# The Nicest Plow Truck in Alaska,... (well, at least on my driveway,...)



## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

:Ok, so it's not like this is really anything all that special,... but it's the nicest plow truck I've owned to date. Having really nice trucks to plow with always seemed kinda dumb to me, since it doesn't take long before they're not so nice anymore. But, after going all the way down to Missouri to get this thing, I guess it deserves to at least be set up nice. The batteries are dead in my good camera, so I had to use my older one, which has trouble with the white balance, so the colors are a little off. In any case, the first couple pics are what the truck looked like when I picked it up in Missouri,... and what it looks like now,... :waving:


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

It's not totally done,... there's still a few things I'm going to do/change, but it's ready to start earning it's keep. But, it was a long process getting it where it is now,... many of the things I did aren't readily visible,... from striping the thing down & installing the plow harness, to welding in frame gussets,.. top & sides. I took my time, because I wanted it done right the first time,... rather than having to re-do something at 3 in the morning during a snow storm,....


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

But, in the end, it all worked & worked right,... so I hope it stays that way. Most of the things I added I already had, so I didn't spend hardly any more money to get it to this point,... starting from the top.... I had an extra Whelen Guardian mini rotator sitting on the shelf, so it went on. It's a magnetic mount,... I didn't want to put on some type of back rack, because I have a hard tonneau cover & a camper shell that I will use at times in the offseason, and didn't want to have to take it off & on all the time. I also had an extra set of cab lights,... so stuck those on as well.... drilling holes in the roof of a new truck is hard to do,...


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

Looks good Dave!

Just one questions, what's with the old man boards??? 



Edit, sorry about not waiting until you were done with pictures. If I could move this post down I would.


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

On the front, I added a set of Hella's 700 series driving lights that I had,.. and I converted them to HID first,... I'm calling them the moose lights,... and the regular headlights were converted to HID & dual burn in a Wal Mart parking lot back in Missouri,... so, I can see really good now at night,.. which is most of the time around here,... they're all 6000k in color temp,...


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## tmf lawn care (Oct 6, 2009)

:bluebounc lookin good dave kkep the pic coming


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

Under the hood, I spent a lot of time doing & re-doing the plow harness,... I wanted it to be secure & clean,... and when I got done, it's almost invisible that anything is under here,... I mounted the solenoid & relays under the PCM,... and all the wires are hidden or combined with stock harnesses,... very happy with how that all turned out,... and of course, a dual battery set-up with 2 new 4-post 1000 cca batteries,...


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

One of the "fun" things I did, was to order a custom-tuned PCM from Nelson Performance. I talked to a couple of you guys before I did this, just to verify if it was worth it,... well, I have a long steep hill about a mile from my place with a 9% grade (the steepest hill allowed under Federal Regs),.. so I did my own test,... With the stock PCM I drove 55 mph right up to the base of the hill in 4th gear, then romped on it, and was doing about 74mph going over the top. Then I put in the Nelson PCM,... doing the same test at the same speed, I now went over the top @ 91mph !!! So, since the power increase was what they claimed, I'm going to assume that the increase in gas mileage should be as well,... 2-3 more mpg. If that happens, this $200 investment will be more than paid for before the winter is over,... this is a 350 vortex,... and as it is now, there would be no need for more power than this, for anything I do,...


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

Mark13;905436 said:


> Looks good Dave!
> 
> Just one questions, what's with the old man boards???
> 
> Edit, sorry about not waiting until you were done with pictures. If I could move this post down I would.


Haha,.. that's ok Mark. Yeah, I wasn't sure about the running boards either, but they are nice sealed aluminum ones that I had laying around here,... and most of the body damage I do while plowing is knocking big chucks of ice & hard snow down behind the front wheels, then hit it with the bottom of the body, so I figured that they would help protect the body from getting dents, plus, it's a rock/stone guard the whole length as well. If I decide it looks too dorky, it's no big deal to jerk them off,... but since they are free, I thought I'd put them on for now,... :waving:


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

In the back, I couldn't find a solution to rear-ward lighting that I liked,... guess I'm so spoiled with the rear bumper on the '92,... and how great that is. Something counter-sunk into the back of the bumper is probably what I'll eventually do, but it may take several bumpers to get it right. So, for now, I just bolted a couple of 55w halogen lights directly to the bottom of the bumper,... so it helps, but it's not a permanent thing,...


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

Woo hoo new truck pics!! That's really nice work and it turned out excellent. I can't wait to see it pushing.


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

Then,... to the interior. Last year, I put a set of bucket seats in the '92,.... & I couldn't believe what a difference it made to how tired & sore I used to be after sitting in the truck for 12-18 hours a day !! So, while I was in Minnesota, I found a set of 6-way power seats, a center console, an overhead console & a sliding rear window (for the dually), all for $100. So, I jerked out the bench seat & installed the buckets,.... it's sooo much nicer,... you can change the angle of how you sit, etc,... of course all you guys with newer trucks already have all this stuff,... before & after,...


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## BushHogBoy (Nov 30, 2000)

VERY nice SUPER CLEAN old body bowtie. Congrats and again EXTREMELY CLEAN truck, here in Indiana it would be very difficult for me to put a plow on it being that nice and i'm a Dodge guy! I just appreciate a well kept truck I guess.


