2007 Silverado - Buy Once, Cry Once: 1-tons, 40's & a Custom Camper
- Thread starter Andrew_S
- Start date
Andrew_S
Observer
Thanks for the good words guys, no issues with fires here yet.
Some days you move forward on a project and some days you get kicked in the nuts.
This am leaving for work I noticed this small puddle, initially thinking break fluid only to be disappointed and find its gear oil. Looks like I messed up the inner axle seal, I'll be pulling this thing completely back apart now.
I went to install the PPE trans mount this evening, only to be greeted by this beauty as well... Looks like the T-case is coming back out too...
No use in crying over spilt milk, or tranny fluid, or gear oil... Rear end is back in for shock and sway bar mount mock up.
Check out this tentative departure angle, a little over 50 degrees.
and some glory shots to make myself feel better after all the setbacks today brought my way
The stretched wheel base looks just about perfect.
Some days you move forward on a project and some days you get kicked in the nuts.
This am leaving for work I noticed this small puddle, initially thinking break fluid only to be disappointed and find its gear oil. Looks like I messed up the inner axle seal, I'll be pulling this thing completely back apart now.
I went to install the PPE trans mount this evening, only to be greeted by this beauty as well... Looks like the T-case is coming back out too...
No use in crying over spilt milk, or tranny fluid, or gear oil... Rear end is back in for shock and sway bar mount mock up.
Check out this tentative departure angle, a little over 50 degrees.
and some glory shots to make myself feel better after all the setbacks today brought my way
The stretched wheel base looks just about perfect.
ITTOG
Well-known member
It is looking great. Quick question, when you hang the leaf springs do you hang them, talking about the mounting points, with a leaf springs fully relaxed or under load? Just curious how you determine how far apart the shackles will be.
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Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk
Andrew_S
Observer
^ Thanks, but don't let the pictures fool you, this thing is definitely built in a garage.
Still trying to sort out what I'm going to do with the front bumper. I grabbed this sierra bumper to test fit, less than desirable, so I'm likely going to run a stock 1500 silverado bumper for now.
Mocking up the exhaust and sway bar and sorting out shock placement. Need to get one connection of the exhaust expanded to fit but it should work nicely.
I needed a win, so I decided to shift gears and tackle the interior.
I stopped counting after 30 pieces of interior came out of this thing. Holy smokes it's a bit of a job taking this thing down to the shell.
Everything out and ready for a wipe down
There must have been 20 lbs of dust & dirt in this carpet.
Getting paid some big money on this job
I've definitely seen worse condition seats, but money better spent now than waiting. Drivers seat was split down the entire side and the foam was really sacked out.
Passenger seat ready for new upholstery
Drivers side, but more work swapping the seat bottom and swapping the heated seat element
They turned out so good. After a couple of weeks sitting in the sun and stretching/shrinking, I'm sure any remaining wrinkles will be relaxed. Nicest GMT 800 seat I've ever sat in.
Took a break that evening and gave this old truck a coat wax. The old lacquer paint still buffs alright for it's age and abuse.
Before I put the interior back together, I decided, "while I'm at it" I may as well add some sound-dampening/deadening. Put down a layer of 80mil butyl mat this evening.
Have enough left over to do the roof & door cards one day, but not today.
Hopefully, get the interior back together slowly in the evenings this week and start back on the rear and redo items this weekend.
Bear with my limited experience, may be best to google this for some actual expert opinions - but, my thought process was duplicate the stock distancing and I would get the stock shackle angles, but reversed because it's a shackle flip kit. It worked out. Without any weight in the rear the shackles are at almost exactly 90*. My understanding is angled slightly forward (80-85* from the leaf is best for ride comfort. Angled back would cause a bind under articulation. Once I add a deck, fuel, camper and gear (nearly 1500-1800 lbs), the back should settle down an inch or two.
I had given this situation more thought than I care to admit... Luckily it worked out.
Still trying to sort out what I'm going to do with the front bumper. I grabbed this sierra bumper to test fit, less than desirable, so I'm likely going to run a stock 1500 silverado bumper for now.
Mocking up the exhaust and sway bar and sorting out shock placement. Need to get one connection of the exhaust expanded to fit but it should work nicely.
I needed a win, so I decided to shift gears and tackle the interior.
I stopped counting after 30 pieces of interior came out of this thing. Holy smokes it's a bit of a job taking this thing down to the shell.
Everything out and ready for a wipe down
There must have been 20 lbs of dust & dirt in this carpet.
Getting paid some big money on this job
I've definitely seen worse condition seats, but money better spent now than waiting. Drivers seat was split down the entire side and the foam was really sacked out.
Passenger seat ready for new upholstery
Drivers side, but more work swapping the seat bottom and swapping the heated seat element
They turned out so good. After a couple of weeks sitting in the sun and stretching/shrinking, I'm sure any remaining wrinkles will be relaxed. Nicest GMT 800 seat I've ever sat in.
Took a break that evening and gave this old truck a coat wax. The old lacquer paint still buffs alright for it's age and abuse.
Before I put the interior back together, I decided, "while I'm at it" I may as well add some sound-dampening/deadening. Put down a layer of 80mil butyl mat this evening.
Have enough left over to do the roof & door cards one day, but not today.
Hopefully, get the interior back together slowly in the evenings this week and start back on the rear and redo items this weekend.
1stDeuce
Explorer
Better fix for the bumper look: Swap to a GMC front end. 
I am not a fan of the high hood Cat-eye front end. The GMC nose had much better visibility than the Chevy thanks to using the same hood from '99 to 2007. I am not a fan of newer trucks because you can't see anything out of them, and for GM, that started with the Avalanche cat-eye nose.
I love the .22 cal casings (and not yet a casing...) My truck had about a coffee cup full that came out of the dash the first time I took it apart , and some of which were under the driver's door sill. I suspect someone in North Dakota was sniping prairie dogs on company time...
Looking good Andrew!!
Since your doing mods, you might check into adding a 2nd alternator. It's pretty easy, aside from getting the new serp belt on, which is a PITA. I didn't swap to the smaller alt's that were factory, I added a second of the same size as the first. Kept the old serp belt under the back seat, so now if I have a catastrophic alt failure, I can still get home after an hour of wrangling the serp belt. Plus no more low voltage when you first start it, nor when winching.
Since it's an LBZ, you should also add switches for the exhaust brake and high idle. Both pretty cool features, though I need high idle less now that I have two alt's. Pretty easy, and I think you can buy the pins on ebay now...
Not that you don't have enough to do...
I am not a fan of the high hood Cat-eye front end. The GMC nose had much better visibility than the Chevy thanks to using the same hood from '99 to 2007. I am not a fan of newer trucks because you can't see anything out of them, and for GM, that started with the Avalanche cat-eye nose.
I love the .22 cal casings (and not yet a casing...) My truck had about a coffee cup full that came out of the dash the first time I took it apart , and some of which were under the driver's door sill. I suspect someone in North Dakota was sniping prairie dogs on company time...
Looking good Andrew!!
Since your doing mods, you might check into adding a 2nd alternator. It's pretty easy, aside from getting the new serp belt on, which is a PITA. I didn't swap to the smaller alt's that were factory, I added a second of the same size as the first. Kept the old serp belt under the back seat, so now if I have a catastrophic alt failure, I can still get home after an hour of wrangling the serp belt. Plus no more low voltage when you first start it, nor when winching.
Since it's an LBZ, you should also add switches for the exhaust brake and high idle. Both pretty cool features, though I need high idle less now that I have two alt's.
Pretty easy, and I think you can buy the pins on ebay now... Not that you don't have enough to do...