barry G's 1996 gmc 4x4 5spd

barry G · August 28, 2015

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

much simpler.

even the haynes has my 1996 as "4wal" with some photos that do not match, and the data link is 12 pin instead of my 16.

I did find a real wire diagram for the 1996 ABS specifically at a 4x4 website..where they do not care for abs, and sometimes fuel injection for that matter.

it is almost like deciphering a fake setup. There are two wires shared, and the ecm simply owns it. No code pull available. No reset. No shortcuts. Did not find one happy reply on the aBS for the 1996.

This one as a finale hopefully gained enough brain to disable itself. The front feels good as stated.

barry G · August 30, 2015

tail end welds

got the chores done today, about 6 hours.

This back half design, if I am not mistaken came out in 1973.

As old as me.

reeling in some years on my back looking up at the weirdo tire hanger, and the crossmember with broken edges...tail end in front of the bumper, hacked receiver long gone, bolt ends still dangling, notches cut out. That is evidence where someone finally figured out (very common story for the half ton).. "this is not a 3/4 ton meant to haul. it is a little half ton playing tricks on my mind."

a few tricks came back to me from teenage years in the 80s, to recover this same exacting outcome. Applied all of the tricks to get it together, and then the extras.

this is a tricky chore, as too strong in the wrong spots can snap a rail like a candy cane. I remembered it well.

Awaiting some bright paint to keep an eye on exfoliations, and will get photos then. Looks like factory, as it is the same spots and structure... just slight addons. in fact, only one is really noticable.This chore could happen to a 3 year old half ton, way back then. This one went 19 years with a similar design. I am commending the torsion suspension... makes the frame seem shorter, increasing psi workload where it matters.

Anyway, it was a pleasure, this truck deserved it...19 yrs 350k miles.

LT rated tires due monday, frame and cab all ready to go, lined up straight and as tough as this pouncy half ton gets.

will do the 400 pound tongue, and 4000 tow limit. I added angle iron on the right rear (another trick I remembered) to stop anyone from installing a receiver hitch ever again.

this is a big baby, the wimpy half ton. I love it.

with this weld today, about 6 hours after done, 10pm... I smelled my truck from 100 feet away. A burning hot weld smell. I did something very large to a long running mishap. Quite accustomed to morphing vehicles with weld like a christine movie, it takes days to see the result of low down structure welds. This one has had my interest before I began, due to the miles. A very nice steel it turned out to be, no dead body odors, carcinogenic pine needle smell is very small compared to other projects. Good active non-thieving steel.

I may do another chevy truck again if I can. Found a 2002 already..needing tail welds, and its manual tranny. I insist on manual tranny. Welds being needed is a very common killer, a good way to get trucks cheap.

The highlight for this one, different than any other old truck finding.. it is the modern runtime obd2. I like the spider injection better than todays outside fuel rails...and its headed for 20 years old.

Very glad this turned out to be a win.

Edited August 30, 2015 by barry G

barry G · August 30, 2015

the tail end photos

this was getting rough... but have had worse. Outright fractures at less than 10 years old. The same culprit too.. a kiloton receiver hitch on a wimpy half ton. This one looking ugly is now many times stronger than factory. The cross sills alone are impressive. Adding 70000 pounds per square inch via hot welds is about double the factory at 39k psi.

the angle iron is stopping anyone from adding a receiver again.

A new oddity for me, may have been there in these gm trucks all along...

the hefty massive front end of this 1996 demands LT tires all the way around. As if to be a tail end belonging to a nissan truck from 1987 in contrast..just something new for me. I am old school.

gave it some cat engine yellow, to inspect it once and a while. exfoliation in many places, but very still now. May not flake anything for some time.

Tail ends are expendable, keep on attacking with steel and weld. If you have ever seen a home DIY suspension drop with a drop notch, it is actually in the instructions to cut the frame in half near the axle. Some kits don't even ask to be welded in, they are bolted.

