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9 Posts
Hello everyone, first time posting here on 4BTSwaps. Long time lurker though. None the less, I am sure many of you are far more knowledgeable than be when dealing with a cummins lineup of engines. So I figured I would post a question here.
Currently I have a K5 (actually an M1009) with a 6.2 diesel. I plan to do a 14Bolt axle swap with perhaps 3.73 gearing (not sure, not important right now though). So that way the truck will have good axles to take some added power. :idea:
This brings me to my question. The K5 weighs 5200lb without anything on/in it. I want to do a 4BT/6BT swap, but I have some concerns. From what I heard AND seen, people have put a [mostly] stock 6BT in a K5 without boxing the frame but instead made very strong cross members. Good stuff, seems to hold up well, but obviously I am sure the frame doesn't like it much, but at least now you have some solid power under the hood. I was thinking about going the 4BT route since its weight is the same as a 6.2 diesel, but after reading the specs, it doesn't seem like it would be much of an upgrade in the power department. I thought about maybe building it up to get some extra torque and horses, but I just do not know if I can justify the costs yet. Which option would be best, and why? What route would you go with?
I am not looking for anything crazy powerful, but I do want my truck to be able to move out of its own way, travel faster than 65mph without slowing down to 45 whenever a small hill is encounters, and it WILL be overlanded. Not mudded, just doing to some trails that might have some steep inclines, so RELIABILITY IS A MUST. Some of these trips are exceeding 3000 miles at a time, so if the engine needs to be built, it will have to last.
TLDR, 6bt or built 4bt? Is a 4bt strong enough for a K5?
Sorry for the long post
Currently I have a K5 (actually an M1009) with a 6.2 diesel. I plan to do a 14Bolt axle swap with perhaps 3.73 gearing (not sure, not important right now though). So that way the truck will have good axles to take some added power. :idea:
This brings me to my question. The K5 weighs 5200lb without anything on/in it. I want to do a 4BT/6BT swap, but I have some concerns. From what I heard AND seen, people have put a [mostly] stock 6BT in a K5 without boxing the frame but instead made very strong cross members. Good stuff, seems to hold up well, but obviously I am sure the frame doesn't like it much, but at least now you have some solid power under the hood. I was thinking about going the 4BT route since its weight is the same as a 6.2 diesel, but after reading the specs, it doesn't seem like it would be much of an upgrade in the power department. I thought about maybe building it up to get some extra torque and horses, but I just do not know if I can justify the costs yet. Which option would be best, and why? What route would you go with?
I am not looking for anything crazy powerful, but I do want my truck to be able to move out of its own way, travel faster than 65mph without slowing down to 45 whenever a small hill is encounters, and it WILL be overlanded. Not mudded, just doing to some trails that might have some steep inclines, so RELIABILITY IS A MUST. Some of these trips are exceeding 3000 miles at a time, so if the engine needs to be built, it will have to last.
TLDR, 6bt or built 4bt? Is a 4bt strong enough for a K5?
Sorry for the long post