Another project K2500

[Bob_VT]

1995 K 2500 5.7L 4WD
1 ton springs
only 4K miles on engine and transmission 4.10 gears
197K on the truck
9' Plow

It used to have a sander mounted in the bed......


Click the Picture for the other photos You gotta love the VT rust!! The bed is shot over 18" in all the way accross.




The front of the bed needs to be pulled from the cab and straightened..... this truck sits high due to the extra leafs in the rear from a 1 ton

The plan is to rebuild the bed floor with 1/8" steel, paint and re-install the bedliner.

This is what happens when a bedliner is never removed and the truck is used as a plow truck with a sander.

My intention is to shop around for an old sander too so I can mount one when I am done.

Right now it has a few issues.... the 32 Gallon gas tank leaks .... YIKES!!!
The abs light is on I suspect rust on the sensors

 

[i386]

Re: Another project K2500

Around here, we would call that "eat up" with rust. It's a good lucking truck otherwise. If you luck up and find a bed from a salvage yard you can skip the rebuild/repair part.

What will you use it for? Pulling stumps?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

I thought about the bed route except..... most beds in the salvage yards are very high priced or they are in similar shape as mine. The tailgate I managed to pick up was in great shape but the bed was smashed.

Explosive people do not pull stumps....... we have a faster way!!

That 9' plow got the attention today. Had to weld steel on the rusted through holes and weld up a few cracks. If the weather permits it will get a coat of paint.

We have rain predicted for most of next week except Wednesday when it is supposed to snow!!

 

[MikDee]

Re: Another project K2500

Egad Bob! and I thought my last 2- S-10 pickups rusted away on the lower body panels, & frame much too fast, & easy! I had to sell my 92' 4cyl 5speed, because I got tired of rusted pieces falling off it as I drove around , even though it gave me 25mpg all the time!
My 96' which looked fine to begin with, but had large rusted out area's appear around the rear lower panels after one winter

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

The primary reast is salt. This state starts salting the minute it snows and call it pre-treatment....... then they plow it off when more snow accumulates with more salt too. When the temperature drops the towns treat the salt with a calcium chloride solution (works below zero degrees).

The results of this salt mentality..... higher taxes because the winter was so long and the price/use of salt went up...... and the vehicles take a pounding.

Even now when it rains ..... the cars still show signs of salt from the road.

This truck was (previous to me) garaged and it held a salt spreader..... needless to say I bet when I removed the bedliner it was the first time since it was ever installed.

 

[qaztwo]

Re: Another project K2500

from the outside does not look bad. Mine has the classic wheel wells and cab corners rusted away. 4.10 think I'm turning 3.73, how much bouce is there in the rear with the extra springs? 6 or 8 lugs?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

8 lug.....

It rides good with the extra springs and weight does not seem to have any ill effect.....

I have not loaded the bed with anything but wet sand (in the bedliner) but loaded right up to the rails it was fine. I used the snad on the driveway and I need the weight when I plow.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Another project K2500

Hate to ask but what did ya have to give for it? Nice truck and seems perfect for what your doing.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

With the 9' plow $3500. I do have the paperwork from the engine and trans that were new (not reman-ed) and they have 4K mile on them.

 

[i386]

Re: Another project K2500

Dang, you stole that one Bob!

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Another project K2500

I gotta agree. The F250 I just bought is a year older with the diesel but alot of miles. I give $2500 for it. Looks like we both got good deals.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

Little update.....

Patched and painted the plow.....
Rebuilt the bed of the truck with 10 gauge steel using one sheet 5x8.....
Under the decorative plastic on the rear bumper the steel was rotted away so I welded more of my 10 ga scrap (from my wheel well cuts) and covered the bumper..... Homegrown step bumper that is slightly longer to put the reverse lights out far enough not to interfere with the tailgate.
Next is a coat of paint.

FYI 10 Ga steel is really heavy in big sheets!

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Another project K2500

Thats nice work Bob. That will all pay itself off quickly...looks like its pretty capable.
Good on ya'.
BP

 

[i386]

Re: Another project K2500

Yea, that'll do it right there. Looks heavy! The plow looks good too.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

A coat of paint.......Ready for the bedliner to be re-installed

 

[i386]

Re: Another project K2500

I would have no problem treating that one like a truck! I still haven't gotten to that stage with mine yet.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Another project K2500

Looks great Bob!
How does the spray in Rhino Liner hold up in the salt enviroment?
I was wondering if it would act like an undercoating.
I remember now why i moved to the south.My 99 does not have one speck of rust.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Another project K2500

Only the inside of the tailgate has the rhino liner (was on it when I scrounged it up)..... I just used rustoleum to cover the metal then I am going to put the bed liner back in.

That rhino liner is the cats ***** around here but cost $500 just to do the inside of a 8' bed. It holds up great in the salt and crap. The hardest thing on trucks here is the winter. Salt, sand and chloride (the worst) that never get a chance to really get washed off properly. I have seen people use rhino liner on the lower parts of the truck and frame but I am not that eager to part with my money.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Another project K2500

That is expensive.
I know my local auto parts sells a spray in bedliner by the quart.I'm sure its not nearly as good as the Rhino.
I did use some to do my trailer fenders and its holding up great.Gives it a good non slip surface.
Nice job on the plow too...Looks new!

 

[Pony]

Re: Another project K2500

I have seen that rust before.......that bed looks better than my Dad's 79' Silverado's did when we sold it.

I saw a Chevy truck bed for sale up north this past weekend. No rust, no dents.......was asking $600.