Looking at a truck

[anlrolfe]

Pushing plows is rough on tranny but @ $2K you can't go too bad

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

If you run highway you might find it to be not enough gearing. Mine has 4.10 gears and 7.5-16 tires (larger than stock) and it really sings.
I ended getting a Spicer overdrive box. I can split all my gears now, almost like a 5 and 4, but it's just direct or o/d and it mounts between the bellhousing and trans.

I also got a TBI 454 to swap the carbed 350, since it was only getting 6-7 mpg. Horrible considering my International with a 14L Cummins gets about 8 sitting at 55,000lbs!

 

[boxygen]

Looks like you did just fine on that old truck. Congrats. Used truck prices are scary. $2k usually buys something ready for the crusher around here.

 

[joe25DA]

P

If you run highway you might find it to be not enough gearing. Mine has 4.10 gears and 7.5-16 tires (larger than stock) and it really sings.
I ended getting a Spicer overdrive box. I can split all my gears now, almost like a 5 and 4, but it's just direct or o/d and it mounts between the bellhousing and trans.

I also got a TBI 454 to swap the carbed 350, since it was only getting 6-7 mpg. Horrible considering my International with a 14L Cummins gets about 8 sitting at 55,000lbs![/QUOTE

Yeah pretty sure this has 4.10 gear out back. And 285/85 rubber. 55 was not fun. It won't see much highway use. I'd guess the longest trip it will ever see was the trip from the sellers place to my house.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'm surprised that a 285 width tire on a dual isn't rubbing together.

I just bought new tires for mine today actually, I got some 235/85s

 

[Marshy]

If you run highway you might find it to be not enough gearing. Mine has 4.10 gears and 7.5-16 tires (larger than stock) and it really sings.
I ended getting a Spicer overdrive box. I can split all my gears now, almost like a 5 and 4, but it's just direct or o/d and it mounts between the bellhousing and trans.

I also got a TBI 454 to swap the carbed 350, since it was only getting 6-7 mpg. Horrible considering my International with a 14L Cummins gets about 8 sitting at 55,000lbs!

Thats a good point, I have 3.42 gears in my truck with 31" tires and it still sings on the high way at 60. I couldnt imagine 4.10's.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'm not sure of the rpms as I don't have a tach, but I'd guess in the 3k area before O/D.

My deliveries often have some 55 or 65 mph highway, sometimes 100+ miles each way. I got the a fresh rebuilt 465 with the Spicer box in trade for 2 cords of firewood. Came with a hydraulic setup (vs the manual one the truck had) and a new clutch even!

I don't think I'd be able to use anything lower than 4.10s, at least not with that 160hp 350 in it. With a full load I have to start off in L unless on a downhill.

I had also gotten a 3 speed browning aux box from a C50 truck, but it was too big really for my pickup... would have hung kind of low and with my dump hoist been a pain to mount too.

 

[joe25DA]

Got it earning it's keep in a scrap load
I threw the sides together quick today. I am picking up some oak later on to build stakebody sides. As you can see above the bed is like new. He had rubber roof over it

 

[Marshy]

Honestly, I could use something like that to move my firewood. I love to have a dump on it too. I scrounge a good amount of wood across the county and if I could get a truck like this with sides I could improve my production. Hmmm, how can I justify this to the wife...

 

[joe25DA]

It got a good test today. That load of steel was heavier than I thought. Looking at the springs gave no indication. Scaled in just under 8k (7897lb) scaled out at 5800. Around 2100 lbs on truck. You have to realize my daily driver is a TRD tacoma. Great truck and I've worked it but the GMC is a different animal. I got in the tacoma this afternoon, pushed the clutch and thought there was a problem, the springs in the gmc clutch are twice as heavy

 

[joe25DA]

Honestly, I could use something like that to move my firewood. I love to have a dump on it too. I scrounge a good amount of wood across the county and if I could get a truck like this with sides I could improve my production. Hmmm, how can I justify this to the wife...

I justified it by the fact that she has 2 bags that together cost more than the truck

 

[joe25DA]

If you run highway you might find it to be not enough gearing. Mine has 4.10 gears and 7.5-16 tires (larger than stock) and it really sings.
I ended getting a Spicer overdrive box. I can split all my gears now, almost like a 5 and 4, but it's just direct or o/d and it mounts between the bellhousing and trans.

I also got a TBI 454 to swap the carbed 350, since it was only getting 6-7 mpg. Horrible considering my International with a 14L Cummins gets about 8 sitting at 55,000lbs!

Can you post some pics of the truck and that setup?