Turning a 1500 imto a 2500?

[Supercharged111]

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What cab/bed configuration? Strange they'd list the frame modulus as the same for a K1500/2500.

 

[stutaeng]

There are two basic groups of frames, the 4" deep and 6" deep at the open channel middle part. Depending on cab/bed configuration, there are different thickness of each group.

As far as I knew the 1500/2500LD got the 4" and the 8 lug got the 6". You can see the obvious difference between them right away if you crouch down a bit.

Some of the older GM Heritage information has all of the frames information. But I've never seen that same information for the late GMT 400 trucks. I haven't looked at it recently, I'll see if I can find that reference.

 

[Erik the Awful]

but worried that towing with that bumper (has a built in hitch receiver) will bend the frame

I use my '89 C1500 Stepside as a light-duty tow pig. I have the hole in my bumper for a hitch ball, but I don't trust it. I scrounged a frame-mounted receiver hitch off a C/K2500 at Pull-A-Part for $10. I had to pop a couple of the rivets out of my frame's crossmembers and replace them with grade 8 bolts, but I'm not scared to hook my 18' car hauler up to it. I think with a 3000 lb car on the trailer, I'm probably pushing my legal weight limit.

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[Traveling man]

Hay y'all I wanted to share my experience and see if it's anything that can help you, I have a 93 k1500 it had the ten bolt everyone says is a featherweight, I have a 6 inch lift and a 3in body lift and running 35 12 50 tires so I figured better change it before it blows, I sometimes hall loads that should be for a three-quarter ton. Plus I like to have 37" tires someday and those buggers are heavy. I bought a 97 or 98? Extended cab half ton parts truck for the 14 bolt 6 lug, I swapped out the rear leaf springs as well because the tow capacity said it was 500 lb more, But the leaf springs were identical. Fast forward the motor gave out on me, I bought a 2004 Chevy 2500HD Parts truck, used the 6.0ls &4l80e put a 32 spline input gear into my 241c transfer case because I didn't want the push button. I was thinking of swapping the front and rear differentials and did a lot of measuring and research here's what I came up with, the leaf springs on the back of the 2500HD where exactly the same as what I have, length thickness number of leaves, that's weird? But it did come with Factory load air bags, too bad they're rotten. The frame is definitely beefier, but if you're not hauling around a Bobcat or small Dozer you can put those on your truck and have no worries hauling a travel trailer or car trailer, as far as swapping out the complete front and rear differential from the 2500hd, it's 2"wider so you wouldn't want to do just the rear on a two-wheel drive truck, on a 4×4 ot can be done! Contrary to what you hear some say. But not if you dont have 6" lift. Because it is a 9.5 ring gear, bigger housing, my 93 k1500 & the 04 2500hd both have 32 spline CV but... the a arms are too in too short on the 93, cant use the 04 because they are wider where they mount to the frame (lot lot of work) so much so you would be better off doing at SAS. I can't afford that, so, I'm keeping my 6lug 14bolt with the 488 Detroit truetrac, I'm going to install the 04 9.5 ring IFS, you can modify the beefier 04 cv axle to work by sliding the boot down, the knuckle can slide down 1" then weld it, Presto there's your 2" but a better option and what my piggy bank is all about, is aftermarket ones, they don't have the rinky dinky little rubber boots probably more articulation in the knuckle, made to length,only other thing is the passenger side mount for the differential is clocked differently and I'll have to make a custom bracket for that but easy cheesey. Once I get this accomplished in my piggy bank recovers I'll go back and put an air Locker, if you're not trying to climb over Boulders as big as your truck can you replace the tie rods with some custom hem joint, he'll ride like a Cadillac and be 4 times as strong as a half ton capable of running 37 inch tall tires, just not an sas full-blown tank rock crawling 40 inch tire (real man truck ) you don't want to drive down the freeway daily and you don't climb mountains on your way to work,

 

[yevgenievich]

What cab/bed configuration? Strange they'd list the frame modulus as the same for a K1500/2500.

Sorry, that was actually for a 97 burb

 

[Gaguero]

Only the 8 lug 2500. But the 6 lug/2500 did have the 9.5" 14 bolt semi float rear axle with 6 lug axles. I've read here the frames were the same as the 1500, but with additional gussets and braces.

I helped my brother swap a 6 lug axle 3.73/G80 into his C1500 that had 3.08/open diff. Also did the front spindles/rotors/calipers to match the 6 lug. He found the parts from a donor 96 or 97 C2500 6 lug. So I know that swap is very easy.

Was the swap pretty much just unbolt and bolt in? Or was there some fabrication? Sorry dont know much about the axles diffs and all that

 

[stutaeng]

Was the swap pretty much just unbolt and bolt in? Or was there some fabrication? Sorry dont know much about the axles diffs and all that

No fabrication, just unbolt and bolt-on "new"-old parts. My brother got a conversion u-joint for the rear drive shaft to the differential. Also new U-bolts for the leaf springs. He kept his 4 leaf pack from the C1500. In your case, get the leaf springs from the 2500LD, because I'm pretty sure those are 5 leafs...

