[CC69Rat]

Dad and I worked on the GMC yesterday. We got the Hotchkis trailing arm brackets, both trailing arms, the drop springs and bump stops installed. The UBolts and drop blocks are in place, but only snug right now. The drop blocks I got are the slide in type and I'm not 100% comortable they won't slip out (?) We need to figure out some way to lock them in place. While they torq to 75-80, I don't think they'd come out but I want to be sure.

We started to take the center section apart to swap axles but the bolt that holds the pin broke off. I understand this is a very common thing, and something like 80% of the time this bolt will break when you try to take it out. I am going to have to get one of the extraction kits to get it. Not a big deal, just a pain. Grade 8 going back in.

On a positive note the gear oil and gasket looked fairly recent. The rear end gears look really nice, it is a 3:08 but it really pulls strong. I'm just going to leave it. I thought it was higher than that (?) It winds pretty good at freeway speed. That's probably why I'm getting 20-22mpg. (3OTT gear combo maybe?)

It's looking really good. My exhaust will need to come completely off and re-worked. the lowered / relocated trailing arms are really close to the mufflers now. Another job, for another day.

I have a Hellwig rear swaybar for it but I'm not sure how it mounts (?) Anyone have any pictures of the rear swaybar config? I'm going to create a seperate post on it.

Check back later, axles coming soon ..