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90s chevy trucks


rusty ol ranger

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I know this is a ford forum but...

Ive been kicking around the idea of offing my 97 F250 for the fact that i dont have my camper anymore, and i dont really tow anything super heavy or super far (Maybe 6-7k locally, distance is usually just 2 quads on my 2500lb trailer).

I was kicking around the idea of buying another late 80's to mid 90' ford 1/2ton (thinking i can sell mine, but another for 5k or so and pocket a grand or 2) and i kinda want 4wd. Then when the market cools off buying a aluminum ford.

I see ALOT of nice (as in not rusted to hell) 88-98 Chevys that fit what im looking for. They seem to not rot as bad as the fords. Im not a fan of the IFS front ends but i can deal with it i suppose. Wean me off I beams gently,

Kinda like the TBI era ones more. Mainly the interior

Ive had experence with the square bodies...but not the later trucks. Im thinking a 350 regular cab 4wd would suit me fine...but whats the reliabilty like on these trucks?
 
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Blmpkn

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GM has done my entire family well for the past 40 years. Find one that seems like it's been maintained and don't worry about it.. even if something takes a dump you'd be able to replace it with a better than stock part for cheap cheap.
 

bilbo

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Where I lived in ND, the C/K and Silverado seemed to be the most popular. There were tons of the 4th gen C/Ks running around. 350 4X4 like you're looking for. Seemed every farmer had a couple in their tree row, and a friend that had one said parts were never hard to find. We had a 1997 at work that was a V6-5spd. It was a runabout truck for plant maintenance that was replaced with a UTV, and they were going to get rid of it. When my guys took it over it was already thoroughly beat. We continued that trend with 0-60 competitions, neutral drops, brake stands, etc. and it refused to die. As far as I know they're still using it, so I would say they are solid powertrains and solid overall.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Dad has a 92 gmc 1500 he flat out refuses to give up. It's been good to him, he got it in 94.
 

scotts90ranger

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They're pretty decent but like everything have their drawbacks here and there... The TBI is dead reliable when it works right, not a powerhouse and they're flat tappet cams til '96, the 10 bolt rear axle likes to explode if abused, the 4L60 trans is a slushbox so the soft shifting wears them out like everything does so they get a bad reputation but there's easy ways to get them working strong and reliable apparently (can get details if needed)... In stock form the IFS works fine...
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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I’m not a fan. An older guy stopped to look at the Nissan mom is selling and said he always owned fords until he bought one of those chevys and regretted the purchase from day 1.

Oh, and their 4wd is garbage. I’ve gone places in 2wd that they can’t in 4wd. And there’s no shift-on-the-fly, you have to be stopped to shift from 2hi to 4hi. Unfortunately I learned that sliding backwards down a hill in town when I worked for the local newspaper running a work truck between buildings. If you think you might need 4wd, you better put it in before leaving your driveway.
 

rusty ol ranger

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Im surprised at the postivity lol.

When did they switch from the 700r4 to the 4l60's?

I actually found a very clean 88 or 89 with a 350/5sp....but its 2wd. Asking 2500 bucks for it.

As far as the 4wd system not being shift on the fly that dont bother me. Any lever operated 4wd ive had i always would stop to engage 4wd. Mainly cause i was afraid of crashing into 4low and grinding the hell out of it.

I seen the TBI 350s are actually on par for power with the EFI 351's...which kinda shocked me.

One more question do the 90s trucks crack frames like the square bodies?
 

bilbo

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I’m not a fan. An older guy stopped to look at the Nissan mom is selling and said he always owned fords until he bought one of those chevys and regretted the purchase from day 1.

Oh, and their 4wd is garbage. I’ve gone places in 2wd that they can’t in 4wd. And there’s no shift-on-the-fly, you have to be stopped to shift from 2hi to 4hi. Unfortunately I learned that sliding backwards down a hill in town when I worked for the local newspaper running a work truck between buildings. If you think you might need 4wd, you better put it in before leaving your driveway.
That's interesting, I had the opposite experience regarding 4wd. My good friend growing up's dad had an 84 F150 4spd. We ice fished a lot and dug that truck out many times, to the point we just started parking on shore and walking. He sold it when we were about 16, and replaced it with a 1996 K1500. I don't remember ever having to dig it out.