I learned all this a long time ago, tail ends are no reason to send a truck to junk. Not even the front breaking keeps them in ajunk yard sometimes. I'd give up if the front was bad... but the back end.. that is the diaper of any truck of this design.

now worth 4 new tire install, due tomorrow.

the finale for this as of now, first two weeks of densifying..

the bumper connection reveals .25 inch in and up on the left side, and the passenger side reveals it is .25 down and out. That would be an 1/8th each side for the whole quarter in the 6 foot run.

Same old stuff... my 79 did the same.

good enough to stay safe with. It may come back out given how large the front 3/4 of this truck is.. little 6.5 foot bed. Simply a new go for me. Never had one. The LT tires will force suspension and not themselves aching the frame even more. That should help it right along.

the overall appearance, contrasted pinstriping of white on a carbon black paint setting the "look at me" lines for straightness... it is impressive. Being this old, you would not believe the odometer if to read it.

Edited August 31, 2015 by barry G

barry G · August 31, 2015

new tires

once upon a time, LT rated tires cost as much as the old tough truck needing rust repairs. Today, even this 1996 cost 21000 dollars... going on 20 years old. It is still enough to cringe at.

Gas less than a buck, a truck for 500, tires have not changed much in cost... almost 30 years. Bondo a way though another inspection....

and drive on.

days are long gone.

A $21000 truck makes 630 bucks in tires seem like pocket change. It has been a long while for me, and followed a tried and true path to recovering a decent truck.

Tires are the simple trophy. Same as the old days.

verified weight at 47 pounds, for LT worthiness. Going to find a shop to install.

LT 265/75/16 120/123S

3415 pound sidewalls at 80psi.

This truck is now 140 pounds heavier between the simple steel work and tires to hold up the stiff job.

barry G · September 3, 2015

new tires installed

long day at sears, 930 am pull in, got home at 330pm. At least a mall was right there, I wandered around. Sears is great with the tires, caring for the beads etc. This one has some imperfections on one wheel, but called servicable (usable).

Tires are fantastic. Puffed em right up to 55psi after the bead seat of 40psi for about 50 miles. This photo is the little dents side. I did all of them. I still feel bad if I think too much about it. My dad handed me one of his tractor trailer tire gauges.. did not know why. Couple of weeks ago. I forgot the little tire gauges only go to 50psi. My dad was ahead of me on that one. I used it today to measure 55psi..

No more hopping after pressing the brakes. 85mph is smooth as glass. I have a very fast maine highway to climb...about 50 miles depending on the exit I choose. The front is lifted up about 3 inches, as expected. Still positive rake, the back end high. A lot more like the truck I was expecting.These tires kinda look like old school bias hot rod tires. The wide square tread, white lettering.

I really like them. I went by the newer silverado 1500 HD, and a talk with the sears guy about psi settings. Very knowledged. Same weight class.. the pressures actually called for 80psi for the back. We decided to look through books, as this manual tranny model..it is simply not grandmas half ton. It is quite obvious just from the sight and sound...add a 12 foot wheelbase to that.

I'll keep experimenting in 5 psi increments for the back ones until it is just right. The front is perfect at 55psi, like the newer chevy. The hefty CV joints got owned to super smoothy in the first mile.

very nice ride.

I am more than confident to haul my dads boat.

Edited September 3, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 4, 2015

sway bar refresh

I had mentioned the theme for this one is highway super star. The tires all mounted and balanced, 85mph is beautiful. smooth as glass. Cruise control on, the alpine radio reeling in southern maine stations for my long nothern trek home. I found I sink into my seat more.. rather funny. The seat kicks you out of the cushioning if the truck shakes. Double bonus.. like gaining a couch that knows your butt...smooth sailing. Very comfortable.

I was going from right lane to left and felt a defined lean over, not spring loaded like a sway bar would give it. I got home and checked... one part of the sway bar is missing the middle tube, passenger side. Leaning to the right way more than left... it went unnoticed. The rigid tires and hefty cross sills, poly cab mounts. It needed all these things to show a 12 foot wheelbase and 6300 pounds that the sway bar had an error. One tough truck right now. No boasting. It is quite real. Better than new is also a real thing to say.

I found energy suspension makes a poly version of the sway bar reconnect. That is the company that made my cab mounts.

