What to do about...

[85MudMonster]

I'm working on fixing up an 85 K10 I bought not to long ago. And it has A/C on it, but I want to know if I should keep it or get rid of it. I was thinking about getting rid of it. However, the truck will be used primarily for mudding, but will also be driven on the highway some, which is why I'm only doing a 4" lift and 35" tires. I have to take it off in order to do some of the work that I have to do to it, but once I have it off should I leave it off or Convert it over to R124a?

Thanks,
Dan

[Blazin]

If its all there and stioll in working order I would convert it.

[Lt.Del]

I echo Blazin's thoughts.  If ever you re-sell it, you'll be glad you kept A/C.

[Captkaos]

I agree, if it is all there, you will hurt yourself more by removing it, especially if you decide to part with it later.

[85MudMonster]

Okay, I think what I will do is take it off in order to fix the stuff that needs fixing, and keep all the A/C stuff in the shed, and then if the hot Louisiana summer warrants A/C next year then it'll get converted over and put back on. I just wanted some other opinions casue everyone at work said to leave it on, but my friend I go off-roading with said take it off. I'm not good at making those kind of descisions cause I've driven cars without A/C before so it doen't bother me that much. Anyway, thanks. And I'm still open to other opinions and reasons for those opions.

[werewolfx13]

Be careful about taking stuff off and leaving it open, AC components do not like even the slightest bit of contamination. I'd take it off, do the work, and IMMEDIATELY put it back on. Leave the belt off the compressor if you're concerned about power loss.

[VileZambonie]

Never get rid of AC! And yeah if you open the system and leave it open for any long period of time you can vacuum it for a week and won't get the moisture out of the accumulator. the dessicant bag will be saturated. The rest of the system if you disconnect anything tape it off to keep out the bad stuff.

[85MudMonster]

Well, now this whole AC thing just sounds like a pain in the @ss. now I'm starting to wish that the truck never came with AC...

[werewolfx13]

Its not hard..what do you need to take the AC off for? You should be able to unbolt the compressor and lay it off to the side without disconnecting any lines...

[85MudMonster]

The hoses don't have any flex in them at all. I could try it, what I need to do it get the driverside vc off and replace the gasket to stop an oil leak. the compressor has to move out of the way, it's just the rubber part of the lines are very very very stiff and have almost no flex or give to them so I'm not sure if it will be able to move enough, and the aluminum part of the lines run accross the fan shroud which I want to remove in order to put in dual elecric fans. I guess I should try moving the compressor first and if it will let me get in there and do the vc seal then that's fine but I'm not sure how to get the lines out of the way of the fan shroud...

[VileZambonie]

Don't be scared, they'll move. You may put a little bend in the aluminum line but you can bend it right back into shape. Trust me I've done a zillion of them. AC is not a PITA, sweat in your crack is a PITA when you don't have AC

[85MudMonster]

okay, I just got scared and didn't want to hurt it you know. I figured it would've been better to take it all the way off then break it, but I'll just have to move it and not be scared of it...

[werewolfx13]

Yep, like Vile said, those hoses  have some flex to em. Somone else may want to make a comment on this to tell me if it will damage the hoses, but spraying the hoses with carb cleaner and letting it soak in and wiping the excess off may make them even more flexable. Thats a trick I've used to put the air box hoses back on old inline 4 bikes without replacing them with new ones...those things are hard as rocks, but when sprayed with carb cleaner and apply a LITTLE bit of heat with a heat gun or hair dryer, they stretch almost like new.

My truck doesn't even have that hard aluminum line, somone replaced it with semi-rigid/flexable copper tubing and flare fittings. The AC still works though.

[VileZambonie]

I wouldn't spray carb clean on the barrier hoses however you could on the pipes to clean them.

[werewolfx13]

I wasn't sure if it would have a negative impact on em or not, I've done it to other rubber hoses and such when I haven't wanted to replace em, but nothing that holds pressure like an AC system does.