S10 Build getting started

[Meili]

Gotta come up with an Expedtion Portal patch/id so we all can hook up at the next event!

I carried a notebook and noted things I needed to fix or add to my rig since this was it's first real outing.

Checked one off the list today, there was no place to hook anything to in or outside the camper.

I never thought of this until I was leaving for the trip and tried to secure the solar panels, cooler etc. DOH!

Anyway, one of the divisions of my old employer sells L-track so my old S10 was "tracked" up. Naturally I removed them and installed them in the new rig.

There is a ligther and heavy duty version of the track.

The lighter version is installed inside under the shelves. It acts as a attaching point and braces the shelf.

Don't know if you recall way back when I swapped the fenders on the utility bed side to side, I said I had an idea to cover the seams and make it more functional. This is it!

The upper seams are covered with the HD version. There is still a credit owed to me at the comoany so I may get a couple more peices to finish it out.

Should have plenty spots to attach to as needed!

20908

 

[chilliwak]

Nice looking add ons their Meili. I always like following your progress. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[FBJR]

Yep, I like those.

Hey, Chili is back!!!!!!

 

[chilliwak]

Yep, I like those.

Hey, Chili is back!!!!!!

Yes sir I am!!!:wings::luxhello::friday::bigbossHL::exclaim::truck::littlefriend::yikes::REOutShootinghunter:REOutShootinghunter:REOutShootinghunter

 

[Meili]

Reviewed my gas slips from the Expo East trip, approximately 2000 miles.

The MPG ranged from a high 17 to a low 13, ouch!

The sweet spot for mpg/mph is 1900/2100 rpm cruise, after that mpgs dropped quickly.

Above 2100 each 100 rpm increase costs me 1 mpg!

Looks like a taller tire is in order.

Another observation from the trip is the need for rear sway bar and/or adjustible lift.

The truck handling is fine uploaded but loaded the rear drops almost 2 inches and sway is noticeable.

I dont want to make it too stiff out back for offroad so going to add a second set of rear shocks.

May go old school, have a set of air shocks that never made it on my other S10.

The plan is to run them at just 5 PSI so just the shock part is working helping control the sway a little bit.

Once loaded for a trip, it can be raised to level.

Plan on plumbing them so they can be raised/lowered seperate or together.

Should make leveling on site easier!

 

[chilliwak]

Reviewed my gas slips from the Expo East trip, approximately 2000 miles.

The MPG ranged from a high 17 to a low 13, ouch!

The sweet spot for mpg/mph is 1900/2100 rpm cruise, after that mpgs dropped quickly.

Above 2100 each 100 rpm increase costs me 1 mpg!

Looks like a taller tire is in order.

Another observation from the trip is the need for rear sway bar and/or adjustible lift.

The truck handling is fine uploaded but loaded the rear drops almost 2 inches and sway is noticeable.

I dont want to make it too stiff out back for offroad so going to add a second set of rear shocks.

May go old school, have a set of air shocks that never made it on my other S10.

The plan is to run them at just 5 PSI so just the shock part is working helping control the sway a little bit.

Once loaded for a trip, it can be raised to level.

Plan on plumbing them so they can be raised/lowered seperate or together.

Should make leveling on site easier!

I use a Helwig rear sway bar in my truck with the big canopy. Works real well. I also have Bilstein shocks that work very well too. Maybe something like that could work for you. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[Meili]

"I use a Helwig rear sway bar in my truck with the big canopy. Works real well. I also have Bilstein shocks that work very well too. Maybe something like that could work for you. Cheers, Chilli..."

I have an idea about a sway bar in my back pocket. Unfortunately, that will not help with ride height when loaded, so air shocks it is (plus I have a NOS GM set).

I'll jump on my soapbox for a moment about air shocks, they have a undeserved bad rap.

Any issue I have ever seen is due to improper use or bad installation. They are a tool like and other part.

The proper way to use a airshock is to use it to relevel your vehicle when loaded, period.

If your vehicle is sagging at it's normal weight, you need new springs.

Ok, back to your regularly scheduled program.

The shocks are in and per the manufacture, set to the minimum of 25 PSI not 5 like I thought. At 30 PSI they raised the truck a whole 1/4 inch. They can go to 200 PSI.

So unloaded. if I lost an airline it will not effect ride height and will just act like a normal shock. I just drove 2000 miles loaded without them, sagging a bit, so a failure is not going to stop me.

I did lose about 1 1/2 inch of droop since the shock is shorter. May have to address that if it becomes an issue.

Right now they are hooked to a common fill point. Future plans call for 2 fill points and a valve so they can be run paired(off road) and seperated (on road).

Being seperate will also allow me to level the truck if I have to camp in a unelevel spot. Oh, once the compression is wired, they will be wired (aired?) direct to it for easy adjustment.

Since the weather has been nice , naturally switched over to my winter tires.

The summer mudders and winter all terrain tires were purchased at the same time, from the same manufacture and have the same build specs (plys, load rating etc) so one can be used as a spare .

One thing I needed to do is add 1/4 wheel spacers since the rims just touch the a arm and the sway bar at lock.

Instead of wrestling with them each time you change a tire, they were attached to the rotor via 2 1/4x20 studs.

The studs are ground smooth on the front(wheel side) and don't protude threw the back (hubside) so the rotor/wheel will fit flush.

I wanted more engagement of the threads on the studs so I had ordered new lug nuts that have a 1/2 inch deeper reach.

They fit the rear (no spacers) without bottoming out, so all is good.

Let it snow!

21750

 

[Meili]

Quick update, got the truck inspected today at a buddy's shop.

While on the lift I measured the rear axle drop/droop. Looks like about 6 inches.

The shock had a total of about 9 1/2 inches of travel so I am going to call it good.

 

[chilliwak]

The truck is looking great Meili. Thats hope your inspection goes well. Cheers, Chilli..

 

[FBJR]

The proper use of spacers and even thinking of the lugs! :wings:

 

[Meili]

PennDot overlord gave me permission to drive my truck on the roads my taxes pay for, for another year.:bowdown:

 

[chilliwak]

PennDot overlord gave me permission to drive my truck on the roads my taxes pay for, for another year.:bowdown:

Well sir I am very happy to hear that. Cheers, Chilli..:wings:

 

[FBJR]

Ca is going nuts on taxes. Gas goes up .12 and diesel .20 on the 1st. (to fix the roads we already payed fuel tax on) Then another .07 next year as an excise tax!!

Least we don't have yearly inspections yet,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Meili]

Over on the left coast (Seattle). Unfortunitly went by air so no driving adventures.

After Seattle is Boston (may drive this leg), so won't be wrenching for the next 2 weeks.

 

[FBJR]

Have a safe trip. I avoid that area during work hours if I get up that way.