My Build Thread (year+) on 71 Jimmy 4x4

[RckyMntnKng]

Chicks dig big trucks and to help them get in and out I decided to setup removable 6" drop steps on the rock sliders.

Cut a couple slots, and walla - hang them on anytime, and pull them off anytime. Cant see in the pick too well but there is a hole on each leg that carries a through the tube bolt/wing nut in case you want them more semi-permanent when your not rock sliding.

Probably need to come up with a center seat that can take the place of the console when the need arises....hmm

[RckyMntnKng]

Thursday she hits the local 4x4 shop for alignment, once over on everything - brakes, steering etc etc - then off to the hills for the 4th weekend I hope.

Oh yeah on Friday the Exhaust goes in - running 2.5" duals into glass packs and have a set of electric Cutouts and "Y" pipes so I can have open exhaust with another flip of a switch. That should be a fun toy....I am just putting all the things Ive ever envisioned growing up on it, and then Im gonna enjoy the hell outta it till my son turns 16.

Your right I need to hit Blacks and Silver for some shake-down runs before the Bigger trips - cant wait

This pic for my brother over in Afgannystand - Keep your head down bro, enjoy the 4th weekend and hurry back to help me splash some mud out of the holes.

[Yukon Jack]

Lots of good details you've done to this K5 - a favorite of mine for sure.

[Burt4x4]

Wow! Damn DooD! Killer!
Great ideas, guages look great! Love the star too!
Freaken Awesome!

[RckyMntnKng]

Lots of good details you've done to this K5 - a favorite of mine for sure.

Wow! Damn DooD! Killer!
Great ideas, guages look great! Love the star too!
Freaken Awesome!

Much appreciated gentlemen.
The finish work makes alot of difference in the comfort and usefullness level.
Little things like cupholders, lights, cubby holes for knick-knacks and paddy whacks.

I just about finished up and mounted a really nice set of under seat locking drawers last night, and some of those boat style swinging adjustable cupholders on each side for the rear seat.

[RckyMntnKng]

The thing is road worthy now....and 40" bias boggers can be fun at speed let me tell you.

Bucks 4x4 wrapped up some of the details for me and they did a damn nice job, really impressed.

I dropped it off to em to look through the whole thing and make sure it was good to go, and safe. I had some doubler support issues and they pimped me out a cross member like you wouldnt beleive. All new mounts at each foot, solid steel, high and tight....and they put in new motor mounts, swapped out 1 of the freeze plugs that was bad, did a dual shock stabilizer, shimmed up the d60 spring a bit etc.

She rides good!

[RckyMntnKng]

After Bucks put thier mark on it, only thing major left to get done was exhaust.

Ran duals out to some quiet mufflers, and did turn downs at the rear axle.

Installed a set of Y pipes and electric cutouts before the mufflers.

Stealth mode quiet or obnoxious loud at the push of a button. One of the funnest things on the rig, love it. Its all tucked up nice and tight.

Utilized some of the room under the rear seats for some drawers. worked out perfect. Its all in the details....they make great beer coolers, um i mean tool boxes.

[Burt4x4]

Had to break out the band and have a party for you AGAIN!!!!!!!!
Looks Great Bro!

[TonyJohnson]

Those boxes under the seat are a great idea.

[RckyMntnKng]

Thanks lol - guess I can just keep this build thread going for eternity. There is always something more to do.

Right now im thinking about Hydraulic assist for sure.

[WHAMMYBAR66]

Dude.. I am telling you.. this is a great build thread. You have many great ideas and your truck is looking fantastic. The best part is that along with all the great ideas, designs and pics.. it is entertaining too.. the FUBAR on the fender.. I about fell out of my chair.

Your truck gives many of us something to hope for and also feeds the fire for great ideas !!

Thank you for taking the time to post your info and pics.. I know it takes time.

Please keep it up.

Whammybar66
www.myspace.com/drive13band

[RckyMntnKng]

Thanks man I really appreciate that. Ive enjoyed the thread and pics myself and getting advice and comments. Ive learned alot from other peoples threads so figured another would be ok and ended up having a few unique or new ideas pop into my head throughout.

I will keep er going - although Im going to drive it more than build on it for the summer and then add to it this fall/winter.

Dude.. I am telling you.. this is a great build thread. You have many great ideas and your truck is looking fantastic. The best part is that along with all the great ideas, designs and pics.. it is entertaining too.. the FUBAR on the fender.. I about fell out of my chair.

[RckyMntnKng]

Couple updates.

I figured it would happen....The stock steering gearbox wouldnt hold up to the boggers (it was brand new, made it like 500 miles). Pulled it off and sent it to Texas so WTO (West Texas Offroad) could rebuild and port it out / set me up with the Redneck Ram Hydro Assist.

My stock D60 thin diff cover was leaking like a ***** around the flange and was just too warped to salvage - So I picked up a really BEEFY cover from GLO (Great Lakes Offroad) with an integrated drain and rock strap to weld the hydro tabs on.

Works like a charm now, 1 finger steer at all times, not jerky, no play - amazing. Allowed me to ditch the dual stabilizers - and smooth as butter up to 70mph no d-wobble. For now I set up from the cover to the tie-rod and when I go hi-steer later, it will be simple tab moving.

