90's 2500 4x4's?

[TerryD]

Been looking at quite a few trucks online JIC I sell the Jeep. What is the actual difference between a light duty 2500 and a 1500? Did they just plug a 14sf in the rear and up the capacity a bit? Do they have a 4L80E or a 4L60E transmissions in them? What are the chances any of the 2500LD trucks will be geared anything but 3.73?

 

[plyr2k]

the "F44" heavy-duty chassis equipment,this increases the GVWR from 6,200 lbs.up to 6,600 lbs.The F44 pkg. also includes the 9.5" rear axle (instead of the std. 8.5" rear axle) bigger rear brakes (11.15x2.75" instead of the std. 10x2.5") and an additional leaf in the spring pack.

I found that after a quick google search.

My buddy has a 1996 with a sf in it.
F44 was only after 1994. I dont believed it was a "2500" anymore. I know that 95 the F44 code meant z71. Pre 95 there was a different code. The "Light duty" 2500's usually had a GVWR of 7200. The frames are the same. The frames dont change until the GVWR reaches above 8600 if i remember right.


The 88 light duty 2500 I owned had 3:73s, my buddies does aswell.

Found this too....
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212711

 

[TerryD]

Thanks!

 

[79rustyk10]

Had an 89.

It had a 700r4 and 14 bolt sf in it. Pretty sure it had 3.73's, it would take any other TBI chevy 1/2 ton my friends had out of the hole in a drag race.

 

[jt512]

My dad had a 95 light 2500, it was a 5.7, nv4500 4wd extended cab short bed with 3.73's in the semi float 14. It was a great truck!! He sold it with 342,000 miles on it back in 03 and replaced it with an 03 2500 that he just sold with 385,000 on it .

The 95 was bought new and never had any real issues. I replaced one alternator, one water pump, a fuel pump, 2 clutches and the back half of the exhaust. Other then that just basic maintenance stuff

 

[TerryD]

Thanks for all the info guys. Going to see a 93 GMC 2500 tomorrow after I sell the Jeep. 102k miles for $3000. Basic truck with just A/C. Don't know how I feel about being without cruise control, but the price is pretty good.

 

[TerryD]

Has anyone every installed cruise control on a truck like this? If I can't get the 2500HD I found reasonably, I think I'm going to get a 1992 GMC LD2500 and would like to have cruise control on it. Manual windows and locks I can live with no problem, but I like cruise control because I do travel the interstate occasionally to my parent's and brother's houses and the nearest Lowe's or Home Depot is nearly an hour away.

 

[Blue85]

Should only take like 20 minutes?

 

[TerryD]

Should only take like 20 minutes?

That'd probably be ok if I was a flat-lander. I live in the mountains though....

 

[6.2Blazer]

the "F44" heavy-duty chassis equipment,this increases the GVWR from 6,200 lbs.up to 6,600 lbs.The F44 pkg. also includes the 9.5" rear axle (instead of the std. 8.5" rear axle) bigger rear brakes (11.15x2.75" instead of the std. 10x2.5") and an additional leaf in the spring pack.

I found that after a quick google search.

My buddy has a 1996 with a sf in it.
F44 was only after 1994. I dont believed it was a "2500" anymore. I know that 95 the F44 code meant z71. Pre 95 there was a different code. The "Light duty" 2500's usually had a GVWR of 7200. The frames are the same. The frames dont change until the GVWR reaches above 8600 if i remember right.


The 88 light duty 2500 I owned had 3:73s, my buddies does aswell.

Found this too....
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212711

Not sure about some of these statements. I won't bet my life savings on these comments but I believe they are fairly accurate.

- From my understanding the F44 was an option on 1500 series trucks that included the 9.5" SF rear axle, in addition to some other items. It was still badged and sold as a 1500.

- The 6-lug 2500 trucks were a separate model with the 9.5" axle standard, not an option such as the F44. So you could get a 1500 truck with the F44 option and it still said 1500, or you could get a 6-lug 2500. Now granted, there was probably very little to no difference between an F44 equipped 1500 and a 6-lug 2500 with exception of the badges.

