Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[glock35ipsc]

I was playing with http://autowaretech10.net/nextwheels/tire_fac.htm this morning and came up with:

Fred as he currently rolls:


Fred on 17" Torque Thrust II's, lowered 4":


Fred on 17" Torque Thrust II's, lowered 5":


I'm liking the 4" drop pic (middle one)!

[tvblazer78]

Yep I am with you on that, but you need to go 5".

[nlped]

Originally Posted by tvblazer78

Yep I am with you on that, but you need to go 5".

And on another note, I got my Eastwood door aligning "butta tool" ordered and it should be here in a couple of days

[bigbadjohn84]

yea, the 4 in drop just isnt quite enough on these old trucks. especially on 17's. Id go with the 5 for drop

[glock35ipsc]

The "missing" parts arrived today; dual electric fans, front 1' of the driveshaft with the yoke, top engine cover, and some misc nuts and bolts.

I like low, but not too low. I'm shooting for 4" all the way around from where it sits now. That may change when I put new wheels and tires on, but there is no time line on doing those right now. Time will tell.

[hessian18]

What did they charge you for the electric fans ? ( If you dont mind )

They are the stock chevy fans correct ? (duals )


I have been thinking about getting some, just not sure whats easier. Get the stock fans and buy another radiator, or just buy a nice aluminum radiator with fans already installed.


Decisions decisions...

[glock35ipsc]

No charge. There were some parts missing when the engine had arrived that I had asked for, minor stuff. I got the radiator and shroud, but the was no fan. Manual or electric.

So when I emailed my "missing parts list", I mentioned that there was no fan included, and that the engine looked like it had not had a manual fan installed, so I had assumed it had electric fans. In the box today was a big pair of electric fans. And from looking at a few things on them, it looks like they will snap right on to the radiator in the same manner the shroud does.

My engine included the radiator and a fan shroud, so I still think this engine had a manual fan. But they send me a nice set of electric fans, so I'm not gonna complain!

I still haven't decided if I am going to use the stock 85 radiator, or if I will use the 06 radiator. Once the engine is out and I can try to fit the 06 in place in person, then I'll know.

[clinebarger]

05 and up used electric fans and still had the threaded end on the water pump

[glock35ipsc]

Must just be the 05 and up 1/2 tons then, or just the 5.3L's? The 06 1500HD and the 06 2500HD out in the parking lot, both with 6.0L's, have mechanical clutch fans.

[glock35ipsc]

Ah, looking back at the pics Rancho sent me, it did have the electric fans. I never looked that close the first time.

[clinebarger]

Havent looked at the HDs but im sure the 1/2 ton have them. good to know.

[clinebarger]

Let me know how they fit. I need some electric fans on my burb to keep a/c head pressure down.

[silvereagle07]

The progress looks great Bob.

[JohnC]

Yeah my 03 1500 HD has a manual fan on it. So it must be the regular 1/2 tons.

[Jonboy]

Pretty sure the electric fans started in 05, at least on the 1/2 tons. My 05 1/2 ton crew cab had electric fans (and rear drum brakes, too).

[nlped]

The '04 that I got my 5.3L swap had electric fans...I got them too, thanx Glock

[glock35ipsc]

Arrrg.... the top cover Rancho sent me doesn't fit, it's an early model and won't fit over the DBW throttle body. Email sent, awaiting reply.......

On another note, I measured the distance from the center (bottom) engine mount bolt to the bell housing flange on the 5.3 Gen III (for the plates I'm using) and a standard small block. F Y'alls I:

Gen III - 14-7/8"
Std SBC - 16"

Soooo, if I picture this in my head correctly, the plates I have on the engine will pull the bell housing flange, thus the transmission too, forward about 1" from the stock SBC location.

So, the really cool thing is (thinking out loud here)....

Fred has a 9" tail housing on the TH350, making it 30-11/16" long overall.

The 4L60E is 30-3/4" overall, making it 1/8" longer than the TH350.

So, I think I can get away without having to shorten the drive shaft and have the new yoke welded on. Instead, I can either set the engine stands back between 3/4" to 1" on the frame/crossmember, or wait and see if I can just throw the 4L60E yoke on my drive shaft using a different u-joint and run it as-is depending on how much bite I get on the output shaft.

Thoughts??

[glock35ipsc]

OK, so the place I got the measurements from is a little off. But in my favor! I did what I should have done in the first place, measured what I have here.

4L60E: 31-3/8"
TH350: 30-7/8"

So the new trans is 1/2" longer than the TH350, and the engine mount plates set the engine forward 1", leaving a difference of the drive shaft needing to be 1/2" longer than the original setup. So I should be able to just swap the yoke via a u-joint, and be good to go!

[nlped]

That's awesome!!! Good info!

[Bow Tie Scottie]

"Glock"

Good looking project thread. Wow, was that your short list? AND is that the original paint? If it is, then it sure has been well maintained. Again, this is the type of project(s) that we can share and benefit from. Keep up the good work, I am in the process of just trying to keep up with the normal wear and tear like getting new shocks, tires, oil changes, etc.

[glock35ipsc]

Thanks Scottie! Hmmm, now that you mention it, no it wasn't on the short list! Guess I got sidetracked!

Not the original paint, and it doesn't look that good up close. It's one of those "10 foot" paint jobs. When clean, it looks good from a distance, but it's pretty faded. I even tried a clay bar and the paint just laughed at it and brushed it off.

Engine swap and suspension this winter, paint and wheels/tires next winter.

Guess I need to go revisit the "short list".

[JohnC]

I bet even your short list gets moved up more after you get the engine in.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

So, I think I can get away without having to shorten the drive shaft and have the new yoke welded on. Instead, I can either set the engine stands back between 3/4" to 1" on the frame/crossmember, or wait and see if I can just throw the 4L60E yoke on my drive shaft using a different u-joint and run it as-is depending on how much bite I get on the output shaft.

Thoughts??

A TH350 yoke will fit a 4L60E/700R4/TH375 never did like those conversion u joints cant find one when you need it

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

A TH350 yoke will fit a 4L60E/700R4/TH375

Really?? That's saweet!!! I thought they were different spline count. Dang, that would mean I won't have to do anything to the drive shaft then!

[nlped]

^^^ LOL!!! I'm sure you will find something to do...Heck, you can always just put new Spicer U-joints in it