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

Dave.....Very cool looking rig you got there. Good luck with her. :waving:


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

Couldn't find a really perfect place to mount the joystick either,.. the 88-94 style dashes in the Chevys are much better suited for that, at least IMO, so, after trying several things, I opted with sticking it right into the front compartment of the center console. It's just right in height when resting your arm on the arm rest, but it's a little close to the stick shift when in reverse. I built a steel bracket that bolts onto the underside of the joystick, and to the mounting bracket of the console,... no holes drilled, so if I can come up with something better in the future, no harm done. I pinched the cable under the floor shifter console to keep it from flopping around & being in the way of things,... and the joystick is very tight & rigid, so I think this will be ok,...


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

BushHogBoy;905453 said:


> VERY nice SUPER CLEAN old body bowtie. Congrats and again EXTREMELY CLEAN truck, here in Indiana it would be very difficult for me to put a plow on it being that nice and i'm a Dodge guy! I just appreciate a well kept truck I guess.





RepoMan207;905456 said:


> Dave.....Very cool looking rig you got there. Good luck with her. :waving:


Thanks,... if only puppys stayed puppys,.... :waving:

And finally,... the switches to turn stuff on.... I used red illuminated toggles for both the moose lights & the mini bar,... relays on everything,... and stuck the plow lights switch next to them too... very handy & I can find them in the dark....


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

So,.. for the final test,... the plow itself,... and it all worked just great,... I didn't do anything yet to the front suspension,.. I have an extra set of timbrens, but if I don't need them with this truck, I'm not going to put them on,... they definitely decreased the ride quality in the '92, plus, they bent the mounts on the frame where they bolt to,... the suspension has to hold the weight, not a chunk of rubber,... so, time will tell. The current forecast is calling for more than a foot of snow here in the next couple days,.... so maybe it'll finally get to go to work now,.... :waving::waving::waving:


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## rusty_keg_3 (Dec 6, 2008)

Looks sweet!, i remember your thread when you got it... So, what do you got in it? if you dont mind me asking


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## f250man (Jan 28, 2005)

Nice looking plow rig


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## nicksplowing (Oct 5, 2005)

looks great dave, very nice truck and good job on all the upgrades


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## ramdieselsmoke (Dec 11, 2009)

nice and clean ready to get dirty..


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## RONK (Jan 22, 2008)

AB,looks great.What tires are you using?


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## Rubicon 327 (Oct 6, 2009)

Very Clean older Chevy, I like the color also and the newer style rims really make it stand out!

Great Job with it, Good Luck!


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

Nice work- She'll pay you back ten times over


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## 91AK250 (Nov 28, 2007)

looks amazing dave! super clean, i hope you get to enjoy many trouble free hours behind the wheel


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## KBTConst (Oct 25, 2009)

Thats a very nice looking truck you have. Lot different than when you first got it.


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## linycctitan (Aug 13, 2007)

Excellent job as always Dave. Best of luck with her.


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## mcwlandscaping (Sep 8, 2005)

Looks beautiful! I would love to completely re-do my 97' someday as i absolutely love this body style Chevy. I'm glad you wound up getting and liking the Nelson Performance computer, it will pay off in the long run like you mentioned. Man, the truck just looks so clean, even the engine bay looks brand new! Nice find on the truck and great work making it even better


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## ServiceOnSite (Nov 23, 2006)

That thing looks great!!!!! I wish i had thetime to do all that to my trucks!!! If i let my guys drive that the switches and clutch would be gone in a week. How many miles on the rig??
Have you ever plowed with a diesel truck before? Ive run 350's in everything before a got bit with the bug. Now it seems i dont even look at a gas job truck. Looks great keep us posted with how she's treating yea1


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## nhpatriot (Dec 9, 2007)

That there is a beautiful truck sir. And in a way that no new truck could be. The functional customizations should all serve you well for a long time to come, based on the diligence and care that you so clearly uplift in your work.

Where in AK are you? Some years back, before my wife got ahold of me, I lived intermittently in the Girdwood area, and got to travel around quite a bit too. Probably would still be there if a woman and child didn't knock some sense into me  I miss it there sometimes.


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## Stik208 (Oct 19, 2004)

The truck looks great and seeing it has been well worth the wait. You seem to have alot of patience and know what you wanted out of this truck. I know this phrase is overused but that is my dream truck, amazing body style and bullet proof engine. Keep us posted on how it does the rest of the season.


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

Great looking truck and I admire the clean install work you did. Keep in mind that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You start using the extra power from the Nelson PCM, mileage will suffer. Drive it nice (as I'm sure you will) and you might see a small gain. I'm interested to hear your fuel consumption numbers if that is something you track.


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## jb1390 (Sep 23, 2008)

AB-The truck looks sweet. Have the intake manifold gaskets been done on the truck? The engine is a good design except for those gaskets. It's a fairly simply job, and it beats destroying the engine because antifreeze got in the oil. GM redesigned the gasket and the new design won't leak (Fel-Pro MS98000T). It's a great investment ($60 plus labor) to ensure you get a lot of productive life for the truck.


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## Lawn Enforcer (Mar 20, 2006)

Very nice truck. Congrats! With all the work you've done, I hope she treats you well for years to come!


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Do you have to weld gussets on the frame or did you just do that for added strength? Beautiful truck!


