just love hearin' that turbo spool up at crawling speeds...great vids jason! i also remember reading somewhere youve got some swaybar disco's in the works?
your rigs coming along very nicely...what other goodies you planning on?
Build Rig of the Fortnight Cruisin'
- Thread starter Cruisin'
- Start date
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just love hearin' that turbo spool up at crawling speeds...great vids jason! i also remember reading somewhere youve got some swaybar disco's in the works?
your rigs coming along very nicely...what other goodies you planning on?
Nice feature. After seeing yours I priced some aftermarket console fridges - $500 +, so I'll just envy yours.
Cruisin'
Out in the shop, building something cool!
- Thread starter
- #43
New Exhaust
So finally after driving around with the truck straight piped for a year and a half I decided that I was sick of the noise at anything but cruising throttle openings and it was time to redo. I was running a side exit with no muffler at all.
Over the last few evenings I went to work with some mandrel 'U's, a bit of pipe, some flanges and a muffler. The muffler I got is about 15" long, 4" around and you can see through it. Low restriction!!! It has a 1 1/4" tube running through the middle, and an auger around it. No fiberglass matting or anything else. After completing the job I drove around the block and was totally impressed at how much the muffler reduced the noise levels. But you can still hear the turbo spool up
Being that this is 3" pipe, getting over the cross member above the rear axle was tight, but once everything is adjusted there are no rattles or vibration. I painted the system with some high-temp exhaust paint to keep the rust at bay, and now its ready to roll. No more drone, and no more roasted feet from the outlet when getting the kiddies out of the back seat.
Pic 1: the muffler
Pic 2: the complete system ready for painting and installation.
Pic 3: over the rear crossmember, and the outlet.
So finally after driving around with the truck straight piped for a year and a half I decided that I was sick of the noise at anything but cruising throttle openings and it was time to redo. I was running a side exit with no muffler at all.
Over the last few evenings I went to work with some mandrel 'U's, a bit of pipe, some flanges and a muffler. The muffler I got is about 15" long, 4" around and you can see through it. Low restriction!!! It has a 1 1/4" tube running through the middle, and an auger around it. No fiberglass matting or anything else. After completing the job I drove around the block and was totally impressed at how much the muffler reduced the noise levels. But you can still hear the turbo spool up
Being that this is 3" pipe, getting over the cross member above the rear axle was tight, but once everything is adjusted there are no rattles or vibration. I painted the system with some high-temp exhaust paint to keep the rust at bay, and now its ready to roll. No more drone, and no more roasted feet from the outlet when getting the kiddies out of the back seat.
Pic 1: the muffler
Pic 2: the complete system ready for painting and installation.
Pic 3: over the rear crossmember, and the outlet.
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Well? Put me first in line. Price?
Great thread and good find with the cruiser. It would have been an awesome surprise to see the difflock switch in the dash, especially if you did not know it would be there! Top job on those sliders, skidplate and exhaust too. You have mad fab skills. I never tire of listening to the turbo spool up...especially in undercover carparks! 
Very cool van man.
I might have to steal your skid idea...
D
I might have to steal your skid idea...
D
Cruisin'
Out in the shop, building something cool!
- Thread starter
- #47
Warn 8274 Installed
I finally got the winch installed into the front bumper. It was a very tight fit, with some pretty severe trimming of the grille to get it in there. I knew when I built the bumper that an 8274 was going to be a snug fit, but I wanted the low profile so that's the way it had to be. Still have to hook up power to the unit, and I have a 3-wire that I'm going to run into the cab for a dash switch. I even have a factory power antenna switch that I'm going to use for that purpose.
I finally got the winch installed into the front bumper. It was a very tight fit, with some pretty severe trimming of the grille to get it in there. I knew when I built the bumper that an 8274 was going to be a snug fit, but I wanted the low profile so that's the way it had to be. Still have to hook up power to the unit, and I have a 3-wire that I'm going to run into the cab for a dash switch. I even have a factory power antenna switch that I'm going to use for that purpose.
Nice, The 8274 series are strong and durable. 
I'm subscribing 'cause I like what your doing.
Keep up the good work !
Keep up the good work !
Nice as always Jason! I was going to use my shock dampening switch for the in cab winch and an extra CDL switch for a master on/off.
good point. I'd better test it. Might just trigger a solenoid or something?
Cruisin'
Out in the shop, building something cool!
- Thread starter
- #55
The latest progress
So here's what I've been up to lately:
I built a new rear bumper with integrated hitch, and a swingout ladder. I plan on making a couple attachments that will bolt onto the ladder. I'm thinking bike rack, and maybe a removable table that I can put the camp stove on. That'll come later.
So here's what I've been up to lately:
I built a new rear bumper with integrated hitch, and a swingout ladder. I plan on making a couple attachments that will bolt onto the ladder. I'm thinking bike rack, and maybe a removable table that I can put the camp stove on. That'll come later.
Cruisin'
Out in the shop, building something cool!
- Thread starter
- #56
I also installed guages for boost, pyro, and tranny temp. Its been pretty interesting to watch the guages under different circumstances. Basically though, I'm pretty shocked I haven't blown the thing up in all the driving before installing them. I guess these things are tougher than most of us think 
I learned after the installation that the entire body of the guage lights up, so my vents have a funky glow at night. Its bothersome, but not so much that I've torn the dash apart again to fix it. Sounds like a good project for a rainy fall day to me.
I learned after the installation that the entire body of the guage lights up, so my vents have a funky glow at night. Its bothersome, but not so much that I've torn the dash apart again to fix it. Sounds like a good project for a rainy fall day to me.
Cruisin'
Out in the shop, building something cool!
- Thread starter
- #58
And finally, I got some new rubber for the old girl! I upgraded from my 265/75R16 A/Ts to a very beefy set of 285/75R16 Dick Cepek Mud Countrys. I haven't had them off road yet (haven't even been on a week), but so far I'm very pleased. They have a very good ride on road, and soak up sharper bumps way better than the smaller A/Ts. They are noisier than an A/T, but not bad. I just need to sort out how much my speedo is out by now so I know how fast I'm going, and for milage calculations.
This has to be one of my favourite mods so far (at least up there with the winch with the in-cab controls)
-Jason
This has to be one of my favourite mods so far (at least up there with the winch with the in-cab controls)
-Jason
Cruisin'
Out in the shop, building something cool!
- Thread starter
- #59
You're absolutely right, but getting at the backs of the guages requires taking the dash apart, starting at the bottom. Kind of a pain in the backside. I'm waiting until I have another reason to do in there and fix the guage lighting at the same time...
