Taking my Blazer to college.

[thatcherkozal]

I'm heading off to college in a little over a year, and I want to take my '72 K5 with me. That being said I'm looking at around a 10 hour drive from school to back home. What kinds of things should I change/upgrade to make it a more reliable, comfortable rig? I'm currently replacing the steering box, and the transfer case and transmission were just rebuilt.

[RUN GMC]

You would probably want to look at all your required maintenance tune ups, oil change and other fluids.....shocks, wipers, tires, filters, and v belts......you know where you stand on these things....start looking at heater core, hoses, gaskets, and others to assess whether some need to be replaced......

[chevyguy_72]

Originally Posted by thatcherkozal

I'm heading off to college in a little over a year, and I want to take my '72 K5 with me. That being said I'm looking at around a 10 hour drive from school to back home. What kinds of things should I change/upgrade to make it a more reliable, comfortable rig? I'm currently replacing the steering box, and the transfer case and transmission were just rebuilt.

Why would you want to go anywhere but UNL???
j/k i get it... I did the same thing when i moved from CO to Hastings to go to college... I drove the c10 for a year and then ended up getting a different vehicle because the reliability just wasn't there... I still have the c10... even now 20 years later... but it just wasn't the best choice for 9 hr drives...

With a low mileage LS swap thats a totally different story if the rest of your drive train is solid...

[mister.freeze]

anything rubber or with a fluid in it. These things are so tough and simple that if all you gaskets, hoses, and fluids are ok, life is good.

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by chevyguy_72

Why would you want to go anywhere but UNL???
j/k i get it... I did the same thing when i moved from CO to Hastings to go to college... I drove the c10 for a year and then ended up getting a different vehicle because the reliability just wasn't there... I still have the c10... even now 20 years later... but it just wasn't the best choice for 9 hr drives...

With a low mileage LS swap thats a totally different story if the rest of your drive train is solid...

I'd like to play baseball in college, and UNL hasn't exactly offered me a spot on the team lol... I've thought about LS swap, I can't seem to justify the cost when I could rebuild the motor and use holley sniper EFI.

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by RUN GMC

You would probably want to look at all your required maintenance tune ups, oil change and other fluids.....shocks, wipers, tires, filters, and v belts......you know where you stand on these things....start looking at heater core, hoses, gaskets, and others to assess whether some need to be replaced......

Any recommendations for shocks?

[SeventyOne]

Shocks may not need to be replaced honestly. Push down on the bumper, if it rebounds back up and stops bouncing immediately you're good. if it keeps bouncing they're shot.

I'd make sure your brakes were up to snuff first. Then the rest - fluids and rubber hoses/etc.

[praisegeetarman]

Install a front sway bar. One off a square body works well. That really improved the drivability of my blazer.

Keith

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by praisegeetarman

Install a front sway bar. One off a square body works well. That really improved the drivability of my blazer.

Keith

How much fab is required to do that?

[praisegeetarman]

Originally Posted by thatcherkozal

How much fab is required to do that?

The mounts to the frame cross member need to be modified a bit, or the whole square body cross memeber needs to be slightly modified and installed. As far as bolting it to the axle, just use the u-bolt plates off the square body.

Keith

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by praisegeetarman

The mounts to the frame cross member need to be modified a bit, or the whole square body cross memeber needs to be slightly modified and installed. As far as bolting it to the axle, just use the u-bolt plates off the square body.

Keith

Alright, I can do that. Thanks

[87Skier]

I would upgrade and relay the headlights. If the carb has been on there a long time, it should probably be rebuilt. Make sure your choke works properly. If you have points, consider upgrading to electronic ignition. New plugs, wires, cap and rotor never hurt either.

Also, check all the underhood wiring to make sure it isn't being rubbed through and going to create a problem later.

Check your battery cables. If they have those temporary AutoZone style ends, replace them.

[Mike C]

My Jimmy was my college transportation vehicle. Austin to Lubbock was about 7 hours each way back in the day.

Are you using it for daily transportation now? The first failure I had was the timing chain let go at 252,000 miles. It got a motor swap and that .030 4 botl main large journal 327 is still in the truck.

As mentioned above, anything rubber is good to replace. Fluid changes and seals alll around. Water pump if it hasn't been done in awhile same with the fuel pump. HEI conversion if you haven't done it and get you a spare module to keep in the console.

Have fun playing ball and driving your truck!

[pound41]

I drove my blazer to college only thing that ever gave out was the water pump

[72ironmike]

belts, hoses, thermostat, water pump, check alternator/battery

[DeadheadNM]

Add one or more theft deterrents such as a kill switch and wheel locks.

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Add one or more theft deterrents such as a kill switch and wheel locks.

I'm lucky with that, the previous owner already did both of those.

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by Mike C

My Jimmy was my college transportation vehicle. Austin to Lubbock was about 7 hours each way back in the day.

Are you using it for daily transportation now? The first failure I had was the timing chain let go at 252,000 miles. It got a motor swap and that .030 4 botl main large journal 327 is still in the truck.

As mentioned above, anything rubber is good to replace. Fluid changes and seals alll around. Water pump if it hasn't been done in awhile same with the fuel pump. HEI conversion if you haven't done it and get you a spare module to keep in the console.

Have fun playing ball and driving your truck!

As long as there isn't salt on the roads I drive it. And the motor was replaced about 30k miles ago so I'm hoping to have minimal issues there. Sounds like I for sure need to switch to HEI though. And thank you wishing me well!

