MG

Stephen Watson and I spent some time talking shop, jeeps, lockers, trucks and suspension. I turned my GoPro on to capture it all. My longest video yet, but the amount of knowledge in here is awesome. Stephen Watson is a veritable smithsonian of all things chevy and give us an up close and personal walk through of his K30 convertible and then we make fun of my welding!
• MG #154 - shop talk wi... DRIVETRAIN
• MG #154 - shop talk wi... STEERING & LOCKERS
• MG #154 - shop talk wi... K30BLAZER
• MG #154 - shop talk wi... SUSPENSION TUNING & LINKS
• MG #154 - shop talk wi... RADICAL NEW TECH
Gear, merch, and parts all over on www.merricksgarage.com
For parts, tools and equipment used in video, take a gander at the Merricks Garage Amazon Store!
bit.ly/MERRICKSGARAGEAMZN
Daily updates on the Instagram:
bit.ly/MerricksGarageInstagram

[@j.j.clingman4083]

Stephen Watson & OFF ROAD DESIGN is for FACT THE BEST AFTER MARKET STORE FOR buying OFF ROADING Vehicles parts for sure!! Over the past 15 years I have spent probably 10,000.00 worth of parts for my 1972 Chevy that I have been building over the years!! I have ended up calling & talking to him 3 to 4 times a day & he has spent hours after hours on the phone with me with all the help he could give me over the phone!! That is supper awesome support if you ask me!!! I just can’t say enough about Stephen!! He doesn’t no me from Adam but still spends all the time he can trying to help me out until I’ve been able to figure it out!! I’ve never had a problem with any of there parts at all & work flawlessly!! If you need 4x4 parts for your rig off road design is definitely the place to go!! He has no problem answering any questions you might have before buying something you might need!! Give them a try & I promise you that you won’t be pissed off buying his parts!! Awesome awesome awesome place to go!! Love your support Stephen!!! Hope you see this also!!

[@rarbaugh07]

Stephen is the best. He's the Gale Banks of off road.

[@steelmill]

Steven sure is one of the best when it comes to Square Bodys.Thanks for the info.

[@SirVarnish]

What a great video, thank you for taking the time both you guys. Didn’t feel rushed, just a nice conversation with a knowledgeable guy.

[@cjg253]

I'm a Ford guy but I could listen to Watson talk all day. I checked his rig out multiple times in Moab and it is so dialed. It never ceased to impress me in it's abilities on the trail. Thanks for the video, I watched every minute and really enjoyed it 🤘🏻

[@zoraduntov3062]

Been a big fan since I voted for Wally for TTC, I think he needs to build a replica of that truck in its Top Truck Challenge configuration- one of the most iconic K5's of all time!

[@vetguy2562]

I just learned SO much, thank you both for this video. I've admired his truck since I first saw it years ago, I still do. Again, thanks for doing this one. 🤘😁

[@MerricksGarage]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@demented_cycles]

Watson is the man! Looking forward to this vid!

[@bkrgi]

The Knowledge ...oh man bring on more of it My take away is there is no right or wrong way in doing a build...but is more about making it right for you and your needs

[@coryhuggard9363]

This is awesome, making me want a blazer! Cool just watching you two talk

[@jmetcalf6350]

Thanks again for the content James. A lot of good info in this one. A couple of things stuck out. Ya got to get out there & use what you have. That’s the big one. It’s easy to want the best of the best & then get discouraged & never make it to the trail. I did it for years. I agree with what you all said about leaf springs. I would add that once you drive on them a while the range of motion they have becomes par. Left hand turns at highway speed with leaf spring travel can get hairy, you just have to understand what is happening & why. I learned so much this video & even more from the FullsizeInvasion experience.

[@shaemould7152]

Awesome video! thanks for the info

[@tomasjeep]

I love his old green blazer

[@chrisredman3418]

old green blazer, became a ridicuolous off road beast.

[@scottpetrie8707]

Oh dear Watson. That truck is awesome and watched it for years. Awesome to see a closer look.

[@syndicateindustries2745]

Great knowledge, glad you shared it.

[@MRALL4FUN]

A hole lot of AWESOMENESS in this video!!

[@MarkJones-sk6vk]

Great vid. That shock discussion was really great. I learned a lot thanks.

