Rocket Man's 2008 Bagged CC Silverado Build AKA "THE MACHINE"

[Rocket Man]

I haven’t given up on the hard lines, that’s a good idea Tony. I think the bender I have is for advanced users lol. I did get one of the rear height sensors installed, I just need to do the final mounting and adjustments. I can just copy it on the other side. And since I didn’t feel like I got enough done today, at 3:00 I decided to make the fuel line and install it. I figured it should take an hour or so. So I disconnected it from the fuel rail and it was already cut off at the tank so I started removing it from the rear forward. I got up to around the trans and started to cut it with side cutters but it wasn’t aluminum anymore and I couldn’t snip it, and then right ahead of that found some electrical device attached. Oh shit.. I was planning on just installing AN fittings with quick connects at each end but obviously that wasn’t going to work, but luckily the spot I tried to cut it wasn’t too close to that device that I couldn’t connect to the line there. I remembered that 1/2” PEX clamps are perfect for this hose size. I tested it on a scrap piece of tube and it was unbelievably tight so I used 2 of them just to be sure. I tried to start the truck and nothing, didn’t hear the fuel pump run. Then I remembered the fuel pump module was unplugged. All is good, no leaks.

 

[George B]

What did you get for a bender? I was trying to find the post where you showed a pic.

 

[Rocket Man]

What did you get for a bender? I was trying to find the post where you showed a pic.

This Imperial one, recommended by guys who do this for a living. The instructions give me a headache lol.

 

[George B]

That is a good one. I spent 13 years building panels bending 1/8”/1/2” stainless tubing and wore out quite a few of the single size imperial benders. Bending tube is an art. I really enjoyed doing that work.

 

[Rocket Man]

Looks like that thing on the fuel line is the fuel injection pressure sensor. I guess it’s a good thing I left it there.

 

[Bowzer]

This Imperial one, recommended by guys who do this for a living. The instructions give me a headache lol.

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Nice bender. Used these extensively for refrigeration and controls tubing. I suggest starting with 1/4” soft copper before moving on to more expensive materials. This is becoming a lost art especially with the obsolescence of pneumatic controls.

Truck is looking good too!

 

[Rocket Man]

I finished up the tank to manifold line and did the right rear bag line. That one seemed simple but I kept getting the up/down angles backward so it took me 3 tries and 6’ of tube instead of 3’. The fronts are gonna be hard but I will be doing them in 2 pieces each since the 6’ tubes won’t reach anyway. That’s just one union each. I plan on working from each end to the center. I also re-loomed the entire rear stock wiring harness and remounted the manifold higher due to how far up the driveline comes when it’s fully aired out.
Edit: the lines still need clamps where they cross the frame, I’ll do those all at once.

 

[George B]

You can save yourself some tube if you use solid wire to mock up a pattern to copy. Some guys would do a quick sketch of their tubes with dimensions too.

 

[Rocket Man]

I just did this left rear in 20 minutes, getting better.

 

[Rocket Man]

The new mh1 reflect bowls arrived yesterday and even though I asked the rep twice on the phone when I ordered them if they included the big hex nuts to mount them with since he told me I’d need to cut those off with a Dremel, they didn’t come with them. These took 8 days to arrive even with 2 day priority mail so I’m pretty unhappy and luckily they were closed when I tried to call, so I sent them an email. Good thing this isn’t my DD. Anyway I find it strange these don’t say Morimoto like the originals. Maybe they’re knockoffs? They look good though and I’m liking the shrouds in black. And here’s a look through the etched lens from the back side.