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## bossman22 (Dec 8, 2009)

Very nice truck!


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## meyer22288 (May 26, 2003)

that is hands down the nicest srw 3500 chevy ive ever seen. great work and thanks for sharing the pics, i know myself and everyone else on here was waiting for them. most deff worth the wait


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## gc3 (Dec 6, 2007)

You did a great job on that truck, it looks great!


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## heavychevy01 (May 2, 2007)

AB, Truck looks awesome! Since everyone else is asking questions I hope you don't mind one more. What truck did you get the interior out of? I have a '97 and have been looking at replacing the seats myself to something a little more comfortable. Also, how did you wire up the power seats (if you did that is)? Were they a direct bolt in?

Thanks 
Jon


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## BMWSTUD25 (Aug 21, 2008)

Looks Great!!! and as always a very nice looking thread too. now all you need is a couple of hours to finish up that plow and get those wings installed. looks like youre at least started with the one side. And Im guessing that in time that is gonna have a bumper just like the 92 Best of luck and cant wait to see her and hear your thoughts on plowing


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## KL&M Snow Div. (Jan 2, 2009)

Looks good, you did an amazing job getting that thing fixed how you want it. But one question, what is the little red toggle switch hiding down by the gas petal in the pictures of the controller?


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## WilliamOak (Feb 11, 2008)

KL&M Snow Div.;906000 said:


> Looks good, you did an amazing job getting that thing fixed how you want it. But one question, what is the little red toggle switch hiding down by the gas petal in the pictures of the controller?


Starter kill switch perhaps?


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## thesnowman269 (Nov 7, 2009)

Super nice truck!


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## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

Since your leaving the hard cover on the bed how are you going to carry your sled? I noticed it was always in your other truck...

NICE truck, you did a great job on the install. Keep the plow pics coming, every time you post pics of your area makes me want to come up and visit...


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## asps4u (Sep 16, 2009)

Looks great Dave. You took your time and did everything right! Hope she serves you well for many years to come payup


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## Mackman (Nov 3, 2009)

Im not a chevy fan at all. But theres just something about that chevy i really like. I think the box front end. How about 2500 casha nd you drive it down to PA for me. LOL


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## airtime (Aug 21, 2009)

Nice job! I think you are going to really enjoy that rig. I hope she serves you well. Keep the great photos coming, I really enjoy the pics of your daily adventures.


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## deere615 (Jun 1, 2007)

Beautiful! you will be plowing in luxury now lol I no when I bought my truck I went out and bought a lot of stuff thats nice that you had most of that laying around. Also cant tell from the pictures but what brand batteries are you running?


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## FISHERMANXLS (Feb 12, 2008)

Nice looking truck you have there. i have them same running boards on my truck and i believe that they are the reason i still have the original cab corners and doors. once again real nice looking truck.


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## c.schulz (Dec 21, 2004)

Nice truck Dave!!! Do you have any pics showing the welded in frame supports?

Chris


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

i can appreciate the time that u put into making that truck your own. It looks awesome! Great job. i like that set up alot!


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## ProLawn Outdoor (Dec 15, 2008)

Nice truck man!!!! Looks like you took the time to get it all set-up the right way, I bet it really pays off! I nee dto get mine all set-up like that before next winter. Looks great!!!


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

First of all, thanks everyone for the comments. I tried to answer the questions this morning before I left, and was just about to hit the "Submit Reply" button, when the power went out & I lost it all,... so I'll try it again,.. now that power is back on,...



RONK;905529 said:


> AB,looks great.What tires are you using?


The tires are studded BFG's in the stock size,... LT245/75R/16,... they've been very good traction-wise & last at least 5-6 years. Summer time I'll put 265's back on.



mcwlandscaping;905619 said:


> Looks beautiful! I would love to completely re-do my 97' someday as i absolutely love this body style Chevy. I'm glad you wound up getting and liking the Nelson Performance computer, it will pay off in the long run like you mentioned. Man, the truck just looks so clean, even the engine bay looks brand new! Nice find on the truck and great work making it even better


Thanks Mike,... I know you're one of the ones I contacted about the custom tuner,... and it's been just like you said,.. so thanks again !!



ServiceOnSite;905622 said:


> That thing looks great!!!!! I wish i had thetime to do all that to my trucks!!! If i let my guys drive that the switches and clutch would be gone in a week. How many miles on the rig??
> Have you ever plowed with a diesel truck before? Ive run 350's in everything before a got bit with the bug. Now it seems i dont even look at a gas job truck. Looks great keep us posted with how she's treating yea1QUOTE]
> 
> The truck has 105k plus,... it had right on 100k when I bought it & took almost 5,000 miles to drive it home.
> ...


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## RCsLawncare (Oct 24, 2008)

love the lights. Nice work on the truck!!


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## RONK (Jan 22, 2008)

AB,thank you for your response to my question,the tires look like B.F. Goodrich Commercial Traction?Your attention to detail is outstanding.While I've only plowed with diesel pickups,you've confirmed my thoughts that a gas engine might be a better choice.Are you doing anything to modify the exhaust system?Thank you again for all your hard work.


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## AGM Inc. (Jan 20, 2009)

ya thats a nice truck. I love mine. favoite body style. mine is 2500 with a meyer. gotta have the meyer.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

Very nice truck. Good luck with it this winter.


