LT.
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Los Alamos, New Mexico
I hate moving. You never realize just how much stuff you have until you move. It is not the big stuff but, all the hand fulls of stuff you bring in everyday.
LT.
GMC / Chevy Project Dual Sport ; 1998 GMC Sierra
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
-
- Tags
- build thread
I hate moving. You never realize just how much stuff you have until you move. It is not the big stuff but, all the hand fulls of stuff you bring in everyday.
LT.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
So life has finally settled down a bit to allow me to get back to working on the GMC! I picked up a 'stubby' winch bumper from ORD, unfortunately I had to do come cutting to make it work, but it's now in place. I also bolted up my Warn XD9000 and welded on a pair of tabs for the LED lights I bought from one of our vendors on here, Deviant.
Eventually I plan on extending out the tube work and better protecting the front end. For now, I'll leave it as is.
Here's how it all came together...
Eventually I plan on extending out the tube work and better protecting the front end. For now, I'll leave it as is.
Here's how it all came together...
LT.
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Los Alamos, New Mexico
Good to see some updates on this build. Keep em coming.
LT.
LT.
TJDukit
I.Y.A.A.Y.A.S.
- Location
- Clearfield
That bumper looks awesome.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
love it!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Thanks guys, the bumper really helped finish off the front end. The truck look much more complete now.
I actually made a ton of progress on the minor details this weekend in addition to the bumper, winch & lights. I started Thursday night and worked several hours each day, wrapping up this afternoon.
New drag link that is actually adjustable, the previous one had a stuck TRE... now I can get it properly aligned!
My turning radius going left has sucked, I needed to cut 4 new splines in the pitman arm and set it in the right place. I had a chance to do that... and now the truck turns like it should!
Front driveshaft is in, had to do some grinding on the upper yokes to create enough clearance at the u-joint. We will see if I need a CV, probably will when running in 4 High... but in the meantime, I now have proper 4WD.
Rear axle is moved back, so it won't hit the front edge of the wheel-wells under compression. Doing this actually raised the back-end up the truck up just a little, which now makes the truck look right... there is no longer a rake with the front sitting up higher than the rear, if anything the rear is now higher than the front.
Fixed a broken inside door handle and stopped the window from squealing when being rolled up.
All in all, I'd say it was a very productive weekend! We're hoping to get the truck ready for some kind of weekend camping trip this Fall... I'm really looking forward to that!
I actually made a ton of progress on the minor details this weekend in addition to the bumper, winch & lights. I started Thursday night and worked several hours each day, wrapping up this afternoon.
New drag link that is actually adjustable, the previous one had a stuck TRE... now I can get it properly aligned!
My turning radius going left has sucked, I needed to cut 4 new splines in the pitman arm and set it in the right place. I had a chance to do that... and now the truck turns like it should!
Front driveshaft is in, had to do some grinding on the upper yokes to create enough clearance at the u-joint. We will see if I need a CV, probably will when running in 4 High... but in the meantime, I now have proper 4WD.
Rear axle is moved back, so it won't hit the front edge of the wheel-wells under compression. Doing this actually raised the back-end up the truck up just a little, which now makes the truck look right... there is no longer a rake with the front sitting up higher than the rear, if anything the rear is now higher than the front.
Fixed a broken inside door handle and stopped the window from squealing when being rolled up.
All in all, I'd say it was a very productive weekend! We're hoping to get the truck ready for some kind of weekend camping trip this Fall... I'm really looking forward to that!
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Nice
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
So the new LED lights... I like having good lighting on my vehicles, great night vision in important to me. I decided to take a couple pics at night with the headlights, the LED lights and then both together. I did this on the side of my house... in the desert would have been better, but that will have to happen another time. Right now I have the LED's pointed slightly down, as they're flood lights and I wanted the bulk of the light right at the front of the truck.
Here's the truck with the high beams on (using the Painless Wiring kit, both high & low beams on)...