This should do it.

for anyone with this year labeled as half ton... they RPO code p - rated tires for reasons I will never understand. My truck went life and death on p-rated tires.

I learned with experimenting some successful pressures for air via trial and error on the 10ply 123 E load:

55 front

65 rear

I have no need to tinker with that anymore. Just right. I actually got helped by Sears and their manuals, the counter guy was very helpful. If this truck were built today the same.. it may be labeled "1500HD". This label did not exist in 1996...hence the confusion on several subjects. From receiver hitch, to tire strength.

anyway, turned out to be quite nice. The extra load on rotation is the famous vortec sound I remember these trucks giving. It is the very first edition... and I still love it.

Edited September 4, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 6, 2015

fuel pump access.

finished off the pump cover.

while bed removed and upside down I added these flat bars as a last chore, after all cross sills were done. The top one in photo is attached to one edge of the new 2x3 cross sill and the bed. The bottom one is over the frame rail crossmember...with nothing but bed welds.

Nearly foolproof. Ambitious welding, I knew to keep one edge where the bolt is now, (top left of hole) unhooked until bed was placed back on. A different shape did indeed flatten out. Put the bolt in today. It was ready.

This bed is refurbished from no functioning cross sills. Strangely the rhino lined floor is perfect. Someone replaced all the panels. Looked very good. I could pickup the bed.. nearly unattached. These chores was part of the sale, I enjoy this kinda thing.

The front cross sill bolts were realigned by a section of old cross sill that luckily hung onto the measure. I would have been blind to no factory alignment if that did not hang on. Got lucky. All the rest of the front cross sill was gone completely. All four were bad.

Added one hole for the lid...probably use a fender nut, maybe an anchor nut.

A frigid day and a bad fuel pump brought this about. Rural enough to have a generator and a cutoff wheel cutting this square hole. Very cold out...did get some sun, that made it easier. Anyway, got it right the first time. Some good internet advice out there. Appreciate it.

Evidence a long measure alignment is in place uses a lot more than the steering wheel position.

this truck is bricked enough to feel a half inch slop of a stretched sway bar bolt.

the 4th gear is now silent in the getrag/nv3500.. I learned sometime back at another forum: "the 1 to 1 gear should be quiet". That just settled in today. Long measure and move in place. Truck is a big baby, fell right into factory spots. I like that. Cold weather will pound its way in after the last hot day of this year tomorrow.. I hope it goes gentle. No more welds of serious things. Will be tacking the rear cab corner, all else is ready to go.

Very rare for a plan with purchase to go as smooth as you want. This one is a dream beyond expectations. Better than new.

Edited September 6, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 10, 2015

buttoning it up.. this summers finale

Very impressed at the time frame all the chores required. The steel work was the major part of the sale. The drivetrain being so very cared for was #1 reason. Very healthy.

I finished off the sway bar end link, just one side, as the other was already USA made polyurethane. Same length middle pipe. I had to cut the old one out. Bolt was stretched to bad cross sills, cab mounts, shock mount, rockers.. and wiggling bouncing rails of the back end. Strong truck to hang on to such ignorance. LT tires was my second to last chore...

The sway bar actually has next to nothing to do, and always saved for last. I use it to reveal the chassis, and cab. This one was headed way out there, grabbed it in good time. Steel work does a body good. This routine is at least 40 years old, very similar outcomes for the C-rail and my locale. The reward is being more than twice over factory, while looking just like it.

the last oddity was deciphered today..my tail lamps seem to be the first version of these trucks, 88-92. they made a change in how they work for the ABS and to take a load off 1 bulb for my 1996-2000. For an odd reason it had the very old version of tail lamps. Nobody is talking. Go figure.

Anyway, I had enough tinkering with it, as LED is a big goal to me . I purchased a new pair of full LED tail lamps. This will go with my LED goals, and make the gentle circuit corrected. I would not be surprised to see the ABS light go out completely after the new lamps.

All ready to go, get it through 7 months of maine winter. This one has a january inspection, will be pulling in with snow and ice stuff dangling, dirty. I'll be feeling bad for the inspector that has to do his job.

Maine could actually conform to its own weather, but that's like asking the governor to understand taxes.

