wvracer821
Well-known member
So what's next for this thing? UA seems like it was a big item crossed off the bucket list.
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Shortened 2001 Silverado w/ 40s, Doubler, 14FF, & D60
- Thread starter DMANbluesfreak
- Start date
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Definitely! It's funny, since UA it's been sitting for the most part, save for one local-ish wheeling trip. I think achieving that bucket list item has me at that "what next" stage. The truck is pretty dialed, so I don't have any major or urgent things I want to address on it. Beadlocks most likely come tax return time. Long term, I still do want to link the front suspension which will allow me to stuff 42s but that's a big undertaking and expense. I'm toying with the idea of building a different, more family friendly rig (Tahoe, with a hybrid cage most likely) in anticipation of having kids (would like it mostly built before kids arrive if I can swing it). The next rig I will build a little bit smarter to keep it lighter - but that's probably a couple years out.
We're under contract on a house that I think we will come to terms on (negotiating inspection stuff right now), so January will be a prep-for-move and moving month, plus part of February will likely be for settling in. The new place has a 2.5 car garage, but it's got a short garage door/roof so we've budgeted building it taller next fall which will be really nice, especially for linking the front.
I'd be stoked if they invite me back on UA2021, but I'd also understand if they pick someone else - all the readers were really great this year. Kinda waiting to hear about that. If it doesn't happen, I'll plan a longer wheeling trip. With COVID, I'm not really planning much of anything - just seeing what happens.
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I can say I know exactly how you feel! "Now what?" is the perfect way to describe it. I was in the same boat for a while. After UA I knew that the Hummer was capable of completing a week long 1000+ mile trip and now you wonder what's next. Your timing was like mine, after UA we had moved and bought a house so wheeling and wrenching was less for a temporary time. After getting settled in and ready for wrenching and wheeling COVID hit. I didn't know what was next for a while but after some thinking it was basically take some time to go out and explore new trails and areas. Moving to Idaho I have started doing that, I want to do a trip to Colorado and get back to Moab. Another thing that was important was prerunning for my buddy in U4 so handling high speed stuff changed some things up, it will never be a legit prerun vehicle but i'll do it until someone shows up with a legit prerunner lol. Since that damn crew cab chevy on 43s and f/r steer wheeled with me I can't get my mind off rear steer. I have never seen a 146in wheelbase rig behave as nimble as a TJ. Rear steer never impressed me much because so many people suck with it and I think they put themselves in worse situations then without it but this guy knew it like the back of his hand.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Rear steer in the hands of a good driver is indeed incredible. I have a buddy who bought the old Dodge 2500 Cummins TTC truck and slapped 47" LTBs on it. It weighs 11k lbs and is like 102" wide, but he sneaks that thing through trees and up obstacles I grimace at.
I also have been really wanting to redo the front suspension for the reason you stated - I don't really need my truck to go fast, but it sure would be a smoother ride if it wasn't 1" from the bump stops up front. IF I do redo the front suspension to link it, I'll take my time and relocate the steering box, clearance the frame, and do whatever else is needed to give myself some more uptravel than I currently have. That way, any shock tuning I do will actually provide some benefit, rather than bump stops doing all the uptravel work. Honestly, it'd be pretty cool to do it on my truck before I move to the 'family friendly' build because then whatever improvements need to be made can be learned beforehand.
We'll see what the future holds. I'm in no rush to do any of this since the truck is so stout right now. I'm just enjoying the 'break' from massive truck projects (and I'm sure my energy will soon be focused on home projects).
I also have been really wanting to redo the front suspension for the reason you stated - I don't really need my truck to go fast, but it sure would be a smoother ride if it wasn't 1" from the bump stops up front. IF I do redo the front suspension to link it, I'll take my time and relocate the steering box, clearance the frame, and do whatever else is needed to give myself some more uptravel than I currently have. That way, any shock tuning I do will actually provide some benefit, rather than bump stops doing all the uptravel work. Honestly, it'd be pretty cool to do it on my truck before I move to the 'family friendly' build because then whatever improvements need to be made can be learned beforehand.
