Help me pick my first 1st Gen truck!

[RWherley]

Its a 4wd manual with 3. 73 gears on 225/70R19. 5 tires witch are around 32in tall, our wheels are 19. 5 x 6, but if you get a wider wheel you can get a taller tire up to 34. 5in tall for them but we didnt find that out till after we already got ours. Now you should know that these are truck tires 10 ply or more and have no side wall give at all so they do ride a little harder and are no good at all in the sand, I found that out the hard way, but you can get real good tread on them and they do alright in the mud and snow as long as you have wieght on them to get good traction.

 

[LJinLA]

Thanks for the info.

I've found a non-intercooled, auto, 2WD '89 D350 DUALLY that I could get for $2. 5-3K. I know, it's not what I was shooting for (a 92-93 W250 manual), but so far it doesn't seem I'm finding what I really want within my current budget, and I'm eager to get started. So perhaps a compromise on my part is in order. The truck has 200K miles (says the owner, no way to know for sure on these '89 trucks), only one small rust spot on the top of cabin, and apparently the only things that do not work are power locks and power windows. Transmission has been rebuilt recently. Tires will have to be replaced right away (no thread left on them), and paint is not too good, but no body damage and a sound engine. I have a chance of inspecting it thoroughly next weekend. Engine strong and not tampered with.
What would be a selling price making this a good deal? I tell myself that I should be more patient and wait longer for the right truck... . just getting a bit frustrated by unavailability of what I'm aiming at and high prices, I guess.
If I get this one, does it make sense getting, for instance, four 255/85-16 tires and mounting only two (externally of course) on the rear wheels instead of four?

 

[HHhuntitall]

If you can get into the truck reasonable, like the price you're talking about, you shouldn't get hurt too bad if it's in good mechanical shape. I don't know what trucks go for in your area, but a truck like that around here would fetch $2500-3500 pretty easy, just for someone wanting the mileage. I've got a D250 in my yard that'll go for $2500 very easily. I've only got $1300 in it at the moment, though. The thing to remember is if you're not able to wait, you may lose a little in the end if you put much in it. But you should be able to break even on your purchase price, if you don't put too much in it. These trucks really hold their value, as you've probably noticed. I'd try to get it cheaper, as always, but $2000 isn't a bad price around here for a good mechanically sound truck.....



As for putting just the outside duals on it, I don't think I could do that. If you dual it with the 255s on factory wheels, they'll rub pretty hard on the inside. You CAN use the later Dodge 2000+ wheels on it after drilling the holes, which increases your backspacing a little..... Also, the 255s will rub on the front if the springs have sagged any at all. I've got three duallies in my yard that all have those size tires on 'em. I really like the increased flotation in the sand without having to use spacers on the rear wheels, but you have to be selective in your tires, and only three manufacturers still make that size tire.....

 

[RWherley]

I dont know how DOT is in your area but around here they are cracking down on pickup trucks and I dont know how they would feel about only two good tires where there should be 4. As for tire size I have 235/85R16 on mine and front springs are sagged pertty good and that makes those tires a thight fit,

 

[LJinLA]

Deal on '89 D350 did not go through... .
At this point, I'm going to focus my aim on '91. 5-'93 4x4 manual transmission SRW W250s, which is what I've always really wanted for my expedition travel purposes..... and also what you guys have advised I do. "Good things come to those who wait... " - I hope that's true. .
I might be willing to compromise and get a DRW, though. I'm thinking that if I do so, I could run it for a while as an SRW by removing the inner rear wheels and then, when ready to do a rear axle swap to convert it to proper SRW, I can simply remove the rear dually flaps and thus instantly be able to run large tires..... I'd have to worry only about creating the necessary space in the front for the large tires.
RWherley, I appreciate your concern about running just two rear wheels on dually trucks..... But look for instance at this build (not sure if I can post external links here): http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/9502-Alaskan-Camper-Build-Up ... . He got a brand new Ford F550 (dually truck), promptly removed the inner rear wheels, mounted much larger tires on the external rear wheels, placed a flatbed on it and had a 14' 3" Alaskan camper custom built for it... . He's been traveling all over the US for the past six years with this setup (running only two rear wheels on a dually truck). There are also plenty of other guys running their dually trucks this way. Also, this is what Earthroamer has done for years with their Ford F550 EarthRoamer XV-LT model #ad

Am I thinking wrongly here?