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

AB I think that is the best cab configuration for plowing. Looks good, best of luck.


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## GMC Sierra (Nov 10, 2009)

AB- truck looks great! You continue to give GM the best press of all....free press from a satisfied owner! I agree with the others, the truck looks really special....I love an "older" well maintained truck...has instant character that a new truck cannot match...it has proven itself to be tough over the long haul. The updated rims really make that truck look good (I am typically not a fan of modifying from factory trim). In regards to the running boards...I think they really look good...sort of level off the truck and will definitely protect the rockers. Down here in the rust belt (Cleveland) running boards add years to a trucks life by taking the abuse and corrosive salt versus the truck's rockers. Finally, beautiful job on the install of the various items....all looks like a factory install, clean and tidy. Few people take the time and pride of work to install that clean...I admire and value a clean install. Best of luck with that truck....I think you are going to really like it!


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## Lux Lawn (Jan 5, 2004)

Dave, trucks looks great,. looks like all of your hard work is starting to payoff with the new rig. Good luck with the upcoming storm.


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## pheasantfarmer (Nov 20, 2009)

great truck and since following you from the whole trip back from buying it, it is GREAT to see it all ready to go! Have a great year!


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## RangerDogg (Jan 13, 2009)

Hi Alaska Boss ,i have a question im looking at 2000 chevy 2500 ls with a 116,000 on it auto 6.0 and power regular cab.I was wondering if you could tell me what the differance between regular 2500 ls has that a 2500 hd .I was wondering how much differance front end is .And is it because of snowplow prep.Im looking for another truck to plow with next year.Thanks for your help and was wondering if yours is a hd. THANKS


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## secret_weapon (Jan 24, 2007)

Truck looks great! You did a nice clean job on everything! I did my Boss wiring the same way, relays and everything hidden under the ECU, also same with 4 post dual batteries and last year I put in a 200 amp alternator from DB Electrical. 
I'm very interested in the tuned ecu from Nelson Perf. How do I contact them? <----- nevermind, searched and found website.


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## the new boss 92 (Nov 29, 2008)

very nice looking truck ab, if i remember right youpick that up for right aroung 6k? very nice ride, when are some action pictures coming?


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## 6.5LTDFisher (Dec 13, 2007)

Wow it looks amazing, good luck, Love the interior also!!! My currently "redoing" my dads ext cab short bed 2500 6.5 diesel... putting my fisher plow on it soon  Good luck!


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

RONK;907284 said:


> AB,thank you for your response to my question,the tires look like B.F. Goodrich Commercial Traction?Your attention to detail is outstanding.While I've only plowed with diesel pickups,you've confirmed my thoughts that a gas engine might be a better choice.Are you doing anything to modify the exhaust system?Thank you again for all your hard work.


I haven't done anything to the exhaust yet,... but I might. It's still very solid & tight, but since there are no emission tests around here, just getting rid of the cat and the other two mufflers (the main one is HUGE) might help make it even more economical,... but I would want to be sure of that before I start messing with it,... at least until it needs it. Probably a re-tune on the PCM would be in order then as well, to maintain optimum performance.



AGM Inc.;908044 said:


> ya thats a nice truck. I love mine. favoite body style. mine is 2500 with a meyer. gotta have the meyer.


hey, you got a very sharp truck there yourself!! I love the two-tones, the 3-piece rear slider, etc. These are my favorite body styles as well.... the newest ones would almost be like having to take cod-liver oil every day,... jmo :waving:



GMC Sierra;908530 said:


> AB- truck looks great! You continue to give GM the best press of all....free press from a satisfied owner! I agree with the others, the truck looks really special....I love an "older" well maintained truck...has instant character that a new truck cannot match...it has proven itself to be tough over the long haul. The updated rims really make that truck look good (I am typically not a fan of modifying from factory trim). In regards to the running boards...I think they really look good...sort of level off the truck and will definitely protect the rockers. Down here in the rust belt (Cleveland) running boards add years to a trucks life by taking the abuse and corrosive salt versus the truck's rockers. Finally, beautiful job on the install of the various items....all looks like a factory install, clean and tidy. Few people take the time and pride of work to install that clean...I admire and value a clean install. Best of luck with that truck....I think you are going to really like it!


Thanks a lot,... I agree, if you're gonna do something, might as well do it right the first time,... that's why it took so long to get this thing ready. At first I wasn't sure about the running boards, but like you say,... the protection factor is worth it alone I think,... even tho the rural roads in Alaska aren't salted. salute



RangerDogg;908702 said:


> Hi Alaska Boss ,i have a question im looking at 2000 chevy 2500 ls with a 116,000 on it auto 6.0 and power regular cab.I was wondering if you could tell me what the differance between regular 2500 ls has that a 2500 hd .I was wondering how much differance front end is .And is it because of snowplow prep.Im looking for another truck to plow with next year.Thanks for your help and was wondering if yours is a hd. THANKS


Well, there are others who could answer this a lot better than me,... (like B&B). As far as I know, the 2500HD series didn't start until 2001,... and your truck would be the newer body style (not like mine),... I don't believe the 6.0 was ever put into the OBS trucks,.... I think the 2000 3500's were the last year the vortex 5.7's were used. And the snowplow prep package is not a qualifier of a HD truck. Mine is for sure not a HD. Anything else would be speculation on my part,... sorry.



secret_weapon;908738 said:


> Truck looks great! You did a nice clean job on everything! I did my Boss wiring the same way, relays and everything hidden under the ECU, also same with 4 post dual batteries and last year I put in a 200 amp alternator from DB Electrical.
> I'm very interested in the tuned ecu from Nelson Perf. How do I contact them? <----- nevermind, searched and found website.


