More SAS questions.

[Cruz89K5]

So I'm going to try to keep this short.

I bought a 2000 GMC 2500 with hopes of pulling the motor to replace the one in my old K5 after snapping the crank. Long story short, for about the same money I think I can swap my K5 drivetrain into the GMC for about the same money. These are my plans, am I on the right track?

The K5 has a 60/14 bolt. Disc braked rear, crossover, etc. I've got stock 52's in the rear. I plan on buying the sky hanger kit for the front and finding a shackle flip for the rear. I have a brand new ORD 4" flip kit here, and the K5 has a 2.5" flip kit with a 6" shackle. Can I adapt the ORD brackets to the new frame? From my understanding, the sky brackets and a 52" spring gives the front about 6" of lift. I saw someone else offered a shackle flip that gave 5.5 inches of lift with a 6 inch shackle, but it looked pretty similar to the ORD bracket. I've got zero rates on the K5 if I need them, but I'd really like to keep it around 6-7 inches over stock. I've got an NP205 for a case, I read the wonderful thread on here for adapting a 205 to a 4l80e. Am I on the right track? Ive got mixed feelings on dismantling the old K5, but its not going away. I'm seeing portals and links in its future, but its not its time yet.

This is going to be a wheeling truck, ride quality isnt an issue. Body damage wont be an issue. I'm trying to get into this as cheaply as possible. Any information, criticism, or related experience is welcome.

Here's a few pics, just because I always like pictures when I read someone elses paragraph.

I'm on the hunt for a new cab. Probably going to get a flat bed.

Hood is straight, front fenders arent too bad.

Looking better

And one of the Blazer

 

[dfl701]

it sounds like a good plan. i think the hardest part would be putting the chevy 60 in the front but it sounds like you have already got that planned out with the 205.

 

[CUCV2]

Hey, I like that old K5. It just needs a motor. Seems like that would be pretty easy to come by. Then you could keep wheeling and have one project instead of two. Just a thought.

 

[rob h]

The chevy 60 is a passenger drop, you will need a passenger drop case for that that has vss for the trans to shift, the 205 vss parts arent easy to come by. Look for a 241, it would be a good case to use. Also putting the chevy 60 in the whole exhaust is on that side..and that is alot to reroute. Id buy the offroad direct kit for the front springs, it has 3 inches of lift built in, then use stock 52s to get 7 inches with a zero rate to move your axle where needed. The shackle flip from the blazer may not fit good, it might put your springs different from your perches. Sell yours and buy a new kit, ord has one and its pretty nice, or even cut and weld it to fit right. Your crossover pitman wont work either since its for 3 blind and the hd is 4, you will have to file the blinds down. The draglink will be too long and needs to be shortened since the k5 box is outside the rail and the hd is inside the rail.

Im a little late on all of this, im doing one too with an 03 but im using a ford 60, wanted to do the chevy 60 but stepped away from the extra work.

 

[Cruz89K5]

The chevy 60 is a passenger drop, you will need a passenger drop case for that that has vss for the trans to shift, the 205 vss parts arent easy to come by. Look for a 241, it would be a good case to use. Also putting the chevy 60 in the whole exhaust is on that side..and that is alot to reroute. Id buy the offroad direct kit for the front springs, it has 3 inches of lift built in, then use stock 52s to get 7 inches with a zero rate to move your axle where needed. The shackle flip from the blazer may not fit good, it might put your springs different from your perches. Sell yours and buy a new kit, ord has one and its pretty nice, or even cut and weld it to fit right. Your crossover pitman wont work either since its for 3 blind and the hd is 4, you will have to file the blinds down. The draglink will be too long and needs to be shortened since the k5 box is outside the rail and the hd is inside the rail.

Im a little late on all of this, im doing one too with an 03 but im using a ford 60, wanted to do the chevy 60 but stepped away from the extra work.

Thanks for all the good info. I traded my 4" flip kit for a new one for the newer trucks. I bought the sky hanger kit and I'm going to use a stock 47" spring and see how that works out. Will I be able to modify my pitman arm to work? If not, what other application will work?

I'm not too worried about the VSS with the 205. I want the strongest case possible, thats why I stayed away from the aluminum cases. I've got two buddies who work on these trucks every day, and one does tuning. They seem to think it shouldnt be a problem to get the truck to run right. Thanks again.

 

[rob h]

Using 47s with the sky kit will be a little short and give a bad shackle angle, thats with the hanger moved all the way up. I seen that on full size chevy with a 99 shortbed. Might be better with 52s to get a better angle. When i said vss thats for the 4l80e to shift, i seen you found the 205 thread on that so for that you should br good. For the pitman arm the one for the older chevy will be four blind, the one ull want is 3 blind. Just file the 4 blinds down even with the bottom of the spline next to it, just dont go file crazy..lol. Then its a no blind arm but will have about 28 splines so will still work good. You might need a washer for it to tighten, but you wont know till you put it on. For the draglink like i said the one from the blazer would be too long, id cut it and get an insert to weld in the tube.

 

[Cruz89K5]

Thanks again for the tech. These are exactly the kind of answers I've been searching for. I've got a few different sets of springs to try out for the front. I was under the impression that the 52's would add a few more inches of lift in the front? I'm trying to keep the truck as low as possible and I'm trying to avoid using rear blocks or buying rear lift springs.

