2000 GMT400 CREW CAB SFA SWAP-The Warden: Fuel leak fixed and awaiting surgery…

[beags86]

Pretty much exactly what I had in mind. It would probably sit a bit lower with IFS in the front. And I would hide the winch behind the front bumper. And the rear would have a winch. And the roof rack would do to the front edge of the roof w/ lights as my RTT would sit on the rack towards the back.
Now add a modern drivetrain to get decent mpg and your set.

@campfire
@GWeakland620

You guys approve??

 

[GWeakland620]

That looks perfect.

Did they do a 3rd door? Or were those considered the carry-alls?

For me, I would need a 3rd door for the kids. But just my wife and I? Yeah I'm all in.

 

[beags86]

Not really sure. I think they didn't have that third door until 67. I would like it if they came that way. But I don't know. I think they were just the carryalls. The third door would be nice. I just don't want something that long.

 

[diesel4me]

I had a '71 K10 Burb that was a 3 door,I think that option was only available on '67-'72 models...mine had a tailgate too--I bought it mostly for parts for my '72 K5,but was bummed to find out the steel rear hatch and tailgate were not compatible with my K5,they were 2" wider--my fiberglass one was in crappy shape on the K5..the Burb never hit the road,it was far too rotted --to repair it would have been a big undertaking,but in a way I wish I had not scrapped it out..

Here's another favorite photo of mine..

 

[campfire]

I had a '71 K10 Burb that was a 3 door,I think that option was only available on '67-'72 models...mine had a tailgate too--I bought it mostly for parts for my '72 K5,but was bummed to find out the steel rear hatch and tailgate were not compatible with my K5,they were 2" wider--my fiberglass one was in crappy shape on the K5..the Burb never hit the road,it was far too rotted --to repair it would have been a big undertaking,but in a way I wish I had not scrapped it out..

Here's another favorite photo of mine..View attachment 192796

Nice shot!

 

[campfire]

View attachment 192795

Pretty much exactly what I had in mind. It would probably sit a bit lower with IFS in the front. And I would hide the winch behind the front bumper. And the rear would have a winch. And the roof rack would do to the front edge of the roof w/ lights as my RTT would sit on the rack towards the back.
Now add a modern drivetrain to get decent mpg and your set.

@campfire
@GWeakland620

You guys approve??

I think it's a great plan. Sounds like something that I would do. Except that my rig would be diesel-powered when I was done with it. But that probably doesn't surprise anybody.

I think this type of build would warrant a 4BT swap.

 

[campfire]

What draws you to IFS? Most CK5 members, given a new conversion, would rather swap in a solid axle.

 

[GWeakland620]

I work right next to railroad tracks and see transports come in all day full of cars. Of coarse, you can't hardly see the cars anymore. Crazy how times change.

 

[beags86]

I think it's a great plan. Sounds like something that I would do. Except that my rig would be diesel-powered when I was done with it. But that probably doesn't surprise anybody.

I think this type of build would warrant a 4BT swap.

notice I changed my thought process to modern drivetrain from saying a LS something. A 4BT would be considered modern.

What draws you to IFS? Most CK5 members, given a new conversion, would rather swap in a solid axle.

I am not a normal CK5'er I guess. I am probably the only guy on here with a IFS lifted rig... If I have to explain the benefits of IFS then I am probably just wasting my breath. But in short IFS would be cool on that truck in my opinion. For one its probably never been done. But 2. For the general type of exploring I do IFS would be fine. And give back the best on road handling and ride. Remember this is not a hardcore off road rig. This where you say most would prefer a straight axle. Those guys are doing more hardcore wheeling. If your truely doing an overland trip your trying to keep moving. Your not looking for trouble.
Most guys think IFS is junk and not strong, etc. This really is just misconception, more guys bench racing then real world experience. I have had multiple gmt400s through the years and put them though hell and never really had a problem. It will be fine for me.

 

[campfire]

notice I changed my thought process to modern drivetrain from saying a LS something. A 4BT would be considered modern.

 

[campfire]

I am not a normal CK5'er I guess. I am probably the only guy on here with a IFS lifted rig... If I have to explain the benefits of IFS then I am probably just wasting my breath. But in short IFS would be cool on that truck in my opinion. For one its probably never been done. But 2. For the general type of exploring I do IFS would be fine. And give back the best on road handling and ride. Remember this is not a hardcore off road rig. This where you say most would prefer a straight axle. Those guys are doing more hardcore wheeling. If your truely doing an overland trip your trying to keep moving. Your not looking for trouble.
Most guys think IFS is junk and not strong, etc. This really is just misconception, more guys bench racing then real world experience. I have had multiple gmt400s through the years and put them though hell and never really had a problem. It will be fine for me.

