Bags or leafs?

[92_Bahama]

Hi I currently own a 1995 k3500 double cab srw with 8' box. It has the 5.7L and 4l80E with corp. 14 bolt with 4:10 ratio. When I put about 5-600lbs in the bed and hooked up our camper with 750-800lbs of tongue weight my truck squatted pretty good. About as mush as my 1/2 ton Suburban did pulling the same camper.

Thing is the rear leafs look really good as in all friction pads are there, no rust and the rear rake without load is perfect as far as I am concerned.

1. Do I need replace the rear leafs that are 25 years old?

2. Would I be better off to add airlift/ firestone helper bags to maintain good ride and load capability?

3. Towing the 7800gvw camper it struggled getting up some hills. My 5.3l Suburban pulled easier but felt the chassis and brakes were not adequate for this trailer. What can I do to the 5.7l with 185k milesto get some more get up and go?

I have a 2000 K3500 CCLB SRW with a 9,200GVWR & 4.10's. I run air bags on mine and recently had it loaded with about 1,000lbs in the bed and 8,500lbs on the 24ft car hauler behind it. So with a 10% estimated tongue weight, lets say a 1,850lb payload. With my bags at 60psi and using the proper drop hitch (6in lift and 35's) I am damn near level. Now drop those bags to 10psi and I am a couple inches closer to the ground. My ride quality with this load was actually more comfortable than the truck is unloaded! I think a set of air bags would really help the situation. It would be a good excuse to buy a VIAR constant duty air pump for other goodies too...

As far as towing up hills goes I would make your engine a Bolt on Betty! Start with a set of long tube headers and make sure you have a recent tune up. Also make sure you have a free flowing exhaust which means get rid of any OEM style mufflers. At this point I would drive it with that load and test it. If you feel like you are close I would get rids of the cats, get a custom Chip made, and run it! Don't forget a TBI SB can stay at 2,800 to 3,300 all day if your cooling system is up to the task, you won't hurt a thing.

Now if this is not enough for your needs the fun begins!! Get a set of higher flowing heads that still retain high port velocity over peak CFM, honestly a set of Vortec heads with an adapter intake would be just fine. Either way get a cam/timing kit that will get generate a little more lift without getting into crazy duration and overlap as this is still a sub 4,000RPM torque first motor. And since you're going to need a tune at this point anyways why not upgrade the injectors and fuel pump! And unless you are seeing crazy altitude (Denver) this should keep you just under $2,000 and pull that trailer like a champ at 65mph.

While I am rambling on other ideas include: 7.4 TBI swap, this can be done for well under $2,000 and in a weekend. My Vortec 7.4 truck had no problem with the load mentioned earlier so a 7.4 TBI would be perfect for ya! Or if you're willing to pay to play a Blower or Stroker motor would get that job done no questions asked for around/under $5,000. Unless you are getting into turbocharging any of these options are better than a 6.0 swap for the TIME and money spent.

Good luck to ya and let us know how it goes! Man I can talk all day about ideas when it's someone else's money

 

[Supercharged111]

I have a 2000 K3500 CCLB SRW with a 9,200GVWR & 4.10's. I run air bags on mine and recently had it loaded with about 1,000lbs in the bed and 8,500lbs on the 24ft car hauler behind it. So with a 10% estimated tongue weight, lets say a 1,850lb payload. With my bags at 60psi and using the proper drop hitch (6in lift and 35's) I am damn near level. Now drop those bags to 10psi and I am a couple inches closer to the ground. My ride quality with this load was actually more comfortable than the truck is unloaded! I think a set of air bags would really help the situation. It would be a good excuse to buy a VIAR constant duty air pump for other goodies too...

As far as towing up hills goes I would make your engine a Bolt on Betty! Start with a set of long tube headers and make sure you have a recent tune up. Also make sure you have a free flowing exhaust which means get rid of any OEM style mufflers. At this point I would drive it with that load and test it. If you feel like you are close I would get rids of the cats, get a custom Chip made, and run it! Don't forget a TBI SB can stay at 2,800 to 3,300 all day if your cooling system is up to the task, you won't hurt a thing.

Now if this is not enough for your needs the fun begins!! Get a set of higher flowing heads that still retain high port velocity over peak CFM, honestly a set of Vortec heads with an adapter intake would be just fine. Either way get a cam/timing kit that will get generate a little more lift without getting into crazy duration and overlap as this is still a sub 4,000RPM torque first motor. And since you're going to need a tune at this point anyways why not upgrade the injectors and fuel pump! And unless you are seeing crazy altitude (Denver) this should keep you just under $2,000 and pull that trailer like a champ at 65mph.

