2002 2500HD - Solid Axle Tow Rig

The new tunes are freaking perfect....best money I've ever spent. If I need an update, it only takes him a few minutes instead of several weeks to months. I can't quite explain how happy it makes me!

Starlite Diesel is the shit!
 
Got a chance to try out the tow tune today. Hauled a 3/4 Suburban back to New Bern from Elizabeth City. I averaged like 13 mpg running 70. Not bad.

I also ordered the internal parts for the transfer case build and I can get moving on that soon.

FB_IMG_1551396358742.jpg

Sorry for that stupid half sideways picture that my buddy took.
 
What length is your trailer again? Makes the burb look short
 
It's a 26 footer.
 
I've just got done building the new transfer case for this rig and ordered a new rear driveshaft. I'm sure I'll get around to doing the swap soon and measuring for a front shaft as well.

Nothing else major to report. I've just been driving and towing as usual.
 
One of these days I need to go ahead and swap the transfer case in this thing...

For now, I'm more worried about fixing the AC again. If you remember from several pages back, I wrecked the truck. When I did the HVAC box was broken from the fuel filter housing making contact with the drier/accumulator and pushing against the evaporator core which busted the box.

In the winter you get cold air blowing on the passenger's feet and if you run the AC you get a wet floor. So since the AC has leaked down again, it's a good time to fix it for good. It's getting a heater core, evaporator core, and a high side conversion fitting with a schrader valve instead of the stupid rubber ball.

Hopefully this will happen next weekend. I don't handle the heat as well as I used to...

I got my box all cleaned up this afternoon!

20190502_201325.jpg

20190502_201310.jpg
 
That was really what I was aiming for. :D

The laugh, not your inner 12 year old....
 
Time to blow the dust off this thread...

After weeks of swamp ass weather, I'm finally past tired of not having AC.

I had two small holes busted in the bottom of the new box where screw bosses were broken off. JB Weld has some plastic epoxy and it works damn good!

I've also got a new evap core, heater core, heater core quick connects, drier, Schrader valve conversion fitting for the high side, cabin air filters, and the top door actuator that you can't get to unless you take the dash out.

I'm headed to drop it off with a buddy tomorrow after work. He works at the local GM dealer and will assuredly be quicker to fix this than I would be, even if he's only messing with it after he gets off work.


You can see my currently cracked HVAC box in the pictures and then there's the new box and a slew of parts. I'm ready to have AC again!

20190610_191950.jpg

20190610_192016.jpg

20190610_191859.jpg

20190610_191905.jpg
 
Good news....the dash and box came out this afternoon.

Bad news...the firewall was buckled behind the insulation from the wreck. My buddy hammered it back as best he could. Hopefully everything will go back together like it's supposed to. We'll see!

I may have to hit it with some great stuff to seal it up a little better, but that's not the end of the world.

I guess absolute worst case scenario...eventually I'll do a cab swap.
 
I've got AC again :D

Here's the carnage that is my old HVAC box. I'm surprised it came out in one piece.

20190613_214337.jpg

20190613_214159.jpg

20190613_214251.jpg

20190613_214138.jpg

20190613_214123.jpg

No wonder it leaked in the floor and the air came out the vents weaker than hens piss....

I'm hoping to get the transfer case swapped in it next! :D
 
On the drive up to Maryland I noticed the AC wasn't working so well. As soon as I got checked in to my hotel, I ran out to the local Advance Auto and grabbed some AC gauges and a small can of freon. I gave it less than a half a can. It likely wasn't low, but I took the pressure up a tad and it acted normal again...until today. I noticed the compressor kicked off a few times...either high or low pressure cutoffs. Since everything looked good under the hood, I figured I'd check the cabin air filters. Not enough air flow across the evap core!

Sure enough, they were pretty well coated with various bit and debris that fell in there during dash reassembly. It was mostly foam bits and a little straw. Tossed in some el cheapo, free flowing filters and we're back in bidness! :D
 
Still thinking that I need to vac the AC again and put in a new orifice tube. It's working decently, but I think the low side has a restriction. We shall see.


Anyway, today I FINALLY pulled off the stock downpipe and put on the ProFab one I've had for over a year. It definitely sounds deeper, turbo kicks off easier, and the EGTs cool off quite a bit faster. All in all, I'd say it was worth it.

