TOW RIG OVERHAUL! 2nd time... diesel swap

[shovelbill]

Shortest wheelbase on a 3500HD is 135.5" which is 4" longer than a normal regular cab longbed (typical for a chassis cab type arrangement.) Leaf sprung straight front axle, Dana 80 rear, 4 wheel disc brakes, 19.5" 10 lug wheels (only 5 used in front), transmission-mounted drum parking brake.

3500HD's were made from 1991-2002 and were never referred to as a C3500HD, just 3500HD, likely because a factory 4WD was never made (though aftermarket ones were made by a few companies.)

I'd agree they were surely GM's answer to the F-series Super Duty which came out in 1987, but they'd never officially acknowledge it. The whole design premise behind the 3500HD was to build a 15K GVWR truck that would still have a low ingress/egress height so that you could use it as conveniently/comfortably as a lighter duty truck, and to make it primarily out of already existing parts - the GMT400 series bodywork, and many chassis parts from the P30 type RV's from years before.

The one in that ad just looks funny because the multicolor bodywork and the apparently homemade wrecker bed is really stubby.

Richard

that was a Holmes 1st gen add on wheel lift from the late '80's, in/out up/down...that wrecker body has been diamond plated probably to hide the rot.....twas a good crane for light recovery work.....my company used Weldbilt stuff, company was only 50 miles from Brooklyn.

hate to say it, but the Ford's were better at their job than the lighter GM trucks.....took the abuse that B'klyn gave out way better.....ate Chevy's lunch.... and brake pads too..the Int'l 7.3 was much stronger than the 6.5 all day long.....the Ford's were 14,500 GVW iirc

 

[shovelbill]

might be of some help
http://www.3500hd.com/

 

[someotherguy]

that was a Holmes 1st gen add on wheel lift from the late '80's, in/out up/down...that wrecker body has been diamond plated probably to hide the rot.....twas a good crane for light recovery work.....my company used Weldbilt stuff, company was only 50 miles from Brooklyn.

hate to say it, but the Ford's were better at their job than the lighter GM trucks.....took the abuse that B'klyn gave out way better.....ate Chevy's lunch.... and brake pads too..the Int'l 7.3 was much stronger than the 6.5 all day long.....the Ford's were 14,500 GVW iirc

Almost anything was better than 6.5. Comparing it and a 7.3 is so not-a-contest it's not even funny. The only way to go on a 3500HD as far as factory engines would be the 7.4 or 8.1.

This is how you fix a 3500HD that used to be a 6.5

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Dammit that was a beast of a truck.

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Richard

 

[shovelbill]

Almost anything was better than 6.5. Comparing it and a 7.3 is so not-a-contest it's not even funny. The only way to go on a 3500HD as far as factory engines would be the 7.4 or 8.1.

This is how you fix a 3500HD that used to be a 6.5

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Dammit that was a beast of a truck.

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Richard

sweet....that looks like a first gen Dynamic wheel snatcher...fantastic unit for repo work.....when my company was asked by the NYC Sheriff's Dept to be the operators in their new pilot program for the "NYC Sheriff Scoff Lock Program" we were asked by Dynamic to try their units, at a deep discount since they really just started and were the new kid on the block. they weren't very popular at that time......we ordered up 2 1990 Ford 450's and those units. along with a dual winch sling setup for truck work,,,,..great combo! even with it's hand held electric remote....LOL

i believe the company started in NY, then moved down south somewhere....mid 80's......first one's were pretty crude
it became an instant hit in NYC, even through their initial issues which we helped them sort through........

we also had the contract to be the authorized tow for the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.....i worked there for 13 years.

THAT is a beautiful rig man.

 

[someotherguy]

Thanks! I miss it a bunch. I like Dynamic's products but they've definitely been improved upon, especially by others. I've probably loaded more cars with Vulcan 810's (original Intruder unit) than all other units I've run combined, and it's by far my favorite. Strong, versatile, and pretty quiet. They recently did a redesign on it and came up with the 812 and they practically copied the JerrDan MPL crossbar and I kinda hate it. Been running one of those just over a year now and still can't say I've gotten used to it. Oh well! And it's on a Ford, because GM hasn't cared about making regular sized medium duty trucks since 2003...

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Richard

 

[shovelbill]

Thanks! I miss it a bunch. I like Dynamic's products but they've definitely been improved upon, especially by others. I've probably loaded more cars with Vulcan 810's (original Intruder unit) than all other units I've run combined, and it's by far my favorite. Strong, versatile, and pretty quiet. They recently did a redesign on it and came up with the 812 and they practically copied the JerrDan MPL crossbar and I kinda hate it. Been running one of those just over a year now and still can't say I've gotten used to it. Oh well! And it's on a Ford, because GM hasn't cared about making regular sized medium duty trucks since 2003...

