85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab

[Mattman2010]

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

[yjheep]

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mattman2010]

Can't beat that! That's a heck of a deal.
Posted via Mobile Device

[arrover]

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!

[Mattman2010]

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

[joe231]

How much does the cummins weigh?

The 52" or 56" rear springs should handle it...
Posted via Mobile Device

[yjheep]

Originally Posted by joe231

How much does the cummins weigh?

The 52" or 56" rear springs should handle it...
Posted via Mobile Device

My cummins tipped the scales at 1,162 lbs with oil and all acc.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by yjheep

My cummins tipped the scales at 1,162 lbs with oil and all acc.
Posted via Mobile Device

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

[Mattman2010]

Not really sure. More than a big block. 52 or 56 would support it. They will only give you 4 inches of lift tho.
Posted via Mobile Device

[joe231]

Originally Posted by Mattman2010

Not really sure. More than a big block. 52 or 56 would support it. They will only give you 4 inches of lift tho.
Posted via Mobile Device

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

[yjheep]

Originally Posted by joe231

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

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
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mattman2010]

Originally Posted by yjheep

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
Posted via Mobile Device

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.

[Mattman2010]

Yeah I guess that could work. I have not really thought much into it.
Posted via Mobile Device

[joe231]

Just be sure to run a sway bar...
Posted via Mobile Device

[yjheep]

Originally Posted by joe231

Just be sure to run a sway bar...
Posted via Mobile Device

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

[joe231]

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.

Posted via Mobile Device

[Mattman2010]

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.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mattman2010]

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






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.

[1985-GMC]

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.

[Mattman2010]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

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.

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.

[Mattman2010]

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.



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.

[nekkidhillbilly]

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.

[Mattman2010]

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!
Posted via Mobile Device
Posted via Mobile Device

[nekkidhillbilly]

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.

[nekkidhillbilly]

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