# k3500 Questions/ opinion



## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

I am looking at a k3500 chevy. Has Fisher Push plates. What would be best size plow for it? Its not a Dually and its the 350 gas engine. My thought would be the 8ft. I know I pick on you chevy guys for the low front ends. How would a 9ft sit and how much baalast. How would the 8ft sit? Hopefully front end has extras


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## chcav1218 (Jul 31, 2008)

with my chevy eperience, its gonna drop a crap load if theres nothing added, everything stock. I have the 364 in my truck and it handles the 8' plow great, but nine might be pushin it.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

What year?

Change the T-bars if needed, add the frame gussets, and hang any size plow on it you want.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

97 k3500 4x4 350


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Then install a set of GK or GL T-bars and ditto the rest I already mentioned. :salute:


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

BigDave12768;770454 said:


> 97 k3500 4x4 350


Alaska Boss is running a 9'2" Boss V on an early 90's K3500, check with him & see how his truck is set up, yours maybee fine as is.

I have a 8'2" V on my 98 2500 chev and I just turned up the T bars and it has been fine for me.


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## ABES (Jun 10, 2007)

We run 9' plows on almost all of the chevys. With the torsion bars turned up they hold the plow preety well it still sags but not anything crazy.


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

CAT 245ME;770528 said:


> Alaska Boss is running a 9'2" Boss V on an early 90's K3500, check with him & see how his truck is set up, yours maybee fine as is.
> 
> I have a 8'2" V on my 98 2500 chev and I just turned up the T bars and it has been fine for me.


Ak Boss broke his truck in half with the boss v. However if he had those little gusset plates on the uca's it probably wouldn't have happened.

As B&B said, add the gussets, upgrade the tbars, and put whatever plow you like on the front. I'd put a 9 straight or 9.2v, 810, etc on a properly setup 1ton and think nothing of it.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

Tons of guys around here running 9 footers on 90s 1 tons. I wouldn't worry about it, crank the t-bars and try it. I'd probably add timbrens before changing bars out, but if you think the bars are wimpy it's always an option. I have the diesel so I've probably already got heavier bars, but I'm also using more of the fagwr up with the diesel. My 810 is I think 950 lbs, you certainly know it's there. I have 5 turns on my bars, the truck sinks about 2 inches or so when I lift it. I can't help but think a truck should sink some when lifting a half a ton. Everybody always want to modify their front end so that it doesn't squat at all. I think the idea behind plowing is pushing the plow, not just carrying it. If you're going to carry it up for long distances then that's different.

Don't pick on Chevy front ends. Go beat that 97 for five years with a 9 footer on it, then report back here on how you like it.


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

CAT 245ME;770528 said:


> Alaska Boss is running a 9'2" Boss V on an early 90's K3500, check with him & see how his truck is set up, yours maybee fine as is.





Mark13;770556 said:


> Ak Boss broke his truck in half with the boss v. However if he had those little gusset plates on the uca's it probably wouldn't have happened.
> 
> As B&B said, add the gussets, upgrade the tbars, and put whatever plow you like on the front. I'd put a 9 straight or 9.2v, 810, etc on a properly setup 1ton and think nothing of it.


Mark is right,.. I did break my frame in half, but that has been the only major issue I've had with my last 3 trucks (all "90's" Chevys). I fixed that, ( I didn't know at the time that Chevy frames were something that had to be dealt with), and nothing has changed or happened since (3 years ago). The 9.2 V-blade with wings installed, snow deflectors, etc. would put the weight at just over 1000 lbs, which is probably about as heavy a plow as one can put on a pickup, and this winter will conclude 5 seasons with this particular setup, (and my plowing seasons are 7 months long), and I have not so much as had to replace one single u-joint, tie-rod end, wheel bearing, ball joint,... nothing. This truck ('92 3500) is sitting at just over 260,000 miles at this point, (it had 124,000 when I bought it), and everything is still original & untouched, (except the exhaust & shocks and 1 clutch) and still runs & drives just great. But, I never drive more than 45-50 down the highway with the plow on. I cranked my T-bars about 4-5 turns, and added timbrens, and it holds the plow off the ground w/wings on high enough to drive with, but I generally take them off, unless I'm just going a short ways. I've owned over 20 pickups now, and no truck that I've owned has been worked harder and longer and with more weight hanging off the front than this one, and in my opinion, nothing could do better,... the best I could hope for, would be to have anything else work & perform as long & trouble-free again, as this 3500 Chevy has (including another Chevy). And from a business point of view, these trucks are only getting to be a better deal, if you can find a "good" used one, as far as the income it can make for you, vs the cost of buying it. At this point, I would NEVER spend $30,000-$50,000 on a new truck for plowing, when it's doubtful that even a new truck could plow as long & hard and in as extreme temps & conditions as I have here, and be as trouble-free as this '92 has been. Maybe I've just been lucky, I don't know, and I don't try to save a few pennies when it comes to maintenance (Amsoil in everything, front to back),... but I will travel down to the lower 48 states if I have to, to find another truck like this one. This is just my opinions, based on my experience having a couple of these trucks,... I like 'em!


