barry G

a serious little weld. With high miles is some unusual finds.. the a/c hose dripped in the same spot so long, it worked away a perfectly waterfall driven shape. now at 391k miles.. my photos from a cellphone are ridiculous, so I added a photo with my hand and the template of the weld below. As you can see, it is not exactly huge. My hands are large, I digress. I was inspired to fix this, when 7 years ago, I noticed my inspector was always checking up front, right where weld is..every year. No problems with it back then. I asked him if that was a trouble spot and he said.. that spot is the only bizarre frame breakage in these models he had ever seen. I have concluded myself it must be a/c related for an unlucky truck. If one of the evaporators leaks it will use the drain hole to outside for r134a.. into this frame area. Mine was lucky for 27 years... it is just time and water. Welded up nicely..passed my hammer test. A new fuel tank crossmember in coming days. that is a no weld job..full bolt conversion...and some weld details to complete. by september a new exhaust muffler back to factory, and super quiet. On the manual trans truck, I like to hear the engine to know when to shift.. so I may wander off from factory one more time.

I got that beam in the mail, and remembered I had a journal here. love truck to this day. I found a way to keep it to 1k miles or less per year... just a special vehicle to me now no more rock salt etc.

hi. still trucking. thought I'd check in after 3.5 years. still primary vehicle. now at 390,683 miles. state inspected. Has not needed much. My welds are extras. I made the frame much stronger, and just got in the mail a brand new fuel tank crossmember. 88 bucks delivered. Bargain! I wanted to specifically share this as I had a questions few years ago about the original. "it seems like the fuel tank crossmember is not meant for the weight of this truck" sure enough, the new one weighs 18.8 pounds and has 13mm rivet holes. I had an original that was not as heavy duty as the new one...it even has 10mm rivet holes. I had guessed it a long time ago. I have been under many of these trucks over the years.. and simply noticed my crossmember specifically was very wimpy. I even found short bed step sides with thicker crossmember than what this one shipped with. Factory mystery. Was not my imagination, after all... so.. am converting the last bits with rivets left, over to 13mm bolts... adding new member. this is approaching finale , after 8 years...and may even semi retire it.. running beautiful. Everything works...rust repairs all done.

Its in every color where I live. black has an awesome longevity.. assume its the way it stays drier in the sun after storms. I set up my metal hobby for my 96.. plasma cutter etc. can even make a different weight class out of them if motivated.

I see maine in there. it is never the top ten of much. it is also a place that breaks 5 yr old anything. A most amazing trend has emerged with the 88-98. I have never seen anything like it. I moved here in 1987. I am finding welding on framing is getting to be much more relaxed. steel issues are looked at twice rather than scrapping over a dented rocker panel. So many places got spoiled apparently back in the day. people hang onto their stuff longer than I have never seen...especially the 4x4

? within that list, there is zero toyotas in my location. I have an elderly lady neighbor replacing the batteries in her prius nearly all gm otherwise.. its freakish. the most popular are 20 years old or older. (88-98) trucks own it many times over the burban count. this is just an SUV list. I trust it for sure.. just get a look around. I am finding city steps up thinking they are the world of great density it coincides with their wisdom: very dense.

one more weld I heard a squeak, unusual place. This truck is abrick.. a squeak is something moving. So I started smashing and poking at the rear left tail near hanger.. the only area that has had just one plate, and nothing more. sure enough, I took out a whole section near the hanger. added new plate. this may have been the longest weld yet.. I noticed 5 hours went by. almost 2 more pounds of wire, 18 inches of plate. Also added welds to the ugly hangers bottom .. its like adding two more rivets. I have two new hangers, and am in no hurry. I am keeping full tow ability. I take my time. fixed the old tailgate hinges, now I just slam it like an old barn door. I can also use it as a tail end reference. squared up heading into another winter. odometer fast approaching 380k 5th full year in the coming january gained 38k miles since feb 2015. drivetrain has needed nothing. Running very strong.

new compressor.. it may have original manufacture "debris". its usually a fluid challenging the freon. I refilled two years in a row after a brand new one. runs excellent now. full vacuum pull and refill. it gets expensive at a shop, unless the shop knows it needs a flush for being new, they might let one in for free. I knew to get the refill equipment on my own to DIY before it was put back together.

was wandering around the dealer yesterday.. my dad just bought the 2019 gmc sle, x31. with tow. the rear diff is large, like the old school one ton tube sizing.. but its at at 12 bolt. Keeps the non floater look with 6 lugs. I need to find what diff that is. not sure how they did it, but x31 sits up more than lesser trims. with no blocks, maybe tires did it. I see no lift. rancho shocks at4 has extra factory blocks lift kit.

