Short bed conversion ?'s

12vfleet

12vfleet

beCummin broke
Joined
Aug 15, 2010
Messages
616
So I have a 95 rclb 2wd with a built auto blah blah blah.. I have decided that I'm going to do the short bed conversion this winter. Even if I didn't do the conversion the frame needs worked on anyways because the bottom side of the frame channel beside the tank is rusted through. So I'm going to get a tank from a extended cab short bed and fabricate straps for it. Also going to have a straight driveshaft made and get rid of the carrier bearing. What is the exact length to cut the frame? I've seen where guys have done straight cuts and step-up cuts. Of course brake lines have to be made but thats minor. What have guys done to lower the rear of the truck to make it level? Any other advice on this would be great. Thanks in advance guys. :rockwoot:
 
only losers cut their frames to make single cab short beds LOLLOL (and its 16 inches)
 
First gen short bed I think would be pretty cool my buddy is in process of shortening his 92 ex cab. And its p pumped already. We got that done a few weeks ago.
 
notes from my ext cab short bed conversion

16 inches from frame.
new brake lines
new emergency brake cable
new drive shaft. cant remember how long mine is
i lowered it 4 inches in the rear to level it with the front. cut the spring hangers off the frame moved them up higher on the frame and rewelded


before
truck1.jpg


after
truck6.jpg

truck.jpg
 
School Bus: Nice end result. I like the look of it for sure. Ill probly end up goin that route. Tarter: Were goint to put a p-pump motor in our 93 at the moment. Should be a hell of a nice first gen when were done. Lostnwalmart: I saw your thread on doing your conversion lol. How ya like it? I only use this truck right now to go back and forth to college (so why not make it lighter and faster). Since we have 7 other 12 valves its pretty much the car of the group. lol.
 
Still not finished yet and I haven't even seen it yet in person. LOL it should be done soon if i stop adding parts to the list
 
Lostnwalmart said:
Still not finished yet and I haven't even seen it yet in person. LOL it should be done soon if i stop adding parts to the list
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Nice. I've been building a 96 to pull next year so I havent put any money into this 95 beside puttin gov springs in earlier this year and doing some more tuning. Put some more pics up when you get to see it again man.
 
Next time I see her ill be doing a head swap :evil and finishing it up to be drivable again
 
What head you go with? I just had the head on my 96 ported n polished, valve job, and or-ringed.
 
We drilled out the rivets and flipped the front hanger. Put longer shackle on the back. Should have taken a leaf or two out it rides firm.
 
gwhammy said:
We drilled out the rivets and flipped the front hanger. Put longer shackle on the back. Should have taken a leaf or two out it rides firm.
Click to expand...

Any pics on this? My conversion wont be happenin until the snow starts flyin and I bring a 4wd back to school but I figure get all the info I can now.
 
This is what mine looked like the day i bought it:
rearquartershot.jpg


Here it is with 20" wheels:
20inches.jpg

Instead of lowering the back, the front was raised 2". It cleared 33x12.50x17s on 3rd gen alloys no problem.

My previous truck was a 2002 Excab short bed 4x4. This one is much lighter, better turn radius, 100% mechanical, and weighs in at 5500 lbs. Its 2wd. Traction is a constant problem and the truck is maybe making 450hp. The 20s were $50 each new, weigh less than 30lbs, and let me use H rated rubber. The truck is perfect for me and i wouldn't ever want for a long bed. If i can't fit it in my short bed i'l take my 5x10 ramp gate trailer.

The only thing i don't like is the attention it gets. One guy at Oreily's stared non stop as soon as i started it all the way till i was down the street. If it were me building it i would have gone for a simple viper red or even white paint. But the price was reasonable and the interior/exterior like new so i went for it. Also if it were me building it would have left it a long bed as its a lot of work to end up with a RCSB. I love mine, but i don't think i would go to the trouble.
 
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Not that big of a job. I think if the drive shaft was already made and had everything at the shop I could be done in less than a day with two of us working on it. I'm going the harder way right now and swapping a 12 valve into a 3rd gen half ton short bed. I don't have any pictures of the one we did. To get a little lower on the front we settled the stock springs about a 1.5 inches by heating and settling the coils.
 
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