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.
__________________
Walter
'71 M109A3
MKT - 85
Out of spending money, out of parking space, and I am on GL looking. "Hi, my name is Walter and I am an addict."
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.
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.
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..
You should bring her down to Florida and go home with a deuce.
__________________
Walter
'71 M109A3
MKT - 85
Out of spending money, out of parking space, and I am on GL looking. "Hi, my name is Walter and I am an addict."
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.
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
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.
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.
