85 GMC Sierra Classic 1 Ton Crew Cab

[Mattman2010]

I don't have cross over steering and I have both from and rear sway bars that I have wanted to put on to help from sway. But I think the front will be more of a pain to get it to work.
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[Mattman2010]

Well not really much of an update. I have decided that I am going to build my second frame for this truck so I can keep the truck driving and get the second frame build for the 8 inches of lift and cummins. Then just swap the body over.

New frame in shop






The plan is to build custom mounts for the springs front and back so I can get 56 inch springs front and back. Ive decided that sense I am going to build custom mounts for the front so I can mount 56 inch springs in the front that I might as well go with more than 6 inches of lift so I plan on building more lift into the mounts for the springs to get a total of 8. The truck is going to have 37s under it and while I have seen people run 37s with 4 inches of lift and they seem to be fine, but I will be taking this truck off the road at times and would rather not get a tire into the body. I will be installing the sway bars just to help keep from having so much body roll.

[1985-GMC]

Looks like more fun!

I would look into the 56" springs on the front some more, I heard someone say that you could get axle wrap in the front with that long of a spring and that's why they went with 52"s instead.

[Mattman2010]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Looks like more fun!

I would look into the 56" springs on the front some more, I heard someone say that you could get axle wrap in the front with that long of a spring and that's why they went with 52"s instead.

That might be true because some people will remove up to 4 of the springs so that they can get a lot of flex out of them. I am not necessarily looking for flex so I am thinking about keeping all 8 of the leaf springs in the pack. I think that will help keep the front from sagging a lot and it will also keep from having much axle wrap. I know it may not ride the best with all 8 leafs but its a truck and I think with the weight of the cummins it will help some. The rear of my truck currently does not ride bad at all with 10 or 12 leafs and no weight on it.

[Mattman2010]

Well I drove the truck to school today and was heading on my way home and I started getting black smoke out from under the hood. One of my batteries fell out of its tray and for some reason the rubber dampener in the steering was on fire. I got it put out but not before it heated up the steel brake lines that go to the master cylinder and it cracked and I lost my brakes. So I had to have the truck trailered home. Had the guy that farms my parents land pull it home for me, he brought is 06 dodge and his 36 foot goose neck.



Man that is a nice trailer. Sure makes a crew cab long bed look small haha. After riding in his truck I am kind of rethinking some things on my truck. I am wanting to keep my truck basically for DD and tow pig. His truck is a short bed and it really seemed to handle that 36 foot trailer very nicely. Im thinking about cutting my truck down to a short bed and running a 33 or 35 inch tire. I dont need a big lifted truck, and i kinda think a stockish truck will work great for me. i know it wont be anything like his dodge, but i think it will work better for what I want.

[nekkidhillbilly]

man if you plan on using as a truck keep it long bed..........trust my i have a short bed 04 i hate it im always having things in it to big for the short bed. the stock height though is great idea.

[Mattman2010]

Yeah I know leaving it a long bed would probably be better so that I could use the truck as a truck. In all honesty I really don't need a long bed. The only thing I really ever haul in the bed is my fourwheeler which barely fits in the long bed. It fits good enough in my 03 dodge short bed so I'm not worries about that. My truck should pull about any trailer I want and I have access to about any trailer from a 16 foot bumper pull to a 36 foot gn. I'm going to be driving it around town more than hauling stuff so going short bed will really help with the turning radius. I want it to be more dd friendly but also be able to hook up to just about anything and haul some ass!
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[nekkidhillbilly]

actaully having a sb vs long bed the long bed does better with the goose neck. 5th wheel its a 100x better. and bumper pull it dont buck as bed even.

[nekkidhillbilly]

ive owned my last short bed lets put it that way.

[Mattman2010]

Yeah I know the long bed will do better for towing, but I don't see myself towing stuff all the time. In the time I've had the truck running I have not hauled a thing. I want it to be dd friendly and a short bed just seems like it will work best for me. It will be more dd friendly and I should be able to hook up to a trailer when I want and go with it.
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[onebadbowtie]

I drive past your truck almost every day. i live and go to school in pitt and work for a farmer down by crestline. message me for my contact info if you want. i would more than happy to help you work on your truck durning what little i free time i have during the week lol. what you going to school for?

