5 ton vs 2.5 frame differences?

[WRoll]

I'm starting the process of turning either a 5 ton or a Deuce into a monster truck. I was wanting to know the differences in the frame of each, if any. Width, height, etc. One fellow told me that the frame on the 5 ton was much heavier, so I was going to double check here. Thanks

 

[Scar59]

That's correct. 5 ton frames are much heavier, larger channels. I dont have the dims handy but I have two trucks parked at the shop that I can measure.

 

[WRoll]

Either way, I will be putting 5 ton axles underneath it. I assumed that starting with a 5 ton truck would simply the process. The other guy used a deuce frame and then put 5 tons under it, as he said the 5 ton frame was too heavy. Your thoughts?

 

[Scar59]

Monster truck for speed and jumping; go with the lighter frame. Monster truck for off roading/crawling, go with the heavier frame. All my trucks are stock configured. None are fast or jump very high, come to think about it, I don't think they have never been off the ground. Jack stands count?

 

[jasonjc]

Are not most of the monster trucks now days tube frames??

 

[WRoll]

Yes, the new ones are tube frames. I have wanted a monster truck since I was a kid, and this will be for purely personal use and fun.

 

[Floridianson]

Try and drill through a Deuce frame then try the 5 ton.

 

[Scar59]

Yes, the new ones are tube frames. I have wanted a monster truck since I was a kid, and this will be for purely personal use and fun.

Just get a 5 ton and put it on super singles, poof, you have a monster truck that will pull a house off a foundation. Go with the NHC 250 Cummins engine. 855 cu. in 6 cylinder. There's no replacement for displacement.

 

[WRoll]

I’m going with the 66” tires. I’m going to use a 12 valve 5.9 as the powerplant. That way it fits in the engine bay. I had considered a Big Cam, but then I would have to cut part of the cab and it would be sitting beside me. Any source for 5.9 Cummins engine mounts or all they all custom fabricated?

 

[Scar59]

Can't answer that, all my trucks are stock. Lot of fabricators on this site. Some one may jump in..

 

[simp5782]

I’m going with the 66” tires. I’m going to use a 12 valve 5.9 as the powerplant. That way it fits in the engine bay. I had considered a Big Cam, but then I would have to cut part of the cab and it would be sitting beside me. Any source for 5.9 Cummins engine mounts or all they all custom fabricated?

There are some SAE 2 bellhousings available for the 5.9s. This would be the same type of frame mount that the M939A2 trucks have in the engine bay which allows for 505 cubic inches to be between the mounts and the radiator location.

Big difference in a 12 valve and a Big Cam. 360 cubic inches vs 855 with no middle man consideration? Seems odd. Also factor in that a 12 or 24valve will cost you more than mostly the whole truck as to where you can buy some big cams for $500 if you are lucky and rebuild it for under $2k.

You will also need to factor in your transfer case setup as well. Something that can hold up to a 12valve will not hold up to a Big Cam. So choosing a big truck frame for parts and having to factor in the building for the wheel chock parts could pose some issues on mounts

To me it would be easier to take a 939 series truck and retrofit your cab around what is already there and built.

 

[WRoll]

The SAE 2 bellhousing for the 5.9 was one important reason why I decided to go with it. I considered the Big Cam, as I am familiar with them from having them in several semis and tractors here on my farm. After some thought, I didn't want to cut into the cab and have the motor laying beside me, as I want to keep it stock on the inside and not look like a race cockpit. That left me to decide between a 5.9 or a DT360. I chose the 5.9 due to availability and the aftermarket that caters to it. I bought one off of a friend, with relatively low mileage.

I am basing this build off of the "Klone Kong" truck that Jeff Dane made to resemble his original King Kong truck. He did a step-by-step build with it, and he used the original Caterpillar 3116 engine mated to the auto transmission. He had to cut the cab to fit it, and I didn't want to do that.

I have a 1978 F150 body that will be used for this project.

I appreciate all of your replies.

 

[Karl kostman]

I dont know what mods to the 5.9 your looking at or the end result HP but one thing to definitely keep in mind is the very large weight difference between the two, I would not be surprised if the 5 ton frame assembly is twice as heavy as the Deuce. Another thing is you will never make enough HP to damage even a Deuce frame. If you put this together with a 5 ton frame your going to need some serious HP (like 700 HP) because of the weight or your going to be driving a real pooch as in SLOW and the needed gearing is not going to give you the wheel speed your going to be looking for, especially running the size tires you looking at, no matter what frame you going to need to bump up the HP on the 5.9 a pretty big jump, its the price you pay when starting with a truck frame as opposed to a pickup!
Good luck!

 

[tobyS]

If you plan on doing any welding on the frame, use a deuce frame. It's 8x3x1/4". The 5 tons are high tensile strength and should not be welded...also harder to drill. The 5 ton is a lot stronger, however.

 

[WRoll]

Karl, I am building the 5.9 to be in the 500 horsepower range. I’ve seen video of the King Kong truck driving around under the power of the 3116, and he did fine. I don’t plan on any serious racing with this truck, just driving around my neighborhood and maybe going to a car show every now and then. Thanks for clarifying how much more a 5 ton frame weighs, I didn’t know they would be THAT much heavier.

Toby, I will be doing a decent amount of welding for body mounts and drilling for the placement of shocks. Thanks for the info.

 

[Csm Davis]

Why not start with a 931A2? The 8.3L Cummins is the big brother to the 5.9L and almost all of the upgrades are the same. Good P-pump and bigger turbo, add an intercooler and rock out.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[71DeuceAK]

So are you doing dual steers on a 5 ton frame? Just a bobbed and dual-steer-axle M923A1? Many will hate me but I myself have to admit I've had many ideas for a "mega truck" project. I always figured I'd just use the axles from a 923 under a pickup though.

 

[patracy]

To me it would be easier to take a 939 series truck and retrofit your cab around what is already there and built.

This all around. Been there, done that.

 

[WRoll]

Actually, I didn’t even consider the 8.3 Cummins, because I assumed that it wouldn’t fit in a 73-79 Ford engine bay. According to specs, it is 4.4 inches longer than a 5.9. I’ll measure my pickup’s engine bay tomorrow to see if there is enough room.

At this point, I was just going to have one steer axle. I didn’t want to dive into rear steer until I see how the truck handled and had the project otherwise completed.

 

[71DeuceAK]

WRoll, PM me if you like. I'm curious to discuss this more but don't want to hijack a thread LOL.