# mid 80's plow truck??



## MNS (Jan 14, 2011)

We are looking to get a plow truck and have just about decided on a mid 80's either 3/4 ton (hd with full floater rear) or single wheel 1 ton. It will be a pretty clean probably southern truck. Are there any problems with these trucks and plowing? anything to look out for things to check etc.? I did a little searching on the site but not a whole lot came up. More than likely would be getting an 8' boss for it.

thanks


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

thay are tanks.

might even look for a m1008 or m1028 both military trucks.

ya kind of low power 6.2 diesel motor. but all 1ton big dana 60 front axle. big 1ton frame. and both have detroit locker rear . 1028 has limited slip front. both have 4.56 gears.

can score them for 3000-5000 a lot. this would be the ultimate plow monstor.

and if no diesel then try and find 87 model year. first year for tbi fuel injection. 2x the gas mileage and lot less truble.

check my sig line below see what i run . . . .

and if you realy want one . check www.ck5.com for the general tech on these 73-87 trucks and few m1008 and m1028 trucks for sale on http://www.steelsoldiers.com/ in the clasifieds. mabye up in your area already.


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## MNS (Jan 14, 2011)

I've actually looked for a nice m1008/28 for a few years for a personal vehicle and they just are not around here or even really close enough to drive and look at. There are quite a few blazers that pop up but the trucks seem rare up here. I'd prefer a 1-ton for the dana 60 front but the single rear wheel ones are also hard to come by so will probably end up with a 3/4 ton. have had a few pre 87 2wd 3/4 tons and they have been trouble free for the most part, just not too familiar with the 80's 4wd stuff.

Probably going to go look at one in a few days. 3/4 ton with a 14 bolt rear(4:10s) and an np205 t-case


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=3836

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263706&highlight=k30

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268104&highlight=m1008

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271028&highlight=m1008

and some pop up on ebay a lot.

i wouldnt be afraid to buy one and have it shipped from one of the ck5 guys or steel soldiers guys.

and dont forget the 3/4 ton stuff and m-series got 208 tcases in the 80's unless true 1ton or a m-series service truck with pto generator setup.


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## MNS (Jan 14, 2011)

I've got to check and make sure it's a 205 t-case but thats what he claims. Is there a tag on the t-case to verify what it is? Is there any real advantage to either over the other? It appears to be an older farm truck that was from outwest so we will see. It also is suposed to have a 400 sb in it so it isn't all origional.

thanks


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

400sbc last year was 79 or 80. easy to spot tho. harmonic balencer will not be 360* smoth. will have small section machined out on the outer ring for ext engine balence.

205 tcase is cast iron.

208/241 is aluminum.

3 pics of a 205 off a th400 without tranny/tcase adaptor.

and fyi most all 78-79-80 got full time 203 tcases but not all. so watch for them. nothing wrong with them. can be convorted to part time easy and thay are chain drive. cast iron also tho. so watch it.

if you dont see that little round plate with 3 bolts on the back its a 203 full time case.

side note here is the same 205 all remaned and swaped in 32 spline front output and flat flanges front and rear with twin stick modifyed shift rails. its for my offroad truck. has the front of the 203 tcase range box on it with a off road design adaptor plate. now have 1:1 / 2:1 / 4:1 and idependent oporation of front and rear outputs.


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## linckeil (Sep 18, 2007)

you're looking at the right era for a chevy/gm - thats when they still made real trucks.


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## MNS (Jan 14, 2011)

sweetK30 that is good info about the 203 and 205 t-cases thanks! If most 400's usually had the 203 t-case that is something to look out for. This is the only pic he sent and you can't see much but it does look cast iron. When we go I will have to check for the round cover with 3 bolts. I've been checking out ck5 and there is a ton of info there also.


