jarydM’s 2005 Tahoe Build/Rebuild

[jarydM]

I might do that anyways, everything in the drivers side wheel well is covered in brake fluid.



That’s a bummer, it might’ve blown then. I did the bleed with the car off until I got some pedal resistance, but when I started it, it went all the way down. I think it may have blown before that even. But there wasn’t any new fluid leaking near the firewall or engine bay, just a huge puddle at the back door drivers side. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

not that replacing lines will be a comparative cake walk

I DID try to pressurize with the cap off the reservoir, so maybe I didn’t blow that seal?

 

[jarydM]

Was able to get in a few days of work on the Tahoe.

traced the brake fluid leak to on of the rear lines. They’re both pretty rusted and bad, so I’m going to replace them, but the front ones and the ones headed to the master cylinder have almost no corrosion on them. So I’ll cut the back lines out and make some new ones. Braided stainless lines will have to wait just a little bit.

got the leveling kit and the body lift finished. And the fender flares back on. Have to modify the bumper bracket just a bit to make it fit, but did a test fit today based on position, and the HD bumper now clears the body, grill, and lights with aplomb!

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Hey, buddy! Nice makeover! But why you gotta use fancy words?

Curious how your brake line job goes. Being in Saltland, I know that one is coming my way. Document it for us, please. You gonna just bend NiCopp or use pre bent stainless?

 

[jarydM]

Hey, buddy! Nice makeover! But why you gotta use fancy words?

Curious how your brake line job goes. Being in Saltland, I know that one is coming my way. Document it for us, please. You gonna just bend NiCopp or use pre bent stainless?

It’ll be a job, for sure

I have some ni-copp left over from a previous project, and enough to do the Rear lines. The prevent stuff requires it to be straightened, so I’m going to just go break the old line out, and lay it end to end to make a rough diagram of what I’ll have to make. I’ll take pics.

 

[05Single]

Nice work so far. Love the cat eye front, so tough lookin imo.

 

[jarydM]

Nice work so far. Love the cat eye front, so tough lookin imo.

Thanks! I also think it looks tough, and can’t wait to see it all put together.

have some days off in 4 more days, might try to do some painting.

 

[jarydM]

Well, finished the modifications to the bumper brackets today, and got that mounted and fitted. It isn’t perfect, and it IS a GMC bumper from ~02, but it’ll work until I have the urge to buy a new bumper for a Silverado.

esky caps on tomorrow, then pulling out the broken brake lines and shaping new ones then hopefully bleeding the lines and then she’s on the road again.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Well, finished the modifications to the bumper brackets today, and got that mounted and fitted. It isn’t perfect, and it IS a GMC bumper from ~02, but it’ll work until I have the urge to buy a new bumper for a Silverado.
View attachment 253332
esky caps on tomorrow, then pulling out the broken brake lines and shaping new ones then hopefully bleeding the lines and then she’s on the road again.

Almost there!

 

[adventurenali92]

Step by step, brick by brick! Lol

 

[Fosscore]

Wow!! Nice work and a good read for the result of that pic above^^. Showed that deer who's boss with this project so far. Great job!

 

[jarydM]

Pulled both rear brake hydro lines out, and bent some new out of some poly-coat line I had. It wasn’t the most terrible job I’ve ever done, but I’m not in a hurry to do it again either.

quick tips on doing it yourself:

• Remove your spare tire from under the truck if yours is still mounted there.
• Work the frame mounts off. Start at the rear and work your way forward. These suck because you can’t see them, and they’re old. Honestly if you don’t have a body lift on, I don’t know how you do this job without a LOT of difficulty. Most “how-to’s” talked about undoing body mounts and lifting the body off the frame.
  
• Once the mounts are off, I undid the bolts holding the line in on either end.
• Because of the way the original is shaped, it’s almost impossible to pull out in a single piece, so I cut the line right under the rear door, and pulled the rear and the front out separately.
• If you bend your own line make a U shape at the front end of the line (because there isn’t enough room to do it under the truck) and push it above the left sided frame rail above the rear axle and push forward. Then move forward and pull the line the rest of the way forward to the ABS module.
• When tightening the lines to the module and the rear mount, (using a line wrench) tighten it snug and then a quarter turn more, then loosen and repeat several times. It’ll go a little farther every time.