We'll see what the future holds. I'm in no rush to do any of this since the truck is so stout right now. I'm just enjoying the 'break' from massive truck projects (and I'm sure my energy will soon be focused on home projects).
Positrack
51113
I checked out your build periodically some years ago, but I guess it's been awhile. The rig was sweet then, but DAMN, you've done some impressive stuff with this truck since I last looked! Congrats on the UA; that's really something! 
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
I checked out your build periodically some years ago, but I guess it's been awhile. The rig was sweet then, but DAMN, you've done some impressive stuff with this truck since I last looked! Congrats on the UA; that's really something!
Thank you sir!
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Yeah there wasn't much coverage of the three more normal looking rigs from invited readers. Most of the coverage is of the Sidekick, Van, and F150 since they're more out-there. But even still, MOST of the coverage is of Dave's Mazda, Ian's LJ Buggy, and Fred's TJ. I'm even surprised how little coverage there was of the UA LRJ since it's this years magazine-built rig.
Give the people what they want, I guess :P
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
That's how I choose to take it! It got a bit more coverage in the magazine, which is nice. Reminds me, I need to snag scans and extra copies of the Magazine.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
My, has the truck changed since then!
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Man I don't come on here enough.... here's this years' updates so far haha.
Went wheeling and got muddy at Redbird (Dugger, IN):
Then, back to Badlands (Attica, IN):
And finally - Moonlight Racing (Sullivan, MO). I really enjoyed this park. Not as much rock crawling, but a lot of technical trail riding without much mud (mostly shale-type rock that breaks apart).
Went wheeling and got muddy at Redbird (Dugger, IN):
Then, back to Badlands (Attica, IN):
And finally - Moonlight Racing (Sullivan, MO). I really enjoyed this park. Not as much rock crawling, but a lot of technical trail riding without much mud (mostly shale-type rock that breaks apart).
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DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
More from Moonlight:
Posing like the jeeps do:
Night wheeling is always a good time (but awful for pictures!):
Got to play tow truck:
Posing like the jeeps do:
Night wheeling is always a good time (but awful for pictures!):
Got to play tow truck:
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DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Finally, you'll see that the Raceline sticker was on my tote at Moonlight. That's because I had the Racelines in-hand before that trip, but they we're bare aluminum and I live in a rust belt (salty roads) state. I sent them off to get clear powder coat and that took nearly 3 months due to some unforeseen delays at the powder coater (oven blew up). For $200 out the door, I was willing to deal with the delay.
So, here are my new wheels! Raceline Avengers, clear powder coated, and later pics show the GM stainless cap lugnuts which look decent I think and should last the life of the wheels.
So far so good. They actually don't vibrate TOO bad on the highway, but I'll get them balanced because it would a little annoying on a cross-country trip. All have held air too, so there's no leaks. Pretty happy with the way they look, too. I did get the beadlock ring coated too to prevent oxidation at the tire bead, but I'm sure I'll need to respray the outer surface once a year with clear coat as it gets scraped off.
So, here are my new wheels! Raceline Avengers, clear powder coated, and later pics show the GM stainless cap lugnuts which look decent I think and should last the life of the wheels.
So far so good. They actually don't vibrate TOO bad on the highway, but I'll get them balanced because it would a little annoying on a cross-country trip. All have held air too, so there's no leaks. Pretty happy with the way they look, too. I did get the beadlock ring coated too to prevent oxidation at the tire bead, but I'm sure I'll need to respray the outer surface once a year with clear coat as it gets scraped off.
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DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Long term I'll keep them. Ideally I'd love to move my 40s back to the H2 wheels and run 42" Trepador Bias (which aren't rated for use below 32°F) on my beadlocks. But that's a pricey endeavor, so we'll see if that ever happens lol.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Thanks!
