Let's Build A 1 Ton Crew Cab 4x4

[matthew21lutz]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

I finally got to go out and work on the truck some this weekend. I spent 2.5 hours in the pouring rain searching the junkyard for the trans xmember Saturday morning. I came up empty handed. It was a little disheartening and killed my motivation for the weekend. Luckily I have a few friends with square bodies in this state. I put the dilemma on facebook and within an hour had someone that was gonna bring me one and do some parts swapping on some bench seats of mine.

So that motivated me to pull interior from the truck. Needs a good cleaning.







I started seeing about how the taller trans tunnel fits in.





Then I finally got the 6.5 off the tire and onto an engine stand. I wanted to pull oil pan and check out a few more things.

Harmonic balancer wasn't rotted which is a nice surprise, which means my crank is probably still in good shape.



I do need the starter brace.



Starter was missing a bolt though?



It looks clean in there! I even see some paint marks still.





After rotating it over several times and checking every where I only found 1 crack. These are typically cracked a lot worse so hoping this is still good to go, maybe not build up but good to run stock.



So my friends showed up with parts, this was his rig. 454 SM465/241 Dana 60 front & 14bolt ff rear w/ 4.10 gears, crew cab long bed with rear frame shortened and axles moved forward. He is going to eventually build a tube bed w/ headache rack. 37" tires on H1 wheels. I love this thing. It provided me with some more motivation!



Here are the parts he brought and the elusive xmember!







I also got these fancy seats that were in a choo choo customs or southern whatever truck. Bolt in like factory.



Rear seat folds down like a bed.



So I have parts to proceed finally It feels so good, motivation is there too! However, all my $ is going to getting my 01 TA back on the road and when parts roll in all my time will be too. I don't plan to stray too far away from the truck though. I want it together!

It looks like I am using the k5 tank in the rear as well, just need to mount it and convert to using diesel.

I need that seat!!!

[NastyBuzzard]

I kinda like it myself! I want to recover them in vinyl though or something other than the red!

I went out and looked at the old girl yesterday and started cleaning up some. I think I plan to move shock mounts somewhere else instead of modifying tank. I would hate to have to buy another tank down the road and modify it again. So where to move them to?

I miss this build!

[NastyBuzzard]

So I was out tinkering with the truck last night. Trying to do some fitment for this tank. I am trying to finish up all the suspension stuff as well as doing fuel and brake lines.

I removed the ps shock mount to be able to try and fit it up in there.



I think the right xmember is the one that goes up front and the left is the one that goes to the back.



Looking awfully close to the rear diff here.



I considered moving the rear xmember back some but then I remember I will have to cut off that extra bit of frame since the truck is now a shortbed.



It also kind of looks like the bumpstop mount may be in the way.



Doing some fitment of the rear xmember. Appears to be not as wide as the original. EDIT: I also just noticed I have it upside down I think





Also it doesn't look like I will have much room to mount shocks on outside of the frame like 1500's. Although I swear I saw a C30 do it somewhere.

Anyways, I think the main issue is that I have the 40 gallon suburban tank. I looked at pictures and the 25/31 tanks have the filler neck kind of centered with the hole for the pump assembly. Mine is slightly offset. I printed out some measurements to go home and confirm later. So may just need to buy a 31 gallon tank which will give me more clearance, hopefully. The difference in length is 6.25"

Also, I guess I will need to buy a diesel tank instead of a gas tank. I think they are different as well.

Thoughts?

[daddyjeep]

I believe the 40 gallon tanks are longer than the 31 and 25. You could move the rear cross member back to make a little more room. For the shocks, you could run another cross member with some tabs and fun both shocks to it.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

I believe the 40 gallon tanks are longer than the 31 and 25. You could move the rear cross member back to make a little more room. For the shocks, you could run another cross member with some tabs and fun both shocks to it.

If rockautos measurments are correct on their tanks. The 40 gal is 6.25" longer than the 31. I can't move the rear xmember back bc I converted to shortbed and will actually be cutting that extra off so it doesn't stick out past tailgate.

Yeah I think that would work for shocks but was hoping to be able to run outside of frame. No clue yet but that's an idea.

[NastyBuzzard]

It is definitely the 40 gal, I measured it. So now to find 31 gal.

