Daddyjeep Hauler - 85 K30 crew cab short bed

[daddyjeep]

So I finally drug the truck into the shop so I can get started on this project. I picked up this truck about a month ago and it is in need of a little love. It hasn't been registered since 2003 so I'm going to have to go through everything. I'm going to cut it down to a short bed and eventually drop in a 6.0. For now I have to focus on the short bed conversion and replacing the rockers and front floors. I go to the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival every year with my YJ so I need the truck functioning by June to use it to drag the Jeep there. Lots to do.

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[MTCK]

Cool rig and sounds like a good plan. Going to keep it a dually or go single rear wheel? What's the specs on the truck? June will be here before you know it!!! Looks like a nice shop to work in.

[daddyjeep]

You are right MTCK, I need to put my signature together. It is a 454, auto, D60/D70, A/C, power everything. The interior is really clean aside from the rust. I plan on single rear wheel. Yes, I am spoiled with my shop. The lady we bought the house from said nobody wanted the place because of the 40×80 shop. I agreed and asked her to drop the price.

[AbigailAmelia]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

Yes, I am spoiled with my shop. The lady we bought the house from said nobody wanted the place because of the 40×80 shop. I agreed and asked her to drop the price.

Ha! Once our California canyon house sells, we're moving to Oregon (somewhere outside of Portland) and specifically looking for property with a shop. Hopefully we'll find a similar "flaw" and get a good price.

[daddyjeep]

So I finally messed with the truck and little tonight. I took the two, yes two, bolts that held on the fifth wheel hitch on out so I could yank it out of the bed. I can't believe someone hauled trailers with two 1/2 inch bolts. I also investigated things a little and got a pic of this.

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The bed is really nice for this part of the country. Just look at that floor.

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Here she is in all her rusty glory. Hopefully I can make some steady progress now.

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I tried unbolting the bed mounting bolts and to my surprise they actually turned...for a little while. The head started turning in the bed. On to plan B. What is the best method to remove them? I was thinking drilling out the heads would probably be the easiest.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

I tried unbolting the bed mounting bolts and to my surprise they actually turned...for a little while. The head started turning in the bed. On to plan B. What is the best method to remove them? I was thinking drilling out the heads would probably be the easiest.

I would tack weld the head to the bed floor....unbolt, then cut the small tacks off. MUCH easier than drilling out the carriage bolts.

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by slotard

Will you be finding new axles or using single wheels in dually offset?

Not sure yet. I am trying to make a deal on a 3/4 ton suburban or a 3/4 ton truck with the 6.0 I want. If either of those deals works out I will have the right axle too. That could cost me more in the long run though if the gear ratios don't match up. Worse case, I will just run wheel spacers for the time being.

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

I would tack weld the head to the bed floor....unbolt, then cut the small tacks off. MUCH easier than drilling out the carriage bolts.

I thought about that, or welding nuts to the head. That way I could clean up and re-use the carriage bolts.

[wildwilly4x4]

Ive got a crew short bed I built for hauling my jeeps too. Im running an 8.1/4l80e combo though.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by wildwilly4x4

Ive got a crew short bed I built for hauling my jeeps too. Im running an 8.1/4l80e combo though.

Me too, but I didn't build mine. My UAW pals in Flint did

[slotard]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

Not sure yet. I am trying to make a deal on a 3/4 ton suburban or a 3/4 ton truck with the 6.0 I want. If either of those deals works out I will have the right axle too. That could cost me more in the long run though if the gear ratios don't match up. Worse case, I will just run wheel spacers for the time being.



I thought about that, or welding nuts to the head. That way I could clean up and re-use the carriage bolts.

I thought dually axles were significantly wider than SRW, so spacers would do the opposite of what you'd want if trying to mount SRW wheels.

The donor trucks will be IFS so unless you're going 2WD you'd need more.

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

I would tack weld the head to the bed floor....unbolt, then cut the small tacks off. MUCH easier than drilling out the carriage bolts.

This worked beautifully, Thanks.

So obviously I got the bed bolts out. I even got the bed off after that.

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I then started fighting with the rusty hitch and bumper bolts. Luckily all but three of the bolts broke. Those last three took a 3' cheater all the way off.

Before

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After

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I removed all of the unnecessary brackets and started wire wheeling the frame. To my surprise, the frame has very little pitting under the scale.

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close up of the frame.

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Here is what has been taken off, including about a 20 pound pile of rust.

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[slotard]

Will you be finding new axles or using single wheels in dually offset?

[daddyjeep]

somehow I screwed up and move the original pic of the Jeep so here is another.

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[daddyjeep]

I haven't measured anything yet, but it was my understanding that the dually rear axle is 4" narrower than the front. I'll know more when I get things torn apart...hopefully this weekend.

[wildwilly4x4]

Heres my jeep hauler
Posted via Mobile Device

[wildwilly4x4]

Originally Posted by wildwilly4x4

Heres my jeep hauler
Posted via Mobile Device

Posted via Mobile Device

[MTCK]

I thought I had read of folks using H1 rims with squally axles since they have a ton of back spacing.

Willy do you have a build thread for that thing? I want to see more but not hijack...

[wildwilly4x4]

Originally Posted by MTCK

I thought I had read of folks using H1 rims with squally axles since they have a ton of back spacing.

Willy do you have a build thread for that thing? I want to see more but not hijack...

I never did make a build thread on it, Im too lazy to keep up with those. I did a build thread once on pirate4x4 on my willys jeep, but im just not good about remembering to take pics. If you have any questions about it I'd love to help though.

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by wildwilly4x4

Heres my jeep hauler
Posted via Mobile Device

That's a good looking TJ there WildWilly. I thought I saw somewhere that you have a 2A as well. I have a 2A that will eventually become an active project. Your hauler is very nice too.

[wildwilly4x4]

Ive got an m38, and 3a. M38 is heavily modded, and the 3a just has a granny tranny and lift.
Posted via Mobile Device

[daddyjeep]

I'm going to do the "z" cut I guess it's called.

I-----,___I. Kinda like that. 14"

[Chevy_mud_truck]

I like the z cut to I I was asking I wasn't sure on how much you had to cut out to do a short bed I just know I you had to cut some out of the middle and some off the very end thanks

[daddyjeep]

From what I understand, 14" in the middle and 6" in the back.

[Chevy_mud_truck]

I done a Google search and found a YouTube video of a guy cutting a 83 crew cab down its a three part video you might want to check out he explains some issues he found while getting ready to cut the front doing a z cut and he only cut 3 and 1/2 inches of the end of the frame he done a pretty good job on it loos good might check it out might get some helpful tip

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by Chevy_mud_truck

I done a Google search and found a YouTube video of a guy cutting a 83 crew cab down its a three part video you might want to check out he explains some issues he found while getting ready to cut the front doing a z cut and he only cut 3 and 1/2 inches of the end of the frame he done a pretty good job on it loos good might check it out might get some helpful tip

Thanks, I was planning on doing some more research before I got myself to the point of no return.