Pics of my 1009... to keep or not to keep

[realm]

Thought I'd post some pics of my CUCV.
Been great, nothing has broken at all but I had a small valve cover and coolant leak which I got fixed.

So far in the last month of owning I've:
-Replaced starter (just in case, with a DB Electrical gear reduction one)
-Replaced radiator (with a brand new one)
-Painted and replaced valve covers
-Added fatmat/vinyl flooring
-Replaced starter relay with HD one
-Tinted the windows (shown in 1 pic)

What it needs:
Dash light bulb fixed
Paintjob

What I want:
33x12.50's
4" lift

However, I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep it.
I'm not a mechanic, and it's currently in good shape, but I want to comfortably run 33's or even 35's, and buying and putting new axles in just isn't going to happen, so I'm contemplating getting rid of it for a Bronco or something.

 

[thedeliverator]

That's a nice one! Mine has some dents and a bit of rust bubble on the hood. I'd worry more if it ever got wet for any appreciable length of time here.

Keep it, repaint it, save the 35's for some Ford POS. Alternatively, sell it to me... just don't ask why all the $20 bills have blood on em

 

[319]

Keep it, you'll never find another one like it at a reasonable price.

 

[11Echo]

Keep it. You should be able to run the 33/12.50's on an 8"wide rim with no lift kit.

 

[84cucv1ton]

with 33s i would think it would hit the fenders.

 

[realm]

I'm not worried about the lift as I can do that for cheap but fills on here got me scared that the 10-bolt axles are going to snap like toothpicks as soon as I try and yank someone out of the mud as that and light farm use is mainly what I use it for. :/

 

[HardCorps79]

Looks like a keeper to me. What utilitarian purpose is served (for you) by adding the lift and larger tires? I wouldn't run anything larger than 33's with the stock axles, and you can get away with them without trimming or lifting (you may get just a little rub). But as you said, a lift can be done for a reasonable price. You can certainly use it as is to pull folks out of the mud- though you may want to add some MTs to improve your traction as the ATs really don't cut it. I've done it plenty of times.

Honestly though, it sounds like a M1008 might suit your purposes better, if you want more low-speed pulling power and a readily accessible bed.

I'm sure you could easily find a buyer on here, though. That's a good looking truck.

 

[realm]

Utiliatiran purpose... technically just a little more ground clearance so I don't scrape in ditches like now, but I think the 31's look small on there. 33's would be just right, 35's would be better but I could live with 33's.

When I bought the truck my intention was always to lift it and do 33's or 35's, but I never thought a military diesel truck would have been provided with weak axles which is a little disappointing. Although I'm not sure how weak they are when compared to my intended use. Guys on here may be more hardcore than myself.

I like the SUV in that I can carry stuff when raining, so if I could find and swap some Dana 60's under it easily that would be perfect, but unfortunately that's more than my mechanical abilities are going to be able to handle even if I could find a pair for cheap.

So the only question for me now is:
A) Can it handle 33's for my intended uses or
B) Is there a shop or someone that could swap them out for cheap even if I could find a pair of Dana 60's

Otherwise, it may be more economical to sell it and start with something more on my level of thinking.

Thoughts?

 

[jrou111]

It's all in how you drive it. Weight and shock load will kill the axle quickest. If you can discipline yourself you should be fine on 33's. No lift and slight trimming or you can go with a small lift. I'd KISS though.

 

[m4A1]

Keep it but change your gears and replace the gov-bomb with a better locker.. I had no problems with my civvy blazer with 33's off-roading.

 

[Green_gator]

I would keep that like it is right now. Not hard to find a Bronco with a lift kit and big tires but a good looking CUCV is a lot more rare. I think that one of them is going to be next on my list to go with the deuces. At the end of the day it is yours to do with as you want.

 

[Rustmaster]

You should sell it fast....and very cheap....to me. I would love to have a clunker like that with no rust. Up here in the rust belt new trucks come from the factory with cancer.