Started messing around with Trans/tcase/driveshaft and where I need to put my Trans xmember. The dang NV4500 is so heavy and hard to move sprung with 1 person. I'm trying to get it up and mounted inside frame without having to sit the diesel back in. Any tips on where it will need to go? For some reason I thought like the furthest bolt hole in frame away from engine bay would line up then drill the 2nd hole after. Also, does this xmember mount under frame, inside or have the spacers?

Bottom xmember is the 4x4 one.



On bottom





Really hoping this 1 piece dshaft will work, it looks like it will.

[NastyBuzzard]

So yeah... I definitely had the 40 gal tank! I was scrambling to find a tank to be able to do some mockups. Luckily I have a friend close by with a tank and the skid plate but no straps. So I used the skid plate to set the xmember distances.



First try and something wasn't right...



Apparently I had the skid plate backwards, which is a thing!! I flipped it and tried again.







Here is the distance for anyone trying this to make it a lot easier.



So next I moved onto trying to mount the pedals finally, they have given me nothing but problems. This process took hours longer than it should have for sure. I didn't quite understand how the little mounts went to the firewall, if just the stud/threaded part went through the firewall or if the stand off went through.

First I tried to just get the threaded part through and it wasn't working, it was like the spacing was off, I could just barely get threads through the firewall and definitely couldn't get it lined up where steering column bolts to. It was sticking out to far.

So I figured the stand offs must go through the firewall so I drilled holes larger. Later I checked online for pictures and I must be doing something wrong, I even had to go back and slot the hole of one of the mounts and still fight to get it in and bolted down.

I am just sad it isn't pretty, but should still work.





Holes where the brake master going through still aren't lined up.





Next was the trans hump, I won't be doing a body lift so had to cut it.



I mounted it in temporarily. Got to find where to drill hole for NV4500, also got to figure out what shifter I can use for the NP208 that will work or weld up the hole that is in the hump and move it.




Next I got to buy me a diesel blazer tank b/c apparently it is different than the gas one? Sending unit as well. I also need to buy that $400 advance adapter bellhousing that moves clutch fork to drivers side.

So what I need to know:

What should I do for fuel lines? Currently have the TBI lines for duel tanks.
Tcase shifter?
Will my clutch master work as is you think?

Oh yeah, another piece of useful information. IF you plan to do the 4x4 swap, use the 4x4 crossmember from a 1500/2500 or single cab frame. The mounts that the motor mounts bolt to isn't as tall and can be made to fit inside the frame easier than the tall ass crew cab 4x4 ones. I was looking at doing this but would have to redrill all my holes and screw that.

[NastyBuzzard]

I went back and looked at other peoples firewalls where their clutch masters are mounted and mine just doesn't look like it is in the right spot at all................

[NastyBuzzard]

So I went out and found some photos to compare it to. I am unaware of cab differences if any from single to crew and what not.

Here is someone elses pic of stock setup.



Here is mine.



Someone elses.





Mine....




So... Yeah. **** I guess.

[DieselRat]

I read on another build that there are dimples in the firewall where the master cyl would mount, even on 2wd trucks. I haven't got that far on mine yet to figure it out. I still need to find a set of pedals for manual trans with hydroboost. Got a spare set?

[NastyBuzzard]

I definitely have not seen any dimples but I do see an indented area of the firewall that may be close? IDK. Trying to figure it out.

Unfortunately, no luck on pedals. Everywhere I looked people wanted $200-300 for a set of them. I got lucky and found truck in junkyard with them and they are definitely a pain to pull but only paid $100 for them so there is that. Good luck finding them cheap but it does happen. They are on ebay though.

[DieselRat]

I saw them for 3 bills on ebay. I'll find something else to make work before I spend 300 bucks!

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by DieselRat

I saw them for 3 bills on ebay. I'll find something else to make work before I spend 300 bucks!

Exactly! It is crazy the price they ask, I have seen people on the facebook groups selling for around 200 + shipping. They are hard to come by though, but that could be because people are jacking them to sell for high prices.

[jott_06]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Oh yeah, another piece of useful information. IF you plan to do the 4x4 swap, use the 4x4 crossmember from a 1500/2500 or single cab frame. The mounts that the motor mounts bolt to isn't as tall and can be made to fit inside the frame easier than the tall ass crew cab 4x4 ones. I was looking at doing this but would have to redrill all my holes and screw that.

