barry G's 1996 gmc 4x4 5spd

barry G · September 30, 2015

5.31 inches of rain

tested this out, been a good summer and spring of refurbishing this. Have not had it in the big rains yet.

Very confident to drive, wind does not budge it..no spits sputters, full speed ahead.

live data revealed the density value for air was a number I had never seen before, and it did use some more fuel.

Whatever it takes to keep this confidence going.. this was a big storm. I have been in maine most of 28 years. Never seen this amount all at once. My first year here was the flood of 1987...its had some difficult spells since then of course.

During the ride, air bag light came on, I knew of the sensor on passenger side front needing some recovering. Wiggled it and light went out..

this will be simple, I have shiny 304 stainless steel all over the place , will add a nice box for it. I got a tip for that from another forum. those sensors are wrapped in a rubber. Inspect it, rebox it with silicone. I wanted a new one, cannot find one. someone bought a new one for driver side..as those are easy to find. I found the one in photo on ebay..the only one, and bought it for $25.

why is this such a rare part anyway...

weirdness for gm. Was not expecting this at all.

Another big batch of rain on the way...

looking forward to it.

Will get to that sensor inbetween rains.

Another big win to test out was the parking circuit now being 100% LED...minus the neo4-x bulb on the light switch. I want that one warm for the rheostat. Give it one thing to do at least,and I wanted it warm there for wet hands that use it. The LED hardly responds to the dimmer anyway.

Very noticeable change, no amp draw on the gauge. This weather sucks the life out of power, nothing to notice this time. First time ever... 23 vehicles.

one last thing to do before snow flies.. I am looking for premium replacement brake drums, lots of choices out there. I am hoping to talk to a guru at a parts store to reveal them by weight.. I'll go for the heavy premium if to find some.

Edited October 1, 2015 by barry G

barry G · October 2, 2015

wrap front air bag sensors

something interesting to this extra chore. I recovered the passenger side with stainless steel (304 polished) and aluminum tape. The truck ran quite crisp and defined..I was already impressed with it, but simply noticed the wrap did something.

so I got both of them. Took them both off to get a full wrap, tape in a couple of layers. I am not swapping out the homemade cover one for the new one on the way... I liked it that much. Passenger side had years of rad cap above, battery, the fender well is the air intake area..stormy pig maker. Steel fell part...left the rubber sensor in good shape. Exposed proved that EMI owns these things in the weirdest ways. They both responded dramatically to EMI reduction. Living and learning..did not know those were that feisty just simply sitting there waiting for an accident.

some photos of the home made cover..for the passenger side. it was in bad decay.

the steps along the way. The stainless bent right is resilient enough to make a tightening action as a clamp as it was bolted to the truck. I have used the 4 foot by 10 foot 304 polished stainless sheet for almost 2 years now on little things like this. To buy that sheet is a pretty penny.. I use it wisely.

The tape can be found at truck stops most often.. my dad handed some to me. He has been using that for years , since the 1980s in his trucking career. Trucks are much smarter today...but that tape did a lot of work over the years.

Another more common one for EMI is something called "copper tape", the aluminum is just as good.

Edited October 2, 2015 by barry G

barry G · October 5, 2015

new air bag sensor

got this in the mail, very good shape. Hard to believe the truck rotted one and popped it off, seeing how rugged these things are. I wrapped up the new one with the metal EMI tape, after making it even cleaner than the photo, and put it on the truck. I also wire brushed the frame that sits behind it, like someone did for the driver side. these sensors have a function eyond my knowledge, only going with what the truck is giving. Ashame people are afraid of steel, this leaves complex gadgets in an even darker abyss.

Real shame.

Very noticeable engine power change for some reason. It was already powerful. It now sounds like the biggest four barrel in the world...with one big throttle. The thunder beams under the bed are just that. Wow. Dual exhaust would get me a ticket for noise.

The old sensor hurts my jaw and throat... eyes, and teeth and gives me a headache to just touch it.

I may have found the happy little nuclear event maker after all.

I have it in a dark place wrapped in stainless.. I have an experiment I want to give it.

Two new ac delco rear hubs on the way, the monster must have been composite bendix or something. AC delco still uses the real iron, and with the ts16949 standard, it has no choice but to be good. Those weigh into the real 20 pounds.

My subaru was another one that shipped a criminal version of rear brake drums, the ts16949 standard saved it.

looking forward to getting those in. The backplates appear to be much much younger than the drums.. the previous owners path is most peculiar...but well done.

on another note, I took on a 5k project challenge, started in 2009, for an old subaru. Just finished it, the beginning of this year. I did the same thing for this truck, and as of the ac delco drums, just surpassed the $5k mark. Truck cost, title, tax included. I am proud of the outcome, my work knocked off .. who knows how much.

