98 Chevy K2500 flatbed build

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Vadim

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Sacramento, CA
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I purchased my 98 Chevy K2500 6.5 turbo diesel earlier this year looking to build a budget off road/overland truck that can also be used to reliable tow a trailer around. The truck has come along way since its beginning so this first thread will be info and picture heavy. The truck was a single owner farm used truck and even though it had only 86k miles, it definitely looked and drove like a farm truck would. However the important parts are that the engine and 5 speed transmission have been well taken care of. To start off the truck got about 25-30 hours of detail on the interior to remove the layers of caked on dirt in every crevice including behind all of the plastic paneling. This was done to install some sound deadening material to reduce in cab noise. I also installed some Kicker speakers in the rear, JBL speakers in the front, new Sony Bluetooth stereo and a slim 10" subwoofer under the seat. This weird mix of audio components was only because I am doing this on a budget and these were the recommended components I could find.

I got a chance to tow a 5k lb trailer this summer for about 900 miles and the truck did great but after the trip I started to get some heavy smoking on initial startups. I narrowed the issue down to a leaky injector so I figured that it was time for this 21 year old truck to get a new set of injectors, glow plugs and a ton of new gaskets while I was at it. I also worked on getting the truck improved in the looks department by sanding the whole thing down and using a DIY kit to spray down Raptor bedliner on the whole truck. This was followed up by installing updated blacked out head lights, tail lights and some newer style extendable tow mirrors. Also to help the truck breathe a little better I purchased an upgraded header crossover pipe and a full downpipe with 4" exhaust. I installed an EGT temp and boost gauge to keep an eye on things as I plan to get some tuning done in the future as well.

Next since I was planning to use this truck off road, it needed some help in the suspension department. I ordered a Rough Country 6" lift kit because it was the most affordable kit that allowed you to keep reasonable front axle angles since its an IFS setup. The kit instructions said 6-8 hours to install but it took almost 14 hours just for the front due to issues with needing to get new ball joints pressed in at a shop, renting special tools to try and remove steering linkage and pitman arm. Atleast now the truck has a fully rebuild new suspension setup. Only think that remained from factory was control arms, wheel hugs and the rear leaf springs. The truck is now sitting on some 315/70/17 mixed brand tires and 17x9 Incubus Off-Road wheels. Cant beat $350 for that setup. The current tires under the trucks weigh are actually measuring to be at exactly 33" but my plan for the next setup is to try and get a true 35" tire.

Enjoy the pictures!

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Vadim

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Plans for the next few months will be to install torsion bar relocaters and move the rear axle forward 14" in order to improve the break over angle. Then chop the frame a bit off the rear and build an off road flatbed. At some points I also would like to install a winch bumper with a winch and hopefully take a trip to Moab, Utah this upcoming year.
 

Jason and Cayce

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Treasure coast Florida
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Gulizia
That's awesome! I was so close to pulling the trigger on the raptor liner paint job, but I wasn't sure how it would clean up when mud sits on it for a few days or if it stains or fades over time. if you have any input of this id appreciate it. looking forward to seeing what else you com up with.
 

Vadim

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That's awesome! I was so close to pulling the trigger on the raptor liner paint job, but I wasn't sure how it would clean up when mud sits on it for a few days or if it stains or fades over time. if you have any input of this id appreciate it. looking forward to seeing what else you com up with.
The last raptor job lasted me 4 years without needing any touch ups. As for cleaning, a mitt may get destroyed over time so I normally use a pressure washer to clean it even if it’s sat for a few days. If you have a foam cannon attachment then it really helps.
 

OVR1998TAHOE

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Seabrook, TX
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Kevin
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Frank
That's awesome! I was so close to pulling the trigger on the raptor liner paint job, but I wasn't sure how it would clean up when mud sits on it for a few days or if it stains or fades over time. if you have any input of this id appreciate it. looking forward to seeing what else you com up with.
I did mine you can check it out and it rinse pretty easy but if you get grease on it from a dirty hand or something it's a little harder to get off then just spraying but not to bad.
 

AkMinnZonaRam

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Tucson, AZ, USA
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Ryan
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Otis
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Nice build I've always loved the gm Detroit's i owned a 6.2. I've always wanted a 6.5 with an A team turbo and marine grade injectors from SS diesel supply.
 

Vadim

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Sacramento, CA
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Very nice looks great and how do you like the lift? I am thinking of doing the 6in lift to mine soon.
The lift seems good so far, it replaced 20 year old components so it was definitely an improvement in ride quality. I haven’t had a chance to take it off road yet cause I need to get the exhaust crossover pipe modified to fit the front driveshaft.
 

Vadim

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Nice build I've always loved the gm Detroit's i owned a 6.2. I've always wanted a 6.5 with an A team turbo and marine grade injectors from SS diesel supply.
I’ve read different info on the marine injectors but most state that they’re not needed unless running really high hp. They say there is more benefit in upgrading the injector pump before the injectors because the pump maxes out before the injectors.
 

Vadim

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Sacramento, CA
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I spent this weekend getting
my Realift TB relocator's on which turned out to be a pain in the ass. The TB cross member has to be moved backwards with some new holes in the frame drilled so be ready for that. Also since I upgraded my exhaust to a 4", the exhaust was in the way to slide the cross member back so I had to remove that section of piping and will have to have an exhaust shop extend the section to the hump that goes over the cross member. And finally, on some longer trucks like mine the transmission cross member is in the way so you have to either drop it down below the frame and add 1" spacers or you cut that section of the cross member out and notch it. I ran out of time so my torsion bars are currently resting on the cross member, hopefully next weekend I will have some time to notch them. This is a great mod though because now I have a lot more clearance in the break over angle.TB before and after.JPG
 
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Vadim

Rank IV
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Contributor III

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Sacramento, CA
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I finally got around to getting the transmission crossmember notched. Turned out pretty good and only took a few hours of work. I ended up extending the 4” exhaust so that the hump over the torsion crossmember moves backwards as well. also had a shop reroute the crossover pipe at an angle so that the front driveshaft could be installed. I didn’t realize how much additional work I would have to do with this 6” lift.

I also ended up getting a fresh set of tires. These are Atturo Trailblade MT in a 35x12.50r17. The tires are surprisingly quiet and balanced really well. They had a lot of great reviews on other forums so I decided to try them out. Plus you can beat $900 for new 35” MT’s installed.

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