Newby wants to know

[James2nd]

OK, I bought what I was told is a 2004 Silverado extended cab long bed frame only. It has the gas tank, front suspension and a box near the gas tank I have no idea what it is. The guy thinks it had a 5.3 in it. Is there a way to tell what was in it. I was looking online and they said the VIN number would likely be on the front part of the frame just behind the wheels. Well, it it's the labels I see just a little bit of them and some paint happy previous owner or shop sprayed black over the top of them. Grrrrrr...
The other thing I was wondering is what rear ends bolt up to it. I'll need one as it doesn't have one, nor springs, shocks, anything on the back end.

 

[99Sierra2500]

Welcome to the forum, I don't know if they still stamp it on there, look around where the cab sits. 2500/3500 frame is taller than the 1500, one a way you can tell, and all the rear axles will bolt up I think.

 

[ORVietVet]

Yes, welcome to the forum from Oregon.

I gotta ask, why did you buy just the frame? Are you going to build a daily driver or custom truck? If is a daily driver, WHY? By the time you are done building a daily driver, you will be very knowledgeable and very broke. Same way if you are building custom.

 

[stutaeng]

The main differences on those years frames was the regular 1500 6 lug frames, vs the 2500HD 8 lug frames (heavier and deeper as was previously mentioned.) There was also a 2500, non-HD frame, but those were kinda rare by production numbers.

Is it torsion bar front suspension, i assume? Does it have the torsion bar crossmember behind the transmission crossmember?

 

[James2nd]

Yes, welcome to the forum from Oregon.

I gotta ask, why did you buy just the frame? Are you going to build a daily driver or custom truck? If is a daily driver, WHY? By the time you are done building a daily driver, you will be very knowledgeable and very broke. Same way if you are building custom.

I bought a fairly unique 53 passenger, and I want to drop this on the frame.

 

[James2nd]

The main differences on those years frames was the regular 1500 6 lug frames, vs the 2500HD 8 lug frames (heavier and deeper as was previously mentioned.) There was also a 2500, non-HD frame, but those were kinda rare by production numbers.

Is it torsion bar front suspension, i assume? Does it have the torsion bar crossmember behind the transmission crossmember?

IT does have a torsion bar on the front suspension. Good call. I don't remember seeing anything near where the tranny would be if it had one. I was wondering if it mattered motor mount and tranny mount wise what engine and tranny would fit. I'm liking the idea of a 5.3 over a 6 I think. I'd rather have a bit more gas mileage and not looking for a ton of power, but dropping the 53 I have on it will be a challenge for sure.

 

[James2nd]

Yes, welcome to the forum from Oregon.

I gotta ask, why did you buy just the frame? Are you going to build a daily driver or custom truck? If is a daily driver, WHY? By the time you are done building a daily driver, you will be very knowledgeable and very broke. Same way if you are building custom.

Welcome to the forum, I don't know if they still stamp it on there, look around where the cab sits. 2500/3500 frame is taller than the 1500, one a way you can tell, and all the rear axles will bolt up I think.

Here is a couple of pics of the frame

 

[stutaeng]

IT does have a torsion bar on the front suspension. Good call. I don't remember seeing anything near where the tranny would be if it had one. I was wondering if it mattered motor mount and tranny mount wise what engine and tranny would fit. I'm liking the idea of a 5.3 over a 6 I think. I'd rather have a bit more gas mileage and not looking for a ton of power, but dropping the 53 I have on it will be a challenge for sure.

Umm...I see coil springs up front, so that's a 2wd chassis (not torsion bar suspension then.)

I'm guessing you have an extended cab, 6.5' 2wd chassis? Those trucks were super common, especially on the southern states.

The transmission for that truck is a 4L60e variant. Engine mounts would all work provided it's any of the V8 (4.8, 5.3, 6.0). The V6 mounts are different.

There is a difference between the driver's side frame mount between the 2wd coil spring suspension and torsion bar suspension...I learned that when I did my V6 to V8 swap on my 99 Silverado. My the 5.3 came from an 04 Yukon XL. Those had torsion bar suspension even if 2wd, so I had to go find a V8 2wd coil spring frame mount from the junkyard...