Edited September 10, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 13, 2015

body straight

I forgot to take off the chrome bed railing pipes...did that today. Those were there to help an ailing tail end. I did not like them, but the purpose was understood. Welds all complete, catching up to the final tinkerings.I spotted my trucks clone more than once. Decided I am not fixing the front bumper completely and leaving dents. Just going to curl the left edge back parallel. I want a unique ID out here in rural land.

Sure enough, it got even quieter to go down the road, pipes gone.. bed less shiny in the mirror. The bed is finding its new steel foundation on its own. A right turn at speed revealed the diff needed some room, and that means the bed pipes was holding up passenger side leaf spring. Very small numbers moving around... I dial in tight. A hard lesson in needing a rally monster and 90mph highway superstar has been embedded in my head for almost 3 decades.

plucked some dents you see in photo, bed is going to heal itself.

tail lamps full LED coming this week. Simple tinkering from here on out.

Zero misalignment anywhere, all 16 bolts - cab and bed... no wrestling anything. Exactly factory...only twice as strong.

there is actually 4 more bolts on top of that.. I reused one grungy tire hanger span, and made one new angle iron from an old one as exact measure. 20 bolts in the exact factory spots.

..and the refreshed sway link. 21 bolts total.

A factor in my motivation is in this photo. The nearest house is a couple of miles down the road. I am at the entrance of protected woodlands taking a photo.

Great place to walk in your own time and space, if you ever get the chance. Keep one eye on the ground to avoid coyotes and maybe wolf dung.. moose and deer.

Some choose to stay loud with their truck. This one whispers, and lets out a vortec bellow that I declared legendary. It is not a 90mph highway superstr anymore... it is more like 135. The reward for staying factory is just one walk down the woods road.

Edited September 13, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 14, 2015

rear spring helper

I have no complaints as of now, but realizing this needed LT to the maximum tire rating just to be normal...

I found the rear springs are the lightest version they shipped for full size trucks. Just not right.

the hellwig was cheap, put one on order. I looked for used or a return first...saved some money.

70 dollars delivered.

This is just one odd half ton. The heaviest I have ever seen, nevermind own.

the manual tranny really lays it down. Front end is colossal.

I plucked at the radiator supports today, last of the cab mount poly chores..

took a washer right down with my bare hands. They have not even wiggled. That is a very content front end to go with what this truck has survived.

I am calling it a misguided 3/4 ton from now on.

The cross sills and frame work, my own. The 3/4 ton spring swap would be very hard signals...unforgiving.

The rear end is still 10 lug, that is lighter than a real 3/4 ton. Would not be pairing up correctly for a full swap.

The hellwig has adjustments, set tension. This is just for the truck to haul itself around more than anything, I still like it being an animal on my backroads. The winter and that little bit of flex..a giant rally car. The boat and my subaru is something I tow as well.Nothing but positive reasoning. ..and cheaply.

Edited September 14, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 16, 2015

radiator supports

This turned out to be slightly problemed.. did not look it before digging in. Had to cutoff bolts, peel iron away, the lower half of the mounts were worthless.

Evidence of lightning with a flush crude primitive break off the bottom of one of the bolts..

I knew there was going to be something else going with this before I was done...a mystery.

made a stainless steel sandwich, stop any chemical games if to continue using oem rubber.. and I did for the upper. Added poly lower. The holes were too big at the rad support mounts for my liking, added the stainless to further grab and stop any further problems.

Today I am in the cab, new bolt in hand dry fitting the combo of washers and nuts.. opted to take a break, set it down back inside the energy suspension box. I did not feel all that good for a moment.

Came back out, went to put stuff together...

bolt disappeared. Nuts washers everything there... bolt gone. What the ?!

Uh oh. My nuclear subaru did strange things like this.. no people around to blame but myself.

Old bolts were in the same box...

strangely, the day before, I got as far as cutting the old bolts out..and literally called it my whole day.

I'll stop there.

got a shot of the molecular deformation, the lightning bolt. I just knew there was going to be something...glad it was simple. one time mystery.

So, went and got another bolt, both cab mounts unhooked, no lower bushing or bolts installed... rough ride to milo maine. Got there and back, no problems.

