pseudomike
1/2 ton status
Well here it goes. I have been tinkering with this ’86 K2500 8600GVW over the last few years, and after exhausting much time, money, and effort I have decided to move on. The past couple years brought a frame off which after re-assembly I found some evident twist in the frame. This was of course after I stripped it down, replaced all the body mounts, blasted, and repainted it. It's not too bad but it is noticeable. In addition, I did a 4L80E swap which turned out quite well aside from what I would call a pitiful rebuild job by a local shop. In a nutshell I put a lot of work into it and it didn't come out quite as I expected and I’m fairly frustrated. I was originally going to find a K30 chassis and swap my stuff over, but that search led to locating a '90 K3500 Dually, very solid, 91 Sub nose, and a fresh factory 454TBI...so I've decided to run that truck instead, salvage what parts I wanted off the 2500, sell the rest, and move on. I figured I would throw it up here to gage interest and see where it goes.
As fore-mentioned frame off, and the frame is actually quite solid aside from some twist (front shackle area). Front stick is a corporate 10 bolt, 4.11 gears, w/an auburn posi out of a caprice wagon (updated to the newer spline axles). I went right through the axle a couple years (under 5k miles) but it will need some work now. I noticed while under there the other day an axle seal is leaking and a boot on a ball-joint is cracked. It has JB7 brakes, stainless hoses all new at rebuild. I recall the previous owner murmuring the axle rebuilt and when I installed the LSD the pinion ring gear had some scarring. I'm guessing his rebuild was due to a faulty pinion bearing..ugly but it's never given me a problem and I was pushing an 8ft Fisher through New England blizzards. Stock hubs-nothing special. The rear is a 14FF out of a '77 1 ton, big brakes, eaton gov-loc. Drums, hardware, cables (’82 up style), cylinders and wheels seals all new last year. The gov-loc has about 60k on it but came from a full-time 4wd truck. Rear is in nice shape. Rear springs are new (56" I believe) 10 leaf HD...little much for a 3/4 ton..nice for a dump..brand new. Front springs are also new 2" tough country to level it out a bit. I plan to keep the 4L80E if I ever get ambitious w/the new truck.
Onto the motor, swapped 350 TBI, was a reman many years ago in a ’91 K5 I had as a kid (true mileage unknown). Scrapped the truck and kept the motor. Last year I pulled it from storage knowing that it had few miles as a powerplant for re-powering this old truck. I left the bottom end alone, installed a new edelbrock cam per TBI chips specs, 1.6 roller rockers, bought the edelbrock TBI intake and an oversize throttle body from RV morse machine. I then had the intake machined to accept the new oversize butterflies. It’s running a hot tow-master chip from TBI chips. Motor runs strong, lots of low end torque. HP output dunno? But I can tell you that I walk away from my brothers ’05 6.0 2500HD so this truck is either lighter or it’s got more nuts. I also towed a 7500lb Kubota on a Tandem axle Trailer 200miles at 75mph on the highway in OD w/4.11gears so it must have some torque? For the bad, the rear main is leaking. Easy fix if you plan on swapping it but frustrating for me. Up front it’s running a ’91 serpentine setup w/new water pump, alternator, and hydroboost PS pump. I have a couple AC pumps if interested as well as an aluminum water pump. It also has a barnes electric actuated clutch hydraulic pump w/separate reservoir, filter, and cooler. I used it for a plow, but it would certainly make a kick-ass winch setup. I might keep this setup if I can re-engineer the brackets to fit a 7.4L. Pump and clutch alone retails for $749. This all runs through a stock ’91 wiring harness using a VSS signal from a ’91 NP241. Whole or separate don’t really care. The intake and TB alone is worth some coin alone.
Onto the body. Not sure what I’m keeping yet but here is the list.. ’91 K5 front clip all GM metal. Doors and fenders are GM replacement, inner fenders are NOS GM. Cab was swapped at frame off. About 99% rust free original metal…even original rockers. It was a 2wd A/C injected cab so I cut the floor out and welded the 4wd pan in. It has a dent in the roof, and I never addressed two small holes in the cab corners. Underside was blasted and painted with zero rust out of an undercoat gun, same goes for the interior floor. Needs little work but probably one of the nicer barn fresh cabs you’ll find in New England. It is wired using a ’91 K5 harness including tilt wheel, A/C, PWR doors, and I built a custom white faced gauge set utilizing a factory tach w/electric speedo (never offered to my knowledge). Bed is a diamond plate flatbed for SRW (~7ft wide). It is painted with a rhino-liner type paint. Very solid w/new grote lights. Has integrated hitch and D rings. Could use some paint underside but 100% there. I don’t know if it’s a home-brew or a off the shelf (I bought it from a local farmer). It was assembled nicely either way. I would be willing to trade this bed for a DRW flatbed of equal quality. Bed is fairly light by design so good for any SRW truck including half-ton.
