Not Your Typical Bagged Truck Build

[Twitchin R&C]

As the title says, this aint the typical frame draggin, rocker scrapin bagged truck build. This is an off road truck build that just so happens to have airbag suspension. Since we spend most of our vacation time at Pismo I am going for the Prerunner Style. I am startin off with a 2wd 1975 GMC Crew Cab dually with an 1982 Chevy front clip, rebuilt 350/TH-400, Dana 70 rearend and shiny Alcoa rims. Originally I was going to lift the front end with some custom coil springs but we couldnt get that quite right so I bit the bullet and ordered bags, brackets, fittings, and airline($238.95) from *****************. Tore the front end apart. Built a tube bumper($29.94 for material). And got the bags installed.



since the bags will stay at one height for the most part i decided i would just use a schrader valve($4.99) to air them up and down. after a little head scratchin my buddy said we should tap the inside of the 3/8 fitting(below) so we could screw the valve into it. threw some loctite on and we are good to go.

And heres how it looks all put back together.

[Twitchin R&C]

Went down to a local tire place and bought 4 36x12.5x16.5 Goodyear Wranglers R/T IIs ($200)


Heres how they look just placed under the front of the truck



Ordered 4 H1 8-Bolt Military beadlock wheels with PVC inserts ($300) on Monday from Trail Worthy Fab. Should be here this Monday or Tuesday. Will get pictures when they get here.

Total to date:
$773.88

[Wincks2]

That is a great distinctive look.

[Driveway Dreams]

Thats a neat way to be different. So I take it you are going SRW instead of the dually? Should be a fun one to build. What are you doing in the rear?

[Twitchin R&C]

Originally Posted by Wincks2

That is a great distinctive look.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Driveway Dreams

Thats a neat way to be different. So I take it you are going SRW instead of the dually? Should be a fun one to build. What are you doing in the rear?

Thanks. Yes, I am going SRW instead of dually. For now in the rear i am probably just gonna pull the overload leaf to get a smoother ride. i would eventually like to go longer travel with a shackle setup but that is a little ways off. I also would like to build a bed cage to hold a spare tire and have shock towers on it.

Will have more updates tonight.

[Twitchin R&C]

Well got some work done today. Got the inner fenders in the bed pulled.

Got 2 trailer taillights from Walmart($23.95) got one side installed. Went to start on the other side and broke the bit. I will finish up the install on Monday or Tuesday at school.

Got the back seat pulled so I can clean up and pull the carpet and crappy sound deadening thats in there.

And finally, I got some BB's($5.43) to balance my tires when I mount them. 8 ounces per tire should do the trick. Got em weighed, bagged up and ready to go.


Total to date:
$803.26

[spr85gmc]

question: How are BB's going to hlp balance your tires..?

[GmtGmt]

Originally Posted by spr85gmc

question: How are BB's going to hlp balance your tires..?

x2 never heard of using BB bulets being used for this

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by spr85gmc

question: How are BB's going to hlp balance your tires..?

Originally Posted by GmtGmt

x2 never heard of using BB bulets being used for this

It's dynamic balancing, once you get up to speed the BB's will collect opposite of the heavier spot in your wheel/tire combo, balancing it out. Although most people do not use actual steel shot BB's since the moisture in the air inside the tire causes them to rust, as well as it basically "shot peens" the aluminum wheels at low speed. Most people use the plastic Airsoft BBs. You see it more in big heavy offroad tires that are difficult to balance. I've even seen golf balls thrown in the big 2.5 ton+ truck tires to balance them out.


Interesting build. So I assume you are pulling the DRW hubs front and rear to go SRW?

[GCncsuHD]

Here is a decent explanation of how it works:
http://innovativebalancing.com/HowItWorks.htm

[Twitchin R&C]

Originally Posted by GCncsuHD

It's dynamic balancing, once you get up to speed the BB's will collect opposite of the heavier spot in your wheel/tire combo, balancing it out. Although most people do not use actual steel shot BB's since the moisture in the air inside the tire causes them to rust, as well as it basically "shot peens" the aluminum wheels at low speed. Most people use the plastic Airsoft BBs. You see it more in big heavy offroad tires that are difficult to balance. I've even seen golf balls thrown in the big 2.5 ton+ truck tires to balance them out.