Truck is complete. Looking confident and straight and tall...

incredible to see that odometer.

The mounts on this model were never right. The lowers would die under a vehicle 5 times lighter.. nevermind this gently giant.

The energy suspension poly is gaining straight numbers gm could have had for all of 5 minutes when it was new... 19 years ago.

The physics of the disappearing chrome looking bolts.. never explained, and feel free to call me crazy to satisfy yourself. I simply call it nuked. Happened more than once to me, as I rebuild into everything, my own motors, welding.. everything, going on 30 years, my own personal stuff.

my subaru stories are more than a few..

I unplugged egr pipe coming out of the head one day, sunshine, nice day. Turned around with the plug in hand for the head..and there is a japanese giant bumble bee with pollen looking something sitting next to the hole.

of course it was dead.

what the ?! that was some kind of star trekkian beam me up going on there..

Nuclear. For real. I knew the truck had something after analyzing the lightning bolt... not satisfied in the black hole realm of something. Just not sure what, none of us can be. Assuming the bumper must have been direct hit, due to the chrome bolt being the mystery. Could be years ago, I am digging like an archaeologist at stuff people run away from.Good to go now, big baby truck.

will get some photos. Really looks good. it is the type of good, where you do not care if it has a dent or imperfection...it is that damn good to look at. Not even an 1/8th inch in 20 feet to be found...freakish for the age and miles.

Edited September 16, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 20, 2015

led tail lamp followup

miraculous.. I said that about poly cab mounts too.

The led tail lamp did indeed find something I knew was happening. I can even hear the carter fuel pump singing the pitch of a computer. A little more locomotive back in the lower speeds of this first vortec edition.

the ground for tail lamps is on the same rail as the fuel pump.

Must have finally given them their own world each to be content. A problem still today is that overall guidance of grounds smashing into each other..but the problem is fading a way. Being a former crew chief, I am finding there is no excuses...the siliness has been conquered for more than 4 decades in airplanes.

It has enough power, I did not even notice before and after..simply the sound of engine, smoothness, and the pump making a performance noise if you listen close. I was simply paying attention to the swap.

Looks very cool, a slight tint.

I myself gained a sulfur problem, almost like eating the worlds worst beans. Took several days to emerge, the truck did have one powerful electrical hit somewhere along the way. Kept going full speed ahead anyway. I killed the dead chain with weld and digging at the bolts and mounts etc. I wanted to mention health as this truck surely had a powerful mystery to conquer.

sulfur is a byproduct to the lightning.

Looking good, well defined, interior lights down low are hanging on some bright now.

Very nice.

Will attempt photo of the lamps. This truck is now 100% LED in the parking circuit, plus reverse. The dash and heater control, 4x4 lever, blinkers, markers, third brake, tail lamps, and license plate...and have the electronic relay for LED in place of course.

Turning on the switch, the alt gauge does not even flicker...and bam... 20 something lights in a nanosecond illuminate.

I am leaving a neo4-x in the light switch as regular.. the dimmer does not get warm anymore, opted to leave a little heat. The other one is high beam indicator, my headlamps are incandescent, and like them that way. Cuts through ice and fog .. and I'd swear it lights up several miles ahead with all the amps it can have now.

some extra LED are cargo lamp, all interior, and indicators in the dash: abs and brake, blinkers.

The CEL and shift light removed.

This truck has one more error in the code triggers...no cure. A 420 cat code can trigger if lugging a gear below 2000 rpm. I stay there for miles out here in the back roads. And the shift light made no sense at all, lights up at any darn time. Really silly to follow it. Removed both, made an inert socket to keep it safe.

ABS still has a half dim light but gave it a good test on a brand new road to feel it out. The left brake up front triggered this past winter..it seems I just regained it last evening to smooth it all out to balanced.

