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Dually Projects \ 1995 Bagged GMC 35001995 Bagged GMC 3500
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tj@ftperformance
+1y
This is from my original post:
Since getting the truck I have had to fix about 1000 things. Upgraded the cooling system since it wanted to run hot every time I pulled my enclosed trailer. The entire audio system needed to be replaced, FlipScreen that was in it wouldnt do anything but turn on. Sub was blown and all the amps where bad. Components all rattled. AC had a new compressor, that leaked. Had to replace it since the guy charged it right before he met me it blew nice and cold that day. Next morning it cycled on and off like crazy, added some dye found the compressor bad. A ton of other small things wrong with it too.
I was told the truck layed frame when the fender wells where out of it and before the goose neck was installed. I removed the fender wells and wouldnt you know it, tie rods are hitting the frame. Removed the bed and cut the goose neck out and planned on putting a bigger notch in it. Go figure truck sits about 4" off the ground even with it removed. Decided to tube chassis the entire rear half while I had it apart. So rear frame rails are cut off. I mocked up the new rear sub frame on my shops table and have it all squared up and tacked, should be welding it up and smoothing it Monday. Also upgrading all the valves, it has some cheap ass 3/8 valves on it right now. Also upgrading it to a 8 valve setup from the 4 valve setup. Have a new Air-Zenith compressor going in it and a stainless tank. Mounting everything under the bed in place of the spare tire.
It had a bag over leaf setup so I am building a new custom triangular 4 link for it and moving the bags to right behind the axel. Going to do a custom setup for the fuel tank also and building a new tubular bridge with a goose neck adapter. At some point I would like to add some 19s, shave it, and repaint it, Im not a big fan of graphics.
Here is some of the things I got done Yesterday and today on it, excuse the bad pics took them with my iphone.
Cut the half assed mini notch out of it and decided to just redo the entire rear frame rails.
Started on the rear frame rails squaring it all up on my fab table
Put the rails into the truck and got everything squared up and partially welded in place.
Started on the bridge and got it all tacked up, removed it from the truck to weld it up. Going to reinstall tomorrow and add a couple more bars for the bag brackets and to tie it into the lower frame rails
The gooseneck is going into the 1/2" plate that is welded into the upper triangle. The plan is to bring the bag brackets and lower fram support braces off of the outtir sections of the bridge and then sheetmetal between all of the bars. Also plan to laser cut the two inner pieces and do plexaglass and illumination behind it.
Since getting the truck I have had to fix about 1000 things. Upgraded the cooling system since it wanted to run hot every time I pulled my enclosed trailer. The entire audio system needed to be replaced, FlipScreen that was in it wouldnt do anything but turn on. Sub was blown and all the amps where bad. Components all rattled. AC had a new compressor, that leaked. Had to replace it since the guy charged it right before he met me it blew nice and cold that day. Next morning it cycled on and off like crazy, added some dye found the compressor bad. A ton of other small things wrong with it too.
I was told the truck layed frame when the fender wells where out of it and before the goose neck was installed. I removed the fender wells and wouldnt you know it, tie rods are hitting the frame. Removed the bed and cut the goose neck out and planned on putting a bigger notch in it. Go figure truck sits about 4" off the ground even with it removed. Decided to tube chassis the entire rear half while I had it apart. So rear frame rails are cut off. I mocked up the new rear sub frame on my shops table and have it all squared up and tacked, should be welding it up and smoothing it Monday. Also upgrading all the valves, it has some cheap ass 3/8 valves on it right now. Also upgrading it to a 8 valve setup from the 4 valve setup. Have a new Air-Zenith compressor going in it and a stainless tank. Mounting everything under the bed in place of the spare tire.
It had a bag over leaf setup so I am building a new custom triangular 4 link for it and moving the bags to right behind the axel. Going to do a custom setup for the fuel tank also and building a new tubular bridge with a goose neck adapter. At some point I would like to add some 19s, shave it, and repaint it, Im not a big fan of graphics.
Here is some of the things I got done Yesterday and today on it, excuse the bad pics took them with my iphone.
Cut the half assed mini notch out of it and decided to just redo the entire rear frame rails.
Started on the rear frame rails squaring it all up on my fab table
Put the rails into the truck and got everything squared up and partially welded in place.
Started on the bridge and got it all tacked up, removed it from the truck to weld it up. Going to reinstall tomorrow and add a couple more bars for the bag brackets and to tie it into the lower frame rails
The gooseneck is going into the 1/2" plate that is welded into the upper triangle. The plan is to bring the bag brackets and lower fram support braces off of the outtir sections of the bridge and then sheetmetal between all of the bars. Also plan to laser cut the two inner pieces and do plexaglass and illumination behind it.
tj@ftperformance
+1y
Quick update. Had a chance to work on it for a few hours yesterday and tonight. Got the 4 link bars measured, cut, welded, and bushings installed. They are made of DOM. Made the 4 link brackets and welded them to the rear end. Also welded in a couple of bridge braces and made both of the other "spikes" for the bridge. Got one of them welded in have to notch the other and get it welded in. Hoping to work on it for a couple hours tomorrow evening and get the other bar welded in and get the new tank and compressor mounted. Still have to mount the new valves and switch box and wire everything. Waiting on my upper bag brackets to come in from silverstar. They were supposed to have shipped on the 1st and been to me on the 2nd. Still havent seen them and I know Fed Ex, who they chose to ship them, is not open on Mondays. So I can't finish up the bridge and bracing until they get here. Oh also got the hitch measured out and welded in.
I plan on adding a couple things that I am always loosing at the track to the bridge also. I can never keep up with my spark plug gapper for my race car so I am going to weld one onto the bridge so I will always have one close by. Also going to add a bottle opener to the other side so I will always be able to find it too.
I plan on adding a couple things that I am always loosing at the track to the bridge also. I can never keep up with my spark plug gapper for my race car so I am going to weld one onto the bridge so I will always have one close by. Also going to add a bottle opener to the other side so I will always be able to find it too.
tj@ftperformance
+1y
Finished the bridge and all the frame work up on it. Got the valves mounted and bed cut and put back on with new brackets. Truck lays frame now and has another couple of inches it can go down if I ever decide to do semis on it. Drove it home tonight from the shop and realized I had an air leak on the front left side. Appears the line got pinched running it through the fram so Im going to put a coupler on it tomorrow and it should be good. I built the 4 link, rear frame rails, bridge, hitch, new fuel tank straps, and relocated the shocks to the bridge. Ordered a 10 switch box from airbag it and seem to have some issues with it. When the truck is all the way up or down you cant use the F,B,S,S switches. You have to bump each wheel up or down a little to get them to work. Almost like it just is not sending enough power to the valves so they wont open up. Hopefully we can get it all finished up this weekend so I can pull the boat to the lake with it.
tj@ftperformance
+1y
So I was on my way home from a race this weekend. Had my Stock suspension car in my enclosed trailer made it all the way home, pull in the driveway and let it idle to circulate the oil some and it starts smoking like crazy from under the hood. The breather cap, Intake, oil dipstick and out the exhaust. Did a compression tet on it today and had 350 on every cylinder except #8 only had 240. Pull the intake and valve covers off. @8 Intake runner has ALOT of oil in it and is coated and sooty. Guess I will be pulling the engine now and going thru it. Either that or if the block is cracked going to a 6BT cummins. I just can not win with this truck!