Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

So I bought a 79 GMC shortox fleetside 4wd today. Has a 454, 4 speed, 205. I have a few questions, someone along the way switched the 10 bolt out for a 12 bolt in the rear, is the 12 bolt narrower than the 10 bolt would have been? I ask because the front end is wider than the rearend. Also, what gears would have been standard on the truck, it was originally a 350 auto truck. I'll have a bunch more questions I'm sure when I start diggin into it. I'll throw up some pics tomorrow sometime, it ain't the prettiest thing, but it runs amazingly and it was 700 bucks.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

The 12-bolt should be standard for that year and is probably geared to 3.08.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

12 bolts were available to 81 or 82. I swapped my 83 10 bolt for a 12 bolt. The 12 bolt is out of a 77 geared with 3.08s. 12 bolts are stronger than the 10 bolt. All the square bodies have a 1" wider travel path on the front tires than the rear!! You can correct the travel path. All you need is a 5X5 Caddillac or Lincoln rearend. The car rearends also have disc brakes!!

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

i was told that the front end was wider so that way if your in a situation where you need to have four wheel drive that the tires wouldnt be in the same exact spot of the hole...not sure how much that inch makes a difference but with some bigger tires its hardly noticable.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

So you're saying that my RWD square still has a wider travel path in the front than the rear? That's pretty neat,,I've never noticed.
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Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

Well I got her cleaned up, pictures to follow. Needs brake work(adjustment or replacement or ?) as it pulls to the right when you push on them, other than that I'm going to try to figure out what the motor is out of and get a new hood, headlight bezel and marker light.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

Brakes probably need adjusted. Mine also pulls to the right when I brake, I think the drums need adjusted, but I'm not too worried about it.

Post pics asap :)

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

I don't think the rear drums would have much to do with the pulling to one side. Normally, that is caused by worn out brake lines on the front.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

Does the truck have a rpo code sticker im the glovebox still. That can answer a lot of questions. If is there still, snap a picture of it and post it.
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Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

They all pull to the right under hard braking. Its the way the steering is designed (4X4 only)...

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

Good