[@oneshotpete6.591]

love both rigs … well done good sir !! 👍🏼

[@johnclark6751]

One of my favorite videos to date! Love the cram session of knowledge!

[@colesgarage666]

Awesome video of Stephen, I got some good info, thanks! My blazer's gettin there someday, so far I just rebuilt my np205 using offroad design's 32 spline front output shaft and rebuild kit.

[@lobo176]

Awesome walk around can’t wait for your next vid 👍

[@matthewc3617]

What a great video!! Really cool of Stephen to take the time to talk with you. I've been trying to find more videos of his K30 and wouldn't you know it to show up on your channel.

[@muds17]

Two of the best built square body trucks our there on one video!!

[@cjleon1104]

One of my now favorites on your channel, very informative! Yes you should defiantly do a live vid/chat tons of questions and topics to be discussed Im sure.

[@vwmopar2008]

Probably one of your best vids! Love both trucks.

[@highoctain113]

So jealous... I've been talking to ord getting tid bits of education since I've been fiddling with my transfer case issue... i finally got my 205 and 203, then I figured out that mating the 203 to the nv5600 is impossible unless i wanted to use the weak link adapter... so magnum box it is... I'm just hoping to have 1 by end of summer if I'm lucky... I've followed ord's square body for a while and that thing is amazing. And to think your k5 is almost the exact same rig but 2 completely different builds all together. Square body for life.

[@rogerbean6442]

Wise Words fellas!

[@thetruth7608]

Great insight, you guys are good!

[@bradywilliams2666]

SO making me want to build one of squares into a crawler. I have an 84 crew K30 dually and an 86 K20. But my CJ/buggy works so good on the trails. But I really want something that is daily driveable and still really good on mild to medium trails.

[@gcodemetalworks9138]

Great video 👍

[@fabricobblegarage9545]

I like how they did the exhaust mounts. I’m gonna barrow that.

[@waynesbsf9532]

I loved meeting him here in wasilla Alaska this summer for UA 2019 .

[@thedobermangang3503]

great video

[@jacksonlee4200]

great info.

[@biginuf2689]

Love both rigs.

[@cwoutkast491]

Uh oh. Judging by that grin at the beginning, there are more upgrades in the K5’s future.

[@_Justinriceism_]

To add to your "Takeaway Point" I'd just say you don't have to build what the internet tells you that you "need". Awesome video. A true sit down with one of the greats in the industry and something all of us followers always wanted. Was riding in his k30 similar to a kid on Christmas?

[@MerricksGarage]

Riding in his showed me how much tuning I have to do to mine.

[@matty86suk]

How much did you shorten or lengthen the front driveshaft with the magnum/205?

[@cmac956]

Hi guy's, grate video ,can you use a pan hard bar with leaf springs?. thank you for all your how to video's.

[@MerricksGarage]

No real need for a panhard with leaf springs. The leafs do a good job of locating the axle

[@cmac956]

thank you ,always good to know.

[@zoraduntov3062]

I was wondering how he shortened this K30 ? Did he just lop off the rear section, or did he chop it in half and weld it back together ? I am thinking about shortening mine.

[@pennsylvaniaboy87]

let the man talk.....lol

[@grahamgeiger3206]

I second this comment. Video was really interesting but Steven is the man so next time if there is a next time try not to cut him off so much and let the man spill his knowledge. Overall still a great video though.

[@White-Head]

Ok we need 4 links for the 2000 Chevy models ORD!!

[@tippin.turtle]

Why are you laughing at dual steering stabilizers on a square body? What would be a better option? I ask because I just bought a new dual stabilizer...lol.

[@MerricksGarage]

Better option? Steering that doesn’t need a dampener to control it ha ha. 😜

[@joshpeterson7216]

4.88 gears and 40"s

[@TravelingfromFlorida]

What is the average price you're paying for a 2500, 4by4, barn door Suburban from Arizona?

[@MerricksGarage]

Depends on condition but a hood clean one is now around 15-20k

[@TravelingfromFlorida]

@@MerricksGarage, by chance are you interested in a un-molested '89 Suburban? And if not yourself, some one else.

[@rockwellpatrick7386]

M

[@charlieschroder1579]

Good content but merrick interrupts and seems to want to here himself talk and overtalks him? Merrick is about himself. Typical California democrat!

[@MerricksGarage]

Haters gonna hate. Happy new year Charlie. I can tell this is gonna be your year!!