barry G's 1996 gmc 4x4 5spd

[barry G]

bed sills

 

very common chore in my locale.. if the cross sills survive after 15 years of this place, you got a broken frame near the cab. It is a good sign to find mutilated cross sills in used truck buying.

 

have some steel on the way, most if it on hand. Will be getting this done is a week or so.

 

 

I was lucky to find onlinemetals.com choice of rectangle. Perfect fit on order... will be shipped to me.

I learned thicker than 1/8th is headed for a frame challenge.. starts with the rivets of GMs crossmember tying the frame in the back. that front sill needs some wiggle room. Steel gets owned by thicker steel, hence no greater than 1/8th inch as choice.

 

the second sill back can be amonster, and will be making it one.

 

third one back is the most flexing, and it is the shortest. I am recovering the remains with 304 sheet steel.

 

The next one back is going to be an easy going flat bar job, a little weaker that the second to the front.

 

The cross sill rear, is a replacable part, someone did very good at replacing or just keeping factory mint.

The inspiration for this is someones many hours of body work, full panel replacements. Well worth some cross sills.

 

rhino bed lining is no errors as well.

[Singer-Man]

 

I've been following your work with interest. It looks to be proceeding nicely. I'd like to see some clear photos of the exterior also.

[barry G]

I've been following your work with interest. It looks to be proceeding nicely. I'd like to see some clear photos of the exterior also.

 

it is a rugged appearance, some of it with old patina looking stuff drooling at the handles. Could scrub off if I try. My camera is terrible.

 

it did shine up enough to be decent. Big key gouge down one side is the biggest mishap.. maybe someones offroad tree branch adventure.

 

For my locale, it is bout the guts outward. waxing is not an option seen often.

This one is worth going that far, and will.

 

I also banged a lower door out just for good use, not perfect.

a whole shell is an easy chore..

[barry G]

quick truck

 

A cross between road rage and no clue, I do not know how fast this truck is, it is my 6th month with it. I was boarding the highway, and had to get around a slow goer that coincided with the end of the ramp..

same old stuff.

 

Well, suddenly this jerk behind me speeding up on purpose kept my foot to the floor.

 

4th gear to 4200 rpm was leaving it behind.. and that was much less than a half mile into my highway trek home. Into fifth, 3500 rpm and somly let off, coasting up a hill....

 

doing 119 miles an hour. Just like it was nothing at all. Nothing like winning a worthless battle against a sumo sized suv with japanese guts.

A gear calc had to tell me when I got home. The 100mph speedometer hard stops at 95mph.

 

Glad to learn this, I won't be doing it again.. I actually never go fast. It was so casual, I would have gone to 130 and not really knew. 12 foot wheelbase and 6000 pounds...

 

ABS light is still on,

VSS monitored in realtime finds no errors, yet still no code to read. This all began with a hurst shifter install.

 

Come on smart guys..someone has to speak up. I like my ABS.

fuel has dropped 5-10 mpg as a result...like a limp mode ..with no limiter.

 

..cross sill steel is all gathered, ready for some welding.. waiting on garage time.

..and found 4 LT rated tires for less than 500. Will be going with those once welding is settled in.

 

the hurst has settled in nicely, 3rd gear is cured and defined like a switch, no mushiness in the shift. Fifth gear is as tall as the book states. The old plastic base shift somehow was making fifth gear not all there, or dragging or something.( tach has dropped for the same 60mph.)

the climb onto the highway today proved it priceless.

 

edit:

"somly".

where in heck did I get that. I think I like it.

my trucks nickname from now on.

 

Somly the gmc wooped a japanese SUV, somly.

Edited August 10, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

Simple ABS

 

Finally giving it some faster thought, slept on it some. I realized the VSS working is the speedometer..thought there was a cable being I have worked nothing but old school. So, VSS being good only has 2 sensors left: The front wheels.

unplugging the dash I realized there was no cable. That will be finished off today BTW... the entire dash and all the bezels are LED. I was awaiting the pc74 bulbs (the tiny ones). Nothing interior is incandescent except map lights overhead. Outside parking/blinkers is all led but 2 rear brake for the abs relay. That is at least 40 amps knocked off.. and no bleed across double filament bulbs. And that heat. my god. There was enough light bulbs to fry an egg.

 

Found two cheap sensors for the wheel speed, that should get the abs. If not, I'll go from there. Odds are the ones in it simply need iron removed from the magnetic pickup. I have hated magnetic pickup anywhere one can find one, for a long time. Hall sensors, optical is taking over for good reason.

