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Best wheel base for my K30 offroad rig

buckmtn

buckmtn

1/2 ton status
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Oct 17, 2005
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Location
Stokesville,Va
I have a 86 k30 standard cab I'm making into my crawler/narly trail, seldom mud mobile. I want something that will work on tight trails but still be stable with 6" of lift and 44" tsls. Tossing the bed and moving the rear forward. Blazer length of 106" seems a little short. Toss me some ideas!!!:D
 
I dunno whats ideal but my crew cab was shortened to 132" then I streched that out to 136" by moveing the front axle 4" forward. When I first shortened it it was the same wheel base as a reg cab long bed, give or take an inch or 2.

I wheeled alot in a blazer and often thought " I wish i had a little longer wheel base". Alternatly I have wheeled a long bed reg cab quite a bit and never realy thought about the wheel base being longer or shorter. With that said it seams for the type of wheeling I do, 130-140" should be just right. I wheel rocks mud snow and sand so seams to fit well all around.

That realy seams weird that I shortened the frame then extended the front.
Basicaly the plan I originaly thought was crew cab and stock front clip with a 4 ft bed. Its about the shortest I could go and the longest wheel base in that set up. Going any further forward with the front axle, looked like I would get into steering problems.
 
I like 120" to 125" little bit better breakover angle and still enough wheelbase to climb good
 
Should use a SWB truck and install zero-rates to move the axles back and forward an inch or inch-and-half.

I still prefer to use a SWB for off roading mainly to their weight. They're the lightest weight trucks GM offers in the full-size. More power-to-weight ratio.
 
I want to move the front forward about 2" or so to help keep the 44's out of the rear part of the front fender. What is the wheel base on a stock reg cab long bed k30. Anyone know off the top of their head? I do know one thing since I took the bed off of it with no weight on the back the rearend has no traction at all. Going to put a blazer tank between the frame and do away with the saddle tanks. Flat bed with toolboxes and spare so maybe I will have enough weight to plant the rear some.
 
what are you wanting to do...even if you improve your approach with a long vehicle like that you have to worry about the break over angle....here is what i would do (gonna cost though)

if you are running 44s then i think the wheelbase should be 130 inches or so...if your rig is at 140 or so now i would move the axle foward where you want it the move the rear axle foward to make the wheelbase 130 inches...

then hack the frame off right behind the leaves....its alot of work...i would say if wheelbase is a concern for you i would not start with a lwb truck....just my .02

clear as mud???:)
 
I bought this long wheelbase truck actually to put all these parts in my blazer. But why go to all the work of swapping the stuff over if its already there on this truck. Excellent running 454 tight 465/205 excellent body and floors. Dana 60/14 bolt already there, just seemed alot easier to shorten the wheel base slap on a short as posible lift to clear 44s and beat the poo out of it... Need a somewhat tight wheel base to manuver a big vehicle through tight trails...
Only thing it will cost me is some time to lop out a section of frame behind the cab and put it back togehter and hack the end of the frame off.
 
my blazer is at 114" with 42s. Havn't wheeled it though, so I can't tell you how it performs
 
My crew cab has 124 and it seems about just right. On some of the tighter turns I get to wishing I had about 10" less, but on the rocks and the climbs I'm glad I have it.
 
The K5 106.5" is my favourite. I've wheeled 90" on my FJ40 and with my friends Suburban (as well as other long & short wheelbased vehicles). The FJ40 got a little squirly on long steep hill climbs & the Suburban's turning radius wasn't very good. Right in the middle is the best of both worlds.
 
Thanks everyone for their replies!:D Thinking of 117-125" range as of now. Still kicking around everyones ideas...
 
Decided to take out 17" of the frame to shorten it up to 115" and then I will move the front forward around 2". About the same as a shortbed wheelbase.
 
My brother's shortbed works very well. I like 120 - 130. I'm currently trying to figure out what to do for my replacement rig in my build thread...Crewcab on burb frame?
 
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