1988 chevy c3500

[Turkeyslayer]

So I am purchasing a 1988 chevy c3500 with 8x13 dump. It only has 122 000 original km, and is 350 ci with a 4 speed manual tranny. Has anyone had any experience with this model of truck? Or know where I could find the specs for this truck on the web?

Thanks in advance
TS

 

[Steve NW WI]

Nice find! I don't have any info on it for you, but my hauler is an 88 K1500, and it's been a solid truck, just a little nickel and dime stuff to fix.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Good to know.
I went to check the truck out on saturday, and it is in nice shape. It has had a body job in the last couple of years and it was converted to a dump box at that time. The dump is a twin ram scissor lift with the hydrolic power pack behind the seat in the cab. I think these trucks are rated for 10 000lb payload and 14 000 towing but am not sure.
I have also worked a new 5 ton float into the deal 16' by 80" with 5200lb twin braked axles. It was good because I went to look at the truck due to I didnt think my 97 k1500 would pull a trailer with tractor loader. When I got there the seller also builds custom trailers and had the 5 ton float there to look at, so I worked it into the deal.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Here is a pic of the trailer

I tryed to get a pic of the truck, but the ad has been deleted from kijiji. So pics will come when It gets home, hopefully by the end of the week or begining of next week. It will take a day or two to safety and they are changing the hitch on the truck to a pintle.

 

[Chris Crouse]

The 350 and SM465 is a good combination and should be reliable. Plus there were a bazillion made so parts should not be a problem. If you're doing much highway driving you'll be wishing you had a truck with a 5 speed (NV4500), which came out right about that time. The truck will probably have 4.10 or 4.56 gears in the rear end and it'll be revving pretty high at highway speeds.

That truck will have a "14 bolt" rear end that is very good. It will have 13" drums in back if it's a dually and 12 something if it is a single tire. The front discs should be 11.5-12" and are fine. Overall should be a solid drivetrain.

As far as payload, you're probably looking at 3,500lbs if the thing has a heavy dump body on it. The GWVR would likely be 10,000lbs if it is a dually, and in the 9XXXlbs range if it is the single tire rear end. Your payload is GVWR minus the truck's curb weight. The GCWR would dictate the heaviest trailer you could tow and for that you'll have to scrounge the internet or look in the owner's manual. I would be surprised if the GCWR was higher than 16,000lbs.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

The truck is a dually reg cab, but the frame looks really long, and it has the older style body. I think I read somewhere that chev made some c3500's on a RV chassis that used the older body style, not sure if this is right though.
I have to go in the morning and put a deposit down, if I can remember I will snap some pics.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Thanks for the replies. I went and put a down payment on it this morning. It is actually a 1989 r3500, built on a RV chassis. Pics are one the way.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

 

[JeffHK454]

I've got both a 84 C30 diesel dump and a 88 K30 crew.. great trucks.

The TBI 350/sm465/14FF is as reliable as you can get....my GVWR was 10,500..

That's a big box on that truck.. My dump has a 7x10 box and with a full tank of fuel and my 185lbs. my truck weighs 7,250... so take it easy on that little 350 as it's real easy to get 6K+ of wood in a rig like that.

 

[Adkpk]

I have an 86 3500 with a mason dump. I've had it over 15 years. Mine is hard to beat. Actually impossible to beat. I just had the engine rebuilt and welded a new bed in her. I can't sell it for what I want so I use at the fixer upper to haul soil, stone and wood. It's much better handling than my F super duty.

 

[JeffHK454]

Here's a pick of my 88...it looks like a DRW but it been converted with front hub spacers and dually wheels...

 

[Blazin]

You got yourself a runner there! I have a 2000 GMC K3500 7.4l that's been an ok truck, but I'd dump it in a heartbeat to go back to the 80's style truck!!

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Hello,
Here is my 1984 C30. These old Chevs are hard to beat.

Nice truck

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Here are a couple more pics of the trailer.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Ok, I have a question. When loading the truck how do you know when Your getting to over loaded? I will usually put wood on until its sitting on the helper springs, then put just a little more on. The regular leaf pack is 12 leaf and the helper pack is 4 leaf. Any comments/help is appreciated

 

[Fishhead]

I just find it cool that truck has a 6 digit odometer. Most trucks that style has 5 digit odometers. Maybe because its close to the change over year for body style. There awesome trucks. They hold there value as well, better than other brands. I have a 1993 k3500 dump "newer body style" but uses alot of the same components and is a great wood hauler. Nice find you wont be disappointed.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

They're all nice!

Getting ready to start on Project GMC, an 81 K-1500 4wd. First order of biz was to remove the driver side fuel tank cuz it had a hole in it, getting a new one in a couple of weeks, in the meantime, I dropped off the Q-Jet with my mechanic bud for rebuild....going to take the older Western Isamatic plow off of the 66 Jeep p-up and graft on the GMC...Much better wood hauler than the 88 F-150 I have.

 

[rarefish383]

We had a 72 C30 My Dad bought new and was titled at 17,000 GVW, because we pulled a 16" Asplundh drum chipper with it. It was a 12' stake body with a 350 4bbl and granny 4 spd. If you had it full of wood, about 2 cord, and the chipper on it, it was squashed pretty good, but had more than enough power. It didn't feel or act overloaded,but it was definatly much lower to the ground, and like I said that 350 would hall butt, even loaded. He later bought a 78 Ford F600 dump that was a much better chipper truck. It was 12' also, with 6' sides. You couldn't squash it, but the 330 ci V8 was a dog, Joe.

 

[Maple Grounds]

Thanks for the replies. I went and put a down payment on it this morning. It is actually a 1989 r3500, built on a RV chassis. Pics are one the way.

That is not an RV chassis, it is a crewcab (3+3) frame with a single cab. Mine is a 81 GMC, it came with a 12 ft dump bed, i cut 16 inches off the bed and built a hitch to pull off the frame as opposed to pulling of the back of the bed. I would like to box the frame at some point as i have bent the frame once allready, only one shop in town had a frame machine that it would fit on but it was only $200 to put it back into spec.

 

[Maple Grounds]

Ok, I have a question. When loading the truck how do you know when Your getting to over loaded? I will usually put wood on until its sitting on the helper springs, then put just a little more on. The regular leaf pack is 12 leaf and the helper pack is 4 leaf. Any comments/help is appreciated

When i haul logs to the mill i weigh between 4.5 and 5.5 tons, when i haul gravel i get 1 loader scoop and its around 4 tons, i have went over the scale at the quarry at over 18,000 lbs, truck is 6,200 empty and it is more than i would want to carry more than a few times and a short distance.

We are very lucky here in north Arkansas, the AR hiway police are the state DOT and do not mess with any one under 26,000.