88GMCtruck's 98 Silverado Towpig Build: "Black Fox"

[pronghorntractorworks]

those atv antennas look like light sabers!

 

[BIGR]

Looks like you had a great time and I like the pictures.

It is a shame about the fires in your area and all the other places out west.

 

[88gmctruck]

Took the camper to the NHRA drag races with my dad the other weekend. They ad me drive through a field to the parking area, and unfortunately while going slow i hit a HUGE hole. Ended up noticing some slack in the drivers front camper chain.... after inspection the forged turnbuckle hook bent open and the eye on the camper itself bent. So... upgrade time.

Picked up a set of spring mounted turnbuckles and ordered a set of torklift derringers. Not only are they easy to use, look way better, but they also protect the camper and make it ride a bit better.

Just a random shot. GMC land around my place...

I also live dangerously.

Last weekend I pulled the camper and helped a friend move a car. Had to block the truck up with my camper leveling blocks to nose the trailer down and get the car off.

 

[Burning oil]

Do you run air bags?

I just got a camper myself (post in RV section) The guy I got it from supplied some turn buckels that look like yours, but they don't have the "latch over" thingy. I still need to hook up the rears. I'd like to get new ones, what did you have to pay for them?

 

[88gmctruck]

I do have airbags. The truck came with a set of firestone ride-rite bags. Camper solo I run about 60PSI, with the camper and trailer it's about 90PSI. But my camper is almost 12' and is over 4k when loaded.

I checked out your camper thread, looks like a nice unit. Those appear to be the same set I have. Make sure you use the spring loaded pair in front and the solid pair in the rear. The springs let the camper move up front while the rears hold it and keep the overhead from bouncing and hitting the truck cab.

What does the camper weigh? I would highly suggest investing in a set of the torklift frame mounts. If you saw early on when I bought the dually the PO had some camper setup with the front sheetmetal bed mounts and rear bumper mounts... it ripped the front bed brace apart. I temporarily (just to pick up my camper) used a set of them and it's a night and day difference with the frame mounts VS bed mounts. Our beds aren't that strong when you put something heavy mounted to them.

The turnbuckles I purchased were the same as yours, I actually bought the 1/2" threaded rod and bought the universal add-on lever derringers. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VARKVI/?tag=jhuntlink-20

 

[Burning oil]

Mine is supposed to be 1600#s. I figure 2000#s when loaded??
I put air bags on mine to and it makes a big difference. Only around 40PSI as it sits.

 

[88gmctruck]

You could probably get by without the frame mounts however I'd still recommend them. Another item I would suggest is 1/2"-3/4" rubber mat in the bed under the camper. Helps cushion the camper.

 

[Burning oil]

I left the rubber liner in it. Thanks

 

[88gmctruck]

Time for an update.

I have been having the hard start issue in this truck since I bought it. I put injectors in my truck: one "refurbished" set that still leaked, one the incorrect size (my fault), and in an attempt to save a buck and replace the first leaky refurbs, bought another set of refurbs of the different style from a different seller. They leaked as well. I was sick of pulling my intake and decided to just deal with it, until it started running rough and missing at idle.... I've went through all the sensors, fuel system and ignition items and determined it had to be the damned injectors.

So I ended up buying a brand new set of bosch injectors from fiveomotorsports. Installed them with another FPR just for re-assurance and now it starts and runs perfectly.... FINALLY!

In other news, I've built a step for the camper. It slides in the receiver hitch and uses a piece of angle to stabilize it off the camper bumper. I haven't yet finished plating it but here it is!

I also visited a junkyard and did a bit of parts pullin. I found a 00 escalade with heated seats for $23/ea... The leather was trached but I wanted the heated seats and the power base for the passenger side. Well, after dis-assembly and testing the heated portion, I pulled my seat out to discover the fabric seat covers are GLUED to the foam unlike the leather seats. So in the interest of not destroying my seats (which are in great shape) i'm opting to not install the heating elements.

My big junkyard score of that trip was a really clean black hood from a 98 suburban. My hood has the heat cracking clearcoat issue many trucks had...

The new hood doesn't have this issue and matched prefectly. For $25 who could complain. Managed to fit the escalade seats and the hood in the back of the 02, under the cover.....