And, I didn't know you weren't supposed to shift on the fly. We always did, and nothing exploded. Obviously we didn't shift it while spinning the wheels, etc. but it never seemed to mind it. Even the ones at work, which is where you send bad trucks to be punished, didn't seem to have drivetrain issues.
 

Blmpkn

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90 or 91 was when they made the switch to the 4l80, and I'm relatively sure the frames got much better after the squares. Those always cracked behind the steering box and around the rear shock mounts due to lackluster design.
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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That's interesting, I had the opposite experience regarding 4wd. My good friend growing up's dad had an 84 F150 4spd. We ice fished a lot and dug that truck out many times, to the point we just started parking on shore and walking. He sold it when we were about 16, and replaced it with a 1996 K1500. I don't remember ever having to dig it out.

And, I didn't know you weren't supposed to shift on the fly. We always did, and nothing exploded. Obviously we didn't shift it while spinning the wheels, etc. but it never seemed to mind it. Even the ones at work, which is where you send bad trucks to be punished, didn't seem to have drivetrain issues.
Interesting. I can’t really say as to tires or gearing or whatever might play into things but I have watched a number of Chevy trucks since the square body fail to get places in 4x4 that even the 2wd dump truck I have have been able to go.

I don’t think it’s that you’re not supposed to shift on the fly, but at least the two that they had where I worked it was you couldn’t. I tried both (one was a 2012 and the other a 2015, IIRC) and if the tires were moving, you literally couldn’t move the 4x4 lever. That was a rude surprise when I was driving up a hill and started to lose traction and not even giving it a thought, I reached down and tried to get it to shift, which it refused to budge. Promptly completely lost traction and started sliding backwards and as the front and back started trying to swap ends and I started really getting excited and yanking really hard, but the lever refused to move until I stood on the brakes and locked up the tires, while still sliding down the hill. When I got back I tried the other one and it did the same thing, you couldn’t shift 2hi to 4hi unless the wheels were stopped. I talked to a couple of my Chevy friends who didn’t find that odd either. I thought it was dumb…
 

bilbo

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Interesting. I can’t really say as to tires or gearing or whatever might play into things but I have watched a number of Chevy trucks since the square body fail to get places in 4x4 that even the 2wd dump truck I have have been able to go.

I don’t think it’s that you’re not supposed to shift on the fly, but at least the two that they had where I worked it was you couldn’t. I tried both (one was a 2012 and the other a 2015, IIRC) and if the tires were moving, you literally couldn’t move the 4x4 lever. That was a rude surprise when I was driving up a hill and started to lose traction and not even giving it a thought, I reached down and tried to get it to shift, which it refused to budge. Promptly completely lost traction and started sliding backwards and as the front and back started trying to swap ends and I started really getting excited and yanking really hard, but the lever refused to move until I stood on the brakes and locked up the tires, while still sliding down the hill. When I got back I tried the other one and it did the same thing, you couldn’t shift 2hi to 4hi unless the wheels were stopped. I talked to a couple of my Chevy friends who didn’t find that odd either. I thought it was dumb…
Weird. Maybe a “feature” on the newer ones? Or certain t-cases allowed it and others didn’t? I haven’t been in an uncontrolled downhill slide but would probably need to find a new set of drawers after that.
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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Weird. Maybe a “feature” on the newer ones? Or certain t-cases allowed it and others didn’t? I haven’t been in an uncontrolled downhill slide but would probably need to find a new set of drawers after that.
Dunno, I didn’t need a new set of drawers, but it was a near thing. There was lots of cars and buildings and houses and stuff to hit behind me too. Way more exciting than I appreciate. I’ve grown pretty used to most of my Fords just being able to reach down and pop the magic lever back a click and go and to not have that feature when you need it wasn’t good.
 

scotts90ranger

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The 4L60 is just an updated 700r4, kinda like a 4R70W is an updated AOD... the 4L80 I think is it's own thing but is similar to an old Turbo 400... I have GM friends, and one is a transmission mechanic so I hear things...
 

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