[Jonboy]

I swapped my 8 lug stuff out for 1/2 ton parts and haven't looked back yet. In the front I left the 3/4 ton crossmember, and used 1/2 ton parts from the crossmember out. In the rear, I swapped to 1/2 ton hangers (they are different), and kept the 3/4 ton leafs, which are essentially the same as the heavy half leaf springs. I had a rolling frame I parted out. In hindsight, when I shortened my 3/4 ton, I wish I would have just sectioned in the rear of the 1/2 ton frame. I still have not mounted my rear shocks, and will probably have to find a creative way to do so. If you are wanting to run that big of a wheel, I would look into doing the Porterbuilt truck arm rear suspenson. It would solve a lot of problems for you, IMO. I would really like to, but am having a bit of a hard time justifying the $$$ on a truck that still doesn't run. At the minimum, if you are going 1/2 ton rear, I would put in some kind of air bag leveling system on the rear. My old '74 had one, and it towed about anything Scoti asked it to. I hauled a pallet (80 bags) and 16 extra bags of mulch with it, and the truck took it like a champ.

Before everyone gets their shorts in a wad and starts a dogpile on me because I pulled out a bunch of 40 year old 3/4 ton parts and replaced them with new 1/2 ton parts, I never planned on towing anything more than a car trailer (if even that) with this truck. I wanted a CCSB, and the only viable way to do that was to start with a 3/4 or 1 ton and cut it up. I am not a fan of 8 lug wheels, so I pitched them. If GM had built the truck I wanted in a 1/2 ton version, then it wouldn't have been a question. I bought my truck (and the '89 dually that Scoti now has) with the express notion of cutting it up.