My 52 GMC Build

[ptc]

Originally Posted by lower50's

I'm thinking of running the 16" rims that are on it for a while. I'm not putting spacers because I want to keep all that weight under the bearings. Going to get 245 or 255/60/16 tires before I drive it. There is 235/60/16 on it now.

You should find some cool looking old school dually front wheels.... dont need to be chrome or anything.... just 16.5" phat wheels!

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by ptc

You should find some cool looking old school dually front wheels.... dont need to be chrome or anything.... just 16.5" phat wheels!

Maybe I'll get some 16" steel rims and dually hubcaps. Never thought of that option.

[lower50's]

I put the order in to local rad shop for my custom radiator today. The core size will be 21"X 24" 4 rows thick (about 3 1/4") That should take care of things. They said it should take about 2 weeks.

[Dieselwrencher]

The running board looks great!

[SSABMUD]

She is looking real good. What will be ride height? Going to be a bear to get a floor jack under. Mine is tough but not as tough as yours.

[99 to Life]

nice work and vision, dunno how I missed your build. I always wanted to do a diesel build. bags, dually and diesel, you got all the right stuff.

[lower50's]

Thanks Dieselwrencher

[lower50's]

Thanks SSABMUD At 120psi on the front bags I get about 4" and at 150psi I get 5.5" running board height.

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

nice work and vision, dunno how I missed your build. I always wanted to do a diesel build. bags, dually and diesel, you got all the right stuff.

Thanks 99

[99 to Life]

I'm assuming your running 2600lb bags up front? 150 psi seems high, even with that weight you have up front. You could add a bag cup to make up the height and run a lower psi. easy fix if you feel its too ruff down the road.

looking good out in the light for sure. I like how the dually aspect is almost hidden.

[Advanced Design]

Very cool build Lower50's. Truck looks really good sitting out!

[Dieselwrencher]

Your bag pressures do seem really high. How big of a bag do you have in there?

[yawdie1]

Nice!

[lower50's]

Thanks guys. I have 2600lb or 6" bags up front and 3055lb or 7" bags in the back. I wasn't really concerned about the pressure I figure 120psi will be my norm. At that pressure my front arms are close to level. But I do have some ideas if it rides like crap. What are typical air pressures in other trucks?

[99 to Life]

I wish I could be of more help there. As my first bagged ride still hasn't hit the road (though very very soon it will) I'm running sleeves in the back so its gonna differ from your monsters. I feel 2600lb bag up front and sleeves is about 60/40 front to back. I just never hear of guys running over 100psi up front but you might find some info out there where guys are. If you just put a put a cup in there, I think that would help you out alot. I'm running cups top and bottom. I had to angle cut my bottom cup to work with my stock lower control arm. which you prolly won't need to do with yours.

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

I wish I could be of more help there. As my first bagged ride still hasn't hit the road (though very very soon it will) I'm running sleeves in the back so its gonna differ from your monsters. I feel 2600lb bag up front and sleeves is about 60/40 front to back. I just never hear of guys running over 100psi up front but you might find some info out there where guys are. If you just put a put a cup in there, I think that would help you out alot. I'm running cups top and bottom. I had to angle cut my bottom cup to work with my stock lower control arm. which you prolly won't need to do with yours.

I have to apologize to 99. He was giving me advise about the air bags and I was wrong on a few things. First I have 2500 bags up front and 2600 in back. Also I added a lower cup on the front this week so the bag was not so extended and gave them an angle cut to level out the bottom of the bag. I also don't need as much psi to get to ride height like 20psi less. I feel much better about this setup now. Thanks to everybody's advice and knowledge I do listen to everything, I just might be stubborn sometimes. This is my first build it has been a huge learning curve. Man I can't wait till spring when this thing will be rolling down the rd.

[Dieselwrencher]

Where are you getting your pressure reading from?

[lower50's]

Thanks 99. At 60 psi mine is not even off the ground, but the way I figure it. A 350 is about 550lb dry, my motor is about 1000lb dry. So if your running 60psi I'll need to run about 120psi because I have about double the weight. It all comes down to pounds per square inch, a bigger air bag would give more lift for the same psi. Ride height on my rear bags is around 25psi.

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Where are you getting your pressure reading from?

The gauges are plumed into the 1/4" npt gauge ports on my accuair valve

[lower50's]

Got some stuff I ordered end of January. My GF's parents brought it home for me last Friday from the states.
S10 big brake conversion kit. It feels like Christmas.

My inter-cooler.

[CHIZZLER]

Really diggin your build.

[lower50's]

Got my locker installed in the diff today. Also worked on some air leaks on the bag side.

Also here is a size comparison from my Dana 44 out of my jeep. To my Dana 70HD in my GMC. Spider gears, carrier bearings, cross shaft is about 1.25" in dia.

[99 to Life]

that looks stout, wish I could man up and get a locker. I'm siiiiick of one wheel drive in every vehicle I own.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice parts in the D70!

[lower50's]

Well last night I just needed to fabricate something, so. I built my trailer hitch. Fit exactly where I wanted it to. 1/4" X 2.5" gussets and 2"X 2"- 1/4" wall tube.
I have a 1/8" gap on bottom of tailgate to receiver. Welded tube and gussets to frame.