Edit: those look like the V8 frame mounts, so you are good on that...

 

[James2nd]

Umm...I see coil springs up front, so that's a 2wd chassis (not torsion bar suspension then.)

I'm guessing you have an extended cab, 6.5' 2wd chassis? Those trucks were super common, especially on the southern states.

The transmission for that truck is a 4L60e variant. Engine mounts would all work provided it's any of the V8 (4.8, 5.3, 6.0). The V6 mounts are different.

There is a difference between the driver's side frame mount between the 2wd coil spring suspension and torsion bar suspension...I learned that when I did my V6 to V8 swap on my 99 Silverado. My the 5.3 came from an 04 Yukon XL. Those had torsion bar suspension even if 2wd, so I had to go find a V8 2wd coil spring frame mount from the junkyard...

Edit: those look like the V8 frame mounts, so you are good on that...

That's some good news, thanks. The frame is 213 inches long, which is exactly the same as the frame under the 53. Now I have to find a rear end assembly that will work

 

[99Sierra2500]

I agree, looks like a 1500 RWD frame. That is a really cool bus, nice project.

 

[stutaeng]

That's some good news, thanks. The frame is 213 inches long, which is exactly the same as the frame under the 53. Now I have to find a rear end assembly that will work

As previously mentioned, any rear end will bolt up...GMT800, that is.

On the 10 bolt, 6 lug: 99-04 were disc brakes, 05+ switched to drums. SUV were all rear disc, but the 1500 SUV have rear coil springs instead of leaf springs. 2500 Suburban and Avalanche did use leaf springs (but different lengths) with a variety of the 14 bolt rear axle.

On the 14 bolt, 8 lug, you can get a 9.5" semifloat or the 10.5" full float, or even the 11.5" from the Duamax. Only problem is you would have 8 lug rear and 6 lug front. No easy way to convert the front to 8 lug. So maybe stick with 6 lug?

Hope this helps.

 

[Cadillacmak]

I love this project already! Please keep posting progress pictures!

 

[James2nd]

Umm...I see coil springs up front, so that's a 2wd chassis (not torsion bar suspension then.)

I'm guessing you have an extended cab, 6.5' 2wd chassis? Those trucks were super common, especially on the southern states.

The transmission for that truck is a 4L60e variant. Engine mounts would all work provided it's any of the V8 (4.8, 5.3, 6.0). The V6 mounts are different.

There is a difference between the driver's side frame mount between the 2wd coil spring suspension and torsion bar suspension...I learned that when I did my V6 to V8 swap on my 99 Silverado. My the 5.3 came from an 04 Yukon XL. Those had torsion bar suspension even if 2wd, so I had to go find a V8 2wd coil spring frame mount from the junkyard...

Edit: those look like the V8 frame mounts, so you are good on that...

So, I have a chance to buy a 2005 extended cab short bed with a 5.3, but it is 4 wheel drive. Will the components from the whole 2005 transfer over to the 2wd 2004 frame? Or could I just transfer the Engine, tranny, and rear end which is what I need the most?

 

[stutaeng]

So, I have a chance to buy a 2005 extended cab short bed with a 5.3, but it is 4 wheel drive. Will the components from the whole 2005 transfer over to the 2wd 2004 frame? Or could I just transfer the Engine, tranny, and rear end which is what I need the most?

The parts that will not transfer over are: transmission (4x4 vs 2wd output shaft are different and require a complete teardown to convert one to the other), transfer case, driveshafts (different lengths), front differential, and front suspensions.

Rear ends are the same, regardless of 2wd vs 4x4. Everything else should be interchangeable. Of course, the wiring harnesses differ on the 4x4 due to the transfer case electronics, and controls.

Do you want your project to be 4x4? If so, I would go with that frame. That's assuming you are going to be using the stock front IFS/differential. The front half of the 4x4 frames are different than the 2wd frames. Besides coil spring vs torsion bar suspensions, the 4x4 frames have steering gearbox and mounts for the differential. The 2wd are steering rack (rack and pinion.)