Edited September 20, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 23, 2015

hellwig and ubolts

The ubolts did not have to come through the nut and dangle out there in the world. Some precise measuring before going to napa got this in right. Deeper thread count than gm, and high strength fine thread along with it. Could not ask for more than that. The 9/16ths is supposed 45 foot pounds. this setup on the given steel quality could do double that. I am somewhere in the middle... could be close to 100 foot pounds. Initial recompression is never the final number. I just go well beyond, as it will let up some as time goes by.

this turned out very nice. Found some high strength ubolts at napa... 15bucks apiece, but life and death has a line drawn. I do not want to cross it. GM factory ought to be ashamed at the coarse thread pile of crap that came out of this.. but it did last 350k miles.

this is how close the driver side got to breaking. Right side of photo.

here is a close up of what I snapped off.

Not to cause a panic to the tough chevy worlds..

this is 350 k miles and 19 years in maine. where there is not a chance in hell for a nice road. Not to mention this truck had a nuclear episode, and lightning. The atlantic ocean, a violent weight overload..

hurricanes , ice storms, blizzards, 30 below, 110F above, and 121 mph.

all that on p-rated tires for some of its life.

My big wimpy gmc.

the ride has improved , smoothest vehicle I have ever driven. Love the hellwig. The ubolt gets some credit for the stabilizing etc..

but the hellwig is the brain.

no walking on bumps, chattering reverse, 80mph changing lanes is nothing to notice. A lot more truck like, no concern for being a hot rodding lunatic anymore. Very mature, real thing to drive. I love it.

Edited September 23, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 23, 2015

hellwig followup

been about a day, 24 hours.. it went through a spell of looking like a 2 inch lift, and by afternoon back down. A bit like the drama of welding..changing spring pressures. I am a fan of steel, enjoy these chores. A lot of mysterious things emerge along the way.

I also revealed what I knew was there without measuring..the same as all trucks.

right rear spring a bit out of square but holding up. This should average out in coming weeks. Springs are good, just not good at my roads. the vortec is not exactly a slouch with a manual tranny either, really lays it down. This area takes the torque slam.

Same as my 1979 chevy... 25 years ago.

By photo, a hellwig user guru might see I am using 2/3rds of its ability. It is a tattle tale for the springs you are attaching them to as well, I like the hellwig. The oe springs as old as they are..very healthy.

So now simple math of 2/3rd of 900 pounds the hellwig offers...

600 pounds added to potential gvwr.

that puts this truck as a hefty half ton.

6200+600= 6800

the real 3/4 ton is much heavier, 7200 (?) and beyond. I liked the original gm build for this one, it is fun, respected it as much as i could.

Also, the oem springs were 1425, in theory, this should bump it up to just over 2000.

The max haul weight as oem was very pleasant and confident, the hellwigs purpose for me is all ratings in between empty and maximum. Calm the animal some.

a bit late for the decal free shirt contest, but got it on there anyway today.

Edited September 23, 2015 by barry G

barry G · September 27, 2015

dei high temp exhaust paint

Got this on the y-pipe and cat...did something within minutes.

the only code left was the 420 for the cat being below threshold, and it was when I lugged gears for too long.

as you can see a glimpse of the nv3500 just above the y-pipe.

got some heavy out the exhaust pipe in the bright sun. Drove home.

gained 5mpg...

next step is a cleaner in the fuel, this truck likes "wynn's".. the slippery looking stuff, not the vaporious version. I forgot what they called it, but this truck likes it.

very quiet runtime as is. No odors. Ready for a quart of oil after 3k miles... engine is a gem.

The frame is in a molecular active state with amps dropped and the welding, new spring helper...

gave a light coat of the DEI paint all the way around, up to the front cab mounts.

it loved it. Offshade of silver with the black truck. Something unique and hardly contrasting. I used to see these painted all the time, the old c-rail trucks. chevy orange was a favorite. high temp engine paint.

looking forward to the mystical moon this weekend.

saw some speckles of oil on the tailgate, got underneath and found output shaft at transfer let some fly. I hope it is nothing more than gaining a a new distance on the driveshaft..it is out .25 inch. Must have been riding a crammed connect for years. New Ubolts and weld, and cross sills.. stretched out the wimpy tail end some.

going to look at diagrams and see if there is anything more to the leak.

I found the brake wobble is simply two bad rear drums, the right rear is much worse than the left. They look very old. That is my next chore for this, no rush to do so.