The Kodiak thread.

[STRICTLYVWN]

That thing makes Toby look like a puppy lol.
Sick Ride 

[vdubmax]

[mr. warehouse]

I might have found a wayto use the stock 19.5 on something else (non Kodiak / Topkick) in the future.



 

[mr. warehouse]

Belated update....

While waiting for new (3rd time) rear springs Mike gave me a hand removing the stacks and I did a few other tweaks as well.



3rd set of rear springs



Finally got the right rear springs on as well as a 20" drop hitch fabbed up.







So, at this point I'm at +/- 12" lift, with 22.5 wheels and 40" tires.

Side steps, and misc. battery, tank, and horn covers are coming off and a new air system (thanks Max!!) will be hidden up in the frame along with a new hidden battery box.
Power side steps will be added at the same time so I can still get in and out as well as an air ride cab set up to smooth out the ride a bit more.

Every time I get a new "idea" it goes something like this....

[mr. warehouse]

Mike took it for a couple days, and not only did he and his helper give it a good wash.



He's been taking these type of funny pictures next to other "big" trucks



 

[themacnut]

Pictures don't do it justice.  It is ridiculously high.  Almost fell out of it twice Saturday loading the bus seat and box of parts.  And I was sober.   

[mr. warehouse]

And I was sober.   

Mike drove it home. I was not.

[mr. warehouse]

Thanks to Mike and Alex yesterday, the air ride cab is in and working properly. I managed to track down a couple air leaks, and Mike "detailed" the undercarriage a bot as well.

Pretty straight forward job. With a friend we had the job done in under 4 hours. We didn't rush and definitely screwed around / got sidetracked a bit.

We unbolted the cross member from the frame, the the cab support from the cross member. Once these were free from each other we used the 20 ton air jack to lift the cab 4" and used OSHA approved blocks to support it.



Then I swapped out the old mid bump stops for the new ones.









While I was doing that Mike dropped the old cross member and cab support out.



Then pulled the old rubber from the mid stops to use on the new rear bump stops



At some point I decided this would be easier with the drive line out of the way, I was right...

New cross member / cab support ready to go in



With very little persuasion we worked it in around the gas tank and got it bolted in.



Attached some misc. brackets that had to come off and that was done.



Now we used the jack again to lift the cab, remove the 4" blocks and set the cab down on the support.

With an airline added and a couple cycles up / down (by removing the leveling rod and manually moving the switch) we lined up the cab bolts and tightened everything down.



Last on the list was bolt in the new rear bump stops and we we're done.

With the exception of the drive line. No pictures of that as it took 3 people, 6 hands, a hammer, grease, and a miracle to get it back in...

[themacnut]

How's it ride?  Worth the investment?

[mr. warehouse]

How's it ride?  Worth the investment?

It's no Cadillac, but the jarring bumps are gone and now they're "softer" bumps.

$1000 and 1/2 a days work, was worth it.

My next truck I'll do this first, although it was easy to work under the truck after it was lifted.

AMP steps, and relocating of batteries / air system are next up.

[vdubmax]

A kodiak will never ride good. Better is the goal. Looking forward to jumping this thing next time I am in town!

[mr. warehouse]

This is almost as much fun as the air horn...

[STRICTLYVWN]

Love the sound of a jake brake and fitting for that ride 

[mr. warehouse]

Long time no update.

New baby came on 10/01, so leading up to that I was finishing customers cars, and prepping for my new boy's arrival....

Anyway on to the goods.

Finally got around to removing the tube steps (for sale if anyone wants them) along with the compressor, tank, batteries, and air horns that were living in the boxes behind them.

Much cleaner looking with the AMP steps on now.





Of course none of that was direct bolt on. Mounts had to be fabbed, etc. Well worth it in the end...

Crappy cell phone shot of the drivers side being held (almost) all the way up. When in the "closed / up" position they sit flush with the body.



Nice side shot of them down on the drivers side.



New Interstate AGM batteries are tucked up and out of the way along the frame. There must have been an extra 8 feet of battery cable wrapped up under the truck, so that made relocating them a bit easier.







I'm not 100% sure the battery tender is staying here.



I'm thinking of moving it inside one of the storage compartments by the batteries instead.



Air horns moved dead center under the cab. Who knows how that will effect their sound. I can always adjust them later.





For those with a keen eye, I will also be getting rid of the block and spacers that I used to set my drive line. The stock mount will be lengthened now that I have a correct height.

[mr. warehouse]

With the air ride seats, air horns and air ride cab currently on my truck the stock air set up did OK. But I plan on running some air tools, rear air bags in the future, so I wanted more capacity and quicker recovery.

For that I went with dual ViAir compressors and dual 5 gallon stainless tanks. (Thanks Max   )



I did a quick mock up of how I'd like it to fit under the truck cab (drivers side) which will give me an air chuck fitting just under the doors



an air fitting for the air ride cab, and a 1/2" hose to an air chuck at the rear of the bed as well.



The other end will handle the seats, and horns as well as the pressure switch.



Both tanks have 1/4 ball valves on the bottom to drain periodically as well.

Tank rack, bolts to frame using existing bolts.
Holes on the bottom piece are for the tank drains (1/4" ball valves)



The compressor locating got changed up a bit and now both compressors will be together in the front (under drivers door) mounted on rubber isolators.



As promised carrier bearing mount fixed as well

[mr. warehouse]

A coupe days later, we had this.....

Tanks in





Compressors in



Then on to the wiring.......



After pin switches were added to all 4 doors, the steps open only on the side of the truck that the door(s) are opened on.

They blend right in now when closed as well.

[mr. warehouse]

I finally got my hitch powder coated as well 

[mr. warehouse]

In the end some plumbing was re-routed to make a cleaner install (the T where the compressors hook into the tank) and GM style connections along with waterproof 40 amp relays (for the compressors) were added to the wiring and then it was tucked up inside the frame rail out of the way.

Now added to the list -

Exhaust, the current one is now totally visible with the round steps gone
Paint my drive line and carrier bearing
Lockable heavy duty tool box in the bed for my air tools and tow straps

Max, can I get *just* the horn out of this kit?



I don't need it, but with 200 psi now, I'd like to add a horn with a lower tone.

Last on the list. I'd like smooth out the ride a bit more so the baby won't break his neck riding with me.
I have a couple ideas, but nothing solid yet.

[mr. warehouse]

Looking at what came out of the truck I wonder how it even kept up?