 

[HHhuntitall]

Running only the outer dual wheel will exert a lot of force on the lugs, and won't really cause a problem unloaded. The Earthroamer is running custom wheels, much larger, with a proper center, to prevent the excess leverage present with a single outer dual wheel. I don't think you'll have a problem with a good centered wheel, but I wouldn't run it loaded with just the outer dual wheel.



Think of it this way..... slide a piece of 3/4" pipe 6 inches long over your stud in the hub and stand on it. Then bounce on it. Then pick up two bags of concrete and jump on it. That's the leverage you're putting on it, albiet it's on 8 lugs instead of one, clamped to a flat surface. Unloaded, I don't see a problem, but with a camper in the back?? No way. The inner wheel shares this load when on the road, hence the benefit of duals. And don't think the only thing that can break are the lugs. The wheels can crack, bend, and break, too. A proper backspacing shares the stress of the load to the inside and outside of the wheel much more evenly than the dish of a dual. I don't want to rain on your parade, I just want to caution you that it may cause a problem. You're on the right track, IMO. Just remember to pay attention. Most failures gave warnings before they happened.

 

[LJinLA]

Thanks HHhuntitall for your feedback... it all makes a lot of sense! It's very much appreciated.

 

[RWherley]

HHhuntitall is rigth about only running an outter duall, you were on the right track earlier with the idea of a single wide rear wheel.

 

[LJinLA]

HHhuntitall is rigth about only running an outter duall, you were on the right track earlier with the idea of a single wide rear wheel.

How do you guys feel about the feasibility of running H1 Hummer wheels with 7" backspacing (with the standard 37" tires) on the dually 1st gen axle? If feasible, I think it would probably take care of the issues discussed earlier. . these wheel/tire combos are readily available for cheap from military surplus. It remains to be seen if this can be done without too much trouble on a W250 dually.

 

[RWherley]

I dont know if the lug spaceing on the hummer wheels will line up or not, and your truck will need to have the smaller 9/16 wheel studes and hot the bigger 5/8 that some dually trucks have, but read the thread about duall hummer tires on page 8 it will give a lot of info on that topic.

 

[LJinLA]

I dont know if the lug spaceing on the hummer wheels will line up or not, and your truck will need to have the smaller 9/16 wheel studes and hot the bigger 5/8 that some dually trucks have, but read the thread about duall hummer tires on page 8 it will give a lot of info on that topic.

Thanks for pointing out that thread... I just read it and someone there says that H1 Hummer tires are not such a good idea since "they will pound you to death as they all have flat spots where the Hummers sit so much plus tires are quite old when they are removed for replacement. " On the other hand, this guy (same thread) https://www.turbodieselregister.com...er-take-offs&p=2304841&viewfull=1#post2304841 claims he's been running them a long time on his '92 W250 (with W350 rear axle, front hub swap) and considers them the best mod he has done to his truck. He's running dual rear wheels, but of course I'd be running the W350 dually axle in "SRW mode" only. It's unfortunate that he did not say what specific wheels he's using . . I tried messaging the poster to ask him, but I do not seem to have sufficient permissions to do so. I'm going to search a bit to see if I can find instances of someone running H1 wheels and tires on a 1st gen Dodge.

RWherley, in post #68 you wrote that I was on the right track with the idea of running a single wide rear wheel on the dually axle of a W350. How would you go about it, specifically, if you already have an idea of how it could be done? Any suggestions you and others can provide will be much appreciated.

