Blazer body on k30 frame

[obijuank5]

I've seen it done but honestly I didnt know enough about what to look for.

My 85 blazer frame is rough. I have an m1008 k30 single cab frame that I'd honestly prefer to build off of.

Side by side it looks rather straight forward, is it really that simple?

Anyone have any tips?

 

[imiceman44]

I've seen it done but honestly I didnt know enough about what to look for.

My 85 blazer frame is rough. I have an m1008 k30 single cab frame that I'd honestly prefer to build off of.

Side by side it looks rather straight forward, is it really that simple?

Anyone have any tips?

I wanted to do it but ended up selling both.
It's not easy but not that hard. If you want to stretch the wheelbase it easier to do that way too.
The biggest hurdle is to put the body mounts at the right height.
It's easier if you get the ones from the k5 and put them on the k30 frame, then relocate the spring hanger to match the wheelbase you want

 

[obijuank5]

You saying just move rear hangers to where I want them and cut off the excess?

 

[skunked]

So the upside here is a stronger/taller K30 frame and you have it on hand? With a K5 frame available to pick body mounts off I don’t see it being very difficult. Moving the rear hangers is easy as well.

 

[imiceman44]

You saying just move rear hangers to where I want them and cut off the excess?

Pretty much.
You will not have the arch in the frame to match the axle location but that doesn't matter because you're lifted so high enough that it doesn't matter.

 

[imiceman44]

So the upside here is a stronger/taller K30 frame and you have it on hand? With a K5 frame available to pick body mounts off I don’t see it being very difficult. Moving the rear hangers is easy as well.

Yep.
Taller frame and shorter than the k30, so really strong.

 

[obijuank5]

So the upside here is a stronger/taller K30 frame and you have it on hand? With a K5 frame available to pick body mounts off I don’t see it being very difficult. Moving the rear hangers is easy as well.

I'm pretty amped up about the taller frame section under the cab. It would help my transition for a smooth belly rather than a couple crossmembers and a skid ive got now.

So far the pros outnumber the cons for a k30 frame swap.

 

[1-ton]

It sounds like you need to build your own body mount brackets that are in the correct position and height.

 

[Stephen]

The K30 frame step up under the truck cab could cause problems with your floor pan, a crewcab or sub frame would probably work better since they're flat for longer under the passenger area. The K30 frame beef is nice but I'd skip a beefy frame in favor of a more complete cage on a lighter lower profile frame. The depth of the K30 frame does hide the transfer case with a flat belly but I'd rather have the belly drop in the middle for the T-case and keep the frame rails high. The rails are the thing that we hit the most. It's actually not as common to hit the center of the truck since it's behind one axle, ahead of the other axle surrounded by driveshafts. You kind of have to be careful of that area naturally. The framerails seem to be in a place that gets drug around more.

 

[kennyw]

You would likely need to heavily modify the K5 floor, K30 frame, or both to make them work. The K5 body will match up to the core support and front body mounts but the K30 frame will hit the floor where it rises for the fuel tanks. One solution is to cut and rebuild the floor there, possibly graft a section from a pickup cab in. Otherwise, body lift the front section and add new mounts to the rear half of the frame.

 

[muddermilitia]

You will have to cut out the rear passenger footwell of the k5 body and raise it up. 73-75 K5's had no footwell for the rear passengers. 76-91 K5's did have a footwell so the frame is lower in that section.

 

[sweetk30]

if me and doing a k30 frame with blazer body and least amount of mods = crew cab frame to start for the extra 33" of FLAT frame under the cab .

 

[bigred88]

The K30 frame step up under the truck cab could cause problems with your floor pan, a crewcab or sub frame would probably work better since they're flat for longer under the passenger area. The K30 frame beef is nice but I'd skip a beefy frame in favor of a more complete cage on a lighter lower profile frame. The depth of the K30 frame does hide the transfer case with a flat belly but I'd rather have the belly drop in the middle for the T-case and keep the frame rails high. The rails are the thing that we hit the most. It's actually not as common to hit the center of the truck since it's behind one axle, ahead of the other axle surrounded by driveshafts. You kind of have to be careful of that area naturally. The framerails seem to be in a place that gets drug around more.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I've never looked closely at a K30 frame, so I probably am), but...

If the suspension is attached the same distance from the bottom of either frame, then the bottom of both frames would end up the same distance from the ground, right? And the taller frame would really just act as a body lift (aside from the strength benefits, etc, just talking height off the ground)? Or am I missing something.

 

[trukman1]

I once attempted to put a '71 body C10) on a '77 (K20) frame. I cut the floor out of the '77 cab to match the hump for the tanks then discovered the frame was 5" longer than the older frame. My point is, if I had to do it over I'd cut the frame to make it match the body (less work than modifying body) and then shorten to match wheelbase. Since your K30 frame is going to be longer, cut the distance out of the "hump" portion to lessen the difference in the height, actually, your going to want to eliminate that entire raised section for what you want to do . Your still going to end up with a lot more "lift" in the rear since it's already raised for the fuel tanks. The distance the frame raises to clear the tanks is the amount of extra height you'll end up with in the rear. Clear as mud?

 

[Capt Ron]

Just for those trying to form a visual. This is a 1988 V30 frame that was originally about 160" wheelbase. I moved the axle up the frame to about 114" wheelbase and mounted a 69 short bed body. {The humps above the rear shackles were shaved}
While some might consider this a bit strange I believe you could mount a Blazer body on a 1 ton frame pretty "easy" this way. This truck goes down the highway 80 mph straight and true.

 

[sweetk30]

true k30 frame for 1977-up hangs just under 2" total under the hang depth of a k10 or k20 frame .

so yes the hangers hit the bottom of the frame but the frame depth hangs lower .

here is a k30 crew cab frame i cut down to a std cab length frame . BUDGET BEATER BUILD

 

[obijuank5]

So I'm actually thinking of just cutting and channelling out the body behind the front seats and letting the rails come through into the cab. If I am measuring right I can run some cage tubing right to the rails.

 

[muddermilitia]

So I'm actually thinking of just cutting and channelling out the body behind the front seats and letting the rails come through into the cab. If I am measuring right I can run some cage tubing right to the rails.

That's a good idea. Better to modify the body than to modify the frame