5" BS. Apparently H2s actually have 5.5" (I thought they were 5"), so with the wider wheel and less BS, the tires stick out a bit more than before. I think it's going to rub when flexed a little bit, but I don't have a great place near my house to flex it out. I'll just bring the sawsall and grinder next wheeling trip
gmcxt
Jack of all terrains
Did you move your front axle forward? I know I looked over your PBB thread once before but cant remember. The rear clearance of the fenders and the bed chop and look proportional. Front end looks like its kinda moved forward with how much is out of the bumper. I like this truck too much.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Yep, it's forward like 3.5" from factory IFS.
gmcxt
Jack of all terrains
Got any pictures of it? I looked through your thread and only see where your were fighting the pit man arm.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Probably the best pictures I've got. Obviously trimming the bumper made a huge difference with how it looked (and going to 37s from the 33s that are on there as rollers).
gmcxt
Jack of all terrains
Thank you for posting these, but i was talking more about how you moved your steering box. I have one of these trucks and it looks like you can move the box "forward one hole." What i mean by this is you can take the middle box bolt hole and move it to the forward box bolt hole. This could maybe give 3-4" of forward relocation and give about 3/4-1" of steering box "drop". Their is obviously more to this which is what i was hoping you'd share. Thanks.
Probably the best pictures I've got. Obviously trimming the bumper made a huge difference with how it looked (and going to 37s from the 33s that are on there as rollers).
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
I didn't move my steering box. It's on the to-do list for someday. It will give me another inch or so of uptravel when the time comes.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
Apparently, I should have rebuilt my hubs after this trip....
The hub which was submerged:
Water literally came out of the hub when I opened it up. Note that I removed the locking hub selector after the trip and didn't see any water, so it all went back into the hub between the bearings. There was NO indicated of water ingress through the spindle, so I do think it came in through the locking hub selector.
The other side:
I've got to give it to the marine grease. The bearings, despite being basically dry and noisy... were still in tact. I'll definitely run marine grease on wheel bearings from here out.
Waiting on new bearings to arrive (tomorrow) and I'll slam it together. I also replaced both batteries with Die Hard Platinums after 8 years of Autolite Platinums. Not too shabby.
Bonus pic from before I tore the hubs apart. The tires balanced out nicely after Discount did a static balance. I never had good luck with balance beads, so it's worth the $100 they charged me to do these.
All of this is in preparation for a run to Flat Nasty Nov 19-20. I might even try to spend a day at SMORR on Nov 18th if anyone is interested in meeting up (I know it's a Thursday - I've got PTO to burn).
The hub which was submerged:
Water literally came out of the hub when I opened it up. Note that I removed the locking hub selector after the trip and didn't see any water, so it all went back into the hub between the bearings. There was NO indicated of water ingress through the spindle, so I do think it came in through the locking hub selector.
The other side:
I've got to give it to the marine grease. The bearings, despite being basically dry and noisy... were still in tact. I'll definitely run marine grease on wheel bearings from here out.
Waiting on new bearings to arrive (tomorrow) and I'll slam it together. I also replaced both batteries with Die Hard Platinums after 8 years of Autolite Platinums. Not too shabby.
Bonus pic from before I tore the hubs apart. The tires balanced out nicely after Discount did a static balance. I never had good luck with balance beads, so it's worth the $100 they charged me to do these.
All of this is in preparation for a run to Flat Nasty Nov 19-20. I might even try to spend a day at SMORR on Nov 18th if anyone is interested in meeting up (I know it's a Thursday - I've got PTO to burn).
gmcxt
Jack of all terrains
I'm close to SMORR but maybe next time. My rigs are all torn down and cannot be done by then.
DMANbluesfreak
Trailers are for Boats
A friend just pointed out to me that they're never open on M-Th anyway, so that plan is shot. Maybe moonlight? Or I just get to FN a day early and tool around.
stan1688
Weld it Yourself Bumpers
How about a SMORR trip in March, or sometime like that? I'm building a truck very similar to this one and it should be "done" by then, or at least enough to wheel.
