manual locks, bone stock stereo... I'm thinking it was either a USAF or a county truck based on the mileage. Just over 70k! Fires up and purrs like a kitten. There are holes in the bed sides similar to military use.
As for tires and wheels, I'm still debating. I might go with some more mild mud tires, nothing extreme like boggers or v-treads. I put the 6" springs to clear 35's without worry. But I hate seeing a lifted rig with street tires on it. All terrain tires just seem wimpy to me.
I've always been a sucker for the simplicity of theses:
http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/images/products/classic_ii.jpg
What happened to your crew?
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What happened to your crew?
I loved the crew but it I got the itch to buy a new truck do I had to sell it. I was also starting on my K5 and having 2 projects was just too expensive. It was getting too hard to pick which one I bought toys for. ;D I sold it about 6 yrs ago. The last time I carfaxed it, it was in Wyoming.
Here's a pic of it -
(http://coloradok5.com/photos/data/517/4095front21.JPG)
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What happened to your crew?
I loved the crew but it I got the itch to buy a new truck do I had to sell it. I was also starting on my K5 and having 2 projects was just too expensive. It was getting too hard to pick which one I bought toys for. ;D I sold it about 6 yrs ago. The last time I carfaxed it, it was in Wyoming.
Here's a pic of it -
(http://coloradok5.com/photos/data/517/4095front21.JPG)
dang! What lift, tires, wheels, ? Same front bumper too? I'm actually looking to score a 81-82 front chrome one with the lights in it. Had that on my mud truck, always like them. I'm curious on the details of your old crew. That pic gives me all kinds of ideas! I see the resemilance, mine just looks more stock and worn. dang, you SOLD that!!! ..I'm sorry...
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Mine was a bone stock, retired USAF truck that I bought off of Ebay (in "fair" condition) from Pheonix, Az.. It was just like yours; 91 w/ tired 350, 4l80e, 205 & 4.10's. I cleaned up the body, had it painted and put a Rough Country 6" lift on with 35" BFG muds on Weld 16.5x12 wheels. I also swapped in 4.56's (which helped a lot), rear Detroit and a front Trac Lock limited slip. The inside was base model vinyl but it was in really good shape and clean. I always wanted to put a stock chrome bumper on it but just never got around to it.
Selling it was a tough decision but I needed a more dependable daily driver. I loved the truck but just got tired of trying to support 2 project trucks. I miss it and kind of wish I had it back but it was too nice to wheel and not as nice of a daily driver / travel vehicle as I wanted for the family (wife drives a Jeep).
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Not that it matters or that you cared, but what was your fuel mileage before and after the lift/tires, and after the gear swap? Just curious. That was a sweet rig, hopefully it still looks that nice.
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In stock form it got about 15 in town and around 18 or so on the interstate. That interstate figure comes from the drive back from Az to Al. I never travelled in it so I don't know the hiway mileage after the mods, it got around 13~14 in town after the mods.
I hope it still looks that good but who knows. I'm surprised it's never turned up on Coloradok5, Pirate4x4 GMsquarebody or even here. (I think) I'd love to see it again.
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Any updates?
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Not much, just put in a 6" Rough Country lift in it. Didn't care for the super rough ride it had. Swapped in some Superlift Softride 6" fronts (which I had planned to sell off) and that smoothed it out. Lost about an inch of height, but I prefer the ride quality vs. that little inch. Besides, with a truck that long, you never notice the rake. Swapped out that crappy winch bumper, and found a nice 81-82 front chrome with the lights in there. Always liked them with that style. Still have to find the right tires and wheels, some exhaust work to clear the front driveshaft, and some body work/paint job. It's a long slow project, but I got nothing but time.
Also scored some stock steel wheels for winter time. No tires, just the wheels. And, once I remove the bumpers, I can fit it in my garage for the winter. My garage is more like a large shed...
That's about the best I can muster for an update. Sorry, I'm a slow builder. Still grinning over scoring my dream rig.
(http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/944657/fullsize/crewcab.jpg)
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That's about the best I can muster for an update. Sorry, I'm a slow builder. Still grinning over scoring my dream rig.
It looks really good, it really makes me miss mine.
Don't worry about being slow, no matter how long it takes I've got you beat - I've been working on puting together a K5 for about 7 years now. :-\