Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah that will be something I will have to look at. If I can get a transmission I plan on just running it as 2wd because I need to get it in there for as cheap as possible and then find all the stuff to make it 4x4.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Roger that, drive line can get expensive quick. Got almost 3k in yokes and 3 custom built driveshafts
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I don't have that kinda money so I'm trying to use as much of what I have to get it working. I'll probably have my rear driveshaft lengthened and the put a conversion ujoint in it to hook up to the nv4500. I'll have to buy steel to build mounts and buy some stuff for the motor. So I'm basically spending a lot and luckly I found a guy willing to work with me so I could make payments on the motor. But it seems like every time I talk to him I spend more money lol
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Lol, my truck started as a budget build but I Realy don't know if there is such a thing.... As much as I try and keep it that way. I basically got my 64k mile 12v for free so that helped
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I know what you mean. I have way more money in my truck than it looks. When I added it all up it was just rediculous. You can't beat free! Especially for a 12v, I'll have $2000 in my 12v by the time I get all the accessories I need to adapt it to a nv4500 and get it to work in my truck and including fuel to go pick it up lol.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I bought a 1995 ford, 55 passenger ford school bus from a school district for $2500 it had a new cummins installed in 2007 with documentation showing 64k miles. I drove the bus home, sold tires, wheels, all the seats, windows, rad and intercooler for $1300 and then I scrapped the rest for $1600, rofl.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Can't beat that! That's a heck of a deal.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Your plan sounds almost exactly like what I want to build. Although I have yet to buy a truck.... It's still in the wishing/planning/dreaming stage. I love your project!

I think I have read that the Rough Country springs are the roughest riding springs. You might want to research that though because I could be remembering wrong. Also, don't the shackle flips only raise the rear 4"? How will you make up the other two inches in the back? Just curious. Keep up the good work!

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Rough country springs are the only springs that I have heard of that will hold the weight of the cummins. As for the shackle flip I mounted the front rear doing mounts down 2 inches and so I'm going to get a 2 inch longer shackle which will make up for 6 inches.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

How much does the cummins weigh?

The 52" or 56" rear springs should handle it...
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Not really sure. More than a big block. 52 or 56 would support it. They will only give you 4 inches of lift tho.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah,
But you would need to move the front mounts so you could build in an extra 2 inches and get longer shackles. It would ride better than lift springs.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I guess that could work. I have not really thought much into it.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

My cummins tipped the scales at 1,162 lbs with oil and all acc.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I used lift springs but did build 1 3/4" taller hangers and 1 3/4" longer shackles to make up for the cummins Allison combo.

You can see on my build if you like, I don't like filling others threads with my pics

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=508477
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

He's right on the money. 950 with no accessories, 1150 with automotive accessories, 1165 with fluids.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I might look into doing a 56 inch swap or something. I have an extra pair of 56 inch springs that would probably do great on the truck, and will give me a ton of flex which I am not sure if that would be good or not for a DD/Tow rig. But it would save me some money because the lift I was looking at was $700 and I already plan on buying steel for mounting the cummins that i could easily make new mounts for springs.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Just be sure to run a sway bar...
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I'm no expert but in my experiences a sway bar does not work well in a lifted suspension Situations Especially in a cross over steering setup. But I have run pan hard bars with good results. I have heard of others experiencing some bump steer tho.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I'm no expert either, but im learning! Lol
Sway bar has little to do with steering, it's for body roll.
A pan hard doesn't help body roll either, it keeps the axle centered.
From what I understand a track bar and leaf springs fight each other.
High steer and a horizontal drag link is the best fix for bump steer.

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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I don't have cross over steering and I have both from and rear sway bars that I have wanted to put on to help from sway. But I think the front will be more of a pain to get it to work.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Well not really much of an update. I have decided that I am going to build my second frame for this truck so I can keep the truck driving and get the second frame build for the 8 inches of lift and cummins. Then just swap the body over.

New frame in shop
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...b/b270010b.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...b/dc74cbf5.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...b/7099e969.jpg

The plan is to build custom mounts for the springs front and back so I can get 56 inch springs front and back. Ive decided that sense I am going to build custom mounts for the front so I can mount 56 inch springs in the front that I might as well go with more than 6 inches of lift so I plan on building more lift into the mounts for the springs to get a total of 8. The truck is going to have 37s under it and while I have seen people run 37s with 4 inches of lift and they seem to be fine, but I will be taking this truck off the road at times and would rather not get a tire into the body. I will be installing the sway bars just to help keep from having so much body roll.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Looks like more fun!