- F44 does NOT mean Z71.....they are both separate RPO codes, and if it's Z71 is says Z71 in the RPO codes.

 

[plyr2k]

Not sure about some of these statements. I won't bet my life savings on these comments but I believe they are fairly accurate.

- From my understanding the F44 was an option on 1500 series trucks that included the 9.5" SF rear axle, in addition to some other items. It was still badged and sold as a 1500.

- The 6-lug 2500 trucks were a separate model with the 9.5" axle standard, not an option such as the F44. So you could get a 1500 truck with the F44 option and it still said 1500, or you could get a 6-lug 2500. Now granted, there was probably very little to no difference between an F44 equipped 1500 and a 6-lug 2500 with exception of the badges.

- F44 does NOT mean Z71.....they are both separate RPO codes, and if it's Z71 is says Z71 in the RPO codes.

Ok the z71=f44 is incorrect, but show me a light duty 6lug 2500 with a vortec. As I stated, f44 is 95 and newer. I have yet to see a light duty badged 2500 6 lug from 1995 an up. There was a different rpo code prior to 95.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Ok the z71=f44 is incorrect, but show me a light duty 6lug 2500 with a vortec. As I stated, f44 is 95 and newer. I have yet to see a light duty badged 2500 6 lug from 1995 an up. There was a different rpo code prior to 95.

I can't verify that F44 did not start until '95 and would not argue about the 6-lug 2500's stopping around '94. If this is the case I understand where you are coming from....there were 6-lug 2500's up to '94 and then in '95 you could get the F44 option on a 1500 truck which will basically give you the same thing as an 6-lug 2500.

 

[TerryD]

Another 14SF question: How many 8 lug 2500's came with a 14SF axle? I found a 99 Crew Cab Sierra SLE 2500 short bed 5.7L but it has a 14SF. Power everything, cruise, A/C works, no rust anywhere. It is a South Carolina body with 270k miles and a shot front differential and rear intake gasket (blowing oil out). Got the guy down to $4000 from $5000, but says he can't go lower. It's on a car lot and he showed me where he gave $3990 for it in trade and supposedly put new oil cooler lines on it. Sound too bad? Those 5.7's and 4L80Es are common enough and it seems to have mainly been a highway truck. Thoughts?

 

[plyr2k]

Another 14SF question: How many 8 lug 2500's came with a 14SF axle? I found a 99 Crew Cab Sierra SLE 2500 short bed 5.7L but it has a 14SF. Power everything, cruise, A/C works, no rust anywhere. It is a South Carolina body with 270k miles and a shot front differential and rear intake gasket (blowing oil out). Got the guy down to $4000 from $5000, but says he can't go lower. It's on a car lot and he showed me where he gave $3990 for it in trade and supposedly put new oil cooler lines on it. Sound too bad? Those 5.7's and 4L80Es are common enough and it seems to have mainly been a highway truck. Thoughts?

A bunch of them came with S/F. I believe that is still a 7K something GVWR truck. I believe the FF were 8600 gvwr. I have a 1995 burb that sounds similar. It has the 4l80e, hydroboost brakes, tbi350, and had a 8 lug S/F. It also had the heavy front dif.

I dunno. I would wait. I paid 1k for the burb i described. It needed new floors and a new pigtail on the transmission. Its a basic model, but had 100k less miles on it. It sounds like settling to me if you pay 4K for that truck.

 

[TerryD]

I don't know if I would call it settling. It's everything I've been looking for except the 14FF and busted front axle. Those 5.7's are fairly cheap plentiful as are the 4L80E transmissions. If I find a 14FF with 4.10s for a reasonable price I can put it in there and use the SF in my K5. Just have to swap the 8 lug stuff on my 10b.

I've also found a 03 K2500 I want to look at this weekend. 168k mile extended cab long bed 4x4 6.0L automatic for $7000. Probably get him down some on the price easily.

I dunno, patience is key I guess, but it kills me....