Last edited by a moderator:
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
85 K30 Project
- Thread starter bigblock454
- Start date
Ned Kelly
1/2 ton status
Wow!...that K30 looks pristine!....good find! 
That thing is awesome except the brush guard. I would run 255/85R16 they are a 33x10 inch tire. I think its about the tallest you can run on a dually without spacers or custom wheels. Or go 19.5s if you want to buy rims and tires and make it into a hauler not a wheeler.
Wow!
Nice find!
Nice find!
I will post pics of 255/85/16 on stock drw rims . there super close to rubbing sidewalls between the 2 with just a flatbed on my truck I tested them on years ago .
I have grown to love the factory look of 19.5 rim/tire combo on these trucks when I see them.
and the tires for 19.5 are loooong life span compared to reg 16-17" tire options.
Hercules makes a good traction type 19.5 that isn't too spendy.
here is the pics
last pic is if you have a narrow c&c rear axle .
last pic is if you have a narrow c&c rear axle .
300 gallons of water in the bed of my K30 with the 255/85R16 tires would cause the tires to rub together. It really needed a spacer. But normal driving and light loads were fine.
That looks like the perfect tire, thanks!
As fun as the lights and siren were, they had to go! Got the Fire/PD stickers carefully peeled without any paint damage, pretty easy just time consuming with the wife's hair dryer. Also removed all the fire suppression hoses and a TON of wiring, much cleaner all around now. I'll post a pict later.
As far as fabbed bumpers, sent RLC an email for a variation of the attached. Minor changes, no integral winch as i'll go for a hitch mounted version, so front receiver, and (4) rectangular LED lights, who wants round lights on a square body? ha ha.
As fun as the lights and siren were, they had to go! Got the Fire/PD stickers carefully peeled without any paint damage, pretty easy just time consuming with the wife's hair dryer. Also removed all the fire suppression hoses and a TON of wiring, much cleaner all around now. I'll post a pict later.
As far as fabbed bumpers, sent RLC an email for a variation of the attached. Minor changes, no integral winch as i'll go for a hitch mounted version, so front receiver, and (4) rectangular LED lights, who wants round lights on a square body? ha ha.
That will look good.
cool rig
Cleaned up real nice!
Got tires on order, and will probably cut the bed boxes off for easier unloading with forks.
Got tires on order, and will probably cut the bed boxes off for easier unloading with forks.
I was a bit surprised, this thing has 11k lb rear suspension and is still the corp 14ff, news to me. Guess I thought stuff > 8600lb was D70HD, perhaps only in later years?
I parted a 1980 k30 srw all factory truck that was 12k gvw trailer towing package . had 14ff rear .
The axles share the same bearings and hubs with spindles. I came to the conclusion that it was purely the addition of overload springs with pads on the frame. Axles share the same weight bearing capabilities.
Some more weirdness. I just assumed this thing had no AC by the heater core panel on the firewall, absence of the evap and accumulator etc, no compressor. But when I got looking around, finally paying attention I noticed the lines cut off just above the glow plug controller, then the condensor *type* of thing (notice with hose barbed hose connections, ha ha) in front of the radiator? Then finally the HVAC interior control panel?
Never seen a setup like that before? Not even sure it AC or some other hacked together something or other.
Never seen a setup like that before? Not even sure it AC or some other hacked together something or other.
looks kind of aftermarket a/c
Yeah definitely aftermarket. I think someone else on here had a similar setup.
Got the new tires mounted today, BFG 255/85R16s Mud Terrains. Sorry for the poor pictures, had a heck of a time trying to catch the light in-between the tires, but there is about an 1/8" between them and probably 1/2" to the leaf springs. This thing will see fairly heavy loads so I probably need at min a 1/4" spacer between the tires, which will mean my lugs will not fully extend out of the nut. On hub centered rims what's the point of the outer spaced acorn lug ring? Any reason I can't toss the acorn ring and just put the lug nuts on backwards?
Tapered seat lugs stay tight.
If you did that, with a spacer you'll push the outer dual away from the hub centric surface of the wheel hub. Then it will vibe. Then the lugs will loosen. You can however install longer studs. And use third generation dodge dually lug nuts.
If you did that, with a spacer you'll push the outer dual away from the hub centric surface of the wheel hub. Then it will vibe. Then the lugs will loosen. You can however install longer studs. And use third generation dodge dually lug nuts.
