My 2-ton paperweight

[jps4jeep]

First off, this will be updated as I remember to take photo’s.  This is not my first SAS, but it is my first SAS on this platform truck as well as first time building it in the manner I am, more on that later.  The general point to this project is to address a number of issues with my truck that I am frankly tired of fixing, specifically the front end.  Also will be addressing a number of areas where the truck simply needs work, the rear springs are very worn and the bushings are kinda junky.

Before specs
98 gmc 1500
200,000 K miles
5.7, 4l60E
10 bolt rear
Beat to death front end
Junk rear springs.

I have been collecting parts for the better part of a year and a half buying parts. I have 90% of what I need to complete everything.  Why am I doing this, I searched for a truck that I liked and I kept seeing beat to death older dodges with stupid high miles that needed a lot of other work or the prices were just too high for something a little nicer.  This truck was paid for the day I bought it 7 years ago. I honestly really like this platform truck for what ever reason. This truck has never let me down, never left me stranded. I figure if I put $6000 into this truck, I will have the exact truck that I want and will keep for many years to come.  I crunched the numbers and (not including the original purchase price) this is my best economical options to end up with a pretty much new truck the way I want it.

I will be performing this build in three stages.
Stage 1 will address the suspension and axles
Stage 2 will address the power train
Stage 3 will address the body work

Stage 1: SAS front with 78 F250 D44 and 1 ton rear springs with a shackle reversal D60 from same truck.  I am using this particular front axle because it was available and the price could not be beat. I am will be searching for a 78-79 D60 front, but is not priority at this point.

Stage 2: intercooled 5.9L Cummins with NV4500 Trans.  Last year I bought the engine from a 94 2500 2wd with a 2wd nv4500. I might run divorced case, might change the rear out put/ different trans and married case.

Stage 3: Body work, basically stock re-paint as well as new bumpers and a couple custom touches. I already got a set of doors from Big D and I have a line on a tail gate. Other than that, the body is rust free.

End purpose will be a reliable daily driver, occasionally tow rig and very light duty expedition wheeler (weekends on the beaches and dirt roads to secluded hunting/camping.)  Most of the towing will be our 2000K pound camper. I have been towing my jeep with the truck in stock trim for 6 years and has done so successfully. I honestly tow the jeep 9 times a year, a brand new diesel truck would be cool, but in reality not needed.

At this point I will focus on the Stage 1 portion of the build.  If you have any advice or see something that should be pointed out or upgraded, I appreciate the criticism.

[jps4jeep]

Stage 1: Suspension

Front will be radius arms with pan hard bar. I will be running clayton ZJ 6” coils for now, I have a set of dodge 3500 cummins coils that can be swapped in later, but until the Cummins gets swapped in I think it will ride better with these springs.  Links will be 1.5 .25 inside 1.75 .120 with bushings at the axle end and ruff stuff heims for adjustability.  Front shocks are bilstein 5610 (I think) remote res shocks I bought from Tony.  He runs them in the front of his dodge and they ride well so I am hopeful this set up will perform well.  The radius arms will be similar to the TNT XJ/TJ design but will be parallel.  The rear is 1 ton springs with ORD shackle reversal and DIY4x4 stock height shackles.

To address the transfer case, I could swap to an older case with a flanged front out put, I am going to attempt to re-purpose a 2 piece ford ranger rear shaft onto the front of my truck so that I can retain the push button 4wd.

Completely rebuilt the front axle, brakes, u-joints, ball joints, seals etc.. the axles are already geared to 4.11 with 35’s this should be a great ratio. I am looking for the D60 front, but I can not put the Cummins in till 2014 since I need to wait till 15 years after the production date to be exempt from emissions (odbII) according to my contact person at the BWP Transportation Programs, MassDEP.

[jps4jeep]

[jps4jeep]

Parts:

Shocks


New rear Springs


Rims and tires, 5 rims and tires for a total of $350. Tires are well worn, but they will be fine as rollers and while dialing in the front end. I will probably go with tread-wrights once everything is done.

[jps4jeep]

Rear D60 after I cut everything off and cleaned it up.


Front D44 all stripped and cleaned up.


Link Material


One of the couple pile of parts

[jps4jeep]

In it's new home for now



The rear came apart pretty easily until the last bolt I had to pull, completely seized. I was hoping to re-sell my 64" stock 1500 springs, but one had to be sacrificed.



Punching out the stock hangers rivits

[jps4jeep]

Rear hanger and shackle with no weight on it



about 50% of the vehicle weight, I like the shackle angle.



Axle under the truck, centered and pinion angle set. I also mocked up the shock mounts using the stock shocks, but they are too short so I am ordering up some Bilsteins for a 2-4" lifted truck.


Some parts from Ruff Stuff and the U-bolts are from palmer spring in woburn.


I will be using the rear most mounting holes in the perch to re-center the rear tire in the wheel well. With the shackle reversal, it moves the axle forward slightly so this worked out well for me.

This is pretty much where I am. I need to tack everything up in the rear, pull the axle for finish welding, cleaning and paint. I also have a new diff covr, wheel cylinders and brake parts to throw at it.

[Axle]

 

[jerry k]

Subscribed.  Nice racks 

[HEYzipupyourfly]

john is this what you wanted those 37s for?
if so come pick them up anytime i wouldn't mind them out of my hair for a while. i checked and I actually have 4 of them but you just need to purchase two tubes and i'll get them all pumped up for you. they are mounted on my dodge wheels.

[jeepgod]

Not busting your balls here and maybe you already have thought about this but are you sure that the d44 front can handle the weight of the cummins? I know that dodge runs a 60 frt due to the sheer weight of the engine. This is the reason (among others) you can't get a power wagon package with the cummins, frt axle isn't strong enough according to the dodge engineers.

Just food for thought

My buddy just swapped a cummins with a nv4500 and a divorced 205 in his 87' 3500 and its a huge improvement over the big block that was in here there

[rich]

Sounds like a cool project
What are your plans for the stock/ broken springs are they 2 1/2" wide ?

[cj7fan]

Looks like a cool project John and I like the idea of taking the time and money to improve upon something that you already own/enjoy with the intention of running it for another 6,7,8 years.  Money well spent in my opinion and mainly due to the cost of the labor I think lots of people don't consider re-powering vehicles that have done just fine in the past.

Looking fwd to seeing how it goes.

K

[Bradman]

Good to see the truck getting some upgrades

[jps4jeep]

Thanks folks.

Tony, I wanted to borrow just one 37 to check clearences, specifically on the front.

Todd, it's written up there somewhere, I am looking for a D60, I got these axles for $200 for the pair. I bought all the rebuild parts from advanced, used the 20% off and had them delivered to a store in NH to avoid shipping and tax. My wifes cousin picked them up for me so I have about $500 total into both axles completely brand new. (Not including bracketry.) The 60 will get put in before the cummins. I can not legally register my truck as a diesel in mass with a motor not originally available in this vehicle until the odb2 inspection requirement expires, which is still year and half away.