12valve cummins into 96 chevy 1500

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96chevy

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I have a 96 Chevy 1/2 ton with a 6" pro comp lift and 35's, it doesn't have the power to tow anything with the 350 and i been thinking of doing a 12valve swap. what would have to be done to the front suspension to hold the extra weight? what are the other things i have to consider for doing the swap besides a body lift, motor mounts, and exhaust?
 

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SOLID AXLE CONVERSION, them half ton hub assemblies are JUNK! Also swap in a one ton rearend, the half ton C-clip axles are JUNK.
 
Sell that and buy a truck with a Cummins. Thats the only way that would make sense.
 
96chevy said:
i don't think i have ever seen a Chevy for sale with a cummins
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look around on ebay there has been a few of them and also here in the forsale section on this forum.

as far as suspension your gonna need a 3/4ton or 1ton suspension to hold up. or just put a solid axle under it.
 
Buy a dodge.

After you straight axle swap the truck, buy an engine, trans, transfer case, and a bigger rear. Your well over 10k.
 
depending on what he has in the truck already he may only have to do like i did and get an engine and bell housing and input shaft by the time i sold all my extra parts and stuff i was only into it for 500 bucks. i have yet to do a SAS on it doubt i will i like my IFS and havent had a prob out of it for the 3 yrs i have had it.

i take that trans stuff back just remembered he has a 1/2ton even though still he could sell the other stuff to offset the difference.

i would say SAS since you have a half ton. otherwise find all the parts from a 3/4ton or just find a complete one and start with that.
 
Not every wants a dodge !

Now since you already have the Chevy build it the way you want it and if you have the time and find the parts the conversion can be done for around $6k with you doing the labor.By the looks of the truck it's uses as dd so the IFS will last for what he needs. If a SAS is done you can do this in stages and money comes in.
 
I'll sell you a dana 80 rear, and 12valve motor, head studed 0 ringed all gaskets new, 4kgov springs, new valves retainers, springs, dowel pin fix is done. You throw a turbo of your choice on it and your set. 3500$
 
Heres a short story with the truck. had it for 6 months, drove for 4 months. paid 6 for the truck, got lift/ tires, and some extras and ended up spending 13g on it total. i did all the work myself besides getting a alignment and exhaust pipe redone to clear the drive shaft. drove it 8,000 miles and the trans went, now im told i would be lucky to get 8 for it if the trans is working fine.

i phoned a wreckers and he would sell me a 12v, NV4500, and TC for $3500. to get a stock rebuilt trans in this truck i have gotten 3 different quotes at $1200, $2100, and $2700 to install it myself.
 
depending on what the mileage and accessories maybe worth it. i would think that you could buy a donor truck for that much and get everything you need to do the conversion off that truck and sell the rest to off set the costs. there are a few trucks for sale on here for approx that much that could make a good donor truck.
 
you dont need a TC for a manual. you definatley need a 3/4 ton rearend. idk about the fronend. if it has tortion bar suspension in the front like my dads 86 (I know alot may have changed) tighten it up when you get the cummins in.

if it has tortion bar suspension at all.... just my $.02
 
his will have torsion bars they have had that since '89 if you really want to go to a junk yard and get the torsion bars out of a 3/4 ton or 1 ton iirc they are all the same just clocked different with the keys. you can get up to a 5 ton one from gm i believe. i think you will be fine with yours just get the keys meant for a leveling kit and it should give you the extra lift to compensate for the weight.
 
The truck has 144,000 miles and is fully loaded

its a torsion bar front end. do the 3/4 ton bars have the same ends to fit in the control arms? the rear axle in the truck is a stock 10 bolt. what does the 3/4 ton have for a rear end? 14 bolt? will it bolt up to my stock leafs with the 4" block? i would just run my stock TC with the nv4500 tranny?
 
being you have a half ton i would find a heavy half ton rear end. it is a 3/4 ton rear end but 6 bolt hubs. it is not as big as the corp 14 thats in mine but should be able to support a mild engine.

i think the torsion bars are all the same if you want to go measure yours and see i will try to measure mine tonight and see what they are.

i would think almost any axle out from under a 88-98 chevy will bolt up to any truck of that era

and as far as your transfer case i am not sure if it will bolt up to the 4500. iirc yours is a 4 bolt flange and the one on the 4500 is 6 bolt.
 
so im going with a SAS on the truck. i picked up a 97 Z71 14bolt 6 lug Semi floater with a factory locker and 3.73 about a week ago to go in the rear and was looking at getting the 78-79 ford high pinion with drivers side pumpkin but they seem to be really pricey around here if they can be even found. or my other option of a dana 44 10bolt passenger side pumpkin from a 73-91 gm 1/2 ton with 6 lug.

Today i did find someone with a 14 bolt full floater posi and Dana 44 Front with Warn Premium Manual Locks with matching 4:10 gears and 8 lug for $550.

Wich TC will work with the NV4500 5spd and a passenger side differential pumpkin? im betting i should get ahold of that 14 bolt full floater and dana 44 front? and what is the ideal gears to run if i had between 35's - 38's
 
96chevy said:
so im going with a SAS on the truck. i picked up a 97 Z71 14bolt 6 lug Semi floater with a factory locker and 3.73 about a week ago to go in the rear and was looking at getting the 78-79 ford high pinion with drivers side pumpkin but they seem to be really pricey around here if they can be even found. or my other option of a dana 44 10bolt passenger side pumpkin from a 73-91 gm 1/2 ton with 6 lug.

Today i did find someone with a 14 bolt full floater posi and Dana 44 Front with Warn Premium Manual Locks with matching 4:10 gears and 8 lug for $550.

Wich TC will work with the NV4500 5spd and a passenger side differential pumpkin? im betting i should get ahold of that 14 bolt full floater and dana 44 front? and what is the ideal gears to run if i had between 35's - 38's
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Im sure you are meaning clutch instead of TC because it is a manual.
 
depending on if you use a gm transmission you can use one out of a 3/4 ton or 1 ton. i just had my NV4500 built with a dodge input shaft and had them make the back half gm so that it would bolt up to my transfercase that came in my pickup.
 
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