Recent content by 1stDeuce

I can't quote dimensions, but the 2500 versions of the later trucks (Since GMT 800 at least) go up in both thickness and frame depth compared to the 1500 versions. The SUV versions are also different than the truck versions, with material thickness differences as well as overall frame...

Welcome Gale! It would be helpful to know where the truck has lived it's life... Here in the dry, arid southwest, mileage and age are of less consequence than they are in more humid places... I have had several trucks with more than 200k on them that were in great condition mechanically and...

I see now, the lighter axles with better steer angle have a ~10" offset front diff... I don't know what "other issues" there are, but if moving the exhaust is the big one, I'd move it, especially if the offset diff allowed a slightly lower ride height. Centered diff axles typically used in...

To give some idea of turning radius, your stock non-driving front axle likely had a turn angle of 50-55°. Dropping to 35° is a big increase in turning radius. I suspect the truck I drove with the Howe-Coleman front axle was limited to no more than about 30°. It was AWFUL to maneuver...

Nice "old man" topper!! :) Looks like the side windows are already tinted... Lots of places made aluminum toppers like that, and I doubt the brand is that important. As long as you're mounting to the main supports, you should be OK. Load capacity is a stupid number that means mostly...

I'll second turning angle being the primary consideration... Looks like both axles have a 35° angle... On further consideration, do you really need a 17,000lb front axle? That seems excessive... If you drop the capacity to just 16,000 you can get either axle with a 42° turn angle, and...

That is a good point... Fuel economy with a 4.3l S10 is going to be only ever so slightly better than a full size with a 5.3l, if at all... Bang for the buck, full size half ton wins over the S10... Dakota with a 4.7l V8 probably similar mileage to the half ton GM but a nice size package for...

Sorry, I didn't mean you had to put it under the truck, I just meant you could have put it where you put the knockoff. But it might not have fit, or you didn't feel like it is fine. Hope it keeps working for you!!

You'll be fine with a 245 on and 8" wheel. Yes, if you air way down, it will be "easier" to push off the bead than if the same tire was mounted on a 6.5" wheel, but if you are aired that far down, it is for an emergency situation, not for general offroad travel. With 30psi or more, you should...

Re-reading, you asked about wide wheels/narrow tires but that's not what I would call a 265 on an 8" rim... With a 245, I think an 8" rim is wider than I would personally go, but Jeep had that combination on the TJ Rubicon's and it worked out fine. Surf the web some... It looks to me like...

I've run 265/75R16's on stock 6.5" wide GM 2500 wheels on several heavy vehicles without issue. We put that size on a Sprinter van too and I'm sure those wheels are not wider than 6.5". No problems and they work well and wear well. There is no reason to need a wider wheel for the tire's...

Thanks for the trip report Arnie! I miss the UP... Houghton was my stomping grounds for 5 years at Michigan Tech. So many good memories of Lake Superior... I think my fondness for Iceland is related to how much it reminds me of the Keweenaw area! I had not heard of the 7 hour plane crash...

Curious why you didn't just hard mount the Viair compressor... I have a Viair 400c mounted under my truck and it comes in handy all the time. Not as fast as the converted A/C compressor setup on my Jeep but fast enough for my use. It mostly gets used for airing up flat or low tires on other...

There's a 2004 quadrasteer 'burb in Brighton CO on FBMP right now... 6.0L according to the VIN. (8th letter U instead of G) Couple more non-quadrasteer trucks. Fly and buy baby!!! :) I'd not run away from a later GMT400 'burb with a 454 either. Some nice examples out there for cheaper...

For the tow capacity you want, you have to have a 3/4 ton which means no AFM and a 6.0L on the GMT900. I think the 6L90E that comes with the 2500 'burb is a solid trans, and geared much better than the 4L80E... But you need an '09+ to get the six speed... I'm a big fan of the GMT800 trucks in...