[Mattman2010]

Do you? That's cool man! I'm goin to school for manufacturing. What about yourself?
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[onebadbowtie]

Construction Engineering

[Dieselwrencher]

I wonder if when your battery fell over, it arched out causing a short and the energy came out near the steering shaft and brake lines? That stinks to hear man. This time around build some battery hold downs man!

[Mattman2010]

Yeah I know I needed tie downs for the batteries. Not really sure exactly what happened, have not had time to look at it sense I got it home.

[Jonboy]

Originally Posted by onebadbowtie

I drive past your truck almost every day. i live and go to school in pitt and work for a farmer down by crestline. message me for my contact info if you want. i would more than happy to help you work on your truck durning what little i free time i have during the week lol. what you going to school for?

Originally Posted by Mattman2010

Do you? That's cool man! I'm goin to school for manufacturing. What about yourself?
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Sucks to hear about your truck, Matt. Hope you are able to get it back on the road quickly.

I wonder how many other PSU guys are here? I was in the Automotive Service Management program for a while (untile I got hired out from my internship), and worked for prof. Strong before he went back to teaching. It would have been 1996-97. It's been a long time, but do the auto guys still have the "Gus Bus" still running around?

[1985-GMC]

If nothing else a heavy bungee cord is a good idea for that battery.

[Mattman2010]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

Sucks to hear about your truck, Matt. Hope you are able to get it back on the road quickly.

I wonder how many other PSU guys are here? I was in the Automotive Service Management program for a while (untile I got hired out from my internship), and worked for prof. Strong before he went back to teaching. It would have been 1996-97. It's been a long time, but do the auto guys still have the "Gus Bus" still running around?

I'm going to hold off on the truck for now. Thinking about pulling the drivetrain out of the cc and stuffing it in the k10 so that I can have the k10 running and then I can work on the cc and get it cut up for a short bed and getting the cummins transplant.

I've never head of this "gus bus"

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

If nothing else a heavy bungee cord is a good idea for that battery.

Yeah I know, I have some for it just never got around to it. I have not been bouncing around that much at all and wasn't to worried about it. I've learned my lesson. The truck should be fine but I'm just going to tear it apart now and get it ready to cut down and get it ready for the transplant.
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[nekkidhillbilly]

Well I drive ccsb every day 3/4 ton its not anymore dd friendly and everyday I hate the sb more and more . I got a good deal on it but I wish I had waited got a cclb. Rant I know but the one thing I hate on my dmax is the bed. I don't use its bed a lot but the few times I do I want to burn it. Plus cclb srw looks better than anything to me.
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[1985-GMC]

Just in case you didn't already know, my vote is for keeping it a long bed too.

[Mattman2010]

We will just have to see, as Ryan and Tony know I change my mind a lot. For now I'm going to pull my motor out of this truck and stick it in the k10. Then I'll probably swap in a corp 14 bolt or find a Dana 44/14bolt with 3.73 gears. Not much will happen to this truck till I get the cummins paid off and get it in my shop!
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[Dieselwrencher]

Seeing how you have a lwb already, I wouldn't hesitate doing the swb. If you need the 8' bed use the K10, or pull a trailer. Most of the heavy crap I put in my truck beds should really be in a trailer any way.

[Mattman2010]

I'm use to having to pull trailers. I actually enjoy pulling them when I get the chance. If I need to haul 2x4s or sheet rock I can always put the tail gate down. I'm not opposed to pulling a trailer either. I know you have had your last short bed, but I sure haven't. I don't build houses and rarely have something that I need a longbed for that isn't so heavy that it doesn't need a trailer. yeah a long bed might tow better, but a crew cab short bed is longer then a reg cab lwb so technically it will still be better than a reg cab long bed. I use to hate these trucks as short beds. I never understood why someone would cut one down till I started driving mine. I can see how it makes it easier to drive. I know it may not make people happy that I cut it down, but then again it is my truck and I can do with it as I please. I'm just saying. Plus I'm still wanting a dually crew cab so I may just build 2!
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[joe231]

Like you said,
It boils down to what you want.
No other opinion matters...

some inspiration for you

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[Dieselwrencher]

Joe, that truck is bad azz!

Matt, just do it. You don't seem to be a carpenter by trade yet. I think you'll be fine. Parking a CC LWB gets old every day. This is coming from a guy that has driven one daily for years. I haven't owned anything smaller than a 1 ton CC LWB since I was like 22. I'm not saying I don't like driving them, but I can tell you, trying to park them at certain places isn't going to happen. Then a fat guy has to walk.