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

couldn't have said it better myself. I've owned over 30 vehicles, almost all were Chevy trucks. My 97 K3500 has worked harder and survived more abuse than I ever would have thought possible. The older and more beat up it gets, the more I love it. At this point it has given me so much, I'd couldn't bear to trade it for a new one, even if I did have the $50k to replace it. Instead I'll restore the body (hopefully this year) and replace things as they wear out. Even if the motor goes I'll replace it and keep driving it. If it doesn't get wrecked I'll probably keep it forever.

Alaska Boss, you are my hero!


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

I run a 8'6 Extreme V on my 97. 900 pounds. It's only a 2500. Ex cab, long bed. Gave the T-bars a few turns. Truck handles the plow fine. Upper ball joints have been an issue for me, I don't know if the 3500 has bigger ball joints or not. I love this truck. With only 128K, I plan to drive it a long long time.

What are these frame gussets you are mentioning?


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## mcwlandscaping (Sep 8, 2005)

I have a 97 k2500 but with the suspension work ive done it's a ton ton in a sense....the truck barely sags at all now with the 8footer...if i was doing lots i wouldn't hesitate to put a 9 footer on there or a 8.5 or 9.5 fisher XV...plow comes off when storm is done so i'm not driving around in nice weather with a plow hanging off the front...2COR517, have you posted pics anywhere of your 97 w/ the XV on it? I would love to see it!!!!


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

2COR517;770715 said:


> I run a 8'6 Extreme V on my 97. 900 pounds. It's only a 2500. Ex cab, long bed. Gave the T-bars a few turns. Truck handles the plow fine. Upper ball joints have been an issue for me, I don't know if the 3500 has bigger ball joints or not. I love this truck. With only 128K, I plan to drive it a long long time.
> 
> What are these frame gussets you are mentioning?


Check this out.
http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=48956&highlight=frame+gussets


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## tuna (Nov 2, 2002)

I would run an 8 footer on it .I think the only truck that needs a 9 footer is a Dually pickup .I dont think even a Dually cab and chassis needs a 9 footer.Of course this is just my preference if you are getting more money for a 9 footer then I would not hesitate to put one on a 3500 SRW.


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## Brookside (Nov 24, 2005)

Don't know what year the truck is that you're looking at, but we have a '98 K3500 SRW,conventional cab longbed. Had 9' Fisher installed when we bought the truck new. I think it's great, especially when the blade is angled, as the previous truck was a half ton with a 7'-6" blade. I put Timbrens on the front, and with decent ballast in back it's fine.
We also have an '04 Dodge 2500 Quad cab shortbed with an 8' blade, and I much prefer to plow with the Chevy. It's like a sports car compared to the Dodge, and I like the wider blade.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

MCW - I'll try to get some pics for you. The truck is black, with the stainless plow it looks pretty sharp. Maybe I should wash it first, it's been a while:crying:


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## CAT 245ME (Sep 10, 2006)

Mark13;770556 said:


> Ak Boss broke his truck in half with the boss v. However if he had those little gusset plates on the uca's it probably wouldn't have happened.
> QUOTE]
> 
> I had forgotten all about the frame, I am know thinking I should add the gusset plates before anything happens to my truck.


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## BigDave12768 (Nov 17, 2006)

The truck sold. I now have a line on a 94 Ford F250 160k with a 7.3 Turbo (Not PSD) for 2k But numbers dont seem right on truck. Just had a injector pump installed. So 2k for truck. Need tires 800 and then a plow. I am over 4k. If it was the power stroke I would be posting pics of it right now as my new 2nd truck. But that old 7.3 was 185hp and like 380ft. Truck was clean with only a spot of rust on roof and needed a hood and hinge. But I got a line on a 96 PSD with plow for 3500.


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