1996 K1500 Build

[djp73]

March 2022

Ended up ordering the Reid Racing right side knuckle instead of sending the Chevy knuckle for machining. This is a stronger option and uses four studs for the steering arm instead of the three the machined stock knuckle uses. It's also bright orange.

 

[djp73]

March 2022

Trying to organize the bed of the truck and make it a little more usable for camping/offroad/recovery. Also making up for taking out the tool box.

Added a swing out tool box on the side.

Had these ammo cans and moved straps etc around between them and the swing out box until I was happy with the arrangement.

Shovel tucks in nicely behind the tool box.

 

[djp73]

Late March/early April 2022

Started axle disassembly. One of the six lug hubs was badly damaged so I elected to replace them both.

Knuckle off

Ended up having to cut u joints.

 

[djp73]

Breaking down the hubs and outers.

 

[djp73]

Had to get the studs out of the Chevy left knuckle as that one gets used without a steering arm now. They had presumably been in there since the early 1970s. Heated the knuckle and the studs backed right out with a pipe wrench. A testament to the metal quality.

 

[djp73]

Whole pile of parts coming home in the other truck. Axle and suspension related but also distributor, plugs, wires, coil and module that I replaced as the truck had been running somewhat poorly. The coil and module appeared to be originals.

 

[djp73]

Parts, parts, parts

 

[djp73]

One thing I wanted to avoid when doing the axle swap was going back 30 years in brake technology. I was able to come up with a setup to use H3 brakes. That required machining the hubs smaller so that the H3 rotors will slip on the front side as opposed to the 70s style rotors going on from the back side. The wheel studs will be pressed into the hubs now.

 

[djp73]

July 2022

Two new Mevotech ball joints going into the Reid Racing knuckle.

Also pictured are new Mile Marker hubs and Cunningham Machine door rollers.

 

[djp73]

July 2022

Axle housing stripped, cleaned and painted. Knuckles in place, spindles on. Ended up getting new spindles cause the ones from the Chevy D44 were rough. Had to get outer axle shafts too. All in all didn't end up using much from the Chevy 44.

Anyway, caliper bracket test fit too. Up on stands getting ready for gears and the Eaton ELocker, old gears and carrier still in place.

 

[djp73]

Marked the bearing caps and pulled out the old carrier and gears. Marked shims that came out for future reference.

 

[djp73]

Custom ORD springs by Alcan for the front. Several thin leaves.

 

[djp73]

Maybe I should have been driving this more?

 

[djp73]

Lost the rear u joint on the way to the shop and had to tow it the rest of the way. Some concerns about the rear pinion angle, needs to be checked once the suspension gets dialed in.

 

[djp73]

Started in on the gear/carrier install. It's been a very long time so going is slow and we got a little off track in the process. Didn't get it dialed in that day and won't get back to it for another week or two but we will get there.

Tools of the trade. Pinion holding tool, inch pounds dial torque wrench, dead blow hammer and an oven.

30 minutes at 200°. Chef kiss.