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Richard

this was my first truck when i started in 1981, a '73 400...we did all our highway patrolling in c30's.....292, SM465 and posi 4.56........dozens of times i flat towed 80,000 lb. straights and t&t's off to the shoulder or the nearest exit, providing they had enough air to STOP us, LOL.....had to keep the traffic flowing!

car bounced off the guardrail and almost killed me, we fixed that truck too.

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we didn't get our first dualie 1 ton till 1989......a Weldbilt spider with tow bar.......also the first truck that ever had A/C!

 

[Van Gui1d3r #838]

i lived just southeast of you, Sidney Center...Delaware County from '94-'02. place had it's own weather system.

i'm not familiar with the area

i saw that and figured it was the one he was referring to.
i've never seen the short frame. might all be custom.

I may have had some bad info. I thought they made a single cab long box wheel base.

Shortest wheelbase on a 3500HD is 135.5" which is 4" longer than a normal regular cab longbed (typical for a chassis cab type arrangement.) Leaf sprung straight front axle, Dana 80 rear, 4 wheel disc brakes, 19.5" 10 lug wheels (only 5 used in front), transmission-mounted drum parking brake.

3500HD's were made from 1991-2002 and were never referred to as a C3500HD, just 3500HD, likely because a factory 4WD was never made (though aftermarket ones were made by a few companies.)

I'd agree they were surely GM's answer to the F-series Super Duty which came out in 1987, but they'd never officially acknowledge it. The whole design premise behind the 3500HD was to build a 15K GVWR truck that would still have a low ingress/egress height so that you could use it as conveniently/comfortably as a lighter duty truck, and to make it primarily out of already existing parts - the GMT400 series bodywork, and many chassis parts from the P30 type RV's from years before.

The one in that ad just looks funny because the multicolor bodywork and the apparently homemade wrecker bed is really stubby.

Richard

4" isn't horrible, I think I could safely move the fenders back on my box to fit that difference if I have to. and that Oneonta add is the one I know the frame was worked on.

and I didn't know they were only referred to as a 3500HD. I thought it was c3500HD. my bad there. I jumped the gun because I knew they were 2WDs.

A longer wheelbase HD than what you need does not mean you would have to cut the frame and weld it back together. Once the frame kicks up behind the rear cab wall, it is perfectly ladder straight with parallel rails. To shorten it you cut/drill all the rivets for mounting the spring brackets and any crossmembers and other brackets that may need to move, re-drill the holes and bolt all that stuff back in, then chop off the remaining frame rails towards the rear.

Not a small job by any means, with all that rivet cutting and re-drilling, but it's been done to quite a few of 'em.

Richard

i'm glad you mentioned this because I never had that thought ever. you're 100% right which also opens up a lot more to me. I just found one the other day for 750 that didn't run and was the 150+ wheelbase so I disregarded it. i'm going to hit that guy back up and see if he still has it now.

that was a Holmes 1st gen add on wheel lift from the late '80's, in/out up/down...that wrecker body has been diamond plated probably to hide the rot.....twas a good crane for light recovery work.....my company used Weldbilt stuff, company was only 50 miles from Brooklyn.

hate to say it, but the Ford's were better at their job than the lighter GM trucks.....took the abuse that B'klyn gave out way better.....ate Chevy's lunch.... and brake pads too..the Int'l 7.3 was much stronger than the 6.5 all day long.....the Ford's were 14,500 GVW iirc

Fords may have been better, and that 7.3 was unstoppable compared to the 6.5, but hence why I want to shoehorn that 7.8 dmax in the frame rails and then I would love to compare the 3500HD to the ford.



ALL GREAT INFO GUYS!!! KEEP THIS STUFF COMING IF YOU'RE HOLDING OUT ON ANYTHING MORE HAHAHA!

 

[Van Gui1d3r #838]

does anyone have any trans choices they think would work well with this build? again, I believe the ZF6 would be killer or even the NV5600. both are 6 speeds with a tow gear and an overdrive. are there any good autos like that? i'm really only familiar with say my TH400 or 4l80e transmissions which I don't think either offer what i'm looking for really

 

[Chewy1576]

Allison!


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[Van Gui1d3r #838]

Allison!


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wasn't there more than one Allison though? what would be the ideal one? remember, 860ft lbs of tq stock... and I have a problem with leaving things alone...