# 1/2 Ton -> 3/4 Ton Conversion



## MeeksCo

Can you convert a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 or 1 ton suspension?
If so, (I'm sure it's not a brief desciption) what would it take and where should I start?

..."Maybe you should just sell your 1/2 ton and buy a 3/4 or 1"...
Ha. I know that this is the obvious answer.

There are a lot of pro's on this site and I figured I can get a chance to pick your brains about it. Thanks. 
?
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/pts/1362285230.html
?


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## mkwl

Even if you upgrade the springs/suspension- you won't have a "true" 3/4 or 1 ton truck, in order to have that, you need to have the HD powertrain (trans, t-case, diff's, etc), and the HD frame- if you're going to go through all that trouble you might'd as well just take the body off your truck and "plop" it onto a 2500 or 3500 frame and call it good...

I'd just go out and buy a 2500 or 3500 if you're that in love with the 88 to 99 body style...or a 2500HD if you're wanting a newer truck... just my $.02


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## MeeksCo

Ultimately, I am going to purchase a 2500HD 1999-2002. I dont like the look of the Chevy's from 2003 and on unless it's a GMC. 

My main concern is the ability to haul more in the bed. 
She won't let me make a big purchase this year. We just bought a house and the new kitchen and paver stoned patio that I am working my a** off to do is not worth it enough for me to upgrade trucks. Go figure, right? 

I'll buy one in the spring from down south.


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## JCI Trans

The biggest difference i noticed between my 2500hd and my dads 1500 is the size of the frame. Its got to be a good 2-3" taller on the 2500hd. That would make a huge difference in payload if thats what your looking for.


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## partsguy08

If all you want to do is haul more in the bed and are buying a bigger truck soon, I would suggest finding a spring shop in your area. They can re-arch, add leafs, and or replace the springs on your 1500. 
Frame strength is important, but springs should work in the short term.


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## MeeksCo

Yea, that's probabley what I am going to end up doing. I can understand the frame difference and importance. I am only looking to put an extra 3-400lbs in the bed then what it's rated for. 
Thanks for the advice. 
Calling around tomorrow.


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## JCI Trans

What do you plan on hauling?


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## MeeksCo

Palet of salt.
Larger spreader.


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## badabing1512

Save your money and buy a 2500hd, completely different truck from a 1500 except for the look.


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## basher

Get a set of timbrens, cheapest way to fake a 1/2 into thinking its a 3/4


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## snowsniper1

air lift air bags i have them on all my trucks and love them


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## badabing1512

Frame and axle ratings are much lower in a 1500


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## Mark Oomkes

No matter what you do, unless you have an inspection done and a new sticker on the door frame, you will have a 1/2 ton truck in the eyes of the law.


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## Clapper&Company

basher;814551 said:


> Get a set of timbrens, cheapest way to fake a 1/2 into thinking its a 3/4


Even works on s-10's


Mark Oomkes;814871 said:


> No matter what you do, unless you have an inspection done and a new sticker on the door frame, you will have a 1/2 ton truck in the eyes of the law.


Listen to mark, I beefed up my S-10 but the local law, still give me a ticket, I was only headed down the road 2 miles to wal-mart..

Should of stuck to bag salt, damn V-Box costin me lots of money!


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## bike5200

I put 3/4 ton springs on a 1500 truck so I could haul more, which I could. The biggest issue was braking. The brakes are not design to stop the truck with the extra weight on it.

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT


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## basher

*


bike5200;814971 said:



I put 3/4 ton springs on a 1500 truck so I could haul more, which I could. The biggest issue was braking The brakes are not design to stop the truck with the extra weight on it..

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT

Click to expand...

*That's from a man with real world experance, you can not beat that kind of advice. "Those who ignore history are bound to repeat it"


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## lawnprolawns

I know legally you cant haul more than what the truck is rated for, but 300-400 lbs shouldn't be a problem for the truck. I put 2400lb pallets of salt in a 1/2 ton all winter last year.  That's 1000 lbs more.. and honestly it wasn't terrible. 

I know I know.. I'm an idiot. Oh well. Now we have 2 3/4 tons. Problem solved. Until we put a 2 yard V in it...


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## badabing1512

buy a 2500, end of story


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## Jason Arnold

Would a fifth wheel with a tongue weight of 1300 pounds be too much for a gmc 1500 with overload springs?


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## JMHConstruction

Seems like an odd question for your first post on plowsite, but welcome aboard.