Last weekend I took the newly injected, clean hooded beast out for a camping trip to the dunes. Loaded up the quads and camper and hit the road.

Decided after my strapping troubles the last trip I would setup the go-pro camera on the back of the camper, using wifi to check the trailer via my phone.

And the misc camping and riding shots.

And the trip back home - Convoy style!

 

[DieselCash]

Were did you get the led lights on the back of your camper?

From my experiences pulling quads on trailers. 2 straps one front and 1 rear never holds. 3 straps 2 front and 1 rear never holds. 4 straps 2 front and 2 rear holds well. They also seem to hold better if you can criss-cross one end, either front or back. I have also started putting a dirt bike strap over the seat. For some reason polaris does not believe in having a seat with a hook.

 

[88gmctruck]

The LEDs are Bargman replacements. Amazon and e-trailer sell them. They come as conversions per light or you can buy the "set" however the "set" uses incandescent reverse lights with a red reflective border so I bought the LED backup light conversion for these. They aren't cheap though. Well worth the extra brightness though!

And for the record, I've never has strapping issues in my life. This particularly time was a fluke for me, luckily I didn't loose anything. That was the first time I used the trailer when I had the strapping issue, and the tie-down points are not exactly spaced for the quads unless you really plan things out. The first trip I put all the gas cans up against the stop bar and that was my primary problem, it moved the d-rings in a spacing that made strapping difficult. I think the quad that had broken straps shifted a bit during transport and the strap rubbed. The way they are strapped this time worked flawlessly, and is redundant - 4 straps on each of the LTR450s and 6 on the Grizzly.

 

[Chevypoor]

Looks like fun! Nice lookin truck as well-nice job with all your mods. There must be a lot of guys with campers out that way. The PO of Big T bought it in Oregon with the camper "cleats" on the front of the box. His other diesel was also a 6.5 turbo. It was a 94 from Washington and it had the "cleats" as well. I see your "cleats" at the front of the box are "bars" running from the frame.

 

[88gmctruck]

Slide in campers are super common here, primarily because so many RVs were manufactured here and in Oregon in the last 30 years. The manufacturer that made my camper was only about 3 hours away from me.

As for the cleats, those are camper tie-downs. The version I'm using is the torklift frame mounted set.

 

[Will L.]

I always saw a lot higher ratio of slide-in campers traveling through Cali than in NV, Az, and Utah. After towing even a small 1 axle through a couple times, I see why. Traffic is hilarious and lower restricted speeds.

 

[Chevypoor]

Slide in campers are super common here, primarily because so many RVs were manufactured here and in Oregon in the last 30 years. The manufacturer that made my camper was only about 3 hours away from me.

As for the cleats, those are camper tie-downs. The version I'm using is the torklift frame mounted set.

That makes sense. Never thought of Oregon/ Washington as a camper manufacturing hub. Cool stuff!

 

[88gmctruck]

Time for my typical mass update!

Got tired of the feedback the Cobra 75 CB made, so I stole the reliable realistic from the 88 as a temporary solution.

Hazard switch was funky when I bought the truck,, finally broke while driving..... Temp fix and then dis-assembly to replace parts.

In the mean time the yellow truck was apart so I was using the dually as a DD. Few picts at the future jobsite!

Rotated my tires. front to rear right?

Bought valve stem extensions... So worth it!

Did a little camping and quading.

 

[DieselCash]

Were did you get the valve stem extensions? What length and style? I need these for my truck but, there are so many different kinds I just have no clue. It is a pain to fill with air or even deflate with out those little helpers.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[Will L.]

Are those custom front tires for better high speed cornering?

 

[88gmctruck]

Were did you get the valve stem extensions? What length and style? I need these for my truck but, there are so many different kinds I just have no clue. It is a pain to fill with air or even deflate with out those little helpers.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

Amazon. I'll have to get you the links.

Are those custom front tires for better high speed cornering?

Something like that

 

[88gmctruck]

Were did you get the valve stem extensions? What length and style? I need these for my truck but, there are so many different kinds I just have no clue. It is a pain to fill with air or even deflate with out those little helpers.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

Here they are: 4" straight and a 135deg bend.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002O30CGI/?tag=jhuntlink-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002F668S/?tag=jhuntlink-20