1996 K3500 Quad Cab Dually 4x4 - Clifford

[Perry_Fager]

Hello GMT400!

I've been reading your forum for a while now and figured I'd share my truck with you as well. About a month ago or so I a deal on this pretty good 96' K3500 Quad Cab 454 long bed truck. I've always wanted one of these since I move to the states in 99'. What an amazing truck this is, or will be. Since it was a deal it came with a few problems as older trucks tend to do. The Mexican I bought it off of in Los Angeles did the minimum amount of maintenance to keep it on the road as his work truck. So the suspension was junk except for the shocks, oddly enough. The reason I bought it was the engine and transmission feel like they are brand new even through it's got 240,000 miles on. So what ever that Mexican did or didn't do it runs amazingly well and shifts so smooth. Very happy with this!! I drove it back to Vegas, which was interesting as the steering had about a 1ft of play in it. So Clifford is after I got home.

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[Perry_Fager]

7.4L 454 Injected American Awesomeness!!

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[Perry_Fager]

So first things first I needed to fix the suspension problems.
This required:
Steering Shaft
Steering Gear Box
Pitman Arm
Idler Arm
Inner/Outer Tie Rod Ends
Upper Control Arm Bushings
Lower Control Arm Bushings
Upper Ball Joints
Lower Ball Joints
Rotors
Wheel Bearings/Hubs
Break Pads
I didn't get that may photos of doing the work, but I had to pull everything apart, including dropping the front diff so I could get the lower control arm bolts out.

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[Perry_Fager]

While I was **** that I figured I'd replace the mirrors with something that was, let's say, a bit more useful. I got the $100 Chinese towing mirrors from eBay. They aren't as bad as I thought.

Before:

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After

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Much bigger ears!

 

[Perry_Fager]

I just like this picture, my roommate flying over Clifford.

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[Perry_Fager]

I also replaced the headlights with the Chinese $60 kit from eBay also. They are junk.. you can't adjust them properly. I'm going to replace them with Chevy ones before my next road trip.

So I got Clifford all fixed up and drove to White Salmon, Washington State to spend a week with a friend of mine up there.

Leaving Vegas:

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Perry, Oregon. No really there's a town that has my name: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry,_Oregon

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[Perry_Fager]

So the trip went well, I didn't get all the play out of the steering before we left so 2,200 miles of lots of steering input to keep Clifford straight was a bit rough. While we were up there the main wiring harness melted on the EGR hose and shorted out a bunch of electrical necessities. Took a day to figure that one out. Key would turn but the starter wouldn't engage so I was starting it with a screwdriver across the terminals on the starter motor. I pulled the harness apart and soldered it back together, fortunately it just melted the ground wires and not the hot wires so no fire.

 

[Perry_Fager]

Also, before we left to Washington I installed an ARB Air Compressor. I've got the larger one in my Avalance, it's a bit big so I got the smaller one for Clifford. Also, I more sand beach jet ski launching in my Avalanche so I have to air down more in that truck hence the larger one in there. Clifford is going to be used more for long distance driving and dirt bike riding, shouldn't get stuck in sand as often... I'll never buy a Chinese air compressor. Via Air and Smitty Built compressors are junk and the rest of them also. I've had my first ARB compressor for 3 years now and have run it hard out and never had a problem with it. Space wise also the smaller one made more since in this truck.

GM storage box:

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Perfect place for the compressor

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The Mexican had removed some AUX lights but left the switch in the dash. Perfect!

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Bikes are usually at the back of the truck so I mounted the air chuck in the bumper. There was already a hole there from the old style 6 way trailer plug. This is a bit of a hack job and will get done better now that I'm back in Vegas.

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Since the air compressor gets hot and its ruining through the engine bay I had a 6ft length of stainless breaded Teflon coated hose made, then since that stuff is expensive it changed to high quality rubber hose for the rest of the run to the back of the truck.

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[Perry_Fager]

The receiver bar was cracked pretty bad also. Not the best welding in the world, but it's holding.

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[Perry_Fager]

I also added a modern 7 way trailer plug. The truck was pre-wired for most of it and came with a trailer brake controller. I spliced in the modern GM whip and got a nice plug that has the 4 way on the side for smaller trailers. I welded the bracket onto the receiver bar as a mounting point as well. The self tappers are temporary at the moment and its all broken because I backed into a log in my yard and destroyed it 15 minutes after installing it. I'm still a bit upset about that so I haven't ordered a replacement yet. I also haven't finished wiring the brake controller.

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