The Bus

[TexasRedNeck]

Picked this up.  I asked the to shot blast in addition to the chemical dip and wash, but they didnt do it.

Still trying to find a reputable shop to double check everything.  You wouldn’t think it would be that hard in the 4th largest city in America.

Lots of gas performance shops but they wont touch a diesel.


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[JR]

For what is a complicated engine, the is clean and solid looking.

[stlaser]

Picked this up.  I asked the to shot blast in addition to the chemical dip and wash, but they didnt do it.

Still trying to find a reputable shop to double check everything.  You wouldn’t think it would be that hard in the 4th largest city in America.

Lots of gas performance shops but they wont touch a diesel.


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My local builder does not advertise diesels but he will do them. Closest good shop I know of to you is Denver….. sorry

[EL TATE]

only one in Dallas in my system; East Dallas Diesel 972-807-6316. other shops if you feel like a drive:
Precision diesel & Auto Tolar, 682-217-5949
Diesel Dynamics Joshua, 817-558-3673
Gulf States Industrial Diesel Odessa, 432-385-9163
Truck Source Diesel San Antonio, 210-654-6767
Bledsoe Diesel & Performance Lubbock, 806-771-1045
Holden Brothers Diesel Boerne, 830-537-4488
East Texas Diesel Lufkin, 936-238-3941

hope that helps at all

[TexasRedNeck]

Thanks Tate.

So… things have taken a turn for the worse….

This may be a full on oil change




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[Flyin6]

That's some serious disassembly!

I hope that isn't the red truck!

[stlaser]

They pay you to haul that away? 

[JR]

Looks like fun!

[TexasRedNeck]

Well. Found a guy on FB that was parting out a cc/lb and decided if I was going to pull the front and and pull the motor I was only one step away from a frame off.

The front end on my truck is greasy from years of transmission line leaks and upper oil pan leaks and I was going to super clean it anyway

Which lead to the thought of just having a new frame and having it blasted and painted and start from scratch.

My plan is to box the entire frame from the front to the back in hopes of stiffening it.

I’ve secretly coveted the kelderman four link air ride but found they are no longer making it for the 2001-2010 frames.

No sure I have the fab skills for it but it I get a wild hair I may build my own which would be better welded than bolted on

I had also found a dually bed and rear end but they got sold so that’s off the table…for now

So in short I have a clean slate. We’ll see where it goes.


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[Sammconn]

Oh no….
I know a guy who will take you spare frame when you’re done with it…

Sheesh…this is gonna be an oil change.

[JR]

Their already boxed back to the bed, doing just the rear should be easy. 4 link rear, gonna wheel it?

[Flyin6]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^He's talking like a full service which is the next step past an oil change! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[TexasRedNeck]

Their already boxed back to the bed, doing just the rear should be easy. 4 link rear, gonna wheel it?

Negative sir, only boxed to the firewall and a little where each of the crossmembers are for the bed.  Zoom in on the picture.

Nope, no wheeling.  Just upgrading old technology as I don’t ever want to get rid of my non emissions truck.

Well, unless that bad influence Shawn convinces me to SAS it with a SD Axle…..


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[JR]

SAS, yes!

Hard to tell from the pic, but I think you are right as my cross member for the titan bolts onto the lip under the cab.

[stlaser]

Their already boxed back to the bed, doing just the rear should be easy. 4 link rear, gonna wheel it?

Negative sir, only boxed to the firewall and a little where each of the crossmembers are for the bed.  Zoom in on the picture.

Nope, no wheeling.  Just upgrading old technology as I don’t ever want to get rid of my non emissions truck.

Well, unless that bad influence Shawn convinces me to SAS it with a SD Axle…..


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I concur, I am in fact a bad influence and readily admit / warn people. Unlike Ken and the gf of his…….

[stlaser]

SAS, yes!

Hard to tell from the pic, but I think you are right as my cross member for the titan bolts onto the lip under the cab.

Yes, if he’s this deep the logical next better step is an sas


Charles, find an online 4 link calculator. Wide Open Design or Branik for the links, mock it up with pvc pipe. You can figure it out, I’ve seen your handiwork.

[Flyin6]

Their already boxed back to the bed, doing just the rear should be easy. 4 link rear, gonna wheel it?

Negative sir, only boxed to the firewall and a little where each of the crossmembers are for the bed.  Zoom in on the picture.

Nope, no wheeling.  Just upgrading old technology as I don’t ever want to get rid of my non emissions truck.

Well, unless that bad influence Shawn convinces me to SAS it with a SD Axle…..


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Shawn, did you see that?

That's psychology right there.

Red man wants someone in authority (you) to force him into doing a 3-4-5 link.

He has the $$$ and some time (although not as much).

and

we all could use the entertainment.

S-Take the appropriate action!

[TexasRedNeck]

Sean, keep me honest here.  I’m not articulating a ton with what little off roading this truck will see.

Fixed poly joints on the axle end
Heim on the frame end
The pinion and transmission angle should be the same
4 links should be equal length so the pinion angle does not change
Axle at ride height should be in the center of the arc of travel or close as possible

Not sure on the vertical spacing on the upper and lower bars, but guessing its more of a whatever can fit (8-10 inches)

Length of the bars,  longer the better within reason to keep the forward travel of the axle to a minimum during articulation.  Probably more practical to be a bout 1/2 the length of the OEM leaf springs.

The a panhard bar parallel to the ground at ride height.


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[stlaser]

No to heims spend some money with summit machine w d get good rebuildable joints. Parallel 4 link? I as you should research that as I’m more familiar with triangulated. More vertical separation the better between the links. Half the length of oem leaf spring sounds short. Rest sounds reasonable, maybe 40/60 on up / down travel.

[TexasRedNeck]

I was mimicking the Kelderman design which is more road oriented I think. I see a lot of crawler designs with triangulated which I believe is more flexible and doesn’t require a pan hard bar. .

https://kelderman.com/shop/catalog/product/view/id/144/s/2011-gm-2500-3500-4-link-rear-air-suspension/category/2/


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[Flyin6]

So, Red, where is the bus project currently that you've initiated a proper fluid change/full service?
;-)

[TexasRedNeck]

Just bought 4 welding stands to offload the frame from the trailer and start breaking it down for blasting.

It’s a marathon and not a sprint.

I may get it offloaded this weekend.  Gotta paint my firewood rack and finish the farm table too.


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[JR]

TRN, have you seen the blast systems that use water? Some are really cheap, some not. I got a cheap one to try.

Basically, it pushes the media with water and compressed air. Biggest thing is hardly any mess, no cloud and just hose down to cleanup.

[TexasRedNeck]

I think they call that dustless blasting?

I’m probably going to write the check to have this stuff blasted.

Got off loaded and started breaking it down.  Picked up a FB buy this evening.  rear end and springs/shackles.

That thing is a tank.  It took 4 of us to get it in the truck.  Just glad it wansnt when I had the 12 inch lift and 37s on it…still probably 43-45 inch tailgate height.





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[Flyin6]

I'm smiling broadly.

Hopefully, you can take it to completion and not tear it all apart and sell it off like someone I know had to do... :-((