 

[DVolk]

If you want to travel a littel ive seen lots of gen 1's on craigslist in portland and seattle , there has been a few advertised at car lots as well on a dually if you dont want the duals go get
a set of super single wheels and change them out the fronts can be converted back to standard wheels as well

 

[RWherley]

Check with Rickson Wheel Manufacture at ricksontruckwheels.com they make special wheels to do just what you want to, going from DRW to SRW if any one can help it will be them.

 

[LJinLA]

Check with Rickson Wheel Manufacture at ricksontruckwheels.com they make special wheels to do just what you want to, going from DRW to SRW if any one can help it will be them.

Just checked out ... beautiful! but very expensive $$$$ solution! (Four wheel/tire combos would cost me nearly as much as an entire 1st gen Dodge).
I'm on a poor man's budget, looking for a poor man's solution...

 

[LJinLA]

If you want to travel a littel ive seen lots of gen 1's on craigslist in portland and seattle , there has been a few advertised at car lots as well on a dually if you dont want the duals go get
a set of super single wheels and change them out the fronts can be converted back to standard wheels as well

I've just checked craigslist in both portland and seattle... . and I have to say that prices and availability are very similar to what I can find in my area...
Locally, I keep coming across a lot of 2WD auto trans. 1st gens, but I think this is true everywhere...
For what I've seen so far, the super single wheels thing is a very expensive way to go if components are bought new.

 

[RWherley]

I hear that, I want a set of six wheels for my dually but im still saveing pennys for that. But keep an eye out for used wheels if your lookin.

 

[LJinLA]

Thanks!

After plenty of reading in various forums about DRW-to-SRW conversions, modifications, and the like, I'm gravitating toward the conclusion that it is wisest to go for what one wants and needs, rather than to compromise for something not quite that and then try and modify it... . it seems that in the end it'll cost more in both money and effort to do so.
So, it would be better to get, say, a D350 auto (it being cheaper and more readily available) and keep it the way it is until the hoped for W250 manual comes across rather than try and change the D350 auto into a W250 manual... .

 

[LJinLA]

My girl will soon be in town and for a few months... it would be great to have a truck with shell to go camping, and to have it NOW...
So, I've just concocted a crazy idea fueled by momentary desperation You guys tell me what you think of it, hopefully dissuading me from pursuing it if it doesn't make much sense.
I've just come across a local deal, it's a 93 D250, reg cab, NV4500 5-speed stick, salvage title, but in good mechanical condition (though beat up cosmetically) that I could get for, say, $800. The thing is, it has a GAS (5. 2L/318 v8 - not a cummins) engine in it. New battery, alternator and belt. AC blows cold. Heat/wipers/lights all work as they should. Good tires with lots of tread. Just passed CA smog. Starts up every time. The bad stuff: gas gauge doesn't work, 3rd gear syncro is bad, steering has some play, probably needs tie rod ends.
This is my thinking: could get it very cheap, get a $100 shell for it and use it for camping as is. Then, in the long run drop a cummins engine in it and little by little fix whatever needs fixing. Is this totally off the wall? Please bring me back to my sanity with your feedback. (The tempting part is that it can be gotten very, very cheaply... )

 

[Simplysmn]

I would say Run away you would be dumping alot of hard earned Cash into it just too keep it running right now and with a salvage title the value drop's Big time in Calif atleast I would wait and look for the truck you want being that your in So Cal send me a PM with e mail and I will send you info on truck's that I find every now and then . Trust me find the truck you want the Only Gas truck worth converting too diesel is a 81-85 crewcab the really gain in value when you do the swap and are fairly simple to do.
Hope this help's some .

Val

 

[RWherley]

Well the 318 is a good motor and will run forver but dont count on getting the best mpg's, as for the steering make sure its only a tie rod end and not the gear box, the trans has to be pulled to fix the snycro, but the nv4500 is a good trans, better then the Getrag. But if its not what you really want save your money and keep looking.