I have an up-graded alternator coming too... the 200 amp alt I have in the '92 has been just great,... just absolutely no electrical issues of any type,... 



the new boss 92;908785 said:


> very nice looking truck ab, if i remember right youpick that up for right aroung 6k? very nice ride, when are some action pictures coming?


Yep,... and with the plow & everything else on it, including the cost of driving it from Missouri to Alaska, I think I have right around 12k in it now, as it sits. I plowed with it again for most of today,... and it performs like it looks,... more action pics in the "storm" forum,... :waving:


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## ProSeasons (Nov 30, 2000)

She deserves all of the lovin' she's been getting. No sooner than when you picked her up, you drove her all over hell and gone just gettin' back home!

Looking great.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Very nice truck!!! I am striving for mine to look like that. Next summer i am going to do the body on mine. Here are some pics of mine shined up, well shined up with psoriasis. I wish mine had the nv4500 tranny, this is the first automatic truck ive had. The last pic is when i found it at my ex gf's grandparents company sitting out back. Didnt run, sitting next to a burnt drilling rig. Paid 1k for it and the fisher MM plow. A lot has changed between the day i brought it home and now, new engine, many newer style body parts, they were going to junk it, to the gf it had sentimental value, (he deceased grandpas truck). I just wanted it to put the plow on my tahoe, but i liked the truck. So i sold my 97 tahoe LT and kept the diesel.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Here is a pic of the tahoe i sold so i could keep the truck ( i had 3 vehicles at the time, and i was 18). Miss that tahoe bad, thing was a cruiser, all options, true dual exhaust and beefed up rear for towing heavy trailers. I added the bushwacker flares on it.Bought it for 3200, put almost 40k on it and some misc parts, sold it for 3200. The other pic is of the truck the day after i towed it home and put my extang tonneau cover on it.


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## affekonig (Aug 5, 2008)

It's going to be so much fun to see a new contrast against the background in your pictures. Looks like a fun truck to drive. I like that the truck doesn't look *******, just nice.


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## dlstelma (Sep 19, 2009)

Looking GOOD! I wish I had "cowboy" lights. I guess I could always go the Lunar Lund Visor route.


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## tls22 (Sep 30, 2007)

AB looks great man. That truck is going to move alot of snow. Good luck the rest of the winter.


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## RangerDogg (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks Alaska boss yup its new body style.It has the 6.0 but if anyone else knows about the difference between hd and not that would help.I had a 98 z71 luved it but had so much problems with fuel injection Luv yours.


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## chcav1218 (Jul 31, 2008)

That truck looks amaing Dave. I got a Nelson tune done for my truck. I went with the 93 octane tune, what did you get? With the new tune and tank of premium its AWESOME. Still does okay on 89 too. I have definitly seen NO increase in gas mileage. It actually seems to have decreased by about 1mpg, even when I'm being very cautious about my 200lb lead foot. What have you noticed?


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

chcav1218;909748 said:


> That truck looks amaing Dave. I got a Nelson tune done for my truck. I went with the 93 octane tune, what did you get? With the new tune and tank of premium its AWESOME. Still does okay on 89 too. I have definitly seen NO increase in gas mileage. It actually seems to have decreased by about 1mpg, even when I'm being very cautious about my 200lb lead foot. What have you noticed?


I just stayed with the 87/regular octane tune,... and they told me they'd pay special attention to low rpm torque increases, since this was primarily a plow truck. I haven't run it enough yet to tell anything on the gas mileage,... but if actually goes down, I'm going to be pretty disappointed,... because I was after that more than an increase in power. I'll just have to take a road trip with it & measure it now & compare it to what I was getting on the trip back to Alaska. thanks for your info.... 
:waving:


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## prostk2 (Oct 18, 2009)

? for you AB
How did you wire in your dual batteries? I have read a lot about the wiring but yours looks neat and definitely gets used with all the snow you plow. Thanks for the help in advance!!!


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## D&W LawnService (Dec 14, 2009)

Man that is a clean looking truck its always nice to see a guy that takes pride in his rig....Great job


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## HEStufrthnnails (Nov 20, 2009)

Nice looking truck!! Really good job on setting it up. About the running boards. I just found that it's one more place for salt/ice to build up and was a lot easier to clean up without but that's just my opinion. But that's a nice ride. I've got a GMC(93') with a 6.5 diesel and I like the truck a lot, but have had trouble with the 4L80E tranny. I think the 2000 probably doesn't have that tranny though. I hope not anyhow.Lol!!!


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## HEStufrthnnails (Nov 20, 2009)

Not to ruffle any feathers but I'm a Dodge fan,but that old GMC is a tank for plowing.Does well.


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

prostk2;916380 said:


> ? for you AB
> How did you wire in your dual batteries? I have read a lot about the wiring but yours looks neat and definitely gets used with all the snow you plow. Thanks for the help in advance!!!