While I am rambling on other ideas include: 7.4 TBI swap, this can be done for well under $2,000 and in a weekend. My Vortec 7.4 truck had no problem with the load mentioned earlier so a 7.4 TBI would be perfect for ya! Or if you're willing to pay to play a Blower or Stroker motor would get that job done no questions asked for around/under $5,000. Unless you are getting into turbocharging any of these options are better than a 6.0 swap for the TIME and money spent.

Good luck to ya and let us know how it goes! Man I can talk all day about ideas when it's someone else's money

Denver =/= crazy altitude. It's a starting point.

 

[Jeepman76]

Not sure if the towing ratings were changed on these trucks, but on my Owner's manual (2000 )it lists as6,500 lbs for Crew Cab 4x4 with 4.10 with the 5.7 engine.

Moving to the 4.56 gives 8,000 lbs capacity.

From the literature I've read, the earlier models seem to rated higher, not sure why? I don't know if it matters, but seems like OP would still be right at the limit? Maybe not if trailer is not loaded?

You must be registered for see images attach

Not sure if the towing ratings were changed on these trucks, but on my Owner's manual (2000 )it lists as6,500 lbs for Crew Cab 4x4 with 4.10 with the 5.7 engine.

Moving to the 4.56 gives 8,000 lbs capacity.

From the literature I've read, the earlier models seem to rated higher, not sure why? I don't know if it matters, but seems like OP would still be right at the limit? Maybe not if trailer is not loaded?

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Jeepman76]

Not sure if the towing ratings were changed on these trucks, but on my Owner's manual (2000 )it lists as6,500 lbs for Crew Cab 4x4 with 4.10 with the 5.7 engine.

Moving to the 4.56 gives 8,000 lbs capacity.

From the literature I've read, the earlier models seem to rated higher, not sure why? I don't know if it matters, but seems like OP would still be right at the limit? Maybe not if trailer is not loaded?

You must be registered for see images attach

The weight rating of gvw was on the factory sticker on the drivers door.

 

[stutaeng]

Denver =/= crazy altitude. It's a starting point.

Air induction!

 

[Jeepman76]

Thank you all for the replies and opinions. Much appreciated to those with 1st hand experience. I will be eventually going crate 383 with a tune. I have never rebuilt an engine or transmission myself but I have done swaps, such as a v8 S10. 4.3 v6 into wrangler.

Airbags are being researched and if any opinions on brand lmk. I have used the airlift for the rear coils on my old Suburban and was impressed by the function and reliability.

I have a 5" diameter by 30" long old stainless air tank from my Jeep days. We used to use junkyard air comps from a Lincoln Navigator with a square D pressure switch. Will look for another compressor and air horns of course lol.

If anyone has great ideas for crate motors I e 383 for direct swap let me know.

Do I need to tune the computer or will it relearn for proper air fuel ratio like Jeep ob2?

 

[Supercharged111]

Watch out on the airbag mounts. Depending on the brand, they can interfere with gooseneck hitches and aftermarket swaybars if either of those are in your future.

 

[alpinecrick]

Denver =/= crazy altitude. It's a starting point.

Lol, I live a almost a 1000 ft higher than Denver, and three of the four ways out of the valley are UP.......

 

[Supercharged111]

Lol, I live a almost a 1000 ft higher than Denver, and three of the four ways out of the valley are UP.......

Same here in the Springs. 9000' is more the norm on the slope though so I imagine you're not far from that. If you've never been out west you can't know how hard it can be on a 400 hauling something. Or empty. I'm in MI now and my 1500 rips pretty damned good. First time I've had it here with the blower.

 

[LVJJJ]

Jeepman, S&J engines in Spokane ships all over the country. The great thing about the 383 is that it is based on the basic 350 so in most trucks its a direct easy swap. Call them up and order your engine custom built, I added the roller cam for just a few bucks. I love how fast the rpms come up now. The S&J 383 is a remanufactured long block with heads, cam, etc. so just plunk the intake and exhaust manifolds back on with a starter, etc., and you're rolling again. Old EFi is on this forum and for about $300 he will re-program your chip. Can't believe how easy it has been creating a monster tow vehicle out of a 25 year old Suburban.