Well WTF, do I post my 3500HD project here or not

Man, that thing is kewl lookin.

Now to chop out the wrecker unit. First removed the valve body assembly and hose reel, which required pulling the wiring, disconnecting a bunch of hoses and making a huge mess.


Then cut out the first extension cylinder as the previous "builders" pinned it at both ends and then welded metal around it so it wasn't removable. (Nice closeup of some of their handiwork, too.)


Unit now supported with the chain hoist, I can start my cuts on the slider tubes, which are thick wall (1/4") 3" square tubing.


With four cuts through the tubes, I've got the wrecker unit lowered down to rest on top of the engine hoist legs. Helper bags are aired all the way up and rear axle is on stands at their tallest point in order to slide the unit out from under the frame.


Last picture - wrecker unit completely out and sitting on the hoist. A sharp eye will notice the one ton overload leaf spring supporting it across the front.


Richard

Most pictures ever for one of these updates!

Drilled out rear crossmember, removed mudflaps, getting ready for Nick to cut the frame.


Nick grinding off old booger welds.


Getting the framework into position


Good view of rear frame cuts.


Framework set in place.




Had to remove load-sensing proportioning valve bracket to clear slider mounts.


Tailboard view.


First tab placed and drilled, using existing factory frame holes.


Front tabs tacked.


New slider tubes installed.


Nick beating the unit into place with 20 lb sledge then beginning the welds.






Front and rear views of unit installed in framework!




Richard

It was after midnight so this is an "early Thursday" update - more welding on the slider tubes...






And the wrecker unit is finally hung in the framework.


After hacking the other crossmember out (leaving a small section to support the shock) we installed the unit it on the truck for a test fit - and it fits like a glove! Still some more work before it's complete but at 4AM it's time for sleep.




Richard

Worked until 5~6 AM so we crashed without an update...so here's some of yesterday's work:

Cylinder mid-mount piece tacked and pre-heating in fire before finish welding. We used an old Dodge dually wheel for a fire pit.


Nick welding it up...


Post-heating to keep warpage to a minimum; two hydraulic cylinders fit into this piece with tight retaining pins.


Welding the mounts to the front hydraulic cylinder crossmember.


Crossmember mocked into place and tacked, mid-mount piece dropped into place, cylinders pinned in.


Nick finished up the welds on the rear cover plates, grinding them out.


Unit reinstalled on truck, front tabs are bolted in using existing frame holes, two holes drilled in each side on rear, all bolted in!


Today we killed a lot of time running around picking up parts. We've got fittings and fresh supply hose for the hydraulic storage tank, hydraulic oil, some bar for re-making mudflap mounts, another piece of bar for a hose bracket, etc. Looks like we have a plan for mounting the hydraulic tank and the valve body but just ran out of steam for doing those jobs today, so hoping to get a fresh start early tomorrow.

Richard

Valve body mounted, cylinders connected (except two which I need to have new hoses made)


Hydraulic tank and brackets mocked then welded up, system filled/bled and now the unit is working!


Extended pic shows 63" reach from tailboard


Lifted pic is at 31" high.


Now that it's working we were able to see how much clearance needed to be cut from tailboard for full lift. Need to have hoses made for the T-bar (the shop was out of that size fitting), reorganize a couple of the hoses to keep them out of harms' way, and make a gasket for the filter housing on the tank - and the unit will be fully working.

Click here for a short youtube movie of the first test on the unit!

Richard

Flapper (anti-drainback) valve installed to prevent the pump from losing its prime while not being used.


Mudflaps and taillights re-installed so I can drive the truck on the street, and last two hoses crimped and hooked up...


Click here for a short youtube movie of testing all unit functions!
(Sorry for the jumpy camera; it was very windy out today.)

Picking up the rear of a nice heavy Suburban


It's a wrecker again!!!


Still lots of detail work to do like finalizing the hose routing, repairing the ground to my fuel pump, installing in-cab controls, and lots and lots of CLEANUP. Next up - Sneeker-style replacement claws and eventually a bed to cover this thing up, as Nick's time allows!

I haven't really made that big of a deal of it in here as I figure most of you have followed along with who is building what, but this installation framework and the task of putting the framework and unit on the truck would not have happened if it weren't for Nick's (MrBeast) hard work. He measured everything about a million times, designed and built the framework without the truck on hand to refer to, then took time off work and his personal life to come to Houston to help me install it. I don't yet know how to weld so he did the bulk of the install work. We worked out a trade for everything that I believe we're both happy with, so beyond that, all I can add is THANK YOU Nick!

Since the truck isn't 100% finished, maybe it's a little premature to start thanking verybody involved, but other major contributors to this project were my buddy Dan for supplying lots of wrecker parts needed to make it come together; Tim (dually502/cantbuytime454) for buffing out the original crummy paint job and painting another hood; Luis for painting stuff like the bumper, grille, flares, and wheels; and Dennis for bringing his Sneeker over so Nick and I could see some of the hose routing details.

Richard

This is what dreams are made of,lol. Awesome work truck you got there pal.

Thanks; it'll be even more badass once Nick makes up the original type claws for the wrecker unit so it's a self-loader again - then I can take those hacked-on old school spoon receivers off. The bed will have to wait until he gets moved into his new shop. He built that whole framework outside on a slab at his current place and I don't really expect him to put in the work on the bed out there too.

Richard

Had a little setback today:

For the last couple days I've noticed a new leak under the truck, right off the pitman arm. Figured it was steering, grumbled about stuff I can't afford to fix right now, ignored it.

Today I needed to run to the tool supply to grab a manifold spreader to finish the exhaust fix on the extended cab. On the way back, stopped at a left turn light, there's smoke coming from under the hood - I shut the engine off, pop the hood, and see that the whole driver's side of the engine is ON FIRE. An oil cooler hose has split and sprayed down practically the whole engine bay in oil and the driver's side exhaust manifold has lit it on fire. I grab some rags and try to smother it but there's just too much fuel (oil) so I quickly abandon that idea then dash across the street, dodging traffic, run into a shop and grab their fire extinguisher. Only takes a few blasts to put the fire out.

I then risk cranking the truck back up to get it out of the street, because there's already jackasses swerving and almost hitting it and the people trying to go around it. I called my buddy Polo the wrecker driver to come get me, then spent my time waiting worrying about whether or not his 1 ton truck could pick up the HD.



As you can see from the pic, his truck got mine home but not without a lot of frame flex and bad noise from the poor thing. We stopped by the car wash on the way in so I could try washing down the bulk of the oil so it wouldn't just light back up after I get through fixing it. From what I can tell I caught it just in time; I don't see any burnt wiring or any real damage but to be honest I haven't spent much time checking it out. I'm fairly disgusted with it and had to spend my time this afternoon finishing up work on the other truck.

A little embarrassing to have your wrecker towed in, but what are ya gonna do? At least it got towed in by another GM.

Richard