That’s pretty much it. I worked the line back into most of the mounts, but I also don’t care so much to make it fit like stock so long as it works. I mostly just zip tied the line down to the frame.

I also put on esky caps, finally.

 

[Rocket Man]

Pulled both rear brake hydro lines out, and bent some new out of some poly-coat line I had. It wasn’t the most terrible job I’ve ever done, but I’m not in a hurry to do it again either.

quick tips on doing it yourself:

• Remove your spare tire from under the truck if yours is still mounted there.
• Work the frame mounts off. Start at the rear and work your way forward. These suck because you can’t see them, and they’re old. Honestly if you don’t have a body lift on, I don’t know how you do this job without a LOT of difficulty. Most “how-to’s” talked about undoing body mounts and lifting the body off the frame.
  
• Once the mounts are off, I undid the bolts holding the line in on either end.
• Because of the way the original is shaped, it’s almost impossible to pull out in a single piece, so I cut the line right under the rear door, and pulled the rear and the front out separately.
• If you bend your own line make a U shape at the front end of the line (because there isn’t enough room to do it under the truck) and push it above the left sided frame rail above the rear axle and push forward. Then move forward and pull the line the rest of the way forward to the ABS module.
• When tightening the lines to the module and the rear mount, (using a line wrench) tighten it snug and then a quarter turn more, then loosen and repeat several times. It’ll go a little farther every time.

That’s pretty much it. I worked the line back into most of the mounts, but I also don’t care so much to make it fit like stock so long as it works. I mostly just zip tied the line down to the frame.

I also put on esky caps, finally.View attachment 253511

Nice work. I’ve heard it’s not easy. I bent 3/8” aluminum air lines for my bagged Silverado and did them in 6 foot pieces and joined them with Swagelok fittings but even using 3 pieces it wasn’t all that easy to get the bent lines into place so I feel your pain.

 

[01tayhoe]

Looks awesome. How hard was the body lift to do? What was your solution for rear bumper brackets?

 

[jarydM]

Looks awesome. How hard was the body lift to do? What was your solution for rear bumper brackets?

body lift wasn’t hard, literally the worst part was trying to manage the park brake line. I however will tell you that there is no way I would do more than the 1.5” lift I did. It still looks mostly stock now but I’ve got room for bigger tires.

because I used a HD bumper, I didn’t need the spacers and brackets for the front bumper, so I might use them for the rear to move it. As it stands right now, I haven’t moved it, and haven’t really decided if it bothers me or not.

 

[jarydM]

Got her out and drove around a bit today. Everything works, and she still runs good.

here’s a picture outside in daylight

 

[Tonyrodz]

Got her out and drove around a bit today. Everything works, and she still runs good.

here’s a picture outside in daylight
View attachment 253568

Congratulations Must be a great feeling.

 

[jarydM]

Hopefully the master didn’t get damaged when the pedal went to the floor. You should put a piece of 2x 4 under it if you’re gonna bleed them using the pedal method to keep that from happening.

update, after repressurizing the new rear lines, and vacuum bleeding all four corners, brakes work great. Still haven’t got the stainless braided lines yet, but the whole system is much improved, and pedal feel is back to normal.

 

[Rocket Man]

update, after repressurizing the new rear lines, and vacuum bleeding all four corners, brakes work great. Still haven’t got the stainless braided lines yet, but the whole system is much improved, and pedal feel is back to normal.

Awesome news!

 

[adventurenali92]

Back on the road with the how must be a great feeling! Nice work!

 

[jarydM]

Got the bumper light connectors on the drivers side replaced with new ones with a bit of solder and tape. Was gonna work on polishing headlights, and then got distracted by paint.

painting over chrome sucks, and this won’t actually be the last time I do this job, because I’m not happy with the way it turned out, yet. But it is done for now, and until I figure out the permanent bumper situation, I’ll just ride with it, then paint all the new parts together. It was dark before I got it back on though, but here’s and idea of what it’ll look like