Lifted Dually Suburban wheels/tires?

[496bb]

Interested in what you find out with this build. Mine is a 2wd 87 3/4 Burb, and I'm thinking about doing the dually just for a little better towing of a custom 10-12K crawler hauler type bumper pull trailer. Trying to figure out how best to do the rear end, and also should I swap front suspension components.

I didn't realize Arrowcraft or any of these companies still made the fenders or parts for this conversion.

 

[Wallace6]

You'll need a spacer. A 255/85 might fit without one, depending on manufacturer and truck usage.

I ran 255/85-16 for years with no spacer. This was on a k30

 

[Svein Knutsen]

Garth/Svein
I put 285/75-16s with factory size Alcoa's on my K30 many years ago, way way early 90's. I've put well over 200k miles on this combo before I parked it in 2011. The truck has a 2 1/2" lift and 1 1/2" spacers on the rear. The truck sits flat with no load, it had 3+ yds of gravel in the bed when I took these photos so its up in the front and down in the back (split the diff between front and back and that where it sits). The guy at the gravel yard said it was 10k-12k lbs of gravel in the bed, the 11 leaf spring packs were working that day! These pics should give an idea of the fit/look on the truck. On the rear (no load) there is about 1 1/2' between the tires at the top and about 1/2-3/4" at the bottom, at the bulge-> closest to each other. This is where you want to be to prevent tire rub going down the highway. The rears extent out past the fenders about 1/2"-3/4". This has never been a problem in the rain or mud, meaning it doesn't sling water or mud all over the place and don't stick out so far it looks (insert your preferred word for stupid).
Never had a problem with the wheel spacers. Some will advise against them but if you get good quality ones they should last forever with no problems.
I can get more photos if they would help.
I noted:
- you have a V2500 with a 14 bolt. Does it have the hydro boost brakes? If so, and if it has the load proportioning valve above the rear axle make sure to get a setting measurement on the valve before you make any changes. It will save you much headache getting it set so the rear brakes work properly.
-picking up a D70.... Is it a D70 or D70HD, they are not the same, I have both. My 86 came with a D70HD rear and D60 front. Not sure what years had which. You can google the differences, although it likely won't make a diff for what you're planning. I would recommend checking the flange to flange dimension on the rear against a dually axle dimensions.
This is my first post on a forum ever so I hope it comes across ok. I don't check this often but I believe I set it up to notify me when I get a reply.
Good luck!!

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Is Alco wheel same as regular orginal steel dim?

 

[ButchM]

Is Alco wheel same as regular orginal steel dim?

The Alcos are/were the same dimensions as the factory steel wheels. I still have a spare wheel in its original box if the numbers would be of any help.

 

[squaredeal91]

Heres some motivation, Me like

 

[BearKing]

Ayone know where I can a 3” front lift and a block lift for my 86 GMC Dually 3+3? I’m have ZERO luck locating any lift for a 1 Ton Dually. 4WD Squarebody Aftermarket Parts Dealers don’t have a clue what I’m trying to do. I’m trying g to get mine to look like “buckets” 79. Oh, and bucket. What size tires are you running? I will get a spacer if needed but waiting on your experience to help a fellow 3+3 guy out. @bucket. Thanks in advance fellas. I miss you guys. Life’s been a very busy bee here and it’s still going.

 

[BearKing]

Heres some motivation, Me like

Boy do I like that. WOW. I better now show my wife. She will want one. She still wants to buy a Kodiak and make it just like Ironhide from the Transformers movie. She loves lifted rigs.

 

[bucket]

Ayone know where I can a 3” front lift and a block lift for my 86 GMC Dually 3+3? I’m have ZERO luck locating any lift for a 1 Ton Dually. 4WD Squarebody Aftermarket Parts Dealers don’t have a clue what I’m trying to do. I’m trying g to get mine to look like “buckets” 79. Oh, and bucket. What size tires are you running? I will get a spacer if needed but waiting on your experience to help a fellow 3+3 guy out. @bucket. Thanks in advance fellas. I miss you guys. Life’s been a very busy bee here and it’s still going.

You just get a kit for the typical squarebody truck. With a rear block lift, really the only difference is the u-bolts. Your truck will use square ended u-bolts and the nuts will be below the axle. Good quality u-bolts are a must.

If you give ORD a call, they can get you set up with all the parts you want/need specific to your application. Their options will cost a lot more than the average universal kit from say Rough County (just as an example) but you get better quality parts and a truck that is more comfortable to drive as well.

I'm running a 9.00x16 bias ply tire. Tires in that size, or even similar sizes are slim pickins these days.

 

[BearKing]

You just get a kit for the typical squarebody truck. With a rear block lift, really the only difference is the u-bolts. Your truck will use square ended u-bolts and the nuts will be below the axle. Good quality u-bolts are a must.