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by pound41

I drove my blazer to college only thing that ever gave out was the water pump

If that was the only problem I end up having I would be pretty happy.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by thatcherkozal

As long as there isn't salt on the roads I drive it. And the motor was replaced about 30k miles ago so I'm hoping to have minimal issues there. Sounds like I for sure need to switch to HEI though. And thank you wishing me well!

If thinking about converting to HEI, may want to look into the Petronix conversions. I have a '71 4x4 350 V8 and being the Blazer is a 4x4 also I'm pretty sure the engine sits too far back on the frame for the standard big cap GM HEI. Gets really tight back by the firewall area on the 4x4s. I went with the Petronix Igniter ll points conversion with a Petronix Flamethrower coil. All fits in the standard GM points cap, used my existing points distributor. Been there for 3 years now, very happy with it. Just some thoughts and my $0.02.

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

If thinking about converting to HEI, may want to look into the Petronix conversions. I have a '71 4x4 350 V8 and being the Blazer is a 4x4 also I'm pretty sure the engine sits too far back on the frame for the standard big cap GM HEI. Gets really tight back by the firewall area on the 4x4s. I went with the Petronix Igniter ll points conversion with a Petronix Flamethrower coil. All fits in the standard GM points cap, used my existing points distributor. Been there for 3 years now, very happy with it. Just some thoughts and my $0.02.

Thanks for the advice, I hadn't even thought about clearance issues. I'll definitely need to check that before I do anything.

[AJC]

Do the jeep headlight conversion. This made driving a night so much better.

HOW TO: Upgrade 7” Sealed Beam Headlights to 2007-15 Jeep Wrangler Headlights

[SeventyOne]

I'm re-reading your first post and looking at all these suggestions.

While I do agree many of the suggestions would make for a nicer ride many are not needed.

Can you tell us more about your truck(pics)? lifted? Miles on engine? Rebuilt/stock?

Reason I want to bring all this up:

A 10hr drive back and forth is no joke on an old/tired drivetrain. I understand you want to keep your K5 with you at school but maybe get a commuter car for the trips and leave the K5 at your college town so you just do the trip once with the K5?

If you're dead set on just having the K5 and only the K5 - cool let's get into it. You have a year to make it more reliable. Can you tell us what issues you currently have? How's she start when hot and cold? oil pressure good? Whens the last time the brakes/wheel bearings were serviced? Leaking any fluid?

Take care of any known issues first. Then I think going over all the wear items like rubber, fluids, fuel filter, check your battery and alternator output, do the headlight RELAY upgrade (do this before you do any other lighting upgrade), then get into stuff like swaybars, HEI, etc with time permitting.

I hope this all makes sense - do the small easy fixes first and do lots of them. Them do the larger mods that take more time.

Good luck. And do post pics ;-)

[thatcherkozal]

Originally Posted by SeventyOne

I'm re-reading your first post and looking at all these suggestions.

While I do agree many of the suggestions would make for a nicer ride many are not needed.

Can you tell us more about your truck(pics)? lifted? Miles on engine? Rebuilt/stock?

Reason I want to bring all this up:

A 10hr drive back and forth is no joke on an old/tired drivetrain. I understand you want to keep your K5 with you at school but maybe get a commuter car for the trips and leave the K5 at your college town so you just do the trip once with the K5?

If you're dead set on just having the K5 and only the K5 - cool let's get into it. You have a year to make it more reliable. Can you tell us what issues you currently have? How's she start when hot and cold? oil pressure good? Whens the last time the brakes/wheel bearings were serviced? Leaking any fluid?

Take care of any known issues first. Then I think going over all the wear items like rubber, fluids, fuel filter, check your battery and alternator output, do the headlight RELAY upgrade (do this before you do any other lighting upgrade), then get into stuff like swaybars, HEI, etc with time permitting.

I hope this all makes sense - do the small easy fixes first and do lots of them. Them do the larger mods that take more time.

Good luck. And do post pics ;-)

I will definitely post pictures as soon as I figure out how... You're absolutly right about having a better rig for making this drive very often, but at least if I fix my blazer up to make the drive (in theory) it can't do anything but help in the long run. Right now it's mostly stock. Stock height, 31x10.5 BFG's, Goodwrench 350 with about 40k miles on it. Currently fixing the rear main seal like while the th350 and np205 are pulled out to be rebuilt. Previous owner replaced all the brakes and master cylinder. Carb probably needs tuned up, bogs a little at full throttle and hard to start in the winter. Have a new steering box that will go in soon. My wipers are terribly slow, I'm not sure if I need a new motor or just take the arms apart and clean/grease them?

[SeventyOne]

Originally Posted by thatcherkozal

I will definitely post pictures as soon as I figure out how... You're absolutly right about having a better rig for making this drive very often, but at least if I fix my blazer up to make the drive (in theory) it can't do anything but help in the long run. Right now it's mostly stock. Stock height, 31x10.5 BFG's, Goodwrench 350 with about 40k miles on it. Currently fixing the rear main seal like while the th350 and np205 are pulled out to be rebuilt. Previous owner replaced all the brakes and master cylinder. Carb probably needs tuned up, bogs a little at full throttle and hard to start in the winter. Have a new steering box that will go in soon. My wipers are terribly slow, I'm not sure if I need a new motor or just take the arms apart and clean/grease them?

Yeah taking the cowl panel off and greasing the wiper transmission arms does wonders. Also how about some rain-x on the windshield for a little extra help.

Do you have an electric choke on the carb//what carb is it?