Also lets see - needed a spare carrier bad, and on the cheap. Picked up a tire carrier builders kit from AtoZ Fab - which consisted of a upgraded 1.5" 1200lb spindle, sleeve, races, bearings, grease cap, 8 lug plate, threaded T handle closure etc for $100. Then I took a spare roll bar I had, and cut it up, reinforced it and developed a setup I wanted. Will have better pics later, but I built a bracket to hold the spindle behind the tailgate thats incorporated into the roll bar itself and bolted to the floor. What I wanted to be able to do is have the tailgate down or up and still be able to latch the carrier. so it pivots above the tailgate. Sometimes I strap coolers onto the down tailgate when the cargo area is full and this leaves room on both sides when needed.

Another advantage i found out for this setup...it is very easy to get a heavy tire on and off the carrier when you can set it on the tailgate and bolt/unbolt.
Also the final configuration will have two Nato gas cans and the hi-lift mount.

Wheeled it all weekend - works excellent. Also Im running some 38x15 TSL radials on Recentered H1's with rock rings for the street and milder wheeling.
Pics to come...

Sorry for crap cell pics, will update these later with better.

[coggonobrien]

what did you use for a distributor? large cap or small? any clearance issues?

[RckyMntnKng]

what did you use for a distributor? large cap or small? any clearance issues?

I installed one of "skip whites" (Excellent ebayer) large cap 65k HEI distributors for a small block 350, with 10.5mm wire. There is no problem with the clearance at the firewall, but having the body lift helped out alot on that part. It may be a tight fit otherwise.

[RckyMntnKng]

Spare tire stuff....

Using a Bias 39" TSL for spare. Used a matching rock ring from the H1's and mounted it all up. Carrier has 2 gas cans, tire and highlift. Right now the cans sit behind the tire and vertical, but think im going to modify it so they sit on sides. The hi-lift sits horizontal on the tabs right behind tire

[Burt4x4]

Me like! Inboard/Outboard tirecarrier...Nice, don't think I have ever seen someone do that bee-feer
Do you sit in a little dark room and dream this stuff up or what? Or just drink a bunch of beer and the visions come too you in your sleep? Majic Mushrooms maybe? hahahaha
Burt

[TonyJohnson]

Great problem solving. Looks good.

[RckyMntnKng]

Me like! Inboard/Outboard tirecarrier...Nice, don't think I have ever seen someone do that bee-feer
Do you sit in a little dark room and dream this stuff up or what? Or just drink a bunch of beer and the visions come too you in your sleep? Majic Mushrooms maybe? hahahaha

LOL I hear you on that one! I try to steer clear of mushrooms, but the beer helps everything go better now doesnt it.... Ive been thinking about how I wanted a carrier for a good 6 months while doing other projects on the truck. I kept thinking I would go with a hitch mounted type, or bolted to the bumper - but it pissed me off that I would forever be destined to keeping the tailgate up for the carrier to be closed up and latched.

I couldnt figure out why it wouldnt be ok to swing it from above the tailgate, because I had the oportunity to tie into some beefy areas for the weight. Hence i kinda decided on mutilating a roll bar that already had the bends i needed to space it out from the tailgate, so the spindle could be inboard. After that it was all measuring, cutting and welding - so im into the whole thing less than $150 smackers. I can run with the gate down or up and latch everything. Plus tghe thought of lifting a 150 tire up that high, made it a second plus on the system - open carrier, let tailgate down, close carrier, unbolt tire, re-bolt tire; while the tailgate holds it up for me. perfect

Great problem solving. Looks good.

Thanks man! Too bad its winter almost - will have to get crazy beginning of summer on the wheeling I guess.

[Burt4x4]

hahah Ya no mushrooms for me..not sence the 80s anyway hahaha

That is cool, I too have re-centered H1s w/PVC insert 37"Bias Irocks (no rock rings yet) and I have to use a 1/2 way up "table" to set the tire on so I can then lift it too the carrier as I cannot dead lift it from the ground and upto the carrier mount without killin myself errr my back

[swyfor5]

That is a great idea with the carrier! Great thread all together!

[70 beast]

*****en truck!!!!

definitely one of the coolest k5 on here

[RckyMntnKng]

Thanks gentlemen! Can't believe how much the rear tire and extra gas squatted the azz end of the jimmy. I already put a add-a-leaf in it earlier to level it out...but these TC leafs are just soft.....good for flex although and ride. I ain't having no pre runner 2wd looking low dragging butt..

Fine....not making it any stiffer with another leaf....so u guessed it - 1" rear zero rate going in. oh the fun - pull driveline, pull shocks, pull tires, pull u bolts, clamp leaves, and add zero, then all back together again for about the 5th time... took me an hour and a half - hmmm a sign that I've done it too much and remember all the bolt sizes and fastest technique with the tools I got.

[JHT67]

Updates , some action pics maybe?

[RckyMntnKng]

Here are a few pics...hard to snap action ones when your driving lol

Took her out to Kimberly mines near Warren Idaho for 4 days last weekend.

Damage for the trip was a broken windshield, dented driver rear bedside, ripped off gas cap, and fanned out the leaf pack which sunk the back end on one side. I call that a sucess. Burned a whole tank getting in, and 3 spare cans getting out - running most of the time in low-low on the case

There were stretches of miles straight where she never left the river following out the dredge rivers to old mines.