If you give ORD a call, they can get you set up with all the parts you want/need specific to your application. Their options will cost a lot more than the average universal kit from say Rough County (just as an example) but you get better quality parts and a truck that is more comfortable to drive as well.

I'm running a 9.00x16 bias ply tire. Tires in that size, or even similar sizes are slim pickins these days.

Thank you, bucket. Awesome help as usual.

 

[ButchM]

Ayone know where I can a 3” front lift and a block lift for my 86 GMC Dually 3+3? I’m have ZERO luck locating any lift for a 1 Ton Dually. 4WD Squarebody Aftermarket Parts Dealers don’t have a clue what I’m trying to do. I’m trying g to get mine to look like “buckets” 79. Oh, and bucket. What size tires are you running? I will get a spacer if needed but waiting on your experience to help a fellow 3+3 guy out. @bucket. Thanks in advance fellas. I miss you guys. Life’s been a very busy bee here and it’s still going.

BearKing
I have a 1986 3+3 that I bought in 1988. In 1990 I had a run-in with a drunk that resulted in me having a virtually totaled truck to fix/get back on the road. Both front leaf packs were bent sideways and one rear main leaf was twisted The driver side rear leaf pack exploded and was 10 separate leaves. After much looking around I ended up at National Spring in El Cajon Ca. Due to my budget at the time (I was in the Navy and not making alot of $) they recommended a re-arch on the rear leaf packs (with one new main leaf) with an additional leaf (now 11 leaves total, as I told them I didn't want to loose hauling capacity with the lift) and using front springs from a 3/4 ton (off the shelf as opposed to custom made, re-arched, to give me the 2-3" lift I was looking for based on weight of the truck. The 3/4 ton springs are narrower that 1 ton but do work. They could do the 1 ton wider springs but it was more than my budget allowed at the time. I don't remember prices but the 1 ton springs are wider than 3/4 ton and would be more $.

All this to get to my point. The 1 ton 4x4s are a bit different than the rest, heavier axles, heavier springs. I would recommend skipping all the online stores and going to a company that specializes in making springs. They have the knowledge and experience to make you what you need. Don't go with the cheaper, narrower 3/4 ton springs, they will bend the two bolts and U-bolts when you tighten them up. Get the full width springs your rig needs.
These companies can spec the right springs for what you want to do.
One last piece of advice, if they don't ask you for the axle weights, front and rear, you should shop elsewhere. They can't spec the correct spring with out this.
Butch

 

[Grit dog]

Ayone know where I can a 3” front lift and a block lift for my 86 GMC Dually 3+3? I’m have ZERO luck locating any lift for a 1 Ton Dually. 4WD Squarebody Aftermarket Parts Dealers don’t have a clue what I’m trying to do. I’m trying g to get mine to look like “buckets” 79. Oh, and bucket. What size tires are you running? I will get a spacer if needed but waiting on your experience to help a fellow 3+3 guy out. @bucket. Thanks in advance fellas. I miss you guys. Life’s been a very busy bee here and it’s still going.

Anywhere that sells lift kits for old Chevys. Not sure what you’re asking. 3+3 s don’t have unique suspensions.

 

[bucket]

BearKing
I have a 1986 3+3 that I bought in 1988. In 1990 I had a run-in with a drunk that resulted in me having a virtually totaled truck to fix/get back on the road. Both front leaf packs were bent sideways and one rear main leaf was twisted The driver side rear leaf pack exploded and was 10 separate leaves. After much looking around I ended up at National Spring in El Cajon Ca. Due to my budget at the time (I was in the Navy and not making alot of $) they recommended a re-arch on the rear leaf packs (with one new main leaf) with an additional leaf (now 11 leaves total, as I told them I didn't want to loose hauling capacity with the lift) and using front springs from a 3/4 ton (off the shelf as opposed to custom made, re-arched, to give me the 2-3" lift I was looking for based on weight of the truck. The 3/4 ton springs are narrower that 1 ton but do work. They could do the 1 ton wider springs but it was more than my budget allowed at the time. I don't remember prices but the 1 ton springs are wider than 3/4 ton and would be more $.

All this to get to my point. The 1 ton 4x4s are a bit different than the rest, heavier axles, heavier springs. I would recommend skipping all the online stores and going to a company that specializes in making springs. They have the knowledge and experience to make you what you need. Don't go with the cheaper, narrower 3/4 ton springs, they will bend the two bolts and U-bolts when you tighten them up. Get the full width springs your rig needs.
These companies can spec the right springs for what you want to do.
One last piece of advice, if they don't ask you for the axle weights, front and rear, you should shop elsewhere. They can't spec the correct spring with out this.
Butch

Lift springs typically (besides crazy custom stuff, actully always) are not as wide as the stock front springs, including the 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks. Thousands and thousands of trucks have narrower lift springs installed and it's perfectly fine. Sounds like you no longer have the beefy factory cast u-bolt plates and/or the u-bolts (and two passenger side bolts) were over torqued.