Looking for the best PRACTICAL suspension set up for a c1500 work truck

[Brothajack93]

I’m currently working on building a rusty old 1997 GMC Sierra c1500 (ext cab l, 6-1/2ft box with 5.0L 305 if it matters) into a work truck. I was planning to do light work and build it at a later time but given the amount of corrosion from Ontario, Canada winter conditions it appears I will have to be replacing all my bushings amongst many other things such as lines, body mount brackets in the bed section and bumper mounts at the front for safety. I’m sure I’ll find more as I continue to work on it but I intend to do an entire suspension overhaul/upgrade as soon as I am finished replacing all the lines. I work as a landscaper in the heavier construction side (paving stone, retaining walls, any kind of landscaping that requires tough men and big machines) and would like to build my suspension and brakes to handle a bit of cowboy landscaper abuse in the name of making money… I know a half ton with only 2 wheel drive has its limitations and I intend to respect them. But I’ve had a few of these trucks as did a lot of my friends in Alberta. They are still very popular as daily drivers out there. Let me be clear though. I’m not looking for some ********* build. I understand that things like coilover shocks can change your ride height a bit or that you can adjust the height slightly to suit your purposes but if it’s not going to help the truck handle more payload, tow better as well as handle better while doing so I’m not at all interested. So obviously since my main goal is payload and towing I’m obviously going to start with leaf springs. I also intend to do a sway bar install in the rear as well since I’ve heard they greatly improve handling so will be handy for towing. Does anyone have good build suggestions or even just aftermarket bolt on or conversion recommendations that they could recommend. Budget friendly is preferred but I am a dreamer and would eventually like to restore it into the ultimate daily work horse. I’ll even take recommendations on good horsepower upgrades because if you’re going to haul weight you need power of course. Anything you guys can suggest would be helpful. Going to start with the back and replace everything while I have the bed off getting the new mount brackets welded on. Not sure if I want to disk swap it then but I definitely want all new suspension put on when it’s easiest and before I rust coat

 

[stutaeng]

You can try to find yourself a C2500 with 6 lug wheels. They are kinda rare, but they are out there.

Steal the 9.5" rear axle. Stronger axle, better brakes, along with the beefier leaf springs. Most of those came with 3.73 gears, so you get better towing capacity to boot. Some even came with 4.10s. 'Mo better. Everything is a direct fit to your truck.

Also steal the front knuckles to keep everything 6 lug. I think those also had thicker rotors.


I helped my brother do this same swap to his 90 C1500 (minus the leaf springs.) The donor was a 97. It was pretty easy, but still took some work. It's a good way to upgrade over the standard half ton stuff, and if you can find it on a truck getting parted out, very economical! You'd basically be building a C2500 6 lug truck (also known as 2500 Light Duty.)

 

[Brothajack93]

You can try to find yourself a C2500 with 6 lug wheels. They are kinda rare, but they are out there.

Steal the 9.5" rear axle. Stronger axle, better brakes, along with the beefier leaf springs. Most of those came with 3.73 gears, so you get better towing capacity to boot. Some even came with 4.10s. 'Mo better. Everything is a direct fit to your truck.

Also steal the front knuckles to keep everything 6 lug. I think those also had thicker rotors.


I helped my brother do this same swap to his 90 C1500 (minus the leaf springs.) The donor was a 97. It was pretty easy, but still took some work. It's a good way to upgrade over the standard half ton stuff, and if you can find it on a truck getting parted out, very economical! You'd basically be building a C2500 6 lug truck (also known as 2500 Light Duty.)

I appreciate the tip…. This is exactly what I was looking for. Wasn’t finding anything useful by asking google and didn’t notice any kind of after market beefed up rear suspension set ups. Probably because no one wants to encourage us rednecks to over load our quarter century old trucks lol. First thing I did when I got my 92 was loaded it full of gravel and cracked the springs… didn’t replace them for a year. It’s a Chevy, long as the engine and transmission is running which won’t be a problem the truck will keep taking what you throw at it with a few repairs

 

[Drunkcanuk]

Not that I'm condoning what you are planning, but here's my 2centa worth, not that we have pennies up here anymore! Lol
If you can't find a stronger rear axle like mentioned above, a fresh set of springs and some helper air bags may help you reach your goals. And definitely with a 305 you should consider changing gear ratio to at least a 3:73 or lower.
But as you mentioned, it's a quarter century old truck and does have limitations.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

You can try to find yourself a C2500 with 6 lug wheels. They are kinda rare, but they are out there.