I wired both batteries together, (pos to pos), but then grounded one to the frame, the other to the engine. It's really nice too to have 4 posts per battery to attach things,... so one post doesn't get over-loaded with 17 wires all packed one on top of the other, etc. I've always done it this way with my trucks, and have had zero electrical troubles that concern the batteries. :waving:



HEStufrthnnails;916738 said:


> Nice looking truck!! Really good job on setting it up. About the running boards. I just found that it's one more place for salt/ice to build up and was a lot easier to clean up without but that's just my opinion. But that's a nice ride. I've got a GMC(93') with a 6.5 diesel and I like the truck a lot, but have had trouble with the 4L80E tranny. I think the 2000 probably doesn't have that tranny though. I hope not anyhow.Lol!!!


I have no salt issues to deal with here,... in rural Alaska they only sand the roads, not salt. So, even tho running boards will hold snow/ice, the protection they give is worth that. I have some home-made running boards on the '90 dually dumpbed that came on the truck when I bought it,... and was going to take them off, until I looked at the paint,... and saw that it was still perfect,... so they'll stay on too. The 2000 3500's with auto trannys would be a 4L80E as well, but mine is a 5-speed,... so I won't have any transmission troubles,...


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## HEStufrthnnails (Nov 20, 2009)

Good to here on both accounts; no salt and no 4 speed. I've found out first hand just how much they are to rebuild.


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## coonpuss (Jan 13, 2009)

sweet lookn truck


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## dmcarpentry (Aug 30, 2008)

just wondering how you like the hella 700 with the hids i was wondering how difficult the install was 


thanks for all the great post and your advice convinced me to order a set of 9005 hids


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## ABES (Jun 10, 2007)

Beautiful Job making the truck plow worthy AK I am glad you like the Nelson tune you ordered I was very pleased with mine. Gotta love the 88-00 Chevys mine has been a really good truck.


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

dmcarpentry;936216 said:


> just wondering how you like the hella 700 with the hids i was wondering how difficult the install was
> 
> thanks for all the great post and your advice convinced me to order a set of 9005 hids


I really like those lights, (for $74),... and converted to HID makes them outshine the Lightforces that I've seen. It takes a little bit of modifying to convert them, because the halogen bulb clamp won't work on the HID bulb, but it's not too bad,.. definitely worth doing. The thing that makes these HID's so nice, is that since the bulb tube sticks farther out toward the outer lense than the halogen bulb does, it throws so much more light out to the sides,... illuminating the ditches to almost 180°,... which gives you those added seconds to see a moose or caribou standing down in the ditch,.. about ready to try & bolt across the road,... 



ABES;936232 said:


> Beautiful Job making the truck plow worthy AK I am glad you like the Nelson tune you ordered I was very pleased with mine. Gotta love the 88-00 Chevys mine has been a really good truck.


Yep, the custom tune is most definitely a worth-while thing to do,.. like B&B said,... there's nothing you could possibly do for $200 that would add the power & performance (and hopefully gas mileage) that a custom tune does. I expected to have to do a re-learn at least on the ignition,.. but it just fired right up & ran like it was there from the beginning,... I can't tell that the idle, or anything is different,... thanks again for the advice!! :waving:


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## KL&M Snow Div. (Jan 2, 2009)

Still looking good, I really like the HID conversion you did on that truck.


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## spencer087 (Sep 10, 2008)

why did the frames crack on your other trucks? Was it crippling to performance or more of a concern of safety? Also where in missouri did you get that truck from?


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

spencer087;954156 said:


> why did the frames crack on your other trucks? Was it crippling to performance or more of a concern of safety? Also where in missouri did you get that truck from?


In my opinion, the frames break on the 1-tons by just driving down the road with a 1,000 lb. plow hanging off the front,.. not from plowing. The front suspension is so stiff, that the front tires act as a fulcrum point, and the frame cracks right behind them, so I wanted to do the "fix" before it happens again. I bought the truck down in Jackson,... in the SE corner of Missouri,... :waving:


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## ACA L&L (Jan 5, 2007)

I really like your set up, im sure you do as well. We bought a 95 1 ton chevy with a boss on it a few weeks back, but decided to sell it(had an offer for 2 grand more than we bought it for) so we picked up newer diesel that fits our needs a little better. But I have to say I really like your truck, good find and hope she brings you many years of comfort while plowing those long days in beautiful Alaska. (worked in the cannery's the year I graduated 1992) It was awesome how the sun never really set, just got a little dark for a few hours then back to daylight! Happy Plowing!!


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## spencer087 (Sep 10, 2008)

Ya i would say you are probably right. So the gussets fix this cracking problem? it may not even be a problem here in my neck of the woods where coldest it ever gets is -2 and thats like every few years. i would say your extreme temperatures (-40 at some point if i remember from your other thread?!) make the metal more brittle and prone to cracking. How did you find that truck all the way down here> it sure is a beautiful truck!


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

Pretty snazie looking truck the way you have done it up. Your workmanship shows your pride in your work ................... nice job! I lived in Willow for years where are you located???


