1 ton with 1/2 suspension

[kwin]

I have a 1990 one ton crew cab , a written off 87 half ton that is lowered with all belltech components. Can I use the 1/2 ton gear on the one ton frame?
I asked this question on the general forum but no one seemed to know.

Thanks in Advance

[SCOTI]

Front end is pretty much a direct swap. The rear will take some fabrication as the shock mounts are in different locations. Several crew-cab short beds have been built this way or by swapping the front suspension & grafting the 1/2 ton rear frame rails to the front half 1-ton frame.

[2wd73blazer]

Did you ever do the suspension swap? Any info about how you did the rear would be appreciated. I just bought a 90 crew cab 1 ton and want to do the same swap.

[kwin]

Ya I did it, the front end is as straight forward as you could ever ask for.
The crossmember unbolts and the new one goes right in, remove your sway bar, upper shock mounts and break lines and out it comes.

Unfortunately I had mine done and on its wheels , almost ready for paint and the shop I was using burned down and all was lost.

Keith

[kwin]

I used the rear from the 1/2 ton clipped the frame behind the cab and tied the 1/2 ton into the one ton frame. There is a 2 inch difference between the height of the half ton and the one ton. If I remember correctly the 1/2 ton frame is aprox 6 inches high and the 1 ton is aprox 8 . I just made a piece to make the transition look natural.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by kwin

I used the rear from the 1/2 ton clipped the frame behind the cab and tied the 1/2 ton into the one ton frame. There is a 2 inch difference between the height of the half ton and the one ton. If I remember correctly the 1/2 ton frame is aprox 6 inches high and the 1 ton is aprox 8 . I just made a piece to make the transition look natural.

Correct. I added 2" to the sides of a 1/2 ton spec'd aftermarket trans x-member so I could use it in my dually.