Any difference between 1/2 and 3/4 ton frames?
 

Are there any differences between the 1/2 and 3/4 frames, like strength wise, and will 3/4 ton axles bolt up to a half ton frame? If I can put 3/4 axles under it, will i be as strong as a 3/4 ton? The reason I'm asking is because..........................................................................................


I MAY HAVE GOTTEN LEEDS ON A COMPLETE 69-70 1/2 TON 4x4 TRUCK WITH A GOOD FRAME AND CAB FOR FREE!!!!!! :metal: The guy used it to plow his driveway and he gave it away to another guy. BUT, the guy he gave it to shot himself, so now this little old lady has it on her property, and she might give it back away since it was given to her, and to get it out of her sight. It has a 292 in it with a four speed, complete 7' plow and plow rigging (the guy said i could have the plow, because it is at his house).
But i was just curious if the frames were different because i wanted to put 3/4 axles under it if the truck was any good. Or it may just be a freebee parts machine. who knows. but a free chevy pick-up sounds good to me, running or not!

I believe the frames are basically the same. You will have to move the spring pads on the rears unless its a 73-up axle.

the 1/2 ton frames are visably thinner when you cut a section out of both and put them up together. i put 1/2 ton frame horns on my k20 and before it was welded up you could tell they were smaller, the vise grips wasnt holding the frame horns at all because it would kit my 3/4 ton frame first. that said, you should be able to put 3/4 ton axles under it and do most anything you would want to. the springs are of course stiffer on 3/4 ton too

if your 3/4 ton axles are from a 67-72 they'll bolt up.

The opperative word here is FREE....

Go get the dang thing and worry about the details later.. ROTFLOL!

well said.

^Yeah, what they said. Go get it and see what the dealyo with it is first.
-Later

How about other years like the 73-87's and 88-98's? Is the metal thicker in their 3/4 ton frames too? How much?

I looked at an old C1500 (88-98) GMC at my college that was parked for years with its bed removed. I took a machinists ruler and measured the frame thickness between 0.110" and 0.135".

i dont really know uncle, that is a good question though.. if i had a way to measure i could check on my 89 k2500

I've heard specs for the new Super Duty F*rds.

Their older chassis used to be 0.255" thick on the models starting in the late 90's. The 2004 model has a chassis 0.285"! (about double the thickness on the 88-98 GM ton)

BTW anything as thick or thicker than 0.250" is considered "plate metal" not sheet metal. :D

If you're interested you could probably check the frame thickness just by looking under the truck with a flashlight and machinist's ruler (something that measures 1/100's of an inch) a micrometer or vernier calipers; as long as the chassis is still an "open-C channel" shape in the back. That's what I saw on the 1/2 ton GMC, open C channel.