I used the towers/mounts from a Half ton short bed pickup and still had to do quite a bit of work to make them fit.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by jott_06

I used the towers/mounts from a Half ton short bed pickup and still had to do quite a bit of work to make them fit.

Oh I believe it, I didn't mean to imply they will just slide right in. You just wont have to slot them like I did. Do you have any pictures of what you did? I remember going through your build thread but don't remember what you did to modify for engine xmember.

[jott_06]

I measured the distance between the eye of each motor mount while the towers were still on the old frame. Then ground a little off of the inner top edge of the frame to be able to get the right distance between the towers. And then notched the towers so the top edge that originally slid inside the frame rail could sit on top of the frame rail. Once I was happy with my measurements I just welded them in place. At this point in my build I was tired of drilling holes. haha

I also used the crossmember that bolts to the towers to help verify that my spacing was correct because I could see the marks where the bolts had been

[NastyBuzzard]

Yeah that looks like what I did for the most part!

My reverse shackles are coming together. I got them cut out by a friend with his plasma cutter and now another friend is going to weld them up. I even put my little nasty buzzard emblem on them but in the pic it is facing the wrong way.



I tried spacing down the front spring last night to see if it would help my shackle angle and pinion angle... Doesn't seem to be doing much good at all, may have been a waste of time/effort. Doesn't have the weight on it though. IDK... I guess I will leave this issue alone until later. Tired of beating this damned dead horse.

[daddyjeep]

That spring hanger turned out nice. I like the nasty buzzard on it.

[NastyBuzzard]

Thank you! It is the first revision, at that angle the head looks like a damn duck but it really doesn't. I will tweak it later but I just wanted to put something there. It was originally a chevy emblem, then GMC (bc this truck is a GMC) but that looked plain.

[DieselRat]

Originally Posted by jott_06

I measured the distance between the eye of each motor mount while the towers were still on the old frame. Then ground a little off of the inner top edge of the frame to be able to get the right distance between the towers. And then notched the towers so the top edge that originally slid inside the frame rail could sit on top of the frame rail. Once I was happy with my measurements I just welded them in place. At this point in my build I was tired of drilling holes. haha

I also used the crossmember that bolts to the towers to help verify that my spacing was correct because I could see the marks where the bolts had been

Any chance you remember what that distance was between holes on the motor mounts?

I hear ya on sick of drilling holes. I've probably got 50 7/16" holes drilled in mine at this point

[NastyBuzzard]

This is a neat trick!! Especially when you don't have a trans jack!



They are soooo many different types of engine mounts. Trying to pick which ones to use for this 6.5, still don't have it nailed down just yet. It just blows my mind how each set is somewhat different. Somewhere I got a set that doesn't match, one side is taller than the other. Idk if that came from the 6.5 or not.









Had to sit the 6.5 back in to get trans distances and what not for where to mount 4x4 xmember.



Bolted in.







My front driveshaft is about 4-5" too short...



My 06 ext cab short bed drive shaft came up short... By only around 6" or so though so there is hope for a 1 pc driveshaft. I am hoping I can find a driveshaft from a crew cab short bed w/ a 6' bed not a 5' bed bc 5' bed is same length as ext cab short bed. I wan't a nice aluminum one. It may would work for stock height, but I am not sure.



I got these on and test fitted as well. Need some revision work but will work just fine as is with slight hole modification. So cool!!




I got behind this nice square on the way to pick up dinner. I actually like the roll pan, it fits nice.



So much left to do but getting closer and closer for sure!!

[daddyjeep]

that's quite the collection of mounts.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

that's quite the collection of mounts.

I have more and none seem to be the same!

[jbclassix]

I want to say that the 3500HD mounts are different than the 1500-3500. also, there is a spacer between the mount and engine block on the 6.5 in the GMT400. somewhere I have the GM part number for the 6.2 mounts. also, did you find a bracket for the starter yet?

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

I want to say that the 3500HD mounts are different than the 1500-3500. also, there is a spacer between the mount and engine block on the 6.5 in the GMT400. somewhere I have the GM part number for the 6.2 mounts. also, did you find a bracket for the starter yet?

Really? That is interesting for sure. I am having problems getting it to fall in place correctly. I did find the bracket for starter on ebay for like $10-14.