How to make a daily driver?

[Tyler Rea]

I'm 19 and for my 16th I received a 76 4x4 GMC high sierra with half ton axles and a basically stock 350. I soon learned how unreliable these trucks can be especially especially when you hell run them and take them mudding. Im no master mechanic but when something breaks on this I'm perfectly capable of fixing it other a than a number of complicated things. I had big plans for this truck and dreamed of pushing insane amounts of torque and horsepower out of it but now I've decided that I don't want this to be something that you park in a garage and drive on sunny days. I think it would be so cool to have a truck that I could drive multiple times a week and not have to worry about breaking down anytime I drive it further than the parts store which brings me to my question, how do I turn this into a daily?

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[Tyler Rea]

I swapped it to a Dana 60 rear end with a 44 front end, I went through 4 rear ends in this thing and decided I didn't want half ton anymore, it's got a turbo 350 tranny which is stock and the motor runs pretty good, the 350 has a new edelbrock 650 carb and a performer intake with hedman headers.

 

[CSFJ]

Well, the first step to take if you want it to be a reliable daily driver, is to stop tearing it up offroad.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Well, the first step to take if you want it to be a reliable daily driver, is to stop tearing it up offroad.

X2...

 

[da_raabi]

X2...

x3

Any of these trucks can be a daily driver. You just have to take care of them and don't beat on them. I've been daily driving my 86 dooley for 4 years with only a couple minor hickups (the biggest being the trans letting go this week). Expect to need to do little things from time to time. Fuel pumps, tie-rods, all kinds of stuff like that.

If you beat on a vehicle, new or old, you will always be fixing things. From the pics it looks like you are trying to blend an offroader with a daily driver. While this CAN be done, it is difficult and will result in a lot of "off days". Just be ready for that.

My point is, if you treat it like a beater, it will be a beater. Treat it nice and it will act nice.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Well, the first step to take if you want it to be a reliable daily driver, is to stop tearing it up offroad.

Agreed.

Leave it alone. Just take care of it and drive it. Believe it or not, back in 76, there was nothing special about it at all, they were on highways and biways traveling all over the country. People even drove them daily lol.

Fix what's broke, and quit breaking it.

 

[Tyler Rea]

Well, the first step to take if you want it to be a reliable daily driver, is to stop tearing it up offroad.

Yeah I decided to get another rig for that

 

[Tyler Rea]

Agreed.

Leave it alone. Just take care of it and drive it. Believe it or not, back in 76, there was nothing special about it at all, they were on highways and biways traveling all over the country. People even drove them daily lol.

Fix what's broke, and quit breaking it.

Sounds good

 

[Crispy]

Start with fresh fluids, a tune up on that 350, check your belts and hoses and replace if needed. Since you beat on her a bit off road check your suspension bushings and alignment and correct as needed. Make sure your lights and gauges are all working as needed and repair/replace accordingly. Slap an air freshener in there and get at it. Hope you got pockets ready for the MPG lol.

 

[twinturbo427]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Stay ahead of the maintenance and budget for quality parts not the cheapest.

 

[Rusty Nail]

I have a good suggestion...

Get a dedicated set of tools that live in the truck.

That may make you happy.

 

[Tyler Rea]

My dad has always told me to buy the quality parts so I've always done that. I've just put so much time and money into this thing that I feel like there could be some sort of upgrades that would make it better for a daily. I had half ton axles on it for 3 years and even after I started taking it easy on her I couldn't stop blowing out rear ends. I went through 3 12 bolt rear ends and 1 Dana 44 front end, which was totally my fault because of mismatched gears and forgot to take it out of 4wd after the snow had passed. I just put 3/4 ton axles on and those have held up great. I know a rear disc conversion would be good. It's got a 4 inch lift and I used to run 35s but decided 33s would be a smarter option. I don't really wanna go smaller than that. Is there anything else I could buy that would make this thing handle/ride/drive better?

 

[Tyler Rea]

I have a good suggestion...

Have a dedicated set of tools that live in the truck.

That may make you happy.

I learned pretty fast to ALWAYS have tools in it. Ive replaced the starter 3 times in parking lots, all Napa lifetime warranty starters, after the 3rd time I bought one from oreillys and haven't had problems since

 

[Tyler Rea]

x3

Any of these trucks can be a daily driver. You just have to take care of them and don't beat on them. I've been daily driving my 86 dooley for 4 years with only a couple minor hickups (the biggest being the trans letting go this week). Expect to need to do little things from time to time. Fuel pumps, tie-rods, all kinds of stuff like that.

If you beat on a vehicle, new or old, you will always be fixing things. From the pics it looks like you are trying to blend an offroader with a daily driver. While this CAN be done, it is difficult and will result in a lot of "off days". Just be ready for that.

My point is, if you treat it like a beater, it will be a beater. Treat it nice and it will act nice.

Just saw your post. But yeah. I've become extremely attached to this truck and I love it too much for it to be a beater and therefore stopped beating it up.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Just saw your post. But yeah. I've become extremely attached to this truck and I love it too much for it to be a beater and therefore stopped beating it up.

Where is the fun in that?