I could do more, all the way to show truck, but I do not want attention. My dented bumper has had me recognized by my father going the other way down the road. He is upwards in age, and I liked that he knew it was me in my truck form a distance. I like the unique signature we all create. My own just happens to be an imperfection.

the dual vented bumper at LMC truck has my attention, and that ranch hand rear bumper with the hitch built in...but I am biting my wallet.

Edited October 5, 2015 by barry G

barry G · October 6, 2015

Tips for dash LED gmt400

Swapped lights around today, as some dash LED had to go.

The blinkers bled a flicker..never completely off.

The high beam was so bright it hurt.

..and the mystery of the day...

air bag and ABS cannot do LED bulbs or the light stays on.

So..if you have a half lit ABS or air bag light in the dash, swap the bulbs for original, odds are it will go out. This is of course being sure there is nothing to fix.

I first triggered ABS to a hurst shifter swap, it made no sense.

Today , with embarrassment, ABS light fixed itself...simply another bulb to original specs, and now that made sense.

Fast acting, and a definitive switch noise can be heard as light goes out.

I have two new ac delco rear drums on the way, not sure if that will stop hopping entirely, as I am still reworking welds and racking, etc..

old truck coming around.

Very smooth going..until brakes. They are very old drums, will get photos. Needed them anyway.

Edited October 6, 2015 by barry G

barry G · October 8, 2015

ac delco and bendix drums

Got them both today, and compared them.

Cutting the lengthy post short:

the new bendix is 3 pounds lighter than a worn ac delco.

I had my doubts. I wanted heavy.

21 pounds turned out to b enough. the new ac delco was 24..even though the box claimed 22.

Not much to notice, a couple of pounds..when the overall vehicle is 5000.

I slapped on the bendix today, as they showed up first. there is some serious updates to any brand since 1996, I'd probably call them all good.

a concentric rib in the middle is just one thing to notice.

The old hubs was so far out of bounds, simply measured with a steel ruler, I did not need to dig at any numbers any further. Those go to recycle soon.

I would not be surprised if the previous owner mistook them for lifetime something or others. I have never seen drums get driven this far. All while pads and brake hardware and even backplate and outer axle seal..somebody cared for everything..but the drums. Bizarre. A full .25 inch beyond the limit...that takes a very long freaking time.

The hopping stopped, took less than 20 miles of playing with brakes random, backing up to auto adjust them. As ABS light went out yesterday to a simple new bulb swap..

This truck is better than new right now. I am almost flabbergasted. Was not expecting this to be that rewarding.

There is not a subject that got ignored this past 8 months.

The engine only needed a cleaning and equal length wires...and exhaust needed the high temp paint...if to call that an engine chore. Phenomenal engine. I am used to digging into the very guts of everything..this one needs nothing.

Very powerful. Confuse it for an LS sound induction..won't hurt my feelings none.

I can only guess, underestimating.. 0 to 60 is less than 7. Needle buried in the .25 is hardly far fetched. Associating these times with older camaro type machines.. hardly surprising. The slippery manual and a driver gets the times all the time.

And all I bought was a truck to be one...

Edited October 8, 2015 by barry G

barry G · October 13, 2015

opaque parking lamps -front

I love these lamps, they caught my eye in a good way. Too dull for the sunny days being turned on...goes back to the 40s and select gm vehicles. Not just trucks. Vans got them, cadillac was very common. they are playing cool ya know. The problem was not seeing blinkers at a perfectly wrong time, bright sunny days only. I had to do something. These brand new are very cheap..but the fade earned on the old lenses is priceless.

To brighten up the inside, I had some stainless gm truck trim with 3m tape. I already have these filled with very tough LED, I have even gotten one side wet.. no errors.

I also insulated another age old problem for these into the 2000s... the plug back piece of plastic busts off exposing the copper bands. Right side only. I am assuming it is being the intake side, is what feeds that problem to happen. Now better than factory. With LED at 8 times less power consumption and 52,000 degrees F cooler than incandescent...good to go.

Edited October 13, 2015 by barry G

Gmcmainiac · December 1, 2015

Started following your thread today. Looking good!

barry G · December 6, 2015

Started following your thread today. Looking good!

It did turn out quite ok. I was expecting more chores and work..

good old truck. Still new to me.. I am older than injection.

I see my last post was october. Chores stopped, now just driving.

300 miles out from 350k.

Not sure what I want to do next. Probably just save my pennies, future expenses.

I made a video for the Hurst shift, as I could not find one in a fullsize gmc. That was my first harder throttling.. and I still do not know hydraulic clutch completely, seems I fight it.

(I have been mechanical clutch since 1997.) anyway, after that the truck settled in even more. The engine whispers. I did all the welding the past summer. Gotta get tough with these sometimes..

I have been pussyfooting for too long with a tin can.

barry G · December 26, 2015

350000 miles

a snap shot from the dash cam, moment of 350k.

main street bangor maine.