 

This 1996 version does not give an aBS code apparently. just triggers a light, shuts down abs. 1996 is an overlap of the real old version on an obd2 port instead of the obd1. Other additions being VSS and 4x4 switch.. a little more complex, but still old. I like it, as it is the fastest version I ever felt out. It saved my life once, that is all it took to keep enthused about it.

 

The manual tranny truck has four less fuses than the automatics..and now 40+ LED bulbs where incandescent tig welding torches used to be.
The most efficient back then, and even more so today as a result.

22mpg was right out of the box.. it can stay there and more, but ABS makes this one lose 5mpg or more. That has never been explained to me exactly, as the ECM in a safe mode should not be happening because of an ABS light.

 

1996.. just another year of evolving history. The trucks and cars are never done.

The "finished" and mean it for real truck left off with carbs and mechanical cable clutch. 1987.

Still easy going, a lot safer.

 

This one in gas guzzle mode is still 15-18mpg.. that is a good day for an automatic locally.

I call this 1996 the modern one that never has to be shut down.

Even a bad code day is a good one.

350k miles should say it without words anyway..

Edited August 11, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

LED pc74

 

got 10 of them.. could do 4 more. Goal met anyway.

 

 

another 10 bulbs swapped with new plugs. I found the cel was blown. I must have done that somewhere along the line..as that light came on and I went and bought a scanner several months ago. The big change for this is dioding any light related to ECM, and the 4 roasters by the heater control. Nice and cool now. I could only guess these little monster are pushing 2-10w a piece. Very hot bulbs.

Now I can see how long in intervals that fake o2 code triggers.. will just keep resetting. It monitors in realtime as no errors.

dash:

• 6 illum
• brake
• abs
• cel
• 2 blinkers
• highbeam

interior:

• 4 heater control
• 4x4 lever (2 bulbs)
• 5 interior courtesy
• glove box

exterior:

• third brake light (2 bulbs)
• 2 rear parking
• license plate (x2)
• 6 up front parking
• underhood
• 2 reverse
• cargo lamp (I disabled half of it - this gets 1 bulb)

40 bulbs now LED.
Still calling it 40 amps knocked off..
runtime for parking lights is about 30 of it.

the things I learned..

1. all the double filaments are bleeding slobs with watts way beyond the numbers given. Those are big anyway, even if they are perfect. 22watts a piece.
2. all the incandescent know they need to run, switch on or off..its like a priming monster waiting. They all accept a backside kick. LED stomped it out perfectly..
3. ..and off is off.
4. the heat:

the front parking to led keeps the grill to the truck, proving heat warped it away from it.
The interior temperature is way down on a hot summer night with the interior swap.

 

edit:

ok, took the time out and really added up the led change.

 

watts

194 = 3.8w
194led = 1
19watts versus 72.2

2357 = 29w
2357led= 7.5
60 watts versus 232

pc74 = 1.75w
pc74led = .7
7 watts versus 17.5

festoon = 15
led festoon = 3

89 watts led versus 336.7
in amps at 12 volt:

7 amps led, versus 28 amps regular

savings of 21 amperes.

 

7 amps versus 28.

89 watts versus 337.

I do believe it is more than that, but this is the minimum.

The conquering is the parking.. it has been a monster since 4 headlights. The 1980s sometime..

 

I also am enjoying the obd2 analyzing, found the chores are real easy. I need one o2 sensor that I may have broken myself for ignoring an exhaust shield hit on the top of it. ABS is simply getting two new wheel sensors...

back to highway super star.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 12, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

poly mounts complete

energy suspensions mounts I bought some months back..

I only put in the lowers .. as it was very bad to drive and stay comfortable. Very cold out when I put those lowers in.Today I finished the whole install. Very easy.. should have done it sooner.

Miraculous. Even the windows going up and down are quiet. Modern poly miracle.

I also determined a wiggle I was getting with brakes on, it is indeed a tire...up front. The cab stays still now, easy to determine rotation errors.

 

quick shot of install complete. Confident appearing mounts, nice and straight.

 

 

here is the 19 year old, 350k mile mounts next to the new ones.

 

The new ride is better than factory. Off to do some cross sills under the bed, align this old truck up to like new.

 

[kstruckcountry]

Wow, the old mounts were trashed, nothing left.

 

Surprised the frame under the cab looks so good.

[barry G]

Wow, the old mounts were trashed, nothing left.

 

Surprised the frame under the cab looks so good.

 

that got me from day one...

side profile photo on craigslist. No photo of the frame.

 

maybe I have been going too long with two steel rails. A second sight is built in.