 

[rob h]

The 52 would give you around 4inches. With the sky kit you get 6 and 4 with the springs===10. Thats why i said offroad direct since its only 3 inches from the brackets.

 

[Cruz89K5]

If I'm not mistaken the ORD brackets for the 3/4 ton trucks use superduty front springs. Thats what steered me away from their kit (I had planned on seeing if they would sell me the kit without the dual shock hoops). I didnt want to try to track down some super duty lift springs. That and their kits only seemed to bolt to one point, not like the sky kit which will allow me to shove the axle forward a few inches to keep the tires out of the fire wall.

Did I misunderstand something when I was doing my research?

 

[rob h]

You are right about the kit calling for superduty springs, they use em for that kit since the duramax diesels are so heavy and the spring rate is as close as it should be. Although from searches they are the same length as 52s, double check that tho. Ive seen also 56s being used on gm full size.com with the offroad direct kit. With that kit less hangs down and its alot less lift. Thats the route i was going to go before i bought the coil spring kit for my hd.

If you think the sky kit would suit your needs better than go that route, it seems like a nice kit but basicly all weld on.

 

[97sas'd]

Why not swap the drivetrain from the truck into the blazer? that would be sick!. I mean you have all the factory wiring right there you could use. just realized this was from almost 9 months ago lol. that suggestion is a bit late. Any updates on this build by chance?

 

[Cruz89K5]

Why not swap the drivetrain from the truck into the blazer? that would be sick!. I mean you have all the factory wiring right there you could use. just realized this was from almost 9 months ago lol. that suggestion is a bit late. Any updates on this build by chance?

That was the plan at first. I decided I wanted a nicer truck to wheel instead of having to fix everything else in the K5 after swapping the powertrain. I'll do something with the K5 in the future.

Updates? Yep.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281754

 

[97sas'd]

Did you really have to sneak the KTM in also? i mean your really starting my day off on a good foot.

 

[RIPPEDK5]

How much did this swap cost you (roughly)

 

[Cruz89K5]

How much did this swap cost you (roughly)

I can give you a rough estimate from memory, but I try not to keep track of cost. Some stuff I've had for years, so the prices may not be completely accurate.

CUCV with D60/14bolt- $1500
Round pattern 205 with shifters, adapter etc - $400
Spring hangers: ~$300
Front springs- $60 from salvage yard
ORD Crossover- $450ish
ORD rear shackle flip: $190
Front driveshaft from Woods- $370
Misc expendables, hardware, etc- Estimated $500

Thats the big ticket stuff, I'm sure there is more. You could find a ford axle and keep your transfer case to save money. The rear driveline in mine was about a mile long, and cost about $1200. Keeping a stock case and rear end would fix that issue.

It can be done on the cheaper side, it doesnt have to cost 10k, but it helps to have the parts on hand.

If I were to do it again I might call Offroad direct or whoever it is that offers the kit with the brackets that keeps the truck lower than most other kits. I think their kit is very reasonably priced, I kind of pieced mine together and I probably could have saved a lot of time and effort just buying something other than a Sky kit and changing my mind half way into the build.

 

[RIPPEDK5]

I am looking at the sky kit, but they dont make one for my truck (05 1500) and i cant go high because of state laws. I emailed them about it.

I was thinking a 10 bolt front (i dont need a dana 60 for what i do)..worried about trans. case and what to do with with VSS in the t/c.

what did you do for that or are you just living with the light an erratic behavior?

 

[Cruz89K5]

I am looking at the sky kit, but they dont make one for my truck (05 1500) and i cant go high because of state laws. I emailed them about it.

I was thinking a 10 bolt front (i dont need a dana 60 for what i do)..worried about trans. case and what to do with with VSS in the t/c.

what did you do for that or are you just living with the light an erratic behavior?

I've got a VSS in the 205's tailhousing. I've heard there is a 32 spline 241 with a passenger drop and a VSS. Maybe from the last square 3/4 ton burbs?

If you were to source a 2wd 4l80e (assuming you're looking for a 4l80e) and adapt it to 4wd you could use both of its internal VSS sensors, swap the output shaft and put a case/adapter on it. This is what I intended to do before I couldnt find anyone that would add a tone ring to my 4wd 4l80e without doing a complete rebuild.

 

[RIPPEDK5]

As simple as it sounds, could you just flip the transfer case to the side needed since it is electronic anyways? or will there be lubrication issues..

I dont mind an abs light, i just dont want the truck to not know when to shift or to act funny.

I would do a manual shift t/c swap but its alot of work if I dont need it.

 

[Cruz89K5]

As simple as it sounds, could you just flip the transfer case to the side needed since it is electronic anyways? or will there be lubrication issues..

I dont mind an abs light, i just dont want the truck to not know when to shift or to act funny.

I would do a manual shift t/c swap but its alot of work if I dont need it.

Which case do you have now? I assume there would be lubrication issues. And I think the bolt pattern only works one way. I pulled an autotrac case out of mine and put a 205 in. Only electronic thing I messed with was the transfer case control module. I unplugged it. It shifts a little weird in low, but its not bad. The truck doesnt know when its in low because my VSS is in the case. With both VSS's in the trans like a 2wd setup it would probably run like an old style 4wd setup. Its completely normal in regular driving, even tow/haul is normal.

 

[RIPPEDK5]

Oh, well i dont use 4lo that often, every now and then. its an autotrac transfercase.

I have to look at what side it drops now to see if the 10 bolt is on the correct side.

did you use your stock steering box?