6.5L Turbo Diesel Blazer Project

[DmaxMaverick]

...Many pickup/SUV owners here in Montana drive all the time with a gnarly ball hitch plugged into their receiver hitch. I suspect it's to warn tailgaters (or potato chip eaters). ... Sarah had a nice soft 245/75R16 to cushion the blow... (sarcasm...)...

That's no accident. I leave my large hitch/ball platform plugged in for just that reason. Nearly every pickup around here does, too. I've been rear ended twice in the 2001. Totaled both offenders, one being a Chevy 1500, the other a Ram 3500. Cars seem to keep their distance. My tailgate has what looks like a golf ball dent in it (probably from forward-flying debris), and that's the extent of the damage it's taken. The offender's insurance company paid for the hitch and ball, each time, as well as the dimple repair (which I didn't repair). The only drawback with having it there all the time is, it's a knee/shin getter, if you're not paying attention. My Draw-Tite Class V hitch platform (the 8 bolt forged model, not the OEM paperweight) never seemed phased by the abuse.

It's always pleasing to hear that there's no serious injuries after all the metal carnage. I've worked enough crashes for a lifetime of nightmares. Any not-bad-news is good news. My older son walked away from his death in July 2023. He was a passenger in a 120 MPH Z06 convertible crash. Long story, but I'll take the short version he survived, with minor injuries and a dozen sutures. The driver wasn't so fortunate. Life is short, cherish what you have. A few bruises after a crash are battle trophies. Consider the alternatives.

[arveetek]

Now that's the first time Ive seen a high lift jack used like that.

They work as a winch as well as a lift. I didn't have a winch at the time, but it worked like a champ!

Casey

[a5150nut]

There's a couple work trucks here in East Tennessee with a pipe wrench welded to the bumper. Keeps people behind them at a safe distance

[Yukon6.2]

Here's my Honda Pilot from a few years ago that got totaled:




The hood, fender, grille, and passenger door were all damaged.

Here's my redneck "frame" puller (the Honda was unit body construction) pulling some wrinkles out of the front inner fender structure:





Here's the end result; all body panels I found in matching paint from several different salvage yards; I ended up with one dent in the plastic bumper cover I couldn't get out; everything else popped out with the help from a heat gun:





I was pretty pleased with the results of this backyard body shop work!

I'm glad things are progressing well on the Blazer, Jim!

Casey

Good job
saved from the scrap heap

[Yukon6.2]

They work as a winch as well as a lift. I didn't have a winch at the time, but it worked like a champ!

Casey

Yes a high lift has saved many miles of walking by using it as a winch. I have salvaged a building with one, a 4x8 sheet of 1/2 plate steel from the dump once and a number of other odds and ends i could not lift.
A Highlift/ Jackall is mandatory equipment in a truck up here.