yikes, hope it fairs well. the singles are tortured in the frame between bed and cab. If you are into welding, you'll get and keep all you want. I weld my own, in the north.. very rewarding. Not for everyone..

my scariest weld yet to the left of gas tank. Judging how local it stayed, it appears one of the lines in years past must have broke and got fixed right away. This area left to even a vent tube would have a frame shattered into a pile of rubble by now. the yellow is where i welded the plate from the outside,it is the height of frame, and 3 inches wide. the bottom is angle iron I put in a couple of years ago. Not a scary weld to me, but for those that don't know what maine does. this injury stayed local, I was fortunate. I poked a golf ball sized hole last winter, while inspecting (I tend to do that twice a year - the truck is that old to me) I waited until july to cut out the shape I wanted for the plate. Again nothing to notice going down road or hauling.. this frame is some kinda wonderful. I am at nearly 6 pounds of mig wire, weight of steel unknown. Flat stock, angle, cross sills, box beam etc. It is sure to be near 100 pounds rebuilding the back end. The hellwigs keep this old heavy weight (and getting fatter) level and raked nicely. this will stay like this through next years May inspection, then I attack again for summer. you see, the weld date I use is gone past.. it is already getting too cool at night. this risks a break when the whole chore can't stay with the whole frame. I learned this weirdness local years ago. From here on out, welding can be lightweight stuff, like panels, or removable items. The frame is very serious to me...casually so. I make it look easy.

Wanting to drop hitch, as tails are welded to a very old receiver mishap. That gave this truck an easy life. the inspiration to utilize bumper as half of the 7500 came after tuigging at dad's peterbilt on ice. This is one hardened old half ton. found this on ebay. its purpose is exactly what I want. Good for half ton limits.. and my version of dispersal is the other half of the load. Bolted it up today with whatever hardware to map welding. Will have four grade 8s going through the factory ball deck. welding this seam as well. It was cheap enough to not suffer a loss if bumper needs a swap some day will share when it is done. the decision was the 900 pound helpers and big ubolts. It was dragging the boats license plate.. ball hitch too tall after levelling truck. using old tire crossmember laminated as 2 of the end points. Between you and I ... it is more than a half ton capable, but am going by model number and towing laws for the category. just well done.. .that is all.

saw a picture on a facebook group for gmt400. guy was going to take his xcab in for new brake lines... and the truck broke in half on the lift. the sad part is the owners surprise.. wasn't expecting it. not even a pile of rust underneath after it let go. It did have a big truck cap on, etc... the resonance of years must have hammered a legit crack to fatigue right between cab and bed. I seriously have a legit phobia of that area in all makes and models.. even dump trucks. it started when I was a boy. anyway, my truck is same year.. I am taking it back to the 7500 it was advertised to do from day 1. lucky for this truck, there was an improper receiver install decades ago. No one ever bothered putting a real one back on (the first attempt had four bolts instead of the six.. missing the long arms that go toward front of truck.) That saved this trucks wimpy tails for sure. Could not haul heavy off the bumper alone. I bought this truck needing that lower rail filled in. They even cut triangles to install whatever dumb thing that was...and then left it there. I ponder some kind of receiver rental hack job.. uhaul or something. thinking ahead, I added angle iron 2 years ago, the other day added a weld seam. photos are terrible, but you get an idea anyway. Driver side has some local drama to old hydro carbon problems that must have emerged somewhere along the years. the heat stayed in the metal for a very long time... I know I made a change and won it back, and added a sweet spot. passenger side has no errors...gave it the same weld. I'll add plate to this just to knock it further towards 1 ton territory. up next would be worrying of 10 bolt axles if to freight it. I am adding my version of the 400 pound tongue and 7500 hitch.

running good cold, the engine gets more fuel until 160F. in live data, you may watch that switch to weird runtime you refer to. could help glad you found the disty problem.. I'd target injection/fuel my own went goofy to find plugs all went to beyond .100 gap. miles unknown. I am at 375k odometer.. running beautiful. Oil is at 1200 miles (I full it back up in half quarts.)

been a while reinspected new fender stainless steel brake lines and where I am the one working the old frame, I took an air chisel to one hanger. could not kill it.. so now I have two new ones in a box I laughed out loud to the torture I attempted on the old one... now at 375k miles. Been keeping miles down. I love the thought of this simply starting and being comfortable. I may get yet another one. A 1998. a/c recharged, everything is still working. this summer gets more welding in spots i know will catch up faster than I expect. I also have a toolbox squaring up the bed. I like it in this xcab model. I live rural.. there s more than 500 pounds of "stuff" in it. Carefully placed, full to the brim. the old delta pro can handle it. Learning the steel as much as I have these past 4 years... I like the weight placement and geometry.