Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
Yeah i figured its easier to just get a 2500 or 3500 but im planning on towing a car hauler with small car everyonce in a while mostly junk cars. But i got a foldaway crane bumper for super cheap and want to put it on but worried that towing with that bumper (has a built in hitch receiver) will bend the frame. Maybe j can weld some 1/4 inch plate to the side of the frame to reinforceWorth it? Probably not unless you really enjoy wrenching and have a lot of time. How are you going to get reinforcement in there? The 2500 frames are deeper.
You're looking at swapping the frame, axle, brake components, transmissions, front suspension... I'd say swap truck instead. There's gotta be a lot of decent 2500/3500 trucks in your area, just make sure it's an 8 lug.
How much are you towing?
6 lug swap as in changing the hubs for 2500? Or the whole axle?2500 had a thicker frame, leaf spring gussets, and a different front section of frame. Not sure about the latter with 2wd. I have 1 ton torsion bars, a 2500 leaf pack, a 9.5" rear end, and a 4L80 in my 1500. Did it all to make it a better tow rig. Don't forget to hydrobooost the brakes too. If you're willing to go through the asspain, you can make a stronger tow rig out of it. Just know it will (likely) never be a true 2500. Have you considered a 6 lug swap? I'm not sure if you can bolt on 8 lug stuff up front or not.
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.Did the 6 lug 2500’s have the HD frame or only the 8 lug 2500’s?
So this all got me curious. I’ve found multiple places where the 1500 and 2500 all seem to share the “same” frame. For the record, I only dug int RCLB frames. But for both the frame isOnly 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.