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Alaska Boss;955102 said:


> In my opinion, the frames break on the 1-tons by just driving down the road with a 1,000 lb. plow hanging off the front,.. not from plowing. The front suspension is so stiff, that the front tires act as a fulcrum point, and the frame cracks right behind them, so I wanted to do the "fix" before it happens again. I bought the truck down in Jackson,... in the SE corner of Missouri,... :waving:


Hey Boss, what kind of running boards do you have on that truck? I plan on geeting some kind of set this year. I like the way they go all the way back to the bed. Are your fender flares painted stock balck? My truck is the same color as yours and has painted to match fender flares. I am contemplating on whether to go black or not. Thanks!


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Dave, that is a sweet truck. Other than the extra lever sticking out of the middle of the floor, it's perfect for plowing



Alaska Boss;917808 said:


> I wired both batteries together, (pos to pos), but then grounded one to the frame, the other to the engine. It's really nice too to have 4 posts per battery to attach things,... :waving:


You probably should beef up the ground between the batteries. Both negatives should be tied together with the same size wire as you used between the positive terminals. Right now the only ground connection between the two batteries is the ground strap between the frame and engine. And that could probably use upgrading too. I would just tie the two existing grounds - one to the frame, one to the engine, - together with another 2 gauge cable and you will be golden.


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

ACA L&L;955725 said:


> I really like your set up, im sure you do as well. We bought a 95 1 ton chevy with a boss on it a few weeks back, but decided to sell it(had an offer for 2 grand more than we bought it for) so we picked up newer diesel that fits our needs a little better. But I have to say I really like your truck, good find and hope she brings you many years of comfort while plowing those long days in beautiful Alaska. (worked in the cannery's the year I graduated 1992) It was awesome how the sun never really set, just got a little dark for a few hours then back to daylight! Happy Plowing!!


Yeah,... the #1 thing I hear every year from tourists when they come to Alaska,... isn't the scenery,... isn't the wildlife,... it's "how do you sleep when it never gets dark"? And, of course, the farther north you go, the more extreme it gets,... like up in Barrow,... the sun comes up in May, and doesn't set until August,... and then the winters are the opposite,... sun sets in November & doesn't rise until almost February,... 



spencer087;956177 said:


> Ya i would say you are probably right. So the gussets fix this cracking problem? it may not even be a problem here in my neck of the woods where coldest it ever gets is -2 and thats like every few years. i would say your extreme temperatures (-40 at some point if i remember from your other thread?!) make the metal more brittle and prone to cracking. How did you find that truck all the way down here> it sure is a beautiful truck!


Yeah, I know that extreme cold makes everything more brittle,... but most of the time, I'm not plowing in those extreme temps either,... but once I've welded gussets to the the frame, I've never again had any cracks start. I first found this truck on Auto Trader,... then the next day it was on ebay,... and when I called them (the dealer who had this truck), they said they were going to let the ebay auction play itself out,... so I was forced to buy this truck on ebay.



FisherVMan;956548 said:


> Pretty snazie looking truck the way you have done it up. Your workmanship shows your pride in your work ................... nice job! I lived in Willow for years where are you located???


Thanks,... I'm in the Copper River Valley,... between Glennallen & Valdez. If the government would do what the people have voted to do, Willow would be the capital of Alaska right now,... 



DieselSlug;956573 said:


> Hey Boss, what kind of running boards do you have on that truck? I plan on geeting some kind of set this year. I like the way they go all the way back to the bed. Are your fender flares painted stock balck? My truck is the same color as yours and has painted to match fender flares. I am contemplating on whether to go black or not. Thanks!


These running boards came off a 1993 3/4-ton Suburban that I picked up for almost free,... and I was assuming that they were a factory option back then. They are for sure the highest-quality running boards I have ever seen,... and give complete & full protection to the whole bottom side of the truck,... which is the main reason I put them on. I may be wrong, but I had always assumed that the color-matched fender flares came on the Silverados,... and the black ones came on the other models,... neither the 2000, nor the '92 are Silverados, and both have black flares,.. whereas my '90 dually is a Silverado, and has color-matching flares. The black ones should be easy to find in a junkyard,... if you wanted to try them without re-painting your colored ones,...



2COR517;956645 said:


> Dave, that is a sweet truck. Other than the extra lever sticking out of the middle of the floor, it's perfect for plowing
> 
> You probably should beef up the ground between the batteries. Both negatives should be tied together with the same size wire as you used between the positive terminals. Right now the only ground connection between the two batteries is the ground strap between the frame and engine. And that could probably use upgrading too. I would just tie the two existing grounds - one to the frame, one to the engine, - together with another 2 gauge cable and you will be golden.


Haha,.. well, that extra lever sticking out of the floor is precisely what makes this truck perfect for plowing,... IMO,.... I would have connected both batteries on the neg side as well, if I had the cable, and probably will when I get a chance to get one. My '92 is set up this same way,... and it has been totally perfect in performance,... voltmeter never drops below 12.5 volts even when operating plow with everything else going too... and instantly snaps back to 14.2 as soon as I let go of the joystick,... :salute:


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

Well if your going to try to plow Thompson Pass with that truck I wish you the best of luck. That is certainly nice country down there as I used to fly down that way some and had some wild rides thru there on windy days. Used to go into the "turtle mode" and pull your head down into your shirt and tighten up the shoulder belt as tight as you could and hope for the best . Good Luck plowing up there and hope the truck works out for ya


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## DareDog (Oct 22, 2007)

nicecest plow truck in AK? what about 91AK250 truck??   there both tie for #1 truck in ak imo. ussmileyflag


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Wow, so the wheelbase is the same from suburban to R/C-L/B?