I hear ya on not being a "normal CK5'er." I also have my own little lonely corner of the site. I'm probably the only person on here who thinks that 3.73 gears are quite a bit too low for 33" tires (even with O/D!). And I'm one of the few folks around here who has beaten 25MPG, too.

I understand why you wouldn't subscribe to the IFS-is-weak concept. And it would be a neat project.

The only reason why I've avoided IFS on my rigs is that I haven't seen a good lockout system offered on any of the IFS setups that I've looked into. Even on the systems that disconnect the pumpkin, I don't want the drag of 1/2-axles constantly robbing my efficiency numbers. Yeah...I don't know anyone else around here that would care about that. I guess I'll go back to my little corner now.


IFS will be fine. I have yet to ride in an IFS truck converted to SFA, so I don't have apples-to-apples comparisons, but the IFS trucks that I have ridden in have a much smoother ride than the SFA trucks that I have ridden in (age might be a factor, too). But GMT400 trucks regularly handle all sorts of abuse. Should be more than sufficient for an expedition rig.

 

[GWeakland620]

I understand the ifs portion too. If my truck was already 4x4, it would probably stay ifs.

 

[beags86]

I agree, since your starting with a 2wd you might as well go straight front axle.

Currently I have a gmt400 3/4 ton that is just sitting. I never got rid of it when I quit driving it because of the 454 that it has. The plan is to strip down the body this winter and see what kind of shape the frame is in. (I already was going to do this anyway) If its decent then I will have a doner frame. @campfire the manual disconnects you can buy for gmt400s work well. I would run one of those. One of those and a rear selectable locker and a winch and I think I could do whatever I wanted to. I currently have a '51 Chevy and '50 GMC that I haven't done anything with for 10 plus years I might try to use them to barter my way into a carryall.

 

[campfire]

I agree, since your starting with a 2wd you might as well go straight front axle.

Currently I have a gmt400 3/4 ton that is just sitting. I never got rid of it when I quit driving it because of the 454 that it has. The plan is to strip down the body this winter and see what kind of shape the frame is in. (I already was going to do this anyway) If its decent then I will have a doner frame. @campfire the manual disconnects you can buy for gmt400s work well. I would run one of those. One of those and a rear selectable locker and a winch and I think I could do whatever I wanted to. I currently have a '51 Chevy and '50 GMC that I haven't done anything with for 10 plus years I might try to use them to barter my way into a carryall.

Aha. That makes even gooder sense, if you already have the parts lying around.


Do you have a link to a description of the disconnects you are mentioning? The small amount of research that I have done has not turned up anything that I thought would work well.

 

[beags86]

http://4x4posi-lok.com/
I had one of these on an s10. Worked great.
I always said the next time my actuator went out on my current 454 gmt400 DD that I would replace it with a posi-lock. I said that the day I bought it...12 years later I am still waiting. Go figure

 

[campfire]

http://4x4posi-lok.com/
I had one of these on an s10. Worked great.
I always said the next time my actuator went out on my current 454 gmt400 DD that I would replace it with a posi-lock. I said that the day I bought it...12 years later I am still waiting. Go figure

Ok. That is simply a manual activator for the normal GM 1/2-axle disconnect system. And it only disconnects the passenger-side 1/2-axle, so the driver-side 1/2-axle is always connected to the gears, and the spider gears are always spinning. From an efficiency standpoint, that is only slightly better than leaving both sides engaged all the time. If you had an actuator on both sides, then it would just be the shafts themselves spinning, and the gears would be quiet. But I would still be complaining, as there's no benefit in spending extra fuel to put extra wear on the 1/2-axle shafts. I want an actual lockout at the wheel hub like my older rigs have. And aside from some jeep guys grabbing Ford Ranger axle outers, I have yet to see an IFS system that offers that.

I also have yet to see a 6.5-powered GMT400 rig match my older rig's mileage.


Now I'll crawl back to my lonely little corner of the site reserved for efficiency nuts.

 

[campfire]

From a reliability standpoint, I don't know how well those cables hold up, but the stock system has set the bar pretty low. So I imagine that they are a significant improvement in that regard.

 

[beags86]

Nissan Exterra's run IFS with lockouts. Just saying

 

[campfire]

Nissan Exterra's run IFS with lockouts. Just saying

Notated.

 

[beags86]

http://4x4posi-lok.com/
I had one of these on an s10. Worked great.
I always said the next time my actuator went out on my current 454 gmt400 DD that I would replace it with a posi-lock. I said that the day I bought it...12 years later I am still waiting. Go figure

From a reliability standpoint, I don't know how well those cables hold up, but the stock system has set the bar pretty low. So I imagine that they are a significant improvement in that regard.

How so?