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## k5PlowGuy (Feb 4, 2009)

http://www.motorsourceinc.com/view-inventory.aspx

These guys usually refresh their inventory of m1008's and m1009's about once a month. They're in Northern IL but most of their trucks are excellent condition and not too bad on price. I'll probably be looking for an m1008 from them after this season.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

thats a 205 i can tell. 

thats good then. just need the shape of the tranny pan. square with 45* off corner = th350. 

then shape like state of texas = th400. 

but by the webbing on the adaptor in the pic i be bettin thats a th400. as the th350 adaptor didnt have those extra webs in the adaptor.

and judging by the crossmember thats prob a 3/4 ton truck. its got a good amount of drop in it. 

the true 1tons had a almost flat across crossmember as the frame was 2" taller on a true 1ton truck threw there.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

k5PlowGuy;1196937 said:


> http://www.motorsourceinc.com/view-inventory.aspx
> 
> These guys usually refresh their inventory of m1008's and m1009's about once a month. They're in Northern IL but most of their trucks are excellent condition and not too bad on price. I'll probably be looking for an m1008 from them after this season.


dont pass up the m-1028 . its still full pickup with box but has the limited slip trac-loc in the front. tobad it didnt come with the power-loc tho thats the heavy duty one.


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## k5PlowGuy (Feb 4, 2009)

sweetk30;1196946 said:


> dont pass up the m-1028 . its still full pickup with box but has the limited slip trac-loc in the front. tobad it didnt come with the power-loc tho thats the heavy duty one.


Yeah the 1008's are a little more available around here and it's going to be a driveway rig, which is pushing it with the truck length I want as it is. I would pick up the m1009 for the size but I want the beef of the 08's since the blazers are nothing special compared to the civi version.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

customize man do what ya gota to make it work with the best of everything.

look at my offroad crew cab project. 165" wheelbase down to 132" wb. then just the right room for 4ft flat bed.


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## MNS (Jan 14, 2011)

Thats good then if it is indeed the 205. The truck is an 84 3/4 ton supposed to be basically original (body wise) I did notice it doesn't have "chevrolet" stamped into the tailgate so i'm assuming that is aftermarket. We will see though, half the time I go out and look at stuff and it isn't what it is supposed to be. 

I'm familiar with the transmissions and rear axles just not so much with the 4wd stuff.

thanks


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

well let ya in on a good trick. if you realy want the dana 60 front . find one from a chevy and get the spring plates that hold the ubolts to the axle and springs. 

then just bolt it in. its that easy . wesport ya still be 3/4 frame but like you said you know you want 14ff rear . and if you want lots of front end strength swap in a dana 60 later. 

i love my 60 front. 9ft fisher speedcaster on the front end and full throttle fun in the snow and havent broken a thing yet. try that with a 1/2 or 3/4 ton front.


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## MNS (Jan 14, 2011)

sweetk30 you got an email? I got a few other questions for you.

thanks


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

sent to you via pm message Thumbs Up edit : : : 

cant you dont have the correct # of post counts. 

i rather not post public for spam crap to pick up on it. my email has been clean for year.


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## old skool (Jan 7, 2008)

I ran a 1980 / K30-dually /454 as a plow truck for years. It had a 4spd when I got it. I installed a TH400/205 setup. With a 9 foot Meyer, it was a great plow truck! It had around 400,000 miles on the chassis (many rebuilds) when I sold it. To my knowledge it is still being used.

Another quick way to tell a 205 from the top side, is the shift lever. They almost always have a round shift lever,usually black. The 203 has a rectangular shaped shift lever and were usually chrome.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

my k30 is a 79. still goin with a body swap. 

and was 350/4speed/205. i swaped in tbi350 with 87 body i used . then got tired of shiftin in town all day so i had a 400/205 i swaped in. sold the 4speed stuff for around 400 bucks.

this summer she is gettin new front fenders / used gm take off solid ones. good used doors gm units. rockers startin to go got new and cab corners. then a box i got from texas no one wants up here in the rust belt. so to get my moneys worth its gettin used. then painted all black minus doors and roof. thay will be white. with the federal signal light bar on top she will look like a cop truck


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## old skool (Jan 7, 2008)

This reminds me, I think I have a 4spd and some 400/205 stuff around .Now that I'm running a 97 K3500, I will probably never use it. Might have to dig it out and unload some of it.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

www.ck5.com solid axle truck for 73-87 great site. my home site. lots of guys still buyin this stuff.


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