Help... 85 SRW Chevy converted to DRW?

Nuzzy · Nov 27, 2006

So, my dad went and looked at a truck today. '85 Chevy 1 ton Dualie. He happened to check the original build sheet and found it said it was built a Single rear and asked the guy what was up. The guy said that the previous owner had converted it from SRW to DRW with a "very solid" stainless adapter that bolts to the original wheel mounting surface studs and then has it's own extended studs to accomadate the duals. Then he got the dual fenders and bolted em on. Apparently, dad says it "looks" stock dualie width with the tires fitting fine within the wheel wells.

My question is, is this anything to be concerned about?

Would it cause stresses like wheel spacers and be considered bad? Or should there be nothing to worry about? Would this make it wider than a factory original dualie axle?

I'm supposed to report back to dad with my findings...

wheelinjp · Nov 27, 2006

Is your dad going to use it as the dually truck it now is? I dont see why it wouldnt work but cant give any guarantees without at least seeing it. That is how the dodges I think use a spacer to extend the bearing hub.

Nuzzy · Nov 27, 2006

wheelinjp said:
Is your dad going to use it as the dually truck it now is? I dont see why it wouldnt work but cant give any guarantees without at least seeing it. That is how the dodges I think use a spacer to extend the bearing hub.

Yeah, he'd probably keep it in the dually setup. It just kinda seems weird to me that this could be considered adequate for a 1 ton truck when all I've ever heard is bad things about wheel spacers that thick...

Blueleader · Nov 28, 2006

Was this truck originally a SRW C-30 or a C-20? I don't know for sure about an '85, but I know there were two different front suspension setups for my '79 C-20. The heavier duty setup used larger wheel bearings and solid steel control arm bushings, like the 1 tons. The lighter duty version had smaller bearings and rubber control arm bushings. I had no idea there was any difference until I rebuilt the front end and ended up buying all the wrong parts.

I suppose if it was originally a C-30 or a HD C-20, adding the duals would make it a 1 ton. If it's originally one of the lighter duty C-20s, then there's more to the conversion than just adding a couple tires.

wheelinjp · Nov 28, 2006

is this 2wd or 4?

skrause · Nov 28, 2006

Nuzzy said:
all I've ever heard is bad things about wheel spacers that thick...

You better not look at the ones Dodge uses then. :haha:

Nuzzy · Nov 28, 2006

I don't know if it was a C-20 or C-30 but my understanding is that the guy claimed it was a 1 ton before he added the duals... Don't know if that sheds any light...

It's a 4wd