Interesting build. So I assume you are pulling the DRW hubs front and rear to go SRW?

Thanks for explaining that, GCncsuHD.I didnt understand the concept when I first heard of it. But i do know it works. As to using actual steel shot, i have never had a problem with the zinc plated ones rusting. At most they lose their shine but thats about it. And i will not be using the aluminum rims with these tires so no worry about "shot peening" the rims. As for your question, I will be keeping the DRW hubs front and back. Stock H1 military rims (which i have ordered and should be here tomorrow) have the same offset as dually wheels(they are just wider than a dually wheel) so i can run them without any modification to the hubs. Really, stock H1 wheels only fit H1's (duh) and DRW hubbed trucks because of their enormous offset. But I will be getting rid of the dually fender.

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by Twitchin R&C

Thanks for explaining that, GCncsuHD.I didnt understand the concept when I first heard of it. But i do know it works. As to using actual steel shot, i have never had a problem with the zinc plated ones rusting. At most they lose their shine but thats about it. And i will not be using the aluminum rims with these tires so no worry about "shot peening" the rims. As for your question, I will be keeping the DRW hubs front and back. Stock H1 military rims (which i have ordered and should be here tomorrow) have the same offset as dually wheels(they are just wider than a dually wheel) so i can run them without any modification to the hubs. Really, stock H1 wheels only fit H1's (duh) and DRW hubbed trucks because of their enormous offset. But I will be getting rid of the dually fender.

You're right, I didn't think about the huge backspacing on the H1, will the beadlock H1's clear the HUGE drums on your DRW? I know when I went from 16.5s to 16s on my 78 K30 there was very little clearance. I've just never heard of mounting the H1s on a dually before, although the huge backspacing makes sense, I've just always heard of recentering them for other applications.

I had been considering keeping my 78 dually in the rear with 35s or so on some bullet hole style Alcoa's, and then on the front removing the dually hubs, and running a wider SRW bullet hole style wheel to match, so it would still have the same style wheels front and rear, but still something wide in the front.

And as far as what I said about shot peening the wheels, I'm not really afraid for it damaging the wheels, as much as the steel shot will be louder at low speeds than plastic. I've seen wheels that were a little beat up/paint missing on the insides of wheels after using steel shot, but nothing that looked like it would harm the integrity of the wheel.

[Twitchin R&C]

Originally Posted by GCncsuHD

You're right, I didn't think about the huge backspacing on the H1, will the beadlock H1's clear the HUGE drums on your DRW? I know when I went from 16.5s to 16s on my 78 K30 there was very little clearance. I've just never heard of mounting the H1s on a dually before, although the huge backspacing makes sense, I've just always heard of recentering them for other applications.

I had been considering keeping my 78 dually in the rear with 35s or so on some bullet hole style Alcoa's, and then on the front removing the dually hubs, and running a wider SRW bullet hole style wheel to match, so it would still have the same style wheels front and rear, but still something wide in the front.

And as far as what I said about shot peening the wheels, I'm not really afraid for it damaging the wheels, as much as the steel shot will be louder at low speeds than plastic. I've seen wheels that were a little beat up/paint missing on the insides of wheels after using steel shot, but nothing that looked like it would harm the integrity of the wheel.

The H1's are 16.5 inches and my alcoas are only 16 inches. As for the beadlock part, since they are internally beadlocked, it doesnt mess with rim diameter so there should be more than enough clearance for those monster dually drums. Just like you I am not worried about the steel shot in the wheels. I just have never run em in aluminum wheels so I didnt know if they damaged em of not. But good to know nothin really happens.

As for your K30, that sounds like a cool idea. My auto shop teacher is buying my alcoas and is doing something similar to what you are describing. Putting the duallys on the back and using a SRW axle and matching wheels for the front.