Bridge truck on 53's

[davesgmc]

Here is the first of MANY mods this bridge truck will go through. It will get the 53's, 4 door cab and a 12 foot bed in the next few weeks. I have the xzl's on now, bed will come next week, and the 4 door cab the next week.

The bridge truck had the 14.00x20 on it, it is now narrow nuff in the rear (under 102) but the spacers on the front with these wheels make it 108 in the front. will have to take wheels back off, take those spacers off the hubs and it should be same as rear then.

 

[davesgmc]

truck already has a 6-71 detroit in it and with the 14.00 it was top speed around 70ish or so, with the 16.00 it should have a bit more, as if i want more!

it will also have a/c in the cab, an onboard generator that starts remotely, it will run the a/c. i will keep it a soft top as all military trucks should be. maybe power windows, locks, etc.

 

[motorolanut]

Dude that trucks ROCKS!! But whats up with grill? It looks really cool but retroish...

 

[hippiedude]

Sweet !!! That things a monster !!!!!!!! Tim

 

[davesgmc]

the grill is that way (for now) because the radiator is back in there. the Detroit engine is so long that the radiator would not fit under the hood, so it was put outside the factory location. i am going to extend the front end out to make it appear a bit more militaryish and stock ish looking, eventually.

 

[m.walker]

The tires don't look as big , it must be the size of the truck . If you pull out the spacers it would be the same as my tractor was . If you pull the spacers front and back I might be interested in them and the old tires and wheels , let me know . It's coming along , when you get everything done that thing is going to be freakin huge !!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

The truck looks good with the new rubber. With the radiator out front like that, it makes the truck look much older than what it is, kind of antique'ish.

 

[davesgmc]

I gotta figure out how to get the spacers out. I assume i need to take the hubs apart? need new studs? anyone know? I will definitely be taking them out of the front, not sure about the rear. have to see how much the tires stick out of the sides with the bed on.

and you were right, i do notice the bumpity bump at slow speeds from the tread design. I can also notice how much more road noise those tire make. but the ride is certainly much better with the radial tires on it.

hopefully i will get that bed on next monday. then i can set the other cab on and start the cab stretch.

wil probably leave room between cab and bed for a spare tire. Gotta get one of those too!

 

[SETOYOTA]

I would leave the grill/rad setup. It looks great. What is the radiator from?

Thanks

 

[tm america]

wow how wide is that nowit has to be like 11ft wide now gonna need a wide load sign and an escort car to take it out the driveway looks huge.what are you planning on doing with it when you'rer done?

 

[davesgmc]

the front is now 108 out sodes of the tires, the rear is much about 101 now, it was 115 with the 14.00's on it.
I plan on using it to pull a trailer to ahul my ferret around with. I love driving the ferret around, but the longer trips sure would be nicer with a truck and trailer. plus I can put the whole family in the truck, all the gear for the weekend and not have to woryy about any of it.
the radiator seems most likely that it was out of what ever the engine was out of. it was that way when i got it. i was told that the 6-71 thats in it was a stationary power plant for a generator or a pump of some sort.
i want this thing to be the biggest baddest truck around, so far it already is and it aint even done yet!

 

[m139h2otruck]

Have you tried to mount the front wheels dish in? That is how the original 1400x20's are mounted. If you do have to remove the front spacers, you will have to get new studs, as the originals are extra long to hold the spacer. Not sure, but are your rear hubs flipped? If not, you may want to mount the rears dish in so the load on the rear bearings is more equal between the inside and the outside. This is what we did on the water truck, and reused the 1400x20 mounted dish in.

 

[Flea]

I think that is dish in!

Can't wait to see it done!

 

[nkawtg]

Looks good right now! Especially compared to how it used to look. Kind of "Zil" ish.........It really visually sets it apart from any other MXXX trucks out there.

Just my opinion.....now seeking shelter...........fire away!

 

[davesgmc]

yeah the wheels are custom wheels, the fronts are dish out and are at the right width in the rear. the fronts are mounted to allow the narrowest possible way, the other way would moput almost the entire whelel outside the fender!
I will have to take the hubs apart, might as well serive the bearings and brakes while there, take the spacers out and get new studs. Thats a project for another day, i will just run it this way for a bit.
gonna pick up the bed next moday, and then decide how to mount it, how far back on the frame etc. then I will stretch the cab back to meet the bed. if i have enough room to spare i may just make a spare tire mount between the bed and frame.

still a lot of work ahead, but it will all go quickly now.

hope to have the majority of it done within the next two months. no indor shop to work in (aint got oe big enough!) so weather is permitting.

 

[grounded]

what is your plan to stretch the cab?

 

[davesgmc]

plan? you have to have a plan to stretch a cab? I figures I would attach a big chain to the rear of the cab and the other end to a tree , slam the transfer case in low and ease out on the clutch and see what happens.

actually i have a donor cab with doors, going to join the two cabs together on the underside in their reinforcements and then the rest in heavy gauge sheet metal, i really don't have a plan other than to just start on it and see whats gonna happen and try to take pics along the way.

should be ale to get most of the cab strecth done on a good weekend of working.

 

[davesgmc]

4 door 5 ton

here are some pics of the donor cab that i am cutting up to put on to make a 4 door cab on my bridge truck. its kinda a play it by ear thing, so wish me luck.

 

[DMgunn]

Good luck! And please keep us posted.