New wood truck up and running

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Todd 2

Todd 2

Feeling the Heat
Sep 17, 2012
418
NE Ohio
1997 K2500 HD with a 454 big block

Put on another bed the old one was smashed pretty good
new rotors, pads, calipers, hub/bearings (never again) Ohio winter salted roads made it a real treat !
Two new Thrush glass packs (has a nice deep rumble to it with the big block)
198000 mi. and runs and drives pretty dang good, A/C even still blows ice cold.
The kids want me to camo it out, been watching to much Duck Dynasty, I just might though ;lol
About $2800 invested,
woodtruck1.jpg
happy happy happy
Thinking about some side racks to keep splits contained on the road, a little safety thought, never loaded the 1/2 ton as full as I think this one will hull.

Todd
 
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I think you have to keep a certain % of the vehicle the original color to match the title/registration. Am I right?
 
gzecc said:
I think you have to keep a certain % of the vehicle the original color to match the title/registration. Am I right?
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Never heard of that before. Not even sure if a title states color. I would think the VIN matching would be the key, lots of people repaint cars different colors from original.

OP, nice mule you got there. +1 on the camo.
 
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Side-boards are a must...and don't forget to protect the back window. You don't want to take any more trips than you have to running a 454 these days.
 
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Todd 2 said:
1997 K2500 HD with a 454 big block

Put on another bed the old one was smashed pretty good
new rotors, pads, calipers, hub/bearings (never again) Ohio winter salted roads made it a real treat !
Two new Thrush glass packs (has a nice deep rumble to it with the big block)
198000 mi. and runs and drives pretty dang good, A/C even still blows ice cold.
The kids want me to camo it out, been watching to much Duck Dynasty, I just might though ;lol
About $2800 invested, View attachment 104867 happy happy happy
Thinking about some side racks to keep splits contained on the road, a little safety thought, never loaded the 1/2 ton as full as I think this one will hull.

Todd
Click to expand...

Bigg_Redd approves
 
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Half ton will not need side racks......;) edit one ton......Side racks will help but a trailer would be better.
 
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MasterMech said:
You think that truck is gonna haul some serious wood? Wait until you see how much it'll tow. ::-)
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Yup. 454ci + 4l80e = happiness when pulling :cool:

Just remember not to pass up too many gas stations! I bet that thing will be in the single digits (MPG) when loaded.
You may want to consider doing a tranny flush on it if you havent already.
 
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Bocefus78 said:
Yup. 454ci + 4l80e = happiness when pulling :cool:

Just remember not to pass up too many gas stations! I bet that thing will be in the single digits (MPG) when loaded.
You may want to consider doing a tranny flush on it if you havent already.
Click to expand...

My Gen V 454 with a Turbo 400 (no OD) trans gets 6.56 MPG last time I bothered to check. It doesn't move unless there's work to do. :p

Todd's '97 would be a Gen VI 454 which is as good as that engine ever came in a truck. Factory roller hyd. cam, 50+ extra ponies (IIRC), and mulit-point fuel injection. Thanks to those items, the higher compression ratio than mine, and the 4L80E instead of my TH400, he could see 12 MPG unloaded if he's real nice to 'er. ;lol

+1 on the trans service. 4L80E's aren't rare or expensive, but they are HEAVY and changing one out in a 4WD truck in your driveway ain't gonna be much fun. Trust me. <>
 
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smokinj said:
Half ton will not need side racks......;) edit one ton......Side racks will help but a trailer would be better.
Click to expand...
A dump trailer has crossed my mind, would help alot making up for the gas milage.
 
Bocefus78 said:
Yup. 454ci + 4l80e = happiness when pulling :cool:

Just remember not to pass up too many gas stations! I bet that thing will be in the single digits (MPG) when loaded.
You may want to consider doing a tranny flush on it if you havent already.
Click to expand...
One of the things on my list still to do, looks & smells clean but a flush cant hurt to be sure !
 
MasterMech said:
My Gen V 454 with a Turbo 400 (no OD) trans gets 6.56 MPG last time I bothered to check. It doesn't move unless there's work to do. :p

Todd's '97 would be a Gen VI 454 which is as good as that engine ever came in a truck. Factory roller hyd. cam, 50+ extra ponies (IIRC), and mulit-point fuel injection. Thanks to those items, the higher compression ratio than mine, and the 4L80E instead of my TH400, he could see 12 MPG unloaded if he's real nice to 'er. ;lol

+1 on the trans service. 4L80E's aren't rare or expensive, but they are HEAVY and changing one out in a 4WD truck in your driveway ain't gonna be much fun. Trust me. <>
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Glad to here the gen VI is a good one, correct on the mpg,s about 12 on the highway from what I can estimate with a light pontoon boat behind it.
Kept looking in the rear view cause couldn't even tell it was really back there. Nice !
Fuel tank is next on the list, has a small leak at over 3/4 on the gauge, not that it will see over that very often, lol but worried about it letting go or something on the road, straps look in bad shape also.
 
Todd 2 said:
A dump trailer has crossed my mind, would help alot making up for the gas milage.
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Oh yea. Only issue at that point is: Did you bring enough help.
 
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Todd 2 said:
One of the things on my list still to do, looks & smells clean but a flush cant hurt to be sure !
Click to expand...

Be careful about doing a trans flush with that many miles. I worked at a shop for 15 years and when we got our first flush machine we did something like 10 flushes on vehicles with over 120,000 miles. None of them had been done yet and all the trans. went bad within 5,000 miles. All the ones under 100k were fine. The salesman said he forgot to tell us about being careful with high mileage trans. Just a heads up.
 
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higginscl said:
Be careful about doing a trans flush with that many miles. I worked at a shop for 15 years and when we got our first flush machine we did something like 10 flushes on vehicles with over 120,000 miles. None of them had been done yet and all the trans. went bad within 5,000 miles. All the ones under 100k were fine. The salesman said he forgot to tell us about being careful with high mileage trans. Just a heads up.
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I have read a little about that surfing on the truck forums, was thinking maby just do the filter than top it off, thats what alot of them done with high milage ones ??? Seems to be a split subject.
 
I also feel that tranny flush can be bad to do if it is far past due. If you stick to the maintenance schedule no worries.

I've often wondered if the reason so many people have had these experiences was because they noticed a tranny problem so they went to have it flushed looking for a cure. Possibly these folks already had a trans about to blow anyway and just did the flush as a 'hail Mary pass'.
 
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If your trans took a dump after being flushed, then death was imminent anyways. Not good when loose friction material and varnished seals are what's keeping you on the road.

If the fluid looks/smells good now, I would drop the pan, change the filter and refill it. Drive it a week and drain/refill the fluid again. Call it good for the next 50k. ;)
 
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Not flushing a trans in fear of it letting go as MM said, is like not chainging your engine oil beacuse it's overdue and your afraid that the pistons will move so freely that they'll blow the heads off with new lubricant...............

TS
 
BoilerMan said:
Not flushing a trans in fear of it letting go as MM said, is like not chainging your engine oil beacuse it's overdue and your afraid that the pistons will move so freely that they'll blow the heads off with new lubricant...............

TS
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x3
 
Just Vin numbers must match title. Not color of vehicle.
 
This transmission deal is the same on all the other sights also, sorta split thoughts, but that is one of the great things about living in the good old USA !
And Im still wondering....;lol
 
Get yourself a gallon of olive drab green tractor and implement paint from a place like tractor supply.
Give the kids the da sander, a respirator and some safety glass and have them put their grubby clothes on and let them go wild on that truck.
You tape off everything that you don't want green and let them help you paint it.
Priceless memories.
 
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