Looking at that 53 vehicle has a full float axle, which are typically much more beefy than a semi-float, but I have no idea what they were doing in the 50s, lol.

 

[James2nd]

The parts that will not transfer over are: transmission (4x4 vs 2wd output shaft are different and require a complete teardown to convert one to the other), transfer case, driveshafts (different lengths), front differential, and front suspensions.

Rear ends are the same, regardless of 2wd vs 4x4. Everything else should be interchangeable. Of course, the wiring harnesses differ on the 4x4 due to the transfer case electronics, and controls.

Do you want your project to be 4x4? If so, I would go with that frame. That's assuming you are going to be using the stock front IFS/differential. The front half of the 4x4 frames are different than the 2wd frames. Besides coil spring vs torsion bar suspensions, the 4x4 frames have steering gearbox and mounts for the differential. The 2wd are steering rack (rack and pinion.)

Looking at that 53 vehicle has a full float axle, which are typically much more beefy than a semi-float, but I have no idea what they were doing in the 50s, lol.

I didn't think I wanted 4wd, but may consider. The person asking has a truck that looks to be rolled so body is junk, but according fb market only has 180k on the internals. All that for 1650, it would be hard go wrong if it ran OK. Have to think hard on this one, as I really wanted a fairly low stance, but 4wd would make it more desirable for other functions as well.
I don't think I want to go to all the trouble to change the 4wd over to 2. Sounds like to much work to make it worth it.

 

[James2nd]

I didn't think I wanted 4wd, but may consider. The person asking has a truck that looks to be rolled so body is junk, but according fb market only has 180k on the internals. All that for 1650, it would be hard go wrong if it ran OK. Have to think hard on this one, as I really wanted a fairly low stance, but 4wd would make it more desirable for other functions as well.
I don't think I want to go to all the trouble to change the 4wd over to 2. Sounds like to much work to make it worth it.

Oh, and thanks. I sure appreciate someone helping another feller out

 

[stutaeng]

You may want to look into the 1500 suburban/yukon front suspensions for parts interchangeability into the extended cab. As mentioned, the 1500 SUVs are torsion bar front suspension, even the 2wd. I seem to remember on the older generation of trucks, you need to run CV axle on the hubs? If that's not the case on the GMT800s, then use the 4x4 frame, and leave out the transfer case and front differential. Use the 2wd transmission and stock 2wd driveshaft.

I recently replaced the hubs on my 06 Suburban 2500 2wd, and the hubs are the same for the 4x4 and 2wd, so I can at least say on those models, you don't have to run CV axles. They are basically a 4x4 front suspension, but without the transfer case, front driveshaft, front differential and CV axles. These trucks are actually the exception to the rule, where you can convert the 2wd to 4x4, plenty of Duramax guys have done it to their 2500HDs. That's NOT the case on the front coil spring suspension setup.

OR:The only factory 1500 extended cab that had torsion bar in a 2wd was the Silverado SS that was made for a year or two....look into that setup...

 

[stutaeng]

I guess what I'm implying is: use the 4x4 frame, then you have the option of running it in 4x4 or converting it to 2wd...

 

[99Sierra2500]

I didn't think I wanted 4wd, but may consider. The person asking has a truck that looks to be rolled so body is junk, but according fb market only has 180k on the internals. All that for 1650, it would be hard go wrong if it ran OK. Have to think hard on this one, as I really wanted a fairly low stance, but 4wd would make it more desirable for other functions as well.
I don't think I want to go to all the trouble to change the 4wd over to 2. Sounds like to much work to make it worth it.

I would go for the whole rolled truck over the frame you have now, less work putting the bus body on a complete chassis vs chasing a bunch of parts.

 

[James2nd]

I went and looked at the complete 4x4 truck and had two concerns. Possible frame twists the way it was rolled and being a 2008 LS with all active management crapp. It had a lot of oil on one side of the motor that looked like it had been there a good while. It did start and go into gear but had no windshield so couldn't fully test drive. Just too many red flags to gamble on