 

I was hoping to find munched cab mounts and cross sills, sure enough... that is the extent of the chores.

 

I have since gone for a longer ride..all four tires are terrible. Sidewalls are meant for something much lighter than this. I can even hear them.

This half ton needs 10ply LT. I needed the better cab munts to reveal it. Odd thing, steel and rubbers.

 

it may not align exact, after the sills.. but will call it good. Playing with 1/2 inch or less. Someone has done body panels, all kinds of ways to lose the factory.

my best $2500 ever spent.

 

I may be in for $500 or so thus far. Just getting the little gadgets to clear codes on the way this week.

o2 sensor, two wheel speed sensors. The pcm is errorless in live monitoring. Triggers when it has to.

 

I got a photo of the cab/bed alignment about 2 days after the poly mounts. Cab is spot on, not even a fraction off factory, just by the good mounts.

 

 

 

Today was a close look at the bed cross sills. That is the last move over to a perfect alignment, errors found. Looking forward to being a little stronger than factory..and have a trick for the tail end to maximize a 400 pound hitch, before it needs anything at all. I have all the steel, tools etc.. just waiting for the garage.

This one will fall right into beyond eyeball measurement. Very impressed with that many miles and neglect on the sills and mounts. I would have changed them 10 years ago... must have been a slow going truck, and driven in the daytime. Good for me.

the previous owner was a good care taker, not sure what is up with these last chores... discounted price for a great drivetrain, etc.

I like finding these builds.

 

Edited August 15, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

cross sills installed

 

long weekend. About 16 hours in all...

20 feet of cross sill, approx 3 pounds of weld.

45-55 pounds added to the weight of bed.

 

the full rectangle front cross sill and the way cab mounts work together..wow. I made quite a combo. Very robust. Much bigger than factory.

 

the rear left shock mount scab, and a plate on the outside of frame in the same area...was looking forward to that one since I bought the truck. that wa salso listed in the sales agreement.. glad the guy was honest. Got right after the plan and action eventually.

 

very rugged feeling truck.. alot of things to notice. Still a half ton suspension, seems comical, the way all this ties together..no pun.

 

 

I'd upload more photos, but I seem to be limited.

The alignment fell right into place, all 8 bed holes..cab and bed together. Confident looking truck.

leaning roads in my locale get much less effort in the steering wheel.

 

 

finishing the tail end with scabs.. appears to be an old receiver hitch hacked out of it, left a mess..outright ugly...looking weak by bumper.

 

spare tire removed forever.. this truck rides low. Highway super star. In fact as odds have it, my parking spot that I back into uses railroad ties as the pavement edge.. got maybe 2 inches with an empty bed clearing the tire. Very old tire with a 3/4 ton rotten steel wheel, but still had air...glad to get that out of there. The mechanism has been stuck for what looks like 15 years.

 

added a dent when I removed bed, by accident. Since pulled it out..but still feel bad. Part of the asking price was new bed sides..they were perfect condition. Got most of it back in good shape, but a close look finds little errors now.

Edited August 19, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

more photos of cross sill work

 

this is alignments today.

a shot with bed removed.

 

the goals were met..weld anything that needed it forward of rear spring hangers while bed removed. I also framed in the gas tank cover hole I hacked in the bed in the middle of winter when fuel pump failed...came out nice. Got that with bed upside down. Snaps right in like a lego.

 

the rest is tail end, while bed back on. Refurbish old tire hanger to simply be an extra frame brace...scabs near bumper,

and rear spring hangers can wait another year, grind rivets get some fresh looking steel in there.

 

348k miles, 1996. Incredible. I grew with old school failures...this is amazing in comparison. My first chevy was a 1979..literally deemed hopeless in 1991.

13 years old..all done. junk yard bound.

 

also in the photo, you can see the wrinkles this feisty five speed leaves in the cooper tires..they pounce with brakes on, many broken sidewall belts. I felt one break in the front left tire since owning...hammering down on a 75mph onramp in northern maine.

 

tires are last.. and that is not far off. Chores will be done soon. This one gets 10 ply. It is more a brick now than ever.

Edited August 20, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

po420 - bad cat code mystery

 

Got a new o2 sensor, old one was very extremely installed. This coincides with a y-pipe complete purchase, o2 already there. Like a robot put them in too far. Anyway, about 300 foot pounds, needed both legs, my home made version of a breaker bar used for 176 foot pound axles... a pipe, and hard socket for air guns, and got it out of there.

 

Fuel shot right up to even more impressive. 24mpg cruising down the highway with wobbling broken 4 ply tires.

