Build a hypothetical 3500HD.

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someotherguy

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Man THANK YOU for reminding me (as if I'd forgotten what it's like to walk) to avoid any more 6.5td vehicles, because of course, several of the C2500 Suburbans I've been finding are boat anchor-equipped.

Funny to me that you used a 6.5td to pick up a 6.4 psd truck, about the only diesel that gives the 6.5td a run for its money in the unreliability department. 6.5td is the clear winner, but the 6.4 psd sure does try!

The 3500HD is such a beast of a truck, it looks AND works the part, except when 6.5td-equipped. Give it a 7.4 or an 8.1 and it's nearly unstoppable.

Richard
 

skylark

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Man THANK YOU for reminding me (as if I'd forgotten what it's like to walk) to avoid any more 6.5td vehicles, because of course, several of the C2500 Suburbans I've been finding are boat anchor-equipped.

Funny to me that you used a 6.5td to pick up a 6.4 psd truck, about the only diesel that gives the 6.5td a run for its money in the unreliability department. 6.5td is the clear winner, but the 6.4 psd sure does try!

The 3500HD is such a beast of a truck, it looks AND works the part, except when 6.5td-equipped. Give it a 7.4 or an 8.1 and it's nearly unstoppable.

Richard
More than welcome! Definitely that 6.4 was a pile. The HD sure did tow amazingly well. If it wasn't for the lack of power it would've been easy to forget that I was towing a trailer at 21,000 pounds.

So where is that 94??? You know ya wanna!
 

skylark

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So I've been thinking. You remember when I mentioned that I want to keep the truck short? Well, still do but... the height of the 225/70/19.5 is 31.9 inches. You can't air down a 19.5 for traction because it will come off of the bead because of the angle of the bead seat on .5 tires and/or possibly damage the sidewall so that that goes BOOM! when you air it back up.

So I need a 20" instead due to the different bead seat design. I can't find an Alcoa style wheel to fit my 10x225 pattern in a 20". My end goal tire is a 275/65/20 that is 34.1" tall (I know, short family). This tire has a slightly heavier load carrying capacity than the 19.5 but it definitely won't last as long. It will get me onto a beach in Mexico and be snow rated for Alaska.

I'm thinking about buying 6 20x8 steel wheels and cutting the center out and taking the 19.5 center and putting it in. This would also allow me to change the offset by one inch which will maintain the current space between the duals.

I would mock it up and tack everything in place to verify true and out out of round (because nobody likes wobbly eggs for wheels) and then take them to my welder for liability reasons to have him finish them.

The plan would be to remove a front wheel hub and place it on the bench. Then get a piece of 20x20x1/4 plate and cut a hole in the center big enough to go around the outside of the studs. Put a stock wheel on and weld spacers to the plate to build a jig that will maintain the offset. I'll rotate the jig while checking for out of round. Once everything is set I'll tack it up. After tacking I'll take them to the tire shop to spin them.
 

RacerM95

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HYPOTHETICALLY build me a GMT400, crew cab, 4x4, diesel, flatbed (not sure on 8' or 10'). It needs to be capable of 5k on the flatbed and towing up to 12k. It also needs to ride as smooth as possible and be reasonably low for being a solid axle 4x4 because I'm 5'7" and my sweetie is 5'.

Since you are in Oregon, try looking in Alberta Canada, They have lots of Duallys there due to the "Oil Patch" My son JUST picked up a 94 CCLB Dually drove it home (1326 k's) for 3,000. AND Has very little rust
 

skylark

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I'm considering turning a high quality aluminum truck box (10 or 12ga) that I've had since 2002 and cutting it up to build a diesel transfer tank. I also want to make a locking compartment on each side, one for storage and the other for fuel fillers.

The plan is to be its own unit to be mounted behind the cab, directly to the frame. I want it to come up even with the back window. I will baffle it just for additional strength. The drivers side will have all 3 filler necks in it (currently dual tanks) for simplicity and security. I'm sure if I want to have a sending unit and gauge because I don't want wiring exposed from the top but I'd definitely consider something that could go in from the side. I'd set it up to dump into the rear tank because that is a factory transfer tank.

So why the truck box repurposed? I need a custom tank, nothing off the shelf will work. The truck box is definitely strong enough. Its value on marketplace is $100-150 thanks to thin, low quality boxes being everywhere.

My biggest problem? I've never welded aluminum. I'm a decent MIG welder and I'm confident in my abilities. My welder came with a spool gun so I should only need gas and a roll of wire to learn how to melt holes in aluminum.
 
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