Build Thread - 1-ton Chevy Swap

[littleredrangerhood]

I think Chevy trucks have stock remote reservoirs that you could get and put on. I know my Chevy has a remote reservoir. I was going to get another from a junker and use it for additional fluid capacity on my ranger for the hydro assist

 

[Dishtowel]

Anyone got any suggestions.

Visit a welding shop and see about a small chunk of thinthinwall pipe (sch 20-ish or lighter), whatever dia you have room for, 4"-6". Cap the ends. Get some merchant (pipe) couplings from a 'single source supplier' (eg, Acklands Grainger) and weld them in where you want, I would do a 2" for the fill, 1/2" drain, 1/4" fill. Bake for 30 min @ 350 deg, then Plumb your system accordingly.

Well, thats what I might do.

OR, scavenge a small rad overflow reservoir if you think it can take the heat.

 

[JohnnyU]

Yesterday I bled the brakes, let the air out of the front tires and rolled it out of the garage:

I got the steering system bled using just the factory reservoir for now. I'll add something else to it later depending on how it works. Steering is effortless with the assist cylinder, makes me wish I'd done something similar years ago as it would have made turning with the plow hanging out front much easier. I took the rear suspension apart last night and started reworking the rear leaf packs to level it out with the front.

 

[Bray D]

That baby is HUGE! Shouldn't have any problem clearin the boggers. Good to hear the hydro assist works with the factory reservoir. If you decide to go full hydro later on I may have to snag that cylinder from ya.

 

[danger88ranger]

Lookin good

 

[KELLY88]

Man that roof just barely cleared under the garage door. Lookin amazing.

 

[JohnnyU]

I''ve still got to give the whole truck a once-over, but I got the rear leaves repacked and it sits a bit higher now, still about 2" lower than the front, but the coils will probably sag a bit. I also mounted the rear shocks, just have to fight the rusty old ones out of the old frame mounts at some point too. Front shocks are next, have to measure and get them from my buddy. I did manage to get it out of the driveway and out to our storage warehouse last night also.

Gotta pimp the Dodge too

 

[zainyD]]

Looks great man! Well done.

 

[danger88ranger]

Both rigs look good, when are you putting some bigger tires on it?

 

[maitee1]

That is one nice build. Rig is so tall you had to deflate the tires to get it out...Awesome

Can't wait to see some pics of it on the trail.

 

[JohnnyU]

Both rigs look good, when are you putting some bigger tires on it?

I'll swap the rear rims/tires with the boggers this weekend when I bring it back to install the front shocks, drive shaft and limiting chain/strap. The front's will have to wait until I get it to wherever its going, they don't fit between the trailer fenders.

I'm in the market for a nice deck over gooseneck, this is what I'm looking at:

 

[dabomb5756]

Are the fenders on your trailer not strong enough to drive over?

 

[JohnnyU]

Are the fenders on your trailer not strong enough to drive over?

Sure they are, but since they are about 12" above the deck with a rather steep slope, I didn't want to waste the time fabricating ramps to streamline the loading/unloading process instead of just 'jumping' the tire up on them.

 

[94STXRanger]

we have a nice trailer thats basically the same as above^, except not a goose neck. Its so nice being able to just load cars on it, bobcats, haybails, and whatever else. The absence of fenders is nice.

 

[dburton07]

simply awesome