Undo and reinstall hydraulic hose and bleed the system. He came over and we did the rear at my place. He did the front by himself, so I didn't see that.

I don't know what gear ratio you have, but those 2500LD I think came standard with 3.73s, some even 4.10s, both are good for towing. Only downside is your speedometer will be off a bit after the swap. Brakes are better too, so this is a really good upgrade. I think my brother said he spent like $450 all together, then he sold his 10 bolt for like $150.

 

[1989GMCSIERRA]

Im trying to see if it would be work it to stiffen up my suspension and swap a 4l80 into my 97 gmc c1500 to use it as a tow vehicle. Has a 5.7 vortec

What exactly are you towing? Regardless what suspension you add you’re limited by your GVWR by the manufacturer. So if say your truck was limited to 7000 pounds of towing capacity you couldn’t go past that even if you put 1 ton running gear on it. I mean stiffening up the suspension can be done by running a higher rated spring pack and coils along with heavier duty shocks. It won’t change your carry or towing. But it will make the truck ride where it’s not wallowing down the road
Can you physically do it? Yeah everything bolts up provided we’re not talking chassis frame to regular frame. But it’s sort of pointless to do that. Your 1/2 ton can carry and tow a decent amount of weight. I mean we’re not talking hooking to a 25,000 pound gooseneck but if all hire towing is a normal size car I would throw some air bags and maybe a better set of gears. If you plan on towing heavy sell the truck and buy another that can tow your needs.
i wanted to add there are conversion companies that will recertify a vehicles capacities but usually they only do it to vehicles they modify. I think some states may allow to recertification a vehicle but I can’t imagine the cost.
you’ll be money and headache not to mention time ahead if you sold it and bought something else. Unless the car has some sentimental value like it was dads or grandpa’s or best buddy truck and they willed it to you sort of thing.
in the end no matter what hire still running on a half ton chassi. And for the old GMT400s those frames rent exactly stout. It’s decent for what it is when it was built

 

[1993GMCC2500SLX]

What exactly are you towing? Regardless what suspension you add you’re limited by your GVWR by the manufacturer. So if say your truck was limited to 7000 pounds of towing capacity you couldn’t go past that even if you put 1 ton running gear on it. I mean stiffening up the suspension can be done by running a higher rated spring pack and coils along with heavier duty shocks. It won’t change your carry or towing. But it will make the truck ride where it’s not wallowing down the road
Can you physically do it? Yeah everything bolts up provided we’re not talking chassis frame to regular frame. But it’s sort of pointless to do that. Your 1/2 ton can carry and tow a decent amount of weight. I mean we’re not talking hooking to a 25,000 pound gooseneck but if all hire towing is a normal size car I would throw some air bags and maybe a better set of gears. If you plan on towing heavy sell the truck and buy another that can tow your needs.
i wanted to add there are conversion companies that will recertify a vehicles capacities but usually they only do it to vehicles they modify. I think some states may allow to recertification a vehicle but I can’t imagine the cost.
you’ll be money and headache not to mention time ahead if you sold it and bought something else. Unless the car has some sentimental value like it was dads or grandpa’s or best buddy truck and they willed it to you sort of thing.
in the end no matter what hire still running on a half ton chassi. And for the old GMT400s those frames rent exactly stout. It’s decent for what it is when it was built

I'd have to agree since I had one of those trucks my member tag 1993 GMC Sierra c2500 slx was the 2500 lt 2wd regular cab longbed I had although I believe mine had 3.42 rear gears it was a rust free truck from California so it also had California emissions,350 tbi/4L60E transmission and AC equipped. First time I had one of the light duty 2500 trucks and first time I'd even heard of the slx trim level package, and as far as pulling heavy duty trailers or hauling heavy payloads,my suggestion which is what I usually did is use a c20,or k20 C6P heavy duty 3/4 ton chassis I'm thinking it's 8200 gvwr square body trucks they can move some serious weight and most of the 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks can handle it just fine.

 

[Masterelec2018]

I just did the swap on my truck. 96 c1500 used a 97 c2500 as a doner. Everything in the rear bolted right up. Took the springs off the 2500 with the 14 bolt. Did a rear disk conversion on the 14 bolt. The front just ordered the 2500 upper control arms and used the factory 8 bolt hubs. The lower ball joints were identical. Driveshaft from the 1500 sat in the pinion perch with ease. Used the 4 bolts from the pinion to mount it. Also got the factory 2500 front brake calipers. Had no problem getting everything to fit and work. Engine and trans are next. Also had to get the nbs master for the rear calipers the obs master didn't provide enough pressure for the caliper upgrade. Drove it a few hundred miles and pulled a trailer. So far so good. Frames on the 2500 and 1500 were identical. I was going to frame swap it but they have different cab mounts. One is a extended short bed the other single long bed.