No pics of the install, just the stock one vs the new one.

20190629_125818.jpg

20190629_125842.jpg

20190629_125902.jpg

20190629_125918.jpg

20190629_125925.jpg

20190629_130004.jpg
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Still thinking that I need to vac the AC again and put in a new orifice tube. It's working decently, but I think the low side has a restriction. We shall see.


Anyway, today I FINALLY pulled off the stock downpipe and put on the ProFab one I've had for over a year. It definitely sounds deeper, turbo kicks off easier, and the EGTs cool off quite a bit faster. All in all, I'd say it was worth it.

No pics of the install, just the stock one vs the new one.

View attachment 297066

View attachment 297067

View attachment 297068

View attachment 297069

View attachment 297070

View attachment 297071
Click to expand...
So have you removed something that limited the shape of the stock one? I can't see any engineering or manufacturing reason to have made it the stock way unless there was a major clearance issue on both sides.
 
jeepinmatt said:
So have you removed something that limited the shape of the stock one? I can't see any engineering or manufacturing reason to have made it the stock way unless there was a major clearance issue on both sides.
Click to expand...
who knows, it may be like the 4.0 down pipe on the xj's, crushed and no apparent reasoning for it, except maybe easier to bend or crush into shape.
 
I didn't really see any reason for it to be shaped like it was either. The transmission dipstick needed a slight bend and it's got clearance on the up pipe. There's also plenty of room between the back of the motor and the firewall.

Probably had something to do with these being initially designed for the previous body style trucks. That's why the driver's side exhaust manifold has a spot in it for steering shaft clearance, but it doesn't need it and they didn't change it until 2010.
 
I think I'm going to swap to a set of 09 Dodge wheels. They're 17x8, chromed, forged aluminum, with 6" of backspacing, and a 43.18mm offset. Lighter, stronger, less sticky outty :D

The current H2s are something like 33 lbs a wheel, these are 19 lbs. The current 295/70-17s on H2s stick out 1.75" past the fender flares up front. The Dodge wheels will put me around .75".

Plus, they look pretty good, I like that they're more open, and I've got my choice of two different style center caps.

They look weird off of the truck, but sooo much better when they're mounted. Giggity. I had a GMC center cap laying in the shop and I think it looks a lot better with some black in the center cap to offset the brightness of the wheel. So, I'm leaning towards the 90s Chevy caps.

The H2s will then be put to use on my CUCV so the new 40s can get bolted up and I can drive it again!

20190701_155223.jpg

20190701_155247.jpg

20181107_170747.jpg

20190701_164604.jpg
 
They look very factory with the chebby center caps. But you need bigger tires now!
 
I'd definitely use my current 295/70-17s on the "new" wheels. Those 265/70-17s are way too small, for sure.
 
I love this truck. Sometimes I swear I think I see it going down 85 but the think “why would he be over here” and then I think “if it is him, I’d sure love to treat him to lunch”.

Personally, I think the Chevy centers look best. I still wish I had the aluminum wheels for mine. But I just spent $300 on AC parts I’m putting on in the morning, and my next thing for the truck is a double din with backup camera, and then I may look into a Blackbear tune.
 
XJsavage said:
That truck is screaming for some 315s
Click to expand...
^^ What he said! I mean hell...It's not even an quite an inch more. It can definitely take another inch. Aaaaand that's what she said. :lol:
 
XJsavage said:
That truck is screaming for some 315s
Click to expand...

I dig the 295s. I can still keep the nice WeatherTech mudflaps and not rub. I'd have to crank the front up some more and lose the flaps with 315s more than likely. Then again...the way they're making tires now, they might be the same height once they're installed :D

I'll definitely run Chevy center caps, but I'm leaning towards the late 90s set I have because it's black around the bowtie in the center and it breaks up the brightness of the wheels along with matching the truck.

@77GreenMachine I DID get spotted by @Lurch830 two weeks ago when I was on 64 on my way home from Pax River, MD with a bed full of 40s! I will totally let you buy me lunch too :D
 
I think they look pretty good! I saw this one for sale a few months ago and happened to have a set of the same center caps and that's what gave me the idea.

Screenshot_2018-08-15-21-07-28.png
 
Back
Top