55 big window on a mid eighties k30 frame swap

[WIDESIDE72]

Any input on setting a 55 big window on a 84 k30 chassis? Its got drw but not sure if its a dually or cab and chassis (has a flat bed and forgot to look closely.) i came across it this week. It has a running 350, sm465, 14 bolt ff rear and dana 60 front. I am already thinking 6" lift, 37" tires and an ORD doubler using a np203 with the np205 already in it.

[tmoble]

what's ORD? running 2 transfer cases together to make an overdrive or double underdrive? Sorry, I'm not up on the terminology. still working on drw too.

[mr48chev]

I'd have to go out an measure my 77 dualie and the 3/4 ton rear I have sitting out back but dualie rear axles are narrower from backing plate to backing plate than single wheel rear axles are. I had a 77 one tone 4x4 crew cab that I wish I had never traded off with single rear wheels.

If you did get a dualie rear axle they are worth a big chunk of change to guys wanting to dual out their trucks and no doubt you can find someone who would swap axles with you and give you some $$ to boot.

There are a few of those cabs swapped over to the later 4x4 frames around here and some look pretty nice and some look like a couple of goat ropers did it on a Saturday with a case of Coors lite involved in the process. Measure, fit and build proper brackets to mount the cab and bed and take your time to get it right.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by tmoble

what's ORD? running 2 transfer cases together to make an overdrive or double underdrive? Sorry, I'm not up on the terminology. still working on drw too.

Sorry. ORD is Off Road Design. They make a kit that adapts an NP203 as a range box in between the trans and NP205, giving double low gear capability. My thinking is it would be cheaper to do than replacing the gears in the axles since it is a do it yourself deal. Anytime you go to taller tires the gears need to be changed to compensate off road. My idea is I would leave the gears as is and allow the 37" tall tires to give the same effect as an overdrive. Anytime it would be offroad, id use the double to give the low gearing needed.

DRW is Dual Rear Wheel

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I'd have to go out an measure my 77 dualie and the 3/4 ton rear I have sitting out back but dualie rear axles are narrower from backing plate to backing plate than single wheel rear axles are. I had a 77 one tone 4x4 crew cab that I wish I had never traded off with single rear wheels.

If you did get a dualie rear axle they are worth a big chunk of change to guys wanting to dual out their trucks and no doubt you can find someone who would swap axles with you and give you some $$ to boot.

There are a few of those cabs swapped over to the later 4x4 frames around here and some look pretty nice and some look like a couple of goat ropers did it on a Saturday with a case of Coors lite involved in the process. Measure, fit and build proper brackets to mount the cab and bed and take your time to get it right.

My experience is that what is commonly referred to universally as a "dually" is actually a pickup bed with flared fenders to cover the tires. GM used the same width 14 bolt full floating axle as found under some 3/4 (if heavy duty optioned) and all 1 ton SRW trucks. A cab and chassis utilized a narrower axle to enable a service bed, etc to be fitted and be the same width as the cab, no protuding third and fourth tire.

My dad was a pipeline welder for years and i helped him build four pipeliner beds over the years and he helped numerous friends do the same, some on cab chassis and some on duallys. He preferred cab and chassis as obvious it made a more efficient package. With a duall you either had to build the whole bed
Wider or install fenders. He usually bought single axle trailer fenders and cut them in half width.

The truck im looking at has a flat be and headache rack. It is in fact a cab and chassis. One owner barn find truck fresh off a south texas ranch. Needs gas tank and carb rebuilt. $1500