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Old 09-18-2015, 02:46 PM   #10
1976gmc20
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Montana
Posts: 3,696
Re: would 73-87 rear 3/4t or 1t leaves ride horribly in my 70k20?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rickcdewitt View Post
I should have provided more info from the start guys sorry.when I swapped out the c20 frame on my truck I put a k10 frame under it with the understanding I could just swap out springs to make it a k20.right now l guess you'd call it a 5/8t with the 8lug axles.

I don't want to buy new 70 3/4t rear springs since there's much better setups out there for free to cheap. So you see I need to get springs no matter what,I just want to make a smart choice in doing so.

I'm putting new decking on my trailer now and rebuilding the brakes.yes I thought about a distribution hitch,its on the table as far as options while upgrading.

Anyways your input is appreciated,rick
Okay - as far as I know, the LWB K10 and K20 frames are the same - only difference is the springs and axles and maybe the brake master cylinder and plumbing (???).

I have no clue what you're doing... did you start with a C20 and convert it to 4x4 ???

The 1973+ K20 pickups were brutes. They all seemed to have the same rear springs, and GVW was only based on the factory tire size: 7500 for 8ply and 8500 for 10ply. I loaded ridiculous loads on mine: firewood, gravel, and I towed a heavy travel trailer (on the step bumper ball!) and hauled a heavy load (4K# ?) in the bed all the way from Colorado to Alaska, via the then under construction Cassiar Highway (37). The pickup did fine except I blew a couple tires along the way.

Later pickups seemed to have various springs - at least my 76 C20 is fairly lightweight in the back, and of course then they started making 3/4 tons with only semi floating 8 lug axles

The Reese, EZ-Lift, etc hitches are really the thing for hauling a heavy "bumper pull" trailer assuming it has an A-frame tongue. I don't know what they cost these days, but it has to be cheaper and simpler than some sort of air lift overloads.
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Current/past Chevy/GMC trucks:
1958 Chevy C-60; 1965 GMC C-50; 1965 Chevy C-10; 1971 Chevy K-10; 1973 Chevy K-20; 1976 GMC C-20; 1977 Chevy C-10 Suburban; 1980 Chevy K-10; 1989 Chevy K1500; 1991 GMC V1500 Suburban; 2016 Chevy K2500 HD

Other vehicles: 1988 Jeep XJ; 2011 Toyota 4Runner
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