1998 3500 crew/longbed build

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easy5580

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New here guess this is first time I've chimed in on anything. I only saw lowering 4wd 3500 and thought nice.....somebody is as crazy as I am but nope, I applaud your decision on getting another truck and a 2wd! As I'm dead in the middle of taking my 96 4 door long bed 4wd which has been lowered as far as I could get it prolly 15 years ago or so and stripping it to bare rails, removing everything to do with the 4wd, 6.5 is now a excellent boat anchor getting swapped for an older carbureted 454. The 4wd 4L80E is long gone as well and along with most all of the wiring harness that I don't need. I was told a hundred times not to do it and all but running a full blown fab shop it didn't much scare me. I'm only able to work on it a evening or two a week so its going to be a long process as I'm planning on just going full bore with it doing about everything I can possibly imagine. Its a slow go also when you can't find anyone that has taken on this project and followed thru but that drives me even more to complete it. So far I'm making everything in my shop on my own and I have learned quickly that I'm a very good fabricator and welder but an engineer, I am not lol. I'd love to hear anyone's input on some ideas or info as well.
 

themeec

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New here guess this is first time I've chimed in on anything. I only saw lowering 4wd 3500 and thought nice.....somebody is as crazy as I am but nope, I applaud your decision on getting another truck and a 2wd! As I'm dead in the middle of taking my 96 4 door long bed 4wd which has been lowered as far as I could get it prolly 15 years ago or so and stripping it to bare rails, removing everything to do with the 4wd, 6.5 is now a excellent boat anchor getting swapped for an older carbureted 454. The 4wd 4L80E is long gone as well and along with most all of the wiring harness that I don't need. I was told a hundred times not to do it and all but running a full blown fab shop it didn't much scare me. I'm only able to work on it a evening or two a week so its going to be a long process as I'm planning on just going full bore with it doing about everything I can possibly imagine. Its a slow go also when you can't find anyone that has taken on this project and followed thru but that drives me even more to complete it. So far I'm making everything in my shop on my own and I have learned quickly that I'm a very good fabricator and welder but an engineer, I am not lol. I'd love to hear anyone's input on some ideas or info as well.
Yeah, the diesel 4WD is honestly a nicer truck mechanically, but I went sour pickles when it came to the lowering equation. I'm with @Orpedcrow on this one, start a build thread! Would love to see what a fab guy can do with a 4x4 (or former 4x4 as you mention)!
 

HotWheelsBurban

Gotta have 4 doors..... Rawhide, TOTY 2023!
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New here guess this is first time I've chimed in on anything. I only saw lowering 4wd 3500 and thought nice.....somebody is as crazy as I am but nope, I applaud your decision on getting another truck and a 2wd! As I'm dead in the middle of taking my 96 4 door long bed 4wd which has been lowered as far as I could get it prolly 15 years ago or so and stripping it to bare rails, removing everything to do with the 4wd, 6.5 is now a excellent boat anchor getting swapped for an older carbureted 454. The 4wd 4L80E is long gone as well and along with most all of the wiring harness that I don't need. I was told a hundred times not to do it and all but running a full blown fab shop it didn't much scare me. I'm only able to work on it a evening or two a week so its going to be a long process as I'm planning on just going full bore with it doing about everything I can possibly imagine. Its a slow go also when you can't find anyone that has taken on this project and followed thru but that drives me even more to complete it. So far I'm making everything in my shop on my own and I have learned quickly that I'm a very good fabricator and welder but an engineer, I am not lol. I'd love to hear anyone's input on some ideas or info as well.
Yes, build threads are a great way to show what you are doing (or want to do) to your truck. Since I got my CCLB, I have found like 10 or so others on here, different years and drivetrains, different build styles, but all cool in their own ways!
 

cigarman63

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Welcome. And interested in seeing how well the lowered 4x4 is going to be.

Also pic of my 3500 with a 5/7 drop like your planning on. And yes its put to work with no issues.
I know this is off the topic but I was wondering if you had changed your doors and front grill? Did you convert the doors to power?
 

cigarman63

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I did change it too power but I changed doors cause mine where so messed up. And front end was W/T so I changed that too
I was told the wiring is in the truck you just need the door with the connectors hanging out of them to connect to it. Is that true? My truck is just like yours,it was a work truck too. No power windows and locks, single headlights.
 

Dropped88

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I was told the wiring is in the truck you just need the door with the connectors hanging out of them to connect to it. Is that true? My truck is just like yours,it was a work truck too. No power windows and locks, single headlights.
It is not wired. I pulled a harness from a suburban. You'll have to drop the dash down cause harness runs across top of firewall just below windshield. And the harness is plug n play
 

Supercharged111

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Yes, build threads are a great way to show what you are doing (or want to do) to your truck. Since I got my CCLB, I have found like 10 or so others on here, different years and drivetrains, different build styles, but all cool in their own ways!

They're also excellent reference material for when you don't remember what you did, when you did it, or how it was before you took it apart
 
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