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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: thunderwood78 on October 27, 2015, 06:18:31 pm

Title: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 27, 2015, 06:18:31 pm
Was wandering about putting a regular dually bed on my flatbed. A previous owner had some dog boxes welded on the flatbed body and I really love the dually bed look. A customer of mine has an 86 dually that's he dying to trade for my bed but I'm not sure if it would fit. I know about the gas cap/ door difference.

Any info is appreciated.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: Captkaos on October 28, 2015, 09:15:36 pm
Is your truck a dually?
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 28, 2015, 09:22:13 pm
Is your truck a dually?
Yes sir
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: Captkaos on October 28, 2015, 10:05:09 pm
Is it a cab and chassis truck or a truck that originally had a dually bed on it.  If the later it will work, former it will work but the bed and cab will have a gap as the cab and chassis were longer.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 28, 2015, 10:07:59 pm
I'm not sure. As far as I know it's always been a flatbed. The flatbed has dog boxes welded on and possibly the skirting.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 28, 2015, 10:18:27 pm


Not sure if the bed is a modified factory one or complete aftermarket?
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: Captkaos on October 28, 2015, 10:44:05 pm
Cab and Chassis trucks didn't come with a bed.  That flatbed was added to it.

What is your VIN decoded to?
http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/techinfo/73-91VIN/1978truck.pdf
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: fitz on October 29, 2015, 09:35:07 am
I've never seen a factory K20 dually.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: LTZ C20 on October 29, 2015, 09:53:11 am
I've never seen a factory K20 dually.
I was going to wait and see if anyone else pointed this out. Either the truck is actually a K30, 1 ton being the only way to get a dually OR there has been some parts swapping in its past.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 29, 2015, 05:39:10 pm
I've never seen a factory K20 dually.
I was going to wait and see if anyone else pointed this out. Either the truck is actually a K30, 1 ton being the only way to get a dually OR there has been some parts swapping in its past.
CKL24...

Chevy 4x4 3/4 ton with 165 hp 350. Cab and pickup box.

Someone must have converted it. Well that could simplify things. Convert it back and get a regular bed? Or keep the dually conversion?
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: LTZ C20 on October 29, 2015, 05:51:32 pm
CKL24??
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 29, 2015, 05:53:01 pm
CKL24??
First 5 characters of vin.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: LTZ C20 on October 29, 2015, 06:27:32 pm
Got ya, I wasnt sure, because with only 5 digits, that could have stood for anything.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: fitz on October 29, 2015, 07:16:09 pm
CKL24??

I was thinking CHUCLE-24.  For some reason people spend all day pointing at me & laughing.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: LTZ C20 on October 30, 2015, 01:41:13 am
CKL24??

I was thinking CHUCLE-24.  For some reason people spend all day pointing at me & laughing.
You too huh?? I always wondered why they did that to me...
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: roundhouse on October 30, 2015, 08:07:03 am
Looks funny with the 3/4 ton wheels in front and dual in back
But it should swap over
Measure the wheelbase of both trucks carefully and take a good look at the frame
Some cab and chassis trucks had a flat frame at the back


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Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: Jason S on October 30, 2015, 01:09:13 pm
Check the overall width of your duals (outer wheel to outer wheel) versus the overall width of the duals on the truck with the dually bed.

If I remember correctly,
With duals swapped onto a single wheel 14-bolt rear end (C/K-20 rear axle), the total width (outer wheel to outer wheel) will be narrower than duals on a dual wheel 14-bolt (C/K-30 dually).   

I'm thinking that the dually bed will physically swap fine, but the outer dual on your truck will be set back within the dually fender...

Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: thunderwood78 on October 30, 2015, 01:16:45 pm
I was able to track down the original owner of the truck. It was a standard k20 lwb. He was the one who built the flatbed. Someone afterwards did the dually conversion.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: LTZ C20 on October 30, 2015, 02:22:56 pm
I was able to track down the original owner of the truck. It was a standard k20 lwb. He was the one who built the flatbed. Someone afterwards did the dually conversion.
Ahhh and that's the ticket right there.
Title: Re: 78 k20 dually bed swap
Post by: Irish_Alley on November 13, 2015, 08:05:05 pm
so.... are the front wheels bud wheels?
if you look at the back of the rear brake drums is there a lot of room to put a socket and ratchet on the brake bleeder? if theres very little room then this would indicate a cab and chassis rear if theres more than enough room then it would be a dually rear. if you have regular wheels upfront the inside tires should like up if its a dually rear if its a cab and chassis rear the outside tires should line up. take some pictures and we can help tell a story about the truck