Steal the 9.5" rear axle. Stronger axle, better brakes, along with the beefier leaf springs. Most of those came with 3.73 gears, so you get better towing capacity to boot. Some even came with 4.10s. 'Mo better. Everything is a direct fit to your truck.

Whatever axle you get make sure it has the locker.

Also steal the front knuckles to keep everything 6 lug. I think those also had thicker rotors.


I helped my brother do this same swap to his 90 C1500 (minus the leaf springs.) The donor was a 97. It was pretty easy, but still took some work. It's a good way to upgrade over the standard half ton stuff, and if you can find it on a truck getting parted out, very economical! You'd basically be building a C2500 6 lug truck (also known as 2500 Light Duty.)

I can 2nd this, I did it to my truck and the bigger brakes are a nice bonus too. I also got the 3500 calipers and they bolt right up and balance everything back out.

Good luck finding a 4.10 six lug though. I searched on and off for years and only ever found 3.73. I found plenty of 4.10 8 lugs in both the 9.5" and 10.5" but never a six.

You can score big deals on used toolboxes too. I got a $900 Weatherguard cross bed box for $150 on Craigslist. One if the locks is busted but even if I replaced both I'd still come out ahead by several hundred dollars.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

To be honest though, it sounds like you need a 2500/3500 instead of dumping time and money into the smallest gmt400 they made lol.

 

[stutaeng]

Agree.

OP, you can't find a RCLB or ECLB 8 lug truck up there? For doing real work, you can't beat a long bed. And you'll get the beefier transmission besides everything else. I've got a 1500 ECSB and a 3500 CCLB. The long bed I bought later so the 1500 did all the work because that's all I had then, but they certainly have limitations. If I was going to be using a truck for work, I'd pick a 2500/3500 with a long bed.

Around here those trucks get parted out because hardly anyone wants them anymore, and they are rust free. Granted, some are all beat up from being used, but I see them for $3500-$4500 in decent shape all the time down here, and seem perfectly usable for work duty.

 

[Brothajack93]

Agree.

OP, you can't find a RCLB or ECLB 8 lug truck up there? For doing real work, you can't beat a long bed. And you'll get the beefier transmission besides everything else. I've got a 1500 ECSB and a 3500 CCLB. The long bed I bought later so the 1500 did all the work because that's all I had then, but they certainly have limitations. If I was going to be using a truck for work, I'd pick a 2500/3500 with a long bed.

Around here those trucks get parted out because hardly anyone wants them anymore, and they are rust free. Granted, some are all beat up from being used, but I see them for $3500-$4500 in decent shape all the time down here, and seem perfectly usable for work duty.

The problem isn’t as much that I can’t find them, it’s both budget and condition as these trucks have become worth their weight in gold since the pandemic and they’re all rotted. Even the half ton I bought is worse than I thought and will require a lot more body/frame work than I anticipated. If I find a decent rear end swap for it after all the necessary work for certification I still plan to do it to make it more capable but I’m considering another, heavier Truck for the big jobs. If I get my own operation up and going I’ll probably just get a F-550 with a dump box like most landscape operations have. But yea the only good condition obs trucks up here are some old man’s half ton baby or some young punks build that makes it useless for a work truck. Anything that was already a work truck wasn’t taken very well care of to prevent corrosion

 

[Brothajack93]

To be honest though, it sounds like you need a 2500/3500 instead of dumping time and money into the smallest gmt400 they made lol.

True… but I already bought the truck and might as well make it suit my needs a little better rather than lose money. I have access to bigger should I need it but right now it’s about me having my baby (obs Chevy) again. Plus the lighter the truck overall the better with gas prices the way they are right now

 

[618 Syndicate]

Best practical suspension? Stock. And stay within it's limits.