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## spencer087 (Sep 10, 2008)

DieselSlug;960311 said:


> Wow, so the wheelbase is the same from suburban to R/C-L/B?


 yes and a R/C S/B would be the same wheel base as

a tahoe. In fact almost all parts minus the body are the same. if im not mistaken frames are same as well. i think.


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## DieselSlug (Nov 30, 2009)

Sweet i need a set of suburban running boards now!!!


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## ConnorExum (Jan 5, 2010)

I have a question Alaska Boss can you get bio-diesel in Alaska at the pumps?


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## ptrkptz (Nov 30, 2008)

What about the cab lights?? I know alot of people don't care for them, but I love them... finishing touches!!

So if you did not drill any holes in the cab, how do you power them, where did you get them from??


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

FisherVMan;959858 said:


> Well if your going to try to plow Thompson Pass with that truck I wish you the best of luck. That is certainly nice country down there as I used to fly down that way some and had some wild rides thru there on windy days. Used to go into the "turtle mode" and pull your head down into your shirt and tighten up the shoulder belt as tight as you could and hope for the best . Good Luck plowing up there and hope the truck works out for ya


Ha,... there's no truck that can plow Thompson Pass thru-out the whole winter, without the help of graders, loaders & blowers. And when avalanches wipe the road out,... they have to bring in D8 & D9 dozers. And even with all that, they close the road on occasion,.. like last week, when they had wind gusts right at or just over 100 mph,... not only can you not see where the road is, it drifts shut 5 min after the plows/blowers go thru,... you're right,... that can be a nasty place up there during storms,... :salute:



ConnorExum;960579 said:


> I have a question Alaska Boss can you get bio-diesel in Alaska at the pumps?


Well, not directly that I'm aware of,.. but Anchorage & especially Fairbanks have to put additives to the fuels they sell in the winter, so they stay within federal guidelines for air pollution. Fairbanks gets some very extreme ice fog that hangs over the city when it's -50° or more,.. and it traps in all the vehicle emissions, so the way they try to deal with it, is to put additives in the gas & diesel,... but even wood smoke can exceed federal air standards if it can't disperse,...



ptrkptz;961081 said:


> What about the cab lights?? I know alot of people don't care for them, but I love them... finishing touches!!
> 
> So if you did not drill any holes in the cab, how do you power them, where did you get them from??


I like them too.... but I did drill holes,.. I just hated to do it ! I can't remember where I got them,... maybe JC Whitney,... or maybe some other auto parts store,... I had them sitting on the shelf for some time now,.. so decided it was time to use them,... just ran a wire under the headliner, down along the windshield pillar,.. and tied them into the parking light circuit.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

What no pimped out gun rack.!?! Common Alaska!


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## 2005_Sierra (Aug 7, 2009)

any update on how the truck is holding up?


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## Alaska Boss (Oct 8, 2005)

2005_Sierra;1028010 said:


> any update on how the truck is holding up?


The truck itself has been great,... the only issue that still hasn't been made right yet, is my Nelson custom tuned PCM,... there has been no increase in power at all,... my gas mileage is worse,... and at one point, my speedometer was reading about 22 mph too fast (at 60mph (by GPS), my speedo read 82 !!). I'm on #5 right now,... it sounded like a great idea,... and maybe it's been good for other guys,... but my luck on stuff like that never seems to work out,... I should have just let well enough alone,...


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

Alaska Boss;1028432 said:


> The truck itself has been great,... the only issue that still hasn't been made right yet, is my Nelson custom tuned PCM,... there has been no increase in power at all,... my gas mileage is worse,... and at one point, my speedometer was reading about 22 mph too fast (at 60mph (by GPS), my speedo read 82 !!). I'm on #5 right now,... it sounded like a great idea,... and maybe it's been good for other guys,... but my luck on stuff like that never seems to work out,... I should have just let well enough alone,...


Well that sucks, those trucks really aren't that tuneable. 00' to present trucks will really wake up and pickup 3mpg


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## akblacklab (Mar 15, 2010)

DareDog;960011 said:


> nicecest plow truck in AK? what about 91AK250 truck??   there both tie for #1 truck in ak imo. ussmileyflag


I'd also vote for 91AK250s truck as nicest in AK.

But I am biased because I prefer Fords and Dodges over Chevys.


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## RCsLawncare (Oct 24, 2008)

You should sell me your truck and build another! I love it!!!


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## chcav1218 (Jul 31, 2008)

Alaska Boss;1028432 said:


> The truck itself has been great,... the only issue that still hasn't been made right yet, is my Nelson custom tuned PCM,... there has been no increase in power at all,... my gas mileage is worse,... and at one point, my speedometer was reading about 22 mph too fast (at 60mph (by GPS), my speedo read 82 !!). I'm on #5 right now,... it sounded like a great idea,... and maybe it's been good for other guys,... but my luck on stuff like that never seems to work out,... I should have just let well enough alone,...


My mpgs are down too, a little more power and the firmer shifts are nice but thats about all I can say for it


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## joshg (Nov 12, 2009)

I hope Alaska Boss is out there pushing snow somewhere, miss his old threads a lot


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