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Two K5 questions

PGG

PGG

1/2 ton status
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Posts
108
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3
Location
Fort Worth Texas 76116
1. My rear tires total width from side to side is narrower then my fronts.
I have not taken the tires off yet but is this normal or is there maybe miss matched wheels on it or spacers on the front making it wider?

I wouldn't mind if they were the same so the tires looked the same fit in the front wheel wells as the back. If I switch to 12.5" wide tires it seems like the front will hang out of the wheel well and the backs will still be under.


2. I saw an ebay post of a silver blazer in Denver. They list it as a rare double walled hard top. I have never seen one like it in the image it appears to have a liner look to it. Is that rare or whats the deal just wondering?

Thanks PG
 
Cheap way to fix it is QUALITY wheel spacers or get a 14 bolt axle ( not sure is the 14 bolt SF is wider but know a 14 Full Float is wider. Sure one with way more knowledge will chime in on axles as I am still a NOOB to most here but trying to give little input.
 
brans87 said:
Cheap way to fix it is QUALITY wheel spacers or get a 14 bolt axle ( not sure is the 14 bolt SF is wider but know a 14 Full Float is wider. Sure one with way more knowledge will chime in on axles as I am still a NOOB to most here but trying to give little input.
Click to expand...

I don't think the 14b is any wider. Mine looks the same after 14bff swap. GM did this on purpose, but I agree it is not the best cosmetically. I've not looked into it, but I have also heard that spacers are safe these days.
 
#2. We need to get Greg72 in here to lay down the hard top speech... :D :haha:


With that, the double wall is actually the least desirable of the two. Its a hell of a lot heavier and the bolts go in from the bottom, not the top, like the single wall tops. You need to remove the back side panels to get at the bolt heads. These bolts generally take the shape of an hour glass after 40+ years.

Most of the guys here have taken a sawzall to their tops, in favor of a soft top, or God forbid, using it as an awesome convertible. :pimp:

I haven't fallen into the sawzall trap yet, hell, I have three of them here at the house, but maybe that day will come when she leaves the garage one day. :waytogo:

So in short, they are not rare or more valuable than having, say, a CST than any other 1st Gen. The main thing that brings value to a 1st gen, is rust, or lack there of. :popcorn:

Oh, and welcome to the group. :thumb:
 
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Front and rear WMS widths go as follows.

1/2 ton front...67.5"
1/2 ton rear...65"
3/4 and one ton front...69.5"
3/4 and one ton rear...67"

Van width 14 bolt FF is 70"

You can see GM had the same 2.5" narrower rear throughout the line of light trucks back then. A lot of guys use a good quality wheel spacer in the rear to get the widths closer. It does make for a weird visual the first time you notice it, and once you see it, you can't unsee it.
 
i love my 1st gen ... however i did a whole new idea 72 chassis with 70 gmc jimmy cst body and a 67 gmc truck nose... just got a factory 14bff with 4.56s detroit locker and a d44 big bearing with 4.55s 400 bucks.... goin 454 bbc stroker 496 with 39.5 or 42s.. have full leaf spring lift all around.. only 6inch but a zero rate block front and rear plus the body lift should clear 39s i hope
 
rear is narrower to help track down the road
most cars and trucks are like this (except Smart car, tiny USPS mail cars, etc)
You can see that the tailgate is narrower than the headboard. So is the rear wheel stance.

Personally, I don't have a problem seeing it, big deal. My 38x15.5 tucks inside while flexed. Couldn't do that with a wheel spacer.
 
The double wall top is factory, cut up one and you will see.

The rear is narrower then then front that is how they built them.
 
I have had to tow my Jimmy home twice over the last ten years. Both times the tow truck company(s) sent trailers and the only way it fit was to be backed on on.
 
K85 Octane said:
rear is narrower to help track down the road
most cars and trucks are like this (except Smart car, tiny USPS mail cars, etc)
Click to expand...

Really? Fords look totally even to me. I always thought it was a Chevy thing.
 
tRustyK5 said:
Front and rear WMS widths go as follows.

1/2 ton front...67.5"
1/2 ton rear...65"
3/4 and one ton front...69.5"
3/4 and one ton rear...67"

Van width 14 bolt FF is 70"

You can see GM had the same 2.5" narrower rear throughout the line of light trucks back then. A lot of guys use a good quality wheel spacer in the rear to get the widths closer. It does make for a weird visual the first time you notice it, and once you see it, you can't unsee it.
Click to expand...

When I did my 8-lug conversion, I did the front axle first. The resulting 4.5" difference in widths looked stranger yet.


I do need some help, though, as I'm still struggling to understand the turning advantage to narrower rear axles. I understand the effects of wheelbase, but would someone fill me in on why narrowing the rear axle decreased the turning radius? :popcorn:
 
campfire said:
But how does it change the turning radius? I'm still lost here... :dunno:
Click to expand...

I don't see it either. Thinking of those backwards trike motorcycles, they don't seem like they'd have a super tight turn radius, and that's about as extreme as it gets.
 
Mastiff said:
I don't see it either. Thinking of those backwards trike motorcycles, they don't seem like they'd have a super tight turn radius, and that's about as extreme as it gets.
Click to expand...

My thought exactly. Does nobody in this thread have an answer? Maybe I should start a new Garage thread about this... :dunno:
 
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