[flakka]

Thanks! are you in Moscow? I'll have to keep an eye out for your pickup.

Not in Moscow over the summer but during the school year I will be

 

[YETI]

Front end is put together (for now). I really like the ground clearance. 18.75" to the lower A-arm crossmember and 15" to the bottom of the diff.

 

[YETI]

I started working on the rear axle right after the front was together. I cut down the AAM 11.5 spindles and the 9" housing. On the first attempt at getting the new spindles tacked on using an alignment bar, I determined the left side of the 9" housing was tweaked about 3/16". We did some flame straightening to get it close.









I got the spindles tacked on on Sunday and measured for axles so I could order them on Monday.



I got the spring perches tacked and started trying to get the Ruff Stuff truss to fit nicely.



I was very impressed with Dutchman axles. I ordered the custom length 35 spline shafts with the 14 bolt/ AAM 11.5 flange on Monday, and they were delivered on Thursday!

 

[ATMINSIDE]

If you break those axles you have a SERIOUS problem

 

[YETI]

More updates:

Finished the rear axle. I had to straighten the housing a little after welding the truss on.

















And installed a Wilwood proportioning valve.

 

[YETI]

Installed the radiator. This was a very tight fit. I ended up having to get radiator mounting brackets for a Hummer H3/ V8 Colorado which meant I had to buy another new radiator just for the brackets :/

Here is the Griffin radiator compared to the stock 5 cylinder radiator.







The 2017 Camaro ZL1 / Cadillac CTSV fan is a 19" Brushless Pulse width modulated fan that supposedly is an 850 watt fan.



The shroud needed trimmed in several placed to fit the radiator and I had to make angle brackets to mount the fan.



I had to cut about 3/8" off the waterpump nose and tack weld to make sure it doesn't try to move.



I made a new top bracket to pull the radiator forward about 1/2" also



I finished making the air solenoid manifold for my lockers and sway bar as well

 

[YETI]

I did an alignment and finally drove it a little bit around the parking lot. It seems super stable and pretty smooth

 

[GMT345]

Awesome build. I read it a few times. What CV shafts and knuckles did you end up going with? You mentioned possibly using a few different ones, but I don’t think you specifically said what you ended up using. Sorry if I missed it.

 

[YETI]

Awesome build. I read it a few times. What CV shafts and knuckles did you end up going with? You mentioned possibly using a few different ones, but I don’t think you specifically said what you ended up using. Sorry if I missed it.

Sorry for the delayed reply. I am using stock 2001-2010 2500/3500 shafts and knuckles right now. I think I'm going to move my A-arms down a few inches and use the tall knuckle from a 2500/3500 lift kit to improve geometry and reduce inner cv joint plunge

 

[YETI]

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted any updates. School started back up in August so I was pretty busy.

I did take a trip to the coast again to play in the dunes.





My main issue on that trip was my serpentine belt. I changed my alternator right before the trip because I thought it was making noise. The terrible LS-Simple alternator & power steering bracket I was using had a bunch of slop in the alternator mounting holes so I could never get the alternator straight. It kept shredding the belt really quickly. I ended up running a belt that lost 2 ribs so it was a 4 rib belt for most of the trip. When I got home, I bought a laser alignment tool and tried to get it aligned, but I still had the same problem.

We took a trip to Naches Washington and shredded another belt, but it was fine once it was down to 4 ribs again. That trip was fun, but super dusty and narrow through the trees. Also steering was tough with the front locker in because I thing my power steering pump was wounded from lots of High RPM previously at the dunes.

 

[YETI]

I decided to go away from the LS-Simple bracket. I ordered the Holley low mount bracket system and switched to a TC style power steering pump. It uses a corvette spacing power steering pump pulley, but that would have been to large of diameter and probably would have hit the intake. After a lot of research, I found the Dorman 300-126 pulley was the correct offset, but a smaller pulley. The problem was, it interfered with the banjo fitting I got from Holley as well and it was going to hit the bracket, so I narrowed it up in the lathe.

*Also Holley offers a pump like what I have with the reservoir for over $200 and they say "there is no GM application for that pump"... after some googleing, I figured out it is late 80's Jeep Cherokee pump.*



[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dh1BZw]

 

[YETI]

I didn't like the stock tensioner I had on because the direction it was tensioning didn't allow it to really do it's job, and the belt had to be a perfect size and it was tough to get the belt on and off since it would not relax very much.

I designed a 3/8" aluminum plate to use a Gates 38131 which is what I have seen people use on supercharged applications.

 

[YETI]

I also started playing around with trying to fit a 2010+ Silverado steering rack. It should be stronger as well as more powerful, and they are super common.



I also am looking at changing the lower A-arm mounts to fix the poor stock Colorado geometry. I'm getting camber change in the wrong direction, as well as probably well over 1" of plunge in the inner CV tripod joint causing the joint to bottom out. I would also like to increase the front ride height by an inch or two to gain some up-travel.

Using a model from RCV and by dropping the diff 1" and lowering the a-arm mounts while keeping the same upper a-arm mounts, it reduces the cv joint plunge down to about 0.29"





If I had RCV's and unlimited tire clearance, this would also allow for over 13" of travel in the CV.

 

[Abdul]

I don't really have any pictures of just the wiring for the 6L80e. It should just use the wires that normally go to the T42, but instead they get routed to the T43. Once the 6l80e is wired up, you just do a read of the PCM and TCM and it shows up as the E67 and T43 seperately. All the trans settings are in the T43. You just have to make sure the years of the PCM and TCM Operating systems are compatible with each other.

Hey that's an insane build. In fact you inspired me to build 04 Colorado the same way minus the blower and 4wd. I just have a few concerns and would really appreciate your help.

• Does the 6L80e fit without modifying the trans cross member?
• Did you have to get the TCM out of the trans to flash it?
• Did you have any problem with the backup/reverse light not working?
• What operating systems did you use to run your E67+T43?
• What did you do about the paddle shift option?
• From what I read on this forum everyone was saying you can't use gen 4 LSx for 06 or 07 model and older. Did you have any problem with doing so?

 

[SOS LS]

How did you tune you computer to work with the 6l80e and 6.0? is it a 6.0? I have a 09 6l80e with a 24x 6.0 ls from a 03 sierra. I'm doing my research of how to tune this configuration. What did you need to do to the wiring harness to splice them? Are you using the factory Colorado gauges?

 

[SOS LS]

Where did you get the Solid works drawings for your Colorado frame? did you make them? I'm just up from you in Montana. Embarking on an LS swap with the same trans and t-case set up. Why did you decide to stay with IFS. Was it the challenge? or do you like it better than say a 4 link with coils? I'm looking at going 35 or 37s. If you need parts hit us up at. Lazarus Performance We do CNC machining with a VF2 haas and a laser work as well.