88-98 C/K Short Bed Conversion: ‘94 C1500 6.5L Diesel

[@jimmycokeanhour5196]

I'm a long bed guy but I'm glad you made this video for anyone wanting to do this swap 👍 you're always very informative

[@pacificdrumma]

Thanks, my green truck will always be a long bed. But I think this truck is best suited as a reg cab short bed.

[@jimmycokeanhour5196]

@Hugh Jeffries yeah I agree little diesel muscle truck style 👍

[@ryanstrunk87]

Would like to see it with the flip kit

[@mtbrd4849]

​@pacificdrumma I agree, if you have the time to update us on your current stance, it would be 'preciated 🤙🏾 thanks dude 😅

[@fishpony1211]

Love this!!! Dude u have simplified this so well. This is exactly how i explain ppl to do this swap and they just over complicate things by cutting the chassis in half and rewelding

[@eaglestar48]

Great Job! About to do my 97 Silverado….Thanks for Simplifying it without cutting and re-welding!

[@RooneysSears01]

Hugh she looks awesome brother! Still one of my favorite body styles from GM. I see the vision at the end and it looks great!

[@pacificdrumma]

Thanks Roon!

[@tri5garage544]

Awesome job. It looks great. But you really should put a crossmember between the shackles to properly support the rear of the frame. The bumper will help but not enough.

[@wakeril4628]

i have done this years ago and ran into the same issue with the leafsprings binding, if you measure the width of where the leafsprings used to be its actually around an inch or 2 narrower, so when you move the mounting points ahead 14 inches you're widening the leaf hanger points on the front causing the rear of the leafs to move inward ... adding a lot of pressure

[@pacificdrumma]

Springs were fine. It was a shock that was bound up

[@projectbrightgrey8429]

Howd you fix that?​@@pacificdrumma

[@pacificdrumma]

@@projectbrightgrey8429 put new shocks in it

[@eaglestar48]

Hugh wer did you find the 2” drop hangers?

[@vwbeetle1954]

I just welded in a singlecab short bed frame in. Harder on a 4x4 because of the brace bar for the torsion bars. But in my opinion it was easier.

[@tjhughes66]

I've done that once but I split the frame in half under the cab like oe short bed pane in the butt i removed the cab to do it i have o k1500 to go by you will half to cut the cab mount of cut it like a sb and move it forward remove the cross member behind the cab drill new bed holes and cut the back off the frame or get a shot bed frame and split it us the back half but the only reason for that is if you have a k and you can find a c short bed frame cheap

[@claudioperez3258]

What you do for the shocks

[@fbbc6495]

Cool I'm looking for a short box to do mine

[@dustinrice3552]

Where did you get just the front drop hanger I can only find them in kits

[@pacificdrumma]

Look up 88-98 2” drop hangers. They’re like $105-125 including hardware.

[@laurencevillegarage]

Did you find a solution to the rough ride? If I remember correctly, the rear bed portion of the frame is not perfectly parallel. Now, I'm guessing, if that is true and the front/rear spring perches are bolted/welded to the frame in their new positions, that could cause a "misalignment" of the leaf spring. That could cause the binding you mentioned. With the lowering kit, did this resolve your suspension issue? Thanks for the video, very informative.

[@pacificdrumma]

Had a shock that was bound up. Rides like a Cadillac now

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@pacificdrumma Good to know, that was an easy fix! Thanks!

[@arturoreyesjr1333]

Do u have the full length vid of how u did the conversion step by step?

[@pacificdrumma]

No, just this. I’m working on an update with a walk around though

[@Bearded_blatz]

You have a little more details on how you did the shock brackets? You use the factory ones? And how did you measure to figure where to relocate them? Thanks

[@pacificdrumma]

@@Bearded_blatz stock brackets, can’t remember how we decided where to mount them. Not a critical part of the conversion as long as the shocks can travel without bottoming out.

[@pacificdrumma]

@@Bearded_blatz stock brackets, can’t remember how we decided where to mount them. Not a critical part of the conversion as long as the shocks can travel without bottoming out.

[@omarherreros9867]

Will it be any different with a 4x4? I plan on buying a longbed and doing this since shortbed are rare where I live

[@pacificdrumma]

Dunno, probably not. I think the only differences are in the front of the frame

[@xCrAzyillusions]

How much lift did you get after moving the leaf springs looking at ordering 4” drop shackles to get it back to stock then maybe a flip kit to get it to more of a lowered truck look

[@pacificdrumma]

So the I would say about 2-2.5” lift from moving the axle. The truck sat a smidge taller than before, which means the 2” drop hangers were basically a wash. I’m probably going to wind up with stock hangers, and a 1” drop shackle after doing the flip kit. The flip accounts for 6”, but 2/6 is too big of a difference in the drop height. So I think with the stock hangers, a 1” drop shackle, and the flip kit, it’ll be about a 2/5 which is more what I want. O

[@mtbrd4849]

​@pacificdrumma do you think the spring hanger can be drilled and mounted or welded 1.5"- 2" higher to compensate for the slight height change? I'm about to do one of these and I already have 4/6 on order

[@legozombiemocmaker8026]

Did you get all the bugs worked out on this swap from the frame twisting in the rear where you cut out the crossmembers

[@pacificdrumma]

@@legozombiemocmaker8026 yeah only issue was a bound up shock

[@firstnamelastname2468]

It looks like moving the axle forward increased the rear by 2 inches using the lowering hanger? Maybe my math is off?

[@pacificdrumma]

Never really got an accurate measurement on this. The rear suspension binding turned out to be a shock that wasn’t allowing the suspension to cycle. I didn’t find that until I was doing the axle flip and c notch. It’s possible that had I found the shock earlier, the rear would have relaxed and lowered a bit more.