 

[imbobbbb]

There are tens of thousands of people who have run blazers/pickups with 10 bolt rears and 33-35" tires.I dont see where the 8.8 rear used in early eighties on up broncos is any great improvement in strength over the 10 bolt.I'm not a great fan of the 10 bolt rear but im not a great fan of any of the 1/2 ton rears.The earlier 12 bolt swaps in easily,[although i dont like it either],and is a little stronger.The super strong full floating 14 bolt isnt that hard to put in .If you want to keep the 6 lug wheels a semifloat /6 lug/14bolt was available in some late 80's-early nineties 3/4 ton pickups which is stronger than the 10 bolt,just a little wider,and pretty much bolts right in with a conversion ujoint thats wider on one span than the other.If you can put a lift on you can swap an axle.You can do whatever you want but if your main objection to the 1009 is the weak rear axle i would swap the axle and keep the vehicle.

 

[wheelspin]

i ran my '85 k5 with 38.5 swampers and a stock '76 454 for years, sold it that way. it handled like crap but was unstoppable! but come to think of it that thing went any ware you pointed it on 33's and no lift and the highly love 5.0 305 v-8...
now chevy in the early 90's had a 14 bolt 9.5" 3/4 ton 6 lug truck that the rear bolt right in place of the 10 bolt 8.5" half ton rear ----------- and if you cross one out 4x4 it will track the front with out spacers! i have one in my '97 k1500 after a 800 mile no gear oil trip burned the 10 bolt up..

 

[Green_gator]

You should bring her down to Florida and go home with a deuce.

 

[rickt44498]

Thought I'd post some pics of my CUCV.

What I want:
33x12.50's
4" lift

However, I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep it.
I'm not a mechanic, and it's currently in good shape, but I want to comfortably run 33's or even 35's, and buying and putting new axles in just isn't going to happen, so I'm contemplating getting rid of it for a Bronco or something.

you have a good lookin' truck... THINK carefully what YOU want it to be...

M1009's had highway geared 3.08's... M1008's had stump pulling 4.56's... big difference in mileage for a daily driver...


There is no shame in having someone swap out springs, axles, gears etc.
for you... most people don't have the space, garage, heavy duty equipment required for the MAJOR LIFTING as it is currently termed.

Many of the guys who are able to do this work are ALREADY INVOLVED in trucking, or heavy equipment, or vehicle repair.

In Memphis, you must have dozens of off road shops, auto/truck frame repair shops, ring & pinion shops that can perform the chnages you want.

I've been an auto parts manager for GM for over 30 years, some work I do myself, other stuff, i have done depending on experience, skill level required or how soon is it needed.

decide what u want and go 4 it... the end result is the prize.

 

[Cucvnut]

find a smashed up 3/4 truck that had a 14FF( or a 14SF depending on the truck ) and 10 bolt front axle and your good to go you will now be 8 lug and much closer to doing what you want with the truck and a set of axles off a truck shuld run you under 800 bucks

 

[motormayhem]

Down here in AZ you can get a 3/4 ton 14 bolt FF rear and a 10 bolt front for around $400. They will bolt right in and the only changes are the rear u-joint and different u bolts. A very easy swap. My buddy in my off-road club did it in a day with the truck on jack stands in the driveway (only the rear, kept the 10 bolt front which he converted to 8lug to run his 38" military-oz's). A 14 bolt FF and 10 bolt should have no probs, but if you want to go bigger, then a 14 bolt FF and a dana 44 should never give you problems for up to somewhere around 38" tires. The 10 bolt rears are bad but not terrible. I have my truck with a 4" lift and 35's and I take her off road about once a month and she does fine (knock on wood), but I am in the market for the 14 bolt FF peace of mind. I have been told my numerous people that the 10 bolt fronts are MUCH better than the rears and that if I can get my hand on a 10bolt/14 bolt FF combo with 3.73's I will be set to go anywhere on my 35's. I think a dana 60 is overkill for 35's and they are quite pricy for it as well.

Here is a writeup my buddy did after doing his
Motor Mayhem » Blog Archive » GM 14 bolt swap into a 1/2 ton chassis

Just my
Miles

 

[Cucvnut]

Miles is correct !