I had let it sit for a couple of weeks, noticed it today starting off... less than 70 miles out from the 350k.

I live about 30 miles north of this city.

I got the odometer, but.. I uploaded to a computer 40 miles from here, awaiting email of my photos for this xmas.

Full moon too..the last time it met xmas was in 1977.

I was admiring my tonka truck that carried cars in 1977.

I also found it was so warm, we were outside tinkering with mechanical things. I finally fixed the annoying dent in the bed, nice and fat in the mirror now..one good strong line along the pinstripe. This year of truck uses the bed as a percentage of strength..the top rails need to be good and straight.

A guy on aharley was driving around, like it was summer. I wonder if bangor maine broke some warm records today.

merry xmas.

keep on pickup trucking.

Edited December 26, 2015 by barry G

zach1990 · December 26, 2015

Nice truck! My 04 should be rolling 350k in the next few weeks. Keep up the good work! Love seeing old trucks getting some love

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

barry G · December 27, 2015

Nice truck! My 04 should be rolling 350k in the next few weeks. Keep up the good work! Love seeing old trucks getting some love

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

I am focusing on looks as of now.

a drivers door complete is an option, and I recently did the manhandling part of a dent I put in the bed.

warm xmas day chore.. grabbed at the chance.

this year of truck uses bed as percentage, especially being a half ton. Flexing offroad type animal. I felt I had to get the bed right for the brutality of this winter coming.

A tip for those that do not know..if your year of truck or model did not ship with a bed delete option, best keep the bed in tip top shape. The frame is using it.

This one is won, I am proud..imperfections included. It has its fat proud lines... this year of truck you know when it is stout.

I was serious in mentioning, someone has a double take, every ride out.

dented bumper or not.. a lot know when these are good.

I am glad I took this one in.

I also looked closely at the dash and connections, it is in my LED experiments. Found some problems with dust and an opening too large..like a trim was missing for a connector. Dirty coppers on the circuit board. So I made a trim from LDPE plastic precisely, after cleaning. Sure enough, very nice bright dash.

I have yet another version of bulbs on the way, looking forward to trying those. 4th different kind of 194 bulb for dash illumination...want it just right.

barry G · December 31, 2015

first snow and ice

10th month with the gmc..

having lived in maine for 28 years, the summer is eyeballing winter...in a hurry.

body, welds, important things.

a few short weeks for 60F at night and welds to gain proper.

went for the obligatory freezing rain ride thinking of the whole chore list since April. Very sturdy and straight. The torsion suspension is a feeling of confidence to go as fast a s a baja race truck on a slippery road.

the rockers turned out to be just right, the splash away from doors.

The bed dent was removed on a very warm xmas day this past week, I know these trucks need a good straight bed to keep the animal c-rails underneath content in the back.

very confident truck. A lot stiffer than this sporty edition began life as, with hellwigs, very strong cross sills, poly cab mounts etc..

still plenty of "think" in the spring rails to keep a grip at astounding speeds for the terrain.

it actually blows my mind.

working on a list of things to make it look pretty.. although I am heck bent on keeping the dented front bumper. I like it for strange reasons.

first inspection is due in january, not even thinking twice about it. All a go.

barry G · January 15, 2016

dash led update

quick change in the dash for the led finale. I kept blowing the different versions I had been trying. I then found the samsung heatsinked version.

so far so good.

I tried old fashioned sealed LED like you find in a computer, multi SMD, single SMD.

Today I let the lights run, heat on high, and removed dash after shutting truck off several times, trying to gain some clues. I knew if there was a swarm, the heatsinks would reveal it.

The heatsinks got warm around speedometer. 2 bulbs only. The rest stayed cool.

So this must have been the negative swarm that was taking out all of them. Should go a good long time.

A close second place was the multi-smd. Those did very good, but flickered one of the SMD random. It did get annoying.

Gmcmainiac · January 31, 2016

350000 miles

a snap shot from the dash cam, moment of 350k.

main street bangor maine.

I had let it sit for a couple of weeks, noticed it today starting off... less than 70 miles out from the 350k.

I live about 30 miles north of this city.

350k.JPG

I got the odometer, but.. I uploaded to a computer 40 miles from here, awaiting email of my photos for this xmas.

Full moon too..the last time it met xmas was in 1977.

I was admiring my tonka truck that carried cars in 1977.

I also found it was so warm, we were outside tinkering with mechanical things. I finally fixed the annoying dent in the bed, nice and fat in the mirror now..one good strong line along the pinstripe. This year of truck uses the bed as a percentage of strength..the top rails need to be good and straight.

A guy on aharley was driving around, like it was summer. I wonder if bangor maine broke some warm records today.

merry xmas.

keep on pickup trucking.

Gmcmainiac · January 31, 2016

My 98 spent it's whole life in Bangor until the last 6 months. It now sits in my driveway in southern Maine until I can get it inspected. I keep checking your build page for updates.