Many other new parts but that’s about all I can think of right now. If there is something listed that interests you or something you need drop me a PM. I also have the dually bed off the new truck that I am hoping to swap out for a flatbed. Not the best of shape but salvageable. I haven’t had the time to look underneath it at the supports but will do if someone is interested.
As fore-mentioned frame off, and the frame is actually quite solid aside from some twist (front shackle area). Front stick is a corporate 10 bolt, 4.11 gears, w/an auburn posi out of a caprice wagon (updated to the newer spline axles). I went right through the axle a couple years (under 5k miles) but it will need some work now. I noticed while under there the other day an axle seal is leaking and a boot on a ball-joint is cracked. It has JB7 brakes, stainless hoses all new at rebuild. I recall the previous owner murmuring the axle rebuilt and when I installed the LSD the pinion ring gear had some scarring. I'm guessing his rebuild was due to a faulty pinion bearing..ugly but it's never given me a problem and I was pushing an 8ft Fisher through New England blizzards. Stock hubs-nothing special. The rear is a 14FF out of a '77 1 ton, big brakes, eaton gov-loc. Drums, hardware, cables (’82 up style), cylinders and wheels seals all new last year. The gov-loc has about 60k on it but came from a full-time 4wd truck. Rear is in nice shape. Rear springs are new (56" I believe) 10 leaf HD...little much for a 3/4 ton..nice for a dump..brand new. Front springs are also new 2" tough country to level it out a bit. I plan to keep the 4L80E if I ever get ambitious w/the new truck.
Onto the motor, swapped 350 TBI, was a reman many years ago in a ’91 K5 I had as a kid (true mileage unknown). Scrapped the truck and kept the motor. Last year I pulled it from storage knowing that it had few miles as a powerplant for re-powering this old truck. I left the bottom end alone, installed a new edelbrock cam per TBI chips specs, 1.6 roller rockers, bought the edelbrock TBI intake and an oversize throttle body from RV morse machine. I then had the intake machined to accept the new oversize butterflies. It’s running a hot tow-master chip from TBI chips. Motor runs strong, lots of low end torque. HP output dunno? But I can tell you that I walk away from my brothers ’05 6.0 2500HD so this truck is either lighter or it’s got more nuts. I also towed a 7500lb Kubota on a Tandem axle Trailer 200miles at 75mph on the highway in OD w/4.11gears so it must have some torque? For the bad, the rear main is leaking. Easy fix if you plan on swapping it but frustrating for me. Up front it’s running a ’91 serpentine setup w/new water pump, alternator, and hydroboost PS pump. I have a couple AC pumps if interested as well as an aluminum water pump. It also has a barnes electric actuated clutch hydraulic pump w/separate reservoir, filter, and cooler. I used it for a plow, but it would certainly make a kick-ass winch setup. I might keep this setup if I can re-engineer the brackets to fit a 7.4L. Pump and clutch alone retails for $749. This all runs through a stock ’91 wiring harness using a VSS signal from a ’91 NP241. Whole or separate don’t really care. The intake and TB alone is worth some coin alone.
Onto the body. Not sure what I’m keeping yet but here is the list.. ’91 K5 front clip all GM metal. Doors and fenders are GM replacement, inner fenders are NOS GM. Cab was swapped at frame off. About 99% rust free original metal…even original rockers. It was a 2wd A/C injected cab so I cut the floor out and welded the 4wd pan in. It has a dent in the roof, and I never addressed two small holes in the cab corners. Underside was blasted and painted with zero rust out of an undercoat gun, same goes for the interior floor. Needs little work but probably one of the nicer barn fresh cabs you’ll find in New England. It is wired using a ’91 K5 harness including tilt wheel, A/C, PWR doors, and I built a custom white faced gauge set utilizing a factory tach w/electric speedo (never offered to my knowledge). Bed is a diamond plate flatbed for SRW (~7ft wide). It is painted with a rhino-liner type paint. Very solid w/new grote lights. Has integrated hitch and D rings. Could use some paint underside but 100% there. I don’t know if it’s a home-brew or a off the shelf (I bought it from a local farmer). It was assembled nicely either way. I would be willing to trade this bed for a DRW flatbed of equal quality. Bed is fairly light by design so good for any SRW truck including half-ton.
Many other new parts but that’s about all I can think of right now. If there is something listed that interests you or something you need drop me a PM. I also have the dually bed off the new truck that I am hoping to swap out for a flatbed. Not the best of shape but salvageable. I haven’t had the time to look underneath it at the supports but will do if someone is interested.