What year truck? What are you towing? How far are you traveling? Can you put more of the weight over the axles instead of the tongue? We need some back story to this question. Assuming it's a relatively newer truck, I'd think you'd be fine assuming the trailer has brakes. That said, I'm not law enforcement, I don't have scales to weigh you and see if you're in legal weight, and I personally overload my 3/4 ton quite a bit.

Just a thought for next time. This thread is pretty old, next time I'd start a new one.


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## Mark Oomkes

So I get an email notification for this thread...I haven't had that option checked in just about forever...apparently since 2009.


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## Jason Arnold

Well my bad. Do not know etiquette for this stuff cause I don't use it much. Facebook is about it for me. And didn't look to see how old the thread was. Anyway it's a 94, I'm looking at a camper, and for now I plan on just staying around local. Indiana. The truck has the 350 in it also. I can put the fifth wheel on the truck over the axle ,yes. I can't figure all the weights out to save my soul. If I go by the door, I can barely pull a pop up. If I go by the salesman, I can pull a forty foot house. Lol Just wanted some real world advice. Sorry for not knowing right and wrong in here. Don't even know how to start a thread.


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## Mark Oomkes

Jason Arnold said:


> Well my bad. Do not know etiquette for this stuff cause I don't use it much. Facebook is about it for me. And didn't look to see how old the thread was. Anyway it's a 94, I'm looking at a camper, and for now I plan on just staying around local. Indiana. The truck has the 350 in it also. I can put the fifth wheel on the truck over the axle ,yes. I can't figure all the weights out to save my soul. If I go by the door, I can barely pull a pop up. If I go by the salesman, I can pull a forty foot house. Lol Just wanted some real world advice. Sorry for not knowing right and wrong in here. Don't even know how to start a thread.


No worries, I was just very surprised. Thought it was kind of humorous actually.


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## cwren2472

Jason Arnold said:


> Well my bad. Do not know etiquette for this stuff cause I don't use it much. Facebook is about it for me. And didn't look to see how old the thread was. Anyway it's a 94, I'm looking at a camper, and for now I plan on just staying around local. Indiana. The truck has the 350 in it also. I can put the fifth wheel on the truck over the axle ,yes. I can't figure all the weights out to save my soul. If I go by the door, I can barely pull a pop up. If I go by the salesman, I can pull a forty foot house. Lol Just wanted some real world advice. Sorry for not knowing right and wrong in here. Don't even know how to start a thread.


The door tag will not tell you the truck towing capacity. It might tell you the total max combined weight of truck and trailer, but that doesn't necessarily help you. What is the actual weight of the camper loaded?


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## Jason Arnold

cwren2472 said:


> The door tag will not tell you the truck towing capacity. It might tell you the total max combined weight of truck and trailer, but that doesn't necessarily help you. What is the actual weight of the camper loaded?


9500 pounds I believe.


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## cwren2472

Jason Arnold said:


> 9500 pounds I believe.


I don't have the rating guide going back that far, but based on the 99 classic (which should be the same or close), the max towing capacity is only around 7k. It doesn't mean it isn't doable, but you can expect to struggle even if you weren't battling a 25 year old suspension, transmission, cooling system, etc.


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## Philbilly2




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## Jason Arnold

cwren2472 said:


> I don't have the rating guide going back that far, but based on the 99 classic (which should be the same or close), the max towing capacity is only around 7k. It doesn't mean it isn't doable, but you can expect to struggle even if you weren't battling a 25 year old suspension, transmission, cooling system, etc.


I will say it is getting redone. I'm putting all new under it and taking the bed off to mount the fifth wheel directly to the frame with a piece of plate steel between them. Coolers would definitely be added back. (my dad towed the race car with it when he had it. He bought it new.) I hate to get rid of it if I can make it work.


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## ConnorExum

Jason Arnold said:


> I will say it is getting redone. I'm putting all new under it and taking the bed off to mount the fifth wheel directly to the frame with a piece of plate steel between them. Coolers would definitely be added back. (my dad towed the race car with it when he had it. He bought it new.) I hate to get rid of it if I can make it work.


You could double frame the rear and put a Dana 80 under it but you will also need a heavier front axle. But how you get it inspected for the heavier load in your state I don't know.


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## Philbilly2

I guess the best possible way to say this is no...

You cannot make a 1/2 ton into a 3/4 ton. No how no way... 

No matter how you look at it, you have to call a spade a spade.

If you get DOT'ed you will be handed a pile of tickets.

Long and short... just get the proper truck to do what you are looking to do. Do not try to morphodite what you are looking for as you will have more invested in a 1994 1/2 ton than you can buy a this generation 1 ton for... 

Just my 2 cents.


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## Mark Oomkes

Not to mention galvanic corrosion...


