Just looking for some input. Weight police BACK OFF. This isn't an attempt to grossly overload a 3/4 t, rather improve the driveability and safety while towing.

Anyway, I love everything about my 2500 and I don't want to give any of it up. I do however like the idea of DRWs on it for towing a 5'er yet I don't really want to get out of it for a 3500. Cost is a factor and just so is the pain in the butt factor of dealing with salesmen or selling mine and holding out for that right deal on a used one. But also having a somewhat unique tow rig makes it appealing to me.

I found these guys:

http://www.chromewheel.com/PIX/chevshortfen.htm

I called them up and a pair of the fenders are $650. I can get them shot to match for a couple hundred and mount them myself.

This brings me to the question of wheels. What do I need to do to make a set of dually wheels fit on the axles of a 2500. Correct me if I'm wrong but the 2500 and 3500 axles are different widths.

If anybody has any input or can point me to a site that sells the neccessary parts, I would appreciate it.

These parts are pretty decent:
http://www.arrowcraft.com/

My former employer installed a set for a customer, he was satisfied.

Get a bed from a Quadrasteer truck and use some wide tires instead of DRW.
Just my .02

Source a Dually rear from the junk yard...should bolt right up. You could also look for a dually bed take off from a plumber body supply company...

Dually beds are long beds.....we are discussing a short bed truck here.

I did not see that...Thanks!

I would think the dually sides on a SB would look 'funny'. How about the quadra steer idea and tubbing the rears?!?!

I think it looks kinda cool. The whole bed is basicly the fenders they even give yoiu the extention to extend your filler neck to the new fenders. From the pics on thier site it looks like it blends well and looks almost factory.

The tubbing idea would be good but I looking for bolt on solutions to keep this as painless as possible.

What about the front end? GM has 2 different lenth axles for the rear to accomodate the dual wheels but what did they do up front? Is it the same as a 2500 with spacers or did they actually widen the front end?

They Are Just Hub Extensions

Anybody happen to know what length the hub extensions are? Does anybody have a pic of one? Seems like just adding a spacer would prematurely wear out the front end or would it be OK to do that.

Here (http://www.wheeladapter.com) they have adapters and such to convert 5/6 lug to 8 lug for dually wheels. They sell complete kits with fenders, wheels, and adapters. However just something to consider. You will have a couple problems with this if you dont convert your front end to 8 lug.

1. Spares, if you really want to go some where far youll need a spare (I know you dont NEED a dually spare) for the front and the back.'

2. Lug patterns, it might look quite odd to run a 5/6 lug up front and an 8 lug in the back.

Something to think about. Maybe think of rolling a front/rear end from a can yard somewhere. Replacing yours to an 8 lug system.. bolt on your fenders and go. Lots of work. Might not be worth it in the end. Plus the frames are different on these 2500 and 3500 on some versions if im not mistaken. Some straight and some curve inward. That would have to be taken into account.

Sorry for discouragement.. It might be better to trade in.. however its not impossible. Back home there is a little chevy s-10 ext cab thats been converted to a dually.. looks pretty damn good too if you ask me. they took the time and did a good job.

You know.. its 11pm here in Baghdad so Im tired. I wrote a whole thing to you about 5/6 lug patterns and stuff and you have a 4x4.. . duh. So to back track.. your big issue would be the front end then...

yep, that was a lot to write at 11pm.

Here was what I was thinking:

Fenders - $650
Buddy w/ paint - <$200
Adapters front and rear - <$400???
Take off set of oem wheels and tires $????

Maybe be into it for $1600-$1700 or so.

Sounds pretty tempting if I can come in around that price. Plus after the fenders ar painted it turns into a weekend bolt on job.

almost midnight now lol.. plan for the unexpected of course. gotta figure out that front. do they make a front adapter? that link in my first post sells entire kits.. give em a call.. i almost did it 5 or 6 years ago for a ranger i had just for fun. gnight.

you dont have to do the fronts. you could just leave them as std. i have taken off the extentions.

IMO, leave the front the way it is... That is so tuff looking that way... I really hope you do this and get pics up cause you got me interested now.


C-ya

ARICO100, does that mean you are goiing to sell them too me??? :rolleyes:

If I dont do the fronts I couldn't use dually wheels all the way around, Which means that I had to pic which spare tire to keep. I think it would be less hassle in the long run to just do it.

no but i will try to get you the part number

tbusciglio,

I have been tossing this idea around for quite a while. I almost bit the bullet last month but backed out. I priced out Fred Groeske dually adapters at $280 for the front and $350 for the rear. New steel dually wheels are $65 each. For a completely "bolt-on" application you need to run the 215/85R16 tires. The taller 235/85R16 tires require addittional 2" thick spaces so they don't touch.

My total without fenders was $1-1.5k.

My wife and I decided to trade in next year for a Cab Chassis Ext cab and install my flat bed on it. The Chassis cab is roughly the same overall length as the CC SB, and the rear duals are only 4" wider on each side than the SRW. In comparison the "regular" dually is 8" wider on each side than the SRW. Anyway, we decided that the $1,500 would be better spent as a down payment.

P.S. Maybe the new injectors are more reliable than the LB7's.

gm 8 lug front hubs for dually part number 15225773