And the LED's only, which put out a VERY white, bright light...
And the headlights on high beam, with the LED's together... looks like the headlights & the LED's complement each other very well and fill in for each other.
I'm pretty sure I have 3 different colors of lights, but that said I'm very happy with the overall amount, spread & distance of light that the truck is putting out. Quite pleased with the cheap LED's, we will see how long they last.
Here's the truck with the high beams on (using the Painless Wiring kit, both high & low beams on)...
And the LED's only, which put out a VERY white, bright light...
And the headlights on high beam, with the LED's together... looks like the headlights & the LED's complement each other very well and fill in for each other.
I'm pretty sure I have 3 different colors of lights, but that said I'm very happy with the overall amount, spread & distance of light that the truck is putting out. Quite pleased with the cheap LED's, we will see how long they last.
LT.
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Los Alamos, New Mexico
That really is impressive! The little things are what completes a project but, they rarely do anything to change the look of a vehicle so, nobody notices them.
LT.
LT.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Thanks Bart! He is still around and still a vendor but I don't know what he is bringing in any more of those size lights. Check the vendor forum, he has a thread in there for these lights... matter of fact... - http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?96921-5-quot-mini-led-bars-1800-lumens-18-watts-25
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
OK, this has been a LONG time coming... I've been spending a lot of time getting the GMC trail-ready the last few weeks. There were several major finishing details that I've mostly wrapped up... I still need to plumb & wire the ARB air compressor, so I have a functioning front locker. I also have a front, inner axle seal that's leaking. Other than that, it's minor stuff!
I took the GMC out to Bangs Canyon and the Rough Canyon area for a test. Even with the tires at street pressure and no front ARB, the truck is very capable. I don't know how often the front ARB will be needed, this play area is way more difficult than the trails I built the truck for and the ARB wasn't needed. The 'playground' area has a dozen or so ledges of varying size, so I spent some time playing around was very impressed, the truck was more or less point-and-shoot... climbed up everything I pointed it at.
I was also happy with the gearing, crawl ratio and suspension. The front springs, while a bit firm on the road, were a pretty good compromise of stiffness while dropping off the big ledges. The height of the truck was about perfect for the big ledges and the 142" wheelbase was actually nice. Driving the full size offroad wasn't that bad either. I do need to lower the front-lower shock mounts, they're too close to bottoming out and I'd hate to destroy a shock for something so simple. Considering this truck wasn't built to be a crawler, it's plenty capable.
Here are some pics from the evening...
I took the GMC out to Bangs Canyon and the Rough Canyon area for a test. Even with the tires at street pressure and no front ARB, the truck is very capable. I don't know how often the front ARB will be needed, this play area is way more difficult than the trails I built the truck for and the ARB wasn't needed. The 'playground' area has a dozen or so ledges of varying size, so I spent some time playing around was very impressed, the truck was more or less point-and-shoot... climbed up everything I pointed it at.
I was also happy with the gearing, crawl ratio and suspension. The front springs, while a bit firm on the road, were a pretty good compromise of stiffness while dropping off the big ledges. The height of the truck was about perfect for the big ledges and the 142" wheelbase was actually nice. Driving the full size offroad wasn't that bad either. I do need to lower the front-lower shock mounts, they're too close to bottoming out and I'd hate to destroy a shock for something so simple. Considering this truck wasn't built to be a crawler, it's plenty capable.
Here are some pics from the evening...
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
You have no idea! It was really good to get out, drop it in 4 Low and start climbing. No problems, no major issues... made me feel great!
LT.
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Los Alamos, New Mexico
Congrats! The truck looks great.
LT.
LT.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Looking good Greg!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Thanks guys!
I'm going to do my best to get out for a Fall trip with the truck... load up the RTT and head somewhere in the mountains for the weekend! That will be the grand finale and final test, use the truck for what it was built for.
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
Cool! Looks right at home on those rocks 