I would look into the 56" springs on the front some more, I heard someone say that you could get axle wrap in the front with that long of a spring and that's why they went with 52"s instead.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

That might be true because some people will remove up to 4 of the springs so that they can get a lot of flex out of them. I am not necessarily looking for flex so I am thinking about keeping all 8 of the leaf springs in the pack. I think that will help keep the front from sagging a lot and it will also keep from having much axle wrap. I know it may not ride the best with all 8 leafs but its a truck and I think with the weight of the cummins it will help some. The rear of my truck currently does not ride bad at all with 10 or 12 leafs and no weight on it.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Well I drove the truck to school today and was heading on my way home and I started getting black smoke out from under the hood. One of my batteries fell out of its tray and for some reason the rubber dampener in the steering was on fire. I got it put out but not before it heated up the steel brake lines that go to the master cylinder and it cracked and I lost my brakes. So I had to have the truck trailered home. Had the guy that farms my parents land pull it home for me, he brought is 06 dodge and his 36 foot goose neck.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...b/8bf42b63.jpg

Man that is a nice trailer. Sure makes a crew cab long bed look small haha. After riding in his truck I am kind of rethinking some things on my truck. I am wanting to keep my truck basically for DD and tow pig. His truck is a short bed and it really seemed to handle that 36 foot trailer very nicely. Im thinking about cutting my truck down to a short bed and running a 33 or 35 inch tire. I dont need a big lifted truck, and i kinda think a stockish truck will work great for me. i know it wont be anything like his dodge, but i think it will work better for what I want.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

man if you plan on using as a truck keep it long bed..........trust my i have a short bed 04 i hate it im always having things in it to big for the short bed. the stock height though is great idea.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I know leaving it a long bed would probably be better so that I could use the truck as a truck. In all honesty I really don't need a long bed. The only thing I really ever haul in the bed is my fourwheeler which barely fits in the long bed. It fits good enough in my 03 dodge short bed so I'm not worries about that. My truck should pull about any trailer I want and I have access to about any trailer from a 16 foot bumper pull to a 36 foot gn. I'm going to be driving it around town more than hauling stuff so going short bed will really help with the turning radius. I want it to be more dd friendly but also be able to hook up to just about anything and haul some ass!
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

actaully having a sb vs long bed the long bed does better with the goose neck. 5th wheel its a 100x better. and bumper pull it dont buck as bed even.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

ive owned my last short bed lets put it that way.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I know the long bed will do better for towing, but I don't see myself towing stuff all the time. In the time I've had the truck running I have not hauled a thing. I want it to be dd friendly and a short bed just seems like it will work best for me. It will be more dd friendly and I should be able to hook up to a trailer when I want and go with it.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I drive past your truck almost every day. i live and go to school in pitt and work for a farmer down by crestline. message me for my contact info if you want. i would more than happy to help you work on your truck durning what little i free time i have during the week lol. what you going to school for?

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Do you? That's cool man! I'm goin to school for manufacturing. What about yourself?
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Construction Engineering

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I wonder if when your battery fell over, it arched out causing a short and the energy came out near the steering shaft and brake lines? That stinks to hear man. This time around build some battery hold downs man!

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Yeah I know I needed tie downs for the batteries. Not really sure exactly what happened, have not had time to look at it sense I got it home.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Sucks to hear about your truck, Matt. Hope you are able to get it back on the road quickly.

I wonder how many other PSU guys are here? I was in the Automotive Service Management program for a while (untile I got hired out from my internship), and worked for prof. Strong before he went back to teaching. It would have been 1996-97. It's been a long time, but do the auto guys still have the "Gus Bus" still running around?

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

If nothing else a heavy bungee cord is a good idea for that battery.

Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

I'm going to hold off on the truck for now. Thinking about pulling the drivetrain out of the cc and stuffing it in the k10 so that I can have the k10 running and then I can work on the cc and get it cut up for a short bed and getting the cummins transplant.

I've never head of this "gus bus"


Yeah I know, I have some for it just never got around to it. I have not been bouncing around that much at all and wasn't to worried about it. I've learned my lesson. The truck should be fine but I'm just going to tear it apart now and get it ready to cut down and get it ready for the transplant.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Well I drive ccsb every day 3/4 ton its not anymore dd friendly and everyday I hate the sb more and more . I got a good deal on it but I wish I had waited got a cclb. Rant I know but the one thing I hate on my dmax is the bed. I don't use its bed a lot but the few times I do I want to burn it. Plus cclb srw looks better than anything to me.
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Re: 85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab
 

Just in case you didn't already know, my vote is for keeping it a long bed too. :)