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## ConnorExum

So, why do you want to create a 1/2 ton turned into a Frankenstein 3/4 to 1 ton...?


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## Philbilly2

ConnorExum said:


> So, why do you want to create a 1/2 ton turned into a Frankenstein 3/4 to 1 ton...?


If you want to play shadow games with the DOT that is your advise to give... not mine.


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## ConnorExum

Philbilly2 said:


> If you want to play shadow games with the DOT that is your advise to give... not mine.


I didn't suggest that at all. I merely asked why he wanted to attempt such a conversion in the first place? And it made me think of Better Off Dead... you will also notice that while I said it could be done physically speaking the legal aspects I was not sure of.


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## dieselss

ConnorExum said:


> So, why do you want to create a 1/2 ton turned into a Frankenstein 3/4 to 1 ton...?


Why not ask the OP..........


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## ConnorExum

I


dieselss said:


> Why not ask the OP..........
> 
> View attachment 184741


 i was asking Jason Arnold actually... since was also interested in this idea.


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## Boat2fast

Hello to all. I'm newly registered. I searched for "1/2 ton to 3/4 ton swap", found this thread, and signed up. Chad Meeks asked a good question and I would really like the same information. Here's why:
My 2002 K1500 shortbed is a little tired with 170,000. It is in very good shape body-wise. Its a 4.3l with a 5speed and it needs a clutch anyway. I'm sick of the small engine and manual box...been shifting over 40 years. Recently I found a 3/4 ton 2000 K2500 with a 6.0l and 4L80e. I'm picking it up tomorrow. The truck is seriously rusted out with only 52,000. I want every piece of that drivetrain under my favorite little truck...if I can. I want a lot more power, an automatic transmixer, and nice big brakes. I don't give a hang about DOT or weight capacity or door tags. This truck will push snow and pull boats.
NOW, can(would?) anyone please let me know if they have done this swap and what difficulties might arise? I'm looking for everyone's actual experience here. I can use the help. I am familiar with truck reconstruction, however, this would be my first Chevy.
Thank you in advance for any help here.


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## Philbilly2

Boat2fast said:


> Hello to all. I'm newly registered. I searched for "1/2 ton to 3/4 ton swap", found this thread, and signed up. Chad Meeks asked a good question and I would really like the same information. Here's why:
> My 2002 K1500 shortbed is a little tired with 170,000. It is in very good shape body-wise. Its a 4.3l with a 5speed and it needs a clutch anyway. I'm sick of the small engine and manual box...been shifting over 40 years. Recently I found a 3/4 ton 2000 K2500 with a 6.0l and 4L80e. I'm picking it up tomorrow. The truck is seriously rusted out with only 52,000. I want every piece of that drivetrain under my favorite little truck...if I can. I want a lot more power, an automatic transmixer, and nice big brakes. I don't give a hang about DOT or weight capacity or door tags. This truck will push snow and pull boats.
> NOW, can(would?) anyone please let me know if they have done this swap and what difficulties might arise? I'm looking for everyone's actual experience here. I can use the help. I am familiar with truck reconstruction, however, this would be my first Chevy.
> Thank you in advance for any help here.


 I don't think this will be an easy task...

The frames are different so I don't think anything will line up the same. Could be wrong, but I don't think anything is going to match.


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## Randall Ave

Anything can be done. But the time and cost would be significantly high on this project. All the ECM components will have to be installed. It's going to be very involved.


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## FredG

I'm thinking I would sell the little truck and use the funds to fix up the 2500, Does not take much to install new body panels. Your idea will be much more labor and money and you still have a 1/2 ton truck technically.


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## Boat2fast

Thank you, everyone, for your advice. 

I have done some research.

It appears that the electrical systems in the two trucks are interchangeable. Most all the electrical components share the same part numbers. That means the harness could be a drop in(over-simplification). It will be needed for the auto trans and the auto t-case. The steering column seems identical so far, needed to shift. The 1/2 ton had the 4.8 and 5.3 options. All the mount part numbers for the 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 are the same. The u-joints share common numbers as well. The t-case seems really big. I will have to determine if the t-case is actually too long to allow a driveshaft in the short-bed regular-cab chassis. That could jam everything right up.

Laying underneath the donor truck today, it became obvious that there is no hope for fixing it. Every seam on the cab and bed is split with heavily laminated rust. The frame is actually in pieces; cross-members have rotted right off. I'm not even sure how to secure it to the trailer yet.

The project is still a go. Maybe the axles will prove to be a hang-up but that's OK. The engine, trans, and t-case will give new life. I will start with these and work from there.

Thank you all again for any advice you can send my way.


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