What is all needed to run a simple sas with 40s on a k1500?

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I am not in a great hurry to do this yet. I'd just like to know exactly what I should be searching for and I guess a price. My truck is a white 1990 k1500 short bed single cab with a 5.7 and a 700r4 transmission. I'd like to have it sit on 40 by probably 15.5 inch tires and a 14 inch wide wheel and still be able to daily drive it (not worrying about gas yet). I'd also like to take it offraod some to (nothing extreme I wouldn't say). Just some mudding or some medium leval trails as I have some woods to play with it in (like cricks and hills). Also I'd like to keep fearly cheap as it gets if possible. Thanks for the help. And I've attached a picture of what I'd sort of like it to sit like.
 

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MrPink

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Yeah that is not going to happen cheap. You'd need to re-gear for 40's too because I am sure that the factory gearing would not be up to it, you'd need at minimum 4.88's and those never came factory. You would also need to find a DS drop front 6 lug axle. As a square body axle is PS drop. If you don't know how to weld find someone who welds for a living and pay them to weld the mounts on both the axle and frame, this is not something to leave to amateur hr. Not to mention you'd need a new front drive shaft. Regearing is ~$1200-2000 unless you do it yourself again best not to leave it to amateur hr. Paying someone to weld your bracketry on ~$500-1000 depending on person. Wheels ~$1000ish, Tires ~$2000, Driveshaft ~$200-400. Front Axle ~$100-$800 oh and dont forget new suspension, hydroboost brake swap, 1-ton steering,

There is a lot to consider to make a 1/2 ton light duty truck to handle tires that weigh ~100lbs each and not be a gutless wonder.

Estimated total=$6000ish. In my opinion it is a waste of time but again if you have the ability go for it, if you don't then is it worth paying someone 3x what your truck is probably worth to do it?
 
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stutaeng

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This member is on here every now and then and he's done a SAS and has a thread. If you so a search, there have also been others completed or in progress, but K2500/3500 trucks.


Good luck.
 
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This member is on here every now and then and he's done a SAS and has a thread. If you so a search, there have also been others completed or in progress, but K2500/3500 trucks.


Good luck.
I just looked through this. Thanks for sending it to me. It seems like I'm going to be fine with everything except parts for the steering and time. My freind does weld and does work on trucks like this and will most likely give me a pretty good deal. It would just be the matter of him getting the projects he has done and to get me in there when I get the nessisary parts. I'll have to figure out the steering with some more research.
 
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Yeah that is not going to happen cheap. You'd need to re-gear for 40's too because I am sure that the factory gearing would not be up to it, you'd need at minimum 4.88's and those never came factory. You would also need to find a DS drop front 6 lug axle. As a square body axle is PS drop. If you don't know how to weld find someone who welds for a living and pay them to weld the mounts on both the axle and frame, this is not something to leave to amateur hr. Not to mention you'd need a new front drive shaft. Regearing is ~$1200-2000 unless you do it yourself again best not to leave it to amateur hr. Paying someone to weld your bracketry on ~$500-1000 depending on person. Wheels ~$1000ish, Tires ~$2000, Driveshaft ~$200-400. Front Axle ~$100-$800 oh and dont forget new suspension, hydroboost brake swap, 1-ton steering,

There is a lot to consider to make a 1/2 ton light duty truck to handle tires that weigh ~100lbs each and not be a gutless wonder.

Estimated total=$6000ish. In my opinion it is a waste of time but again if you have the ability go for it, if you don't then is it worth paying someone 3x what your truck is probably worth to do it?
Ok. Thank you.
Yeah that is not going to happen cheap. You'd need to re-gear for 40's too because I am sure that the factory gearing would not be up to it, you'd need at minimum 4.88's and those never came factory. You would also need to find a DS drop front 6 lug axle. As a square body axle is PS drop. If you don't know how to weld find someone who welds for a living and pay them to weld the mounts on both the axle and frame, this is not something to leave to amateur hr. Not to mention you'd need a new front drive shaft. Regearing is ~$1200-2000 unless you do it yourself again best not to leave it to amateur hr. Paying someone to weld your bracketry on ~$500-1000 depending on person. Wheels ~$1000ish, Tires ~$2000, Driveshaft ~$200-400. Front Axle ~$100-$800 oh and dont forget new suspension, hydroboost brake swap, 1-ton steering,

There is a lot to consider to make a 1/2 ton light duty truck to handle tires that weigh ~100lbs each and not be a gutless wonder.

