New (used) truck questions

[tcdave]

Hi Rv guys, its been a while. I just sold my dually and purchased a beater, wife needed a new car, so I have some repairs I need to do and wondering if you have any advice.

truck is a 95 gmc 2500 5.7 gas single cab 4x4. ugly.

1. Tires. Door says 245/75/16. I want 225/75/16 for snow and to get more pulling power. Good idea or bad idea?

2. Torsion bars. Had to lower bolt 1/4 inch. new alignment or wait till new tires.

3. cargo weight rating is around 2600, 13ft truck camper is 2000. trk has timbrens. Need anything else?


Thank you!

[tcdave]

Tires

Here is the link for where i got my tires. I've never owned a mud tire in my life so i'll see how this goes. Normally i've always purchased highway tires, but everytime i do, the tires outlive my truck. Well since i'm driving a old truck, i thought i'd have a little fun! Went hunting last weekend, got into some wetlands, man do they bite. We'll see how they do with a 2,000lb truck camper on them!

BTW i went to fleet farm to have them installed. As long as the door sticker size matches your tires they will install. My local FF charged $11 per tire to mount and balance.

[tcdave]

Well i ended up getting the 245/75/16 tire instead of the 225. I like them a lot so far. what i did do differently than in the past is i ordered my tires online. Never did like the idea of ordering online but the price was great and i got the tire i wanted. In the end i spend around $700 for 4 new tires mounted balanced everything. That's a tough price to beat for load range E i thought.

[tcdave]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
GM made 2 versions of the 8-lug 2500 pickups. One was the light duty model, with semi-float 14-bolt small ring gear rounded shape axle. The other was the heavy duty model, with full-float 14-bolt 10.5" ring gear angled shape axle.

Yes i know that mine doesn't have the 10.5 ring gear.

[BenK]

Am just going to comment on the spring section of this thread...

If you can see cracks...it has ALREADY failed...it has fractured and total through
crack just a moment down the road

This applies to coil spring, torsion bar springs and leaf springs

Not expensive to have new leaf springs made and installed. Found less than ordering
OEM leaf spring...or at least in my town that has a good spring shop

[SoCalDesertRid1]

GM made 2 versions of the 8-lug 2500 pickups. One was the light duty model, with semi-float 14-bolt small ring gear rounded shape axle. The other was the heavy duty model, with full-float 14-bolt 10.5" ring gear angled shape axle.

[tcdave]

blt2ski wrote:
Is this a 6 lug 2500, or the 8 lug 2500. 2600 lbs of payload seem pretty low. unless it is highly optioned for an 8 lug. I have 3800 with my same body style 8 lug 2500. If a 6 lug, you probably have or had stock a 6 ply LR C 245 tire on it. So going to a 10 ply 225 would not lose too much if any tire load payload. Another route to give you a skinnier tire, same OD is a 215-85-16. I used to run this stock size on the rear of a dually, and 245's on teh front, no issues with the 4wd system. As both were sized at 30.5". Even the psi and weight on a given axel can change the active diam which is more important than the rated diam.

2 Get new tires, then alignment....

3 Shocks? how good are the springs literally? If a lot of miles, loads etc, they may be worn out, a new set of springs could be a good thing.

Marty

Thanks Marty,

The springs are actually fine. No cracks. Plus it does have timbrens installed. It is an 8 lug.

I guess i'm still leaning towards to 225 tire. The 760 odd pounds lost still doesn't even come close to overload even with my truck camper (2000lbs) is on. I have 410 gears on the truck, just looking for a way to make it easier on the truck by having smaller tires since it's getting up there in age. Plus they are cheaper. Hmmm....

[blt2ski]

Is this a 6 lug 2500, or the 8 lug 2500. 2600 lbs of payload seem pretty low. unless it is highly optioned for an 8 lug. I have 3800 with my same body style 8 lug 2500. If a 6 lug, you probably have or had stock a 6 ply LR C 245 tire on it. So going to a 10 ply 225 would not lose too much if any tire load payload. Another route to give you a skinnier tire, same OD is a 215-85-16. I used to run this stock size on the rear of a dually, and 245's on teh front, no issues with the 4wd system. As both were sized at 30.5". Even the psi and weight on a given axel can change the active diam which is more important than the rated diam.

2 Get new tires, then alignment....

3 Shocks? how good are the springs literally? If a lot of miles, loads etc, they may be worn out, a new set of springs could be a good thing.

Marty

[Me_Again]

You are giving up 362 pound per rear tire. Not a good idea! The .65" decrease in radius is not going to be worth it! Chris