CK5
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I need an opinion
- Thread starter swettysblazer
- Start date
Yet you recommend 3/4 ton axles??
By the way, three sentences in your post. You used to be able to express the same sentiment in 6 words, 8 at the max. Loosing your touch?
Need I take pictures of the multiple 3/4 ton full floaters I own? What is the point of a 14 bolt semi floater??? The reason I recommend 3/4 tons, is that they are a direct bolt in, and cheap. You get a matched set if you buy two from a pickup, instead of piecing together a bunch of different parts.
Martin
I normally tend to agree, but on a college budget not so much. Frankly I'd focus hard on maintenance, and school. Once school is done then yes, a 3/4 ton swap for sure because it's the most bang for the buck IMO.
SF's are cool on paper...but unless one falls into your lap i don't see the point. They're on the rare side, not generally cheap and still a bunch weaker than the FF.
Rene
SF's are cool on paper...but unless one falls into your lap i don't see the point. They're on the rare side, not generally cheap and still a bunch weaker than the FF.
Rene
I agree with the maintenance, but a 3/4 ton swap can be done pretty cheaply. When I did it on my Suburban, it only cost me a few hundred bucks, and that is including the $200 purchase price of the 1975 K20 that I bought several years ago, and drove for a year before I parted it out. The #447 conversion u-joint, some brake fluid, one new brake line, and few quarts of axle grease is all I had to buy the day I did the swap. I could see it being a bit more expensive if you can't find a running K20 for $200 though.
I agree, I don't see the point in them at all. I have yet to own one, but I doubt when I do end up with one, I won't ever use it.
Martin
Yes, he asked for an opinion. Mine is to 3/4 ton swap his Blazer. I don't understand putting money into 10 bolts. If he is in no hurry, he can look for a really good deal on a set, and swap them in for next to nothing. As opposed to spending money on a 10, and then blowing it up and really being down on his luck with no money to fix it. It is generally a lot cheaper to buy some thing "whenever" as opposed to "I need it right now". . .
Martin
Free rims and tires then? Frankly, that's the biggest cost usually...new, or new to you 8 lug rims and tires to fit said rims. It's a much harder decision when the tires on your 6 lug diffs are good and you like the rims.
Rene
K5dreamer
1/2 ton status
well shoot..... im thinkin i woulda been better off buying the whole 14bsf i found at the yard. i just grabbed the disk brakes off of it. i might have been able to buy it, and sell it for enough to get all brand new brake parts for my disk brake conversion
Prolly...6 lug version ain't the easiest to find from what I've seen around here.
Rene
Rene
So many good one liners in this thread...
Rene
Rene
I bought the whole K20 for $200, that included rims and tires. When I got it, it had a set of 16.5" OEM wheels, with old whether checked grip spurs on them. I found a free set of take off 16" rally wheels off of a '98 K2500 with center caps and trim rings, and a $20 set of take off BFG Long Trail tires, and ran them on there for the year I drove it. They were still on the pickup when I took the axles out from under it to put them under my Suburban.
I used those tires at first when I did the 3/4 ton swap under my Suburban. I then ran a free set of 33x12.50x15" BFG Mud Terrains on it for a while on 15x8" chrome spoke wagon wheels. After that I bought a set of OEM 16.5x6.75" Chevrolet steel wheels for $40 with a set of hub cabs, and mounted up a set of 35x12.50x16.5 BFG Mud Terrains that I paid $30 a piece for.
That is why I say to do a 3/4 ton swap. If you have a place to keep the parts, you can scrounge around for good deals, until you have accumulated enough for the swap. As opposed to just running on 10 bolts till you accidentally break one, and have to spend a bunch of money to fix it right away.
Martin
Orrrrrrrrr....
He could spend a modest amount of $$ on maintenance and focus on school.
Your method works, but it is time consuming, storage consuming and requires a fair amount of luck as well as the time needed to scour for good deals the seocnd they get posted up.
I'm on the older side as far as the demographic goes here, so the biggest priority i see is the school right now. All the wrenching, wheeling, scouring for deals can come later...
Rene
He could spend a modest amount of $$ on maintenance and focus on school.
Your method works, but it is time consuming, storage consuming and requires a fair amount of luck as well as the time needed to scour for good deals the seocnd they get posted up.
I'm on the older side as far as the demographic goes here, so the biggest priority i see is the school right now. All the wrenching, wheeling, scouring for deals can come later...
Rene
I would agree with that. I am just saying, I wouldn't spend any money on upgrades to the axles he currently has. Also, a lot of my deals aren't off of listings. I am a farm boy and a mechanic. I know people all over that have lots of stuff. I have a couple other friends on here from a different part of the state, and we are always looking out for each other finding parts. Most of my good deals on parts just comes from knowing people.
Martin
School is obviously my first priority right now, if it wasn't then there might be some issues lol. And i've got about $400 saved up for my truck, and that's about the max I can put into it. I wasn't necesarilly saying I am doing this right now, just for the future I wanted to know your guy's opinions because I respect them.
