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Got a new rear window switch installed and working. Also replaced two of the rear speakers and removed the other two rear speakers that were at your knees. The new dash speakers show up Monday and I'll get those wired in and tied to the amp. Won't be the best sound but you can't hear crap over the tires and no doors anyways so meh. Also got a USB hub to install in the dash.
Headed out to hidden falls this weekend. Seems my tweaks made solid improvements as I didn't have any issues with stalling this time. Got a little Carnage as I smacked a tail light and a fender against a ledge. Battery hold down broke and threw the battery against the manifold and started smoking. Blew one of my new speakers and now I've got a whine in the speakers so I need a new headunit and speaker. Finally got the top pulled off also. Just in time for it to rain all week and drop into the 30's.
Once I replace all the panels I'll get some armor. For now, meh. Definitely looking into roll cages though. After the new year I'm going to talk to a local fab shop about building one. I'd like to get a soft top for the time being but those things are a $1000!!
My suggestion (take it or leave it ) Is to get her caged, including over the rear seats. I'd push for 2" if it were my rig. 4000lbs and under I'll use 1.75, but once I get into "full size" territory...2"
Anyway, so nice cage that covers rear occupants, then find you an upholstery shop with experience in canvas, have them build you a canvas top that fits the cage. Have your fab guy put tabs in for the fabric to either snap or hook to
Cage will definitely cover the rear occupants with bars to install harnesses to. My daughter wants to go and she has to ride in the back in a car seat so safety is key.
I've thought about the idea of having a canvas cover made for the rear section. Just need to investigate that some more.
Great day for a cruise to a local brewery. Bullcreek brewing. Good beer and food truck.
Since the battery shorted out the nose filter on the headunit I bypassed it completely and installed a Bluetooth receiver. Works great and no alternator whine. Also checked the trans fluid and find out it was practically bone dry. No wonder it didn't want to work after sitting for a week. So got that topped off. Found a crack in the frame by the steering box so I'll be ordering the ORD braces this week and get that fixed. I'm going to have to make a decision soon on tires because these 38" pieces of **** are dry rotting and out of balance and almost bald. Gotta decide if I'm going down to 35's or sticking with 38's.
Finally got my new battery box in. Thing is rock solid now. I also cut up the hard top and made a poor man's Bimini top. I actually prefer this over a soft top or no top. Keeps the lines of the truck nice and clean. Of course nothing is easy, one of the back corners the nut inside the top has vanished and the other back corner it stripped out. So I had to drill a couple of new holes to bolt the corners down.
Not much will be happening for a while. We head to the hospital tomorrow to deliver my son so mytime will be spent with him for a while.
Swapped out the oil filter adapter so I can eliminate the factory oil cooler and install the second brace of the ORD kit. I'll eventually put a cooler back on it but for now it's fine. It's winter and this thing won't see any wheeling until next spring at the earliest. Most it'll get driven is to the store and back to circulate fluids. Picked up nearly 15psi of oil pressure at idle when hot. Before the gauge would read around 5psi at a hot idle and now it's about 20psi. Fairly certain the bearings on this engine are a touch on the loose side.
On a side note, changing oil on this thing SUCKS. Who the hell orders valve covers without an oil fill hole? These things are completely baffled so you have to drip the oil in practically. Be glad when I swap the vortec heads and valve covers on. Those have a dedicated oil fill hole with no baffle.
Heads are finally done at the machine shop and I'm glad I took them in. They were warped pretty good. One head needed 12 thousandths to straighten out. Valve guides were completely shot so those had to be done also. But thankfully no cracks and they cleaned up well. Now I just gotta buy rockers and an intake and I'll be ready to rock and roll.
Also got the ORD steering brace on. That was an absolute bitch. Everything was either in the way or rusted to crap or just generally in the mood to fight me. And of course where you have to drill the cross member out for a 1/2" bolt there is an existing bolt hole on half the hole so that sucked to drill out. I'm going to end up welding a washer on the front and back of that hole to make it solid but for now it's there.
10-17-2019, 06:05 PM
) Is to get her caged, including over the rear seats. I'd push for 2" if it were my rig. 4000lbs and under I'll use 1.75, but once I get into "full size" territory...2"