 

Anyway, the 420 code kicked on after installing, after it was running better than ever. Thanks to the net and some truthful technicans...

 

• This 96-98 was better off without an engine light, the light itself bothered computer runtime if it was on.. that is only one of the problems.
• The 420 code for manual transmission models kicks on too easy, due to the lugging of gears. Changes fuel ratio of threshold numbers built into the codes for cat checking. A throttle foot of a diesel kinda guy can trigger it on purpose.
• The last oddity for manual tranny models is the shear gargantuate clean amperage this computer gets with four less fuses than the automatic model of the same truck. Very hair triggered computer.

 

I like it, errors are simply fixed. For my locales inspection, catalyst code does not need to exist. They simply verify it is safe easy enough...no codes needed for a bad cat. This one is young and clean. I have 2 version of maxiscan and check on routines religiously. Don't need light anyway. First year obd2.. I'd say they did darn good. Very helpful, just like today. The way it pinpointed the exact o2 sensor of four of them to get confused with.. I am hooked on this stuff. I am more old school than new.

 

For now, it is all aligned, much tougher than factory, never seen a cab and back bed stay together this tightly. I have had more than one make of truck.

 

I found the tires I want are not cheap. So...

finishing tail end welding chores first, and waiting a few weeks.

 

The reward for the cross sills and fixing the o2 error code..

This truck got even faster...

A real eye opener. 0 to 70 is much less than 10 seconds. That growl and tranny whine at the same time, It is simply quite impressive. Beyond comical, one has to be careful...add a hurst short throw in that mix and hang on.

 

I was on a city street I used to live on, bangor maine.. manhole covers everywhere. A hill to climb. I thought I'd say hi by giving some throttle.. the darn thing spun on every manhole cover up the hill..not even half throttle. Made a musical instrument out of a street.

 

Something I found fascinating in live data..the two banks of this vortec know to feed one bank more than the other. A decades long problam with linear to rotation on any V or flat engine is the right bank going lean. The multiport knows to tune it in separate. Nerdy observation aside..this simply means when you stomp the throttle the front end goes straight up and not to the right rear spring hanger like many many years of performance carbed cars. In fact my last fastest pickup (1979) used to break the right rear spring hanger in intervals.. 350 four barrel.

Edited August 24, 2015 by barry G

[barry G]

finishing off with tires..

 

Kumho Road Venture APT

LT 265/75/16 123/120S

I want the highway super star theme to continue, these tires are good candiates. The LT for this hefty gmc with 142 inches spanning the wheels.. is like a free lift kit approaching 3 inches for the front and 1.5 in the back. The P rated are near a death wish.

 

this chore came quicker than expected. Body and bed work all done... frame poked at and scabbed. Very impressed at how straight and true this is. My monte carlo jack is worthless now, as the body is a brick.

 

I was counting on a little more headache with the chores. The $2500 sale is now at 4500 if I put it out on the side of the road.

 

just like that.

I won't be selling anytime soon, but the thought is real and good.

[barry G]

final analysis of ABS

 

this one, is one weird outcome. It may be the weirdest excuse ever to shut it down and get away with it legally.

 

I replaced both front sensors which were very old...strangely, to get the abs light to dim some. The oddity is finding this abs was not enough of anything to even trigger its own light for many years. I must have revived a swamped grounding area with 40 led bubs dropping all the tig weld light bulbs blasting each other and every ground around it.

 

it seems to be broke in every way but the sensors feeding it, and the pump makes a noise on the self check when key first turned on.

 

anyway, looking around for anyone that fixes the circuit board is finding nothing, no real answers..and some weirdo keeps guiding this back to a 12 pin data connector of 1995.

 

this one is obd2 like today, 16 pin...yet it gives no codes, not even to a professional.

Being 19 years old, the next inspection is 20.

I am going to let it slide..

 

the abs may have finally had enough brain to disable itself, as the front end feels real stable now, like the caliper added some aligning pressure, stable like a normal setup. Instead of pulling pressure, the abs let go into a classic neutral stance like we all should have in the pedal when abs is working good. Not a sloppy rotor wobbling to retreated caliper.

 

Going no further with it. Cannot even find a real repair answer.

 

I am still impressed with it, the first of the modern stuff.. it is kinda funny to think about. It really is badly riddled with silly mistakes for the abs.

 

New tires on the way, the goal was met for stabilizing the abs and frame/cab structure first. Tires to me are always last chores, the simple trophy.

Edited August 28, 2015 by barry G

[kstruckcountry]

I had a similar issue on my 1990, but it just had rear ABS?? Simpler to fix. Useless to just have the rear though.