GarrettGmc's 94 ecsb

GarrettGmc · Mar 10, 2018

Wow it's been a month since I've dome anything to the truck besides put the bed of the frame so I could move it away from the shop. Been busy and the money that would've kicked this project close to finish is being used for home and business crap.
Doing some work at the house and picking up gravel with the neighbors truck today got me thinking if my choice of power train, the 5.3 with t56, should be changed a little bit. Trying to research an not coming up with alot so hope to hear some feedback, what would the 5.3 with the t56 be capable of towing? Ive got a couple trailers and I'm gunna be loading logs 3-4k plus trailer weight and tossing the idea of a hydraulic dump trailer eventually and with all this stuff going on my concern is the trans. I havent found much abt towing with the t56 and im wondering if i should start thinking abt a different tranny, I'd still like a manual.

Also I'd like to keep the 5 lug but upgrade the dif to handle the weight, if that can be done if not then I'll have to figure out the front end, can I just use 6 lug rotor on the current spindles or will I need to swap the spindles as well so i dnt have 6 lug rear an 5 lug front. An thinkin abt some air ride on the rear.

I'm keeping options open as I'm not sure what all is going to change this year.

GarrettGmc · Mar 10, 2018

Oh another option would be to prolong this build more an buy another tow rig but I hate seeing this truck in pieces everywhere, ugh :banghead:

gstubbz · Mar 12, 2018

Why not just SAS it and get a 14b ff in the rear and run a 6.0/nv4500 then you'll be ready to tow some stuff while also having an 8 lug truck!

95C1500 · Mar 12, 2018

Another trans option is an nv4500. Dont oboe if they can be put behond an LS though. Never looked into it.

6 lug rotors will fiton 5 lug spindles. Get c2500 LD rotors

GarrettGmc · Mar 12, 2018

gstubbz said:
Why not just SAS it and get a 14b ff in the rear and run a 6.0/nv4500 then you'll be ready to tow some stuff while also having an 8 lug truck!

The sas is planned for a couple years. As for right now I like the 5 lug rims I have since I've never seen anyone else running them and i like havin something different. Although I'm ok swapping to 6 lug since I did a bit of research and the rims come in a 6 lug and couple different sizes so I could run same size tires on these as I do the 99.

95C1500 said:
6 lug rotors will fiton 5 lug spindles. Get c2500 LD rotors

Thanks I couldn't remember if they were interchangeable.

So I've been thinkin an thinkin and more thinkin. I'm gunna stick with my plan of the 5.3 an t56. Ive usually always used my trucks as a multipurpose vehicle but with the work im putting in and my plans for paint I'm not wanting to beat it up right away. Eventually ill end up doin something to it just not right away. So I started looking around and once I get some spare cash I can pick up a 3/4 at a decent price that I won't mind if I dent it up.

It'll set the 94 back a little bit but I'd hate to get her looking nice then use it as a work truck. I may still swap it to 6 lug if I find a good deal on a rear end

GarrettGmc · Mar 26, 2018

Alright so I've tried looking around but no luck. Been thinkin abt the trans and how the truck is set up. Since its lifted, larger tires, an I believe the rear end is 3.73 I'm wondering if the t56 would even be a good choice, would it eventually ruin the tranny. Only wondering since most of the trucks I've looked up that had the t56 are stock or lowered with smaller tires.
Am I over thinkin things?

GarrettGmc · Mar 30, 2018

So with the lovely weather starting to heat back up, hit 82 today, I figured it's gonna be a dry spring so I won't have to worry abt rain I've set myself a goal for this coming week. Son has his spring break so except for Tuesday an Wednesday I'll have time to get some more stuff done. So today I did a 2nd an 3rd bedliner coat on the frame and my plan is to somehow lift the cab an sand the bottom, reweld some parts that need to be fixed an line that as well. Then remove the bed off the frame again so I can put the cab back on finally. Then I can sand the cab and not have sanding dust everywhere in my shop, which is a gigantic mess.
Just a couple random pics, let me know if the pics dnt show up, had to get a new phone this morning an its uploading them differently.