Estimated total=$6000ish. In my opinion it is a waste of time but again if you have the ability go for it, if you don't then is it worth paying someone 3x what your truck is probably worth to do it?

Yeah that is not going to happen cheap. You'd need to re-gear for 40's too because I am sure that the factory gearing would not be up to it, you'd need at minimum 4.88's and those never came factory. You would also need to find a DS drop front 6 lug axle. As a square body axle is PS drop. If you don't know how to weld find someone who welds for a living and pay them to weld the mounts on both the axle and frame, this is not something to leave to amateur hr. Not to mention you'd need a new front drive shaft. Regearing is ~$1200-2000 unless you do it yourself again best not to leave it to amateur hr. Paying someone to weld your bracketry on ~$500-1000 depending on person. Wheels ~$1000ish, Tires ~$2000, Driveshaft ~$200-400. Front Axle ~$100-$800 oh and dont forget new suspension, hydroboost brake swap, 1-ton steering,

There is a lot to consider to make a 1/2 ton light duty truck to handle tires that weigh ~100lbs each and not be a gutless wonder.

Estimated total=$6000ish. In my opinion it is a waste of time but again if you have the ability go for it, if you don't then is it worth paying someone 3x what your truck is probably worth to do it?
I have thought about the price vs the truck. The truck is perfectly fine as it sits. I've put a awsome interior in it and it's a rust free truck in ohio. I've just been wanting a bigger wheel and tire set up on a big lift. I probably won't have it done before may which is the last of high-school for me but it would be nice. I'm gonna try though. It would be one of coolest things around sort of thing since everyone is big into cars
 

williscr3

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Will power and commitment, knowledge of how things work together, and the idea that it's custom so it needs fine tuning for couple years. Mechanical experience.

I used sky offroad kit. Leaf spring brackets $550 (bolt on)
Sky offroad steering kit $400
Procomp 2.5" leafs for blazer $300
(Brackets add 3" lift so total lift 5.5")
88 suburban front driveshaft $100 ebay
Transfercase front flange $50 ebay
Had to mill splines down to fit case
79 ford f250 hp d44 8 bolt local guy $200
88 blazer shocks rough country $120 front
Sky offroad leaf spring u bolt kit $90
Sky offroad weld on shock mounts $50

Also upgraded to 4.10 gear 14 bolt for rear 8 bolt $350
So had to regear ford axle to 4.10. Did this myself. $250ish
$200 new take off 8 bolt rims

Upgraded brake master cylinder to NBS to handle much larger brakes. $100
Also have to configure exhaust differently.
About sums it up.

My opinion... buy 3" body lift crank torsion to level and buy 35" tires. Looks like monster truck, still handles well for street use and more then capable. Way cheaper way less engineering, way less headache.
 

williscr3

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forgot to mention its crossover steering which needs to be above leaf springs so had to either mill flat or buy reid racing knuckle for flat top steering. i ended up jacking up original in the end mill and just buying reid racing flat top knuckle which was about $350 also changed the tie rod and ends to 1 ton which was additional $200 and had to weld tie rod nuts to dom tubing.
 

Schurkey

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1990 k1500 short bed single cab with a 5.7 and a 700r4 transmission. I'd like to have it sit on 40 by probably 15.5 inch tires and a 14 inch wide wheel and still be able to daily drive it
The FIRST thing you need to think about is what you're going to do for a rear axle, 'cause the 8.5" ring gear, junk axle your truck was probably built with has nowhere near the strength needed, nor the gearing needed, nor the brakes required.

I'd expect a half-ton with a '700 to have the base (weak) 8.5" rear axle, 3.42, maybe 3.73 gears. I'd expect 254mm (10") leading/trailing shoe brakes, which aren't adequate even with small OEM-sized tires.

Why do you need a solid front axle if you're not doing extreme off-road activities? Seems like a total waste of time, money, effort, and enthusiasm.

By the time you buy parts and add your labor to convert the rear axle, and fabricate the front axle, you could sell your truck, and just buy a 3/4-ton 8-lug squarebody with a solid front axle and save two weeks of headaches and parts chasing.
 
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Hipster

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Geez you guys are so technical. There are only 3 things required here:

#1: Money

#2: Money

#3: Money

Seriously though, you've already gotten some good advice. Just don't expect it to be cheap unless you want it to suck balls.
And when you think you have enough money set aside, budget about 30% more and you should be close lol.
 
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