2003 Silverado Z71 solid axle build

mccustomize

Explorer
New shock mounts clearing at compression
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mccustomize

Explorer
Ordered U-joints, trans mount, and bump cans this week, should be here shortly.

To Buy:
20ft 2x3 .250 wall tubing
10ft 2x2 .250 wall tubing
5ft 1.5x1.5 .250 wall tubing
20ft 3" 1/8th strap
10ft 6" 1/4" strap
37x12.50r17 X5 $1,411.55
Rebuilt calipers X2 $112.00
Air tank $61.60
Pressure switch $8.00
Gauge $18.00
20ft 1/8" air line $15.00
Snatch block $22.00
Tree saver $18.00
Bed tie down rails $80.00
Power steering pump$75.00
Redneck ram assist $287.00
Body mount bolts $25.00

The body mount bolts I just need to go pick up from local hardware store, I just keep forgetting. I'm getting down to some more expensive stuff, and I really need to buy ball joints for my jeep and get the axles swapped to sell. Then I think labor day weekend will be spent re-gearing the front axle and gusseting the inner C's.
 

mccustomize

Explorer
Bump cans, U joints, trans mount came in, all super quick.

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I used a company I have never tried before for the air bump cans, price point was right, shipping was unreal fast, ordered Tuesday and came in Friday. They even threw some stickers in the box. I will be using them again for sure.

wide open design
 

mccustomize

Explorer
So the glasspack was getting really annoying, and I wanted to fix a few rattles I had. In goes a Magnaflow 4" round muffler. I'm still goint to have to re-work a little of the exhaust routing to be 100% happy with it but it will get me by for now. I still want to get rid of the factory flange and add a slipfit and band clamp, and also make the Y-pipe a two piece deal. As it sits now getting the Y-pipe out is a damn near impossible feat.

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mccustomize

Explorer
Tires..... so more than likely I'm going to run the Yokohama Geolandar MT+ in 38x13.50r17. The price point is insane for tires I'm going to replace in a year to swap to 40s with the one ton axles.

Anybody have any personal experience with them? Keep in mind this is my daily driver and it sees about 80% pavement these days.

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mccustomize

Explorer
Started on the swaybar a couple nights ago, came off a solid axle swapped GMT400 at the junkyard, I bent the arms just a little to clear the kickout at the frame. Should have it buttoned up by tomorrow evening.

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Epix

Observer
Mccustomize, I just found this thread and I'm impressed with your build. What part of Texas you are from? Anyways, I've got a full size Ford truck that I've got some suspension questions on, do you mind if I send you a pm?
 

mccustomize

Explorer
Not at all, I'm in central TX, Killeen specifically.

I got some major work done this weekend, friend of mine found me a torsion style sway bar in the junk yard, so I bent the arms to clear for my application and fabbed some endlinks up from solid 7/8" stock and 1/2" heims. Got the coil bowing to a minimum but still not gone, but apparently with coils this tall there is nothing you can do. re-mounted my bumps in the correct fashion and got everything cleaned up, next on the agenda is re-gearing one day this week and fixing a few exhaust leaks, then putting the front driveshaft in!

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mccustomize

Explorer
Well I took a couple days off from work to re-gear the front diff (curse you Dana for putting shims in between the bearings and carrier) and get a few things buttoned up to go on the Fall Hill Country Rendezvous. I tried hard to get a front driveshaft in my truck but it just didn't happen before the trip. I'm going to have to swap to a NP241c case with a fixed front output. The slip yoke front output with conventional u joint just doesn't have enough angle for my droop travel. Oh well, it needed to be done anyway. I added multiple tie down points in the bed, finished my sway bar setup, and fixed a few minor things that needed attention before the trip.

Here's a few pictures from the amazing trip that CJones organized.

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Loaded down! When you have a family of 4 your gear gets a bit heavy!
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Portable DVD ready and smiles before dawn!
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I love sunrises, more than a sunset, a sunrise means you closed your eyes and awoke to be able to live one more day...
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The beginning of this county road was amazing, traveling right on the edge of the hillside.
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Chillin on a dirt road haha..
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Saw a covey of quail at this stop, I haven't seen quail near central texas in a long time.
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The boys enjoying the cool clear water.
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James river road crossing, it was about 10 inches or so deep, pretty dry.
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I also placed a penny for Nyle, a pirate4X4 member's son that tragically lost his life at the age of 14.
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All in all we had a great trip with old friends, and new friends, I fried some catfish Saturday evening and we sat around and talked, and had a few adult beverages, while the kids played with glow sticks. I really look forward to the next trip, once I get the 1/2" of dust cleaned out of my truck!
 

cyclic

Adventurer
North West Fab just released a fixed yoke output for most of the newer cases. Probably worth looking at. I'll IM you a link to it.
 

mccustomize

Explorer
North West Fab just released a fixed yoke output for most of the newer cases. Probably worth looking at. I'll IM you a link to it.

I'm just going to sap to a 241c, proven, reliable, and early 90s will have the fixed yoke that I need, driveshaft will even work too.
 

rcab87

New member
Is there any way I could bother you for better pics if where the control arms mount to the frame? I have a 2005 Silverado 1500 I want to do this to and am trying to do as much research as possible before any sparks fly
 

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