Rocket Man's 02 Denali Build Thread AKA "THE BEAST"

[Rocket Man]

Also, I got my QA1 panhard bar yesterday. Hopefully it will clear my TA differential girdle but I'm not in hurry to find out. Maybe tomorrow?

 

[Tonyrodz]

I decided, after doing a lot of research, that the gap between the flexplate and converter is OK. It's about .02" over the .187" that FTI spec's (It's .207"). I read in several places that anything under 1/4" (.250") is acceptable and in fact Performabuilt's instructions call for 1/4". So, with that settled, I finished up everything this morning. The hardest part was probably the transfer case, both getting it in place as well as tightening the bolts. I followed the start-up instructions which call for starting it with the wheels off the ground and going through all the gears although I did so very briefly since my transfer case isn't supposed to be operated that way. At first the wheels didn't move and I was a bit worried but after a few seconds they started going. I just ran it through the gears once and then let it down. After adding a bit more fluid, I drove about a mile like instructed and came home and re-checked everything. No leaks. No issues. I took the trans jack back which was a few miles and traffic was horrible but I did hammer it once and it definitely accelerates better with the stall. And it does a full converter lockup at 40 MPH or so which is kind of cool and might help gas mileage when I don't hammer the throttle. I'm gonna take it out again in awhile after a bit of unwinding. The Beast is back!

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Well it's about time! Good for you Red.

 

[bottomline2000]

I decided, after doing a lot of research, that the gap between the flexplate and converter is OK. It's about .02" over the .187" that FTI spec's (It's .207"). I read in several places that anything under 1/4" (.250") is acceptable and in fact Performabuilt's instructions call for 1/4". So, with that settled, I finished up everything this morning. The hardest part was probably the transfer case, both getting it in place as well as tightening the bolts. I followed the start-up instructions which call for starting it with the wheels off the ground and going through all the gears although I did so very briefly since my transfer case isn't supposed to be operated that way. At first the wheels didn't move and I was a bit worried but after a few seconds they started going. I just ran it through the gears once and then let it down. After adding a bit more fluid, I drove about a mile like instructed and came home and re-checked everything. No leaks. No issues. I took the trans jack back which was a few miles and traffic was horrible but I did hammer it once and it definitely accelerates better with the stall. And it does a full converter lockup at 40 MPH or so which is kind of cool and might help gas mileage when I don't hammer the throttle. I'm gonna take it out again in awhile after a bit of unwinding. The Beast is back!

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Congrats on getting running. Got to be a good feeling lol. How big is the stall?

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[Rocket Man]

Well shit. I just went out to do a few launches with the new trans to see how it did and about 6 blocks from my house, first huge launch, I hear and feel something big break. I heard bad things happening under there and went oh shit. There's fluid of some kind in a huge streak behind and under the truck. Weird, it looks like oil and the front driveline is hanging down. At first I thought it's the front diff is broken open but as far as I can see it's the clamps that hold the u-joint in that broke and the spinning driveline mangled the oil filter and its engine oil all over the road. I'm hoping it's minor but won't know until tomorrow when I can look see. Might just be the u-joints and oil filter. And something with the shift linkage is bent because it would barely go into park. I'm kind of relieved it wasn't the tranny and it looks like it didn't get damaged.

 

[Rocket Man]

But on a better note, before I left home I installed the QA1 panhard bar and the TA Performance rear diff girdle will clear. Yay.

 

[bottomline2000]

Well shit. I just went out to do a few launches with the new trans to see how it did and about 6 blocks from my house, first huge launch, I hear and feel something big break. I heard bad things happening under there and went oh shit. There's fluid of some kind in a huge streak behind and under the truck. Weird, it looks like oil and the front driveline is hanging down. At first I thought it's the front diff is broken open but as far as I can see it's the clamps that hold the u-joint in that broke and the spinning driveline mangled the oil filter and its engine oil all over the road. I'm hoping it's minor but won't know until tomorrow when I can look see. Might just be the u-joints and oil filter. And something with the shift linkage is bent because it would barely go into park. I'm kind of relieved it wasn't the tranny and it looks like it didn't get damaged.

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Woah..Looks like a u joint strap broke. Hopefully the oil filter took the brunt of the damage.

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[Rocket Man]

Woah..Looks like a u joint strap broke. Hopefully the oil filter took the brunt of the damage.

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Yes and no. The oil pan suffered a bit too but from what I can see it was just a fin on the casting that broke off and I don't see any cracks and it doesn't look like it's leaking. I think I got off lucky. Fingers crossed!

 

[bottomline2000]

Yes and no. The oil pan suffered a bit too but from what I can see it was just a fin on the casting that broke off and I don't see any cracks and it doesn't look like it's leaking. I think I got off lucky. Fingers crossed! View attachment 181920 View attachment 181921 View attachment 181922 View attachment 181923

The u joint straps don't look new and how tight were they? It doesn't take much to hold them in place like 9-12 ft lbs..too tight and they break. Cheap insurance to replace them since they form to the u joint and cost $5.

Ill be the first to say glad u ok. Dropping the front driveshaft like that is serious business.


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[Rocket Man]

The u joint straps don't look new and how tight were they? It doesn't take much to hold them in place like 9-12 ft lbs..too tight and they break. Cheap insurance to replace them since the form to the u joint..

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I over tightened them I think. I'm buying all new ones tomorrow, hopefully heavier duty. If they don't have good ones at O'Reilly's I'll get some good ones online. I think I'll get heavier duty U joints too but don't know what's good- Dana? There's some ridiculously priced ones out there.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Wow! You took that calmly. I'm so glad it wasn't anything too serious. Adding tons of power breaks the weaker parts. I hope nothing else breaks like that.