[@Gorillygrippers]

Bell tech makes the 2" drop shackles in canada alberta they are roughly 160$ for the kit dont know states price for anyone wanting the specific drop shackle parts number its #6502 on Bell tech and if going this route u will need to drill new box mounts for rear of box front ones line up and for the love of god use a peice of steel tubing or pipe and weld it between the frame rails to brace the rear frame so it wont twist or warp

[@pacificdrumma]

Already had drop shackles on this when it was a long bed. The binding turned out to be a bad shock, the frame is fine the way it is. I’ll pull the bed to paint the frame at some point and will add a crossmember then.

[@projectbrightgrey8429]

When are you going to do another update on the truck, id like to see it with the flip kit

[@pacificdrumma]

I can do an update walk around soon

[@projectbrightgrey8429]

@pacificdrumma that would be dope brother, I'm starting mine rn.

[@zachv.7283]

Would you assume the same theory would apply to the OBS c2500?

[@pacificdrumma]

Yes

[@vatoloco2066]

Great job. I’m doing the opposite. I’m going from short bed to long bed. Wish me luck

[@angeldelarosa132]

Let's trade

[@zdearing4033]

Looking at doing this to my 93. So I would need 2’’ front 6” rear with 1” rear lift shackles ?

[@pacificdrumma]

If I was gonna do it again, I’d just do stock hangers and shackles, but a 6” flip kit. Right now I have drop hangers but a 1” lift shackle and the pinion angle kind of sucks.

[@zdearing4033]

Awesome man!! Thank you

[@chinomv9607]

What did you use to install the fuel tank ?

[@pacificdrumma]

Modified stock 8’ bed hanger and a mallet

[@carlosjuarez5979]

Where you get the front brackets

[@pacificdrumma]

Anywhere. They’re just 2” drop hangers. eBay, Amazon, summit, etc

[@aldersoncruz8833]

We’re can i get my drive shaft done ?

[@pacificdrumma]

See if there are any shops in your area that do drivelines

[@Brazilian_brew]

Where can I find this bracket?

[@pacificdrumma]

Part number 15611433

[@Brazilian_brew]

@@pacificdrumma it's fuel tank strap

[@dustinrice3552]

Did most short bed bolt holes line up

[@pacificdrumma]

Front ones did. And that gave me a reference for the rest of them

[@fastmungo]

You can use a rear sway bar out of a suburban with modified end links. Did that on my old 454 SS. Good video though, just picked up a LB that I'll be playing with soon. 🤙

[@jandtnation6343]

what for exactly

[@fastmungo]

@@jandtnation6343 less body roll in the corners

[@oscarmartinez8926]

Donde compraste las bases de enfrete de los muelles o donde puedo comprarlas 4:42

[@pacificdrumma]

eBay 88-98 2” drop hangers

[@oscarmartinez8926]

Muchas gracias camarada

[@pacificdrumma]

@@oscarmartinez8926 denada amigo. Soy muy gringo hahaha

[@jimthomas1989]

I did the quickest short bed ever , No cutting No Welding No wasted time No wasted money Small Block 4 bolt main 350 , 11 inch clutch and 5 speed , 10 bolt limited slip rear end ! Actually didn't cost anything except for the title / tags and I was driving it !

[@vwbeetle1954]

Shorten the driveshaft by how much?

[@pacificdrumma]

I think I took 14” out, the slip yoke gave me some margin for error

[@ryurc3033]

I inherited my grandfather's 93 Silverado longbed with 118k miles I always imagined starting with a short bed extended cab frame. And taking 18 inches out under the cab(where the front of the frame slides inside the rear) Yes it means a cab swap to the shorter frame, and I will just buy a short stepside box. (Or hopefully it's on the extended cab frame I buy) Just my thoughts, honestly I'm probably just going to lower it and leave it alone because it drives soooo good.

[@Jmlfraz724]

Did you have a short bed drive shaft or did you cut that as well?

[@pacificdrumma]

Originally cut the long bed shaft down. Eventually deleted carrier bearing and had a one piece shaft made

[@tjhughes66]

Don't get me wrong the way you done it go to

[@Chinox5.7]

How you do the drive shaft??

[@pacificdrumma]

Had one built. But initially I just cut it down in my chop box and welded it back together.

[@Tdillard29]

is there a way i can get you on the phone for more questions

[@pacificdrumma]

What do you want to know?

[@Tdillard29]

@@pacificdrumma what was the measurement for the rear spring hangers ? i couldnt really hear you , and what was the measurements on your drive shaft ?

[@pacificdrumma]

@@Tdillard29 everything got moved forward 14”, and I took 14” out of the driveshaft. Now it has a custom 1 piece shaft.

[@Tdillard29]

i heard you mentioned about the rough ride did you straightened that out ?

[@pacificdrumma]

@@Tdillard29 yeah shock was bound up and not traveling. New shocks and she rides mint

[@montesalex9545]

Maybe a dumb question but is it the same I cut 14 inches off a single peace drive shaft because I see you have the 2 peace

[@pacificdrumma]

Yeah, probably

[@montesalex9545]

@@pacificdrummaalso can I just use factory shackle hangers or do I need to get the dropped ones

[@montesalex9545]

Where you get the bolts from as well for the hangers/ shocks and size. sorry for all the questions I’m just doing the project on the truck already 😎😎

[@pacificdrumma]

@@montesalex9545 hangers I think we just used grade 8 SAE stuff from tractor supply. Shocks were just stock bolts I think

[@pacificdrumma]

@@montesalex9545 depends on how low you want it

[@zorro8410]

Don't like short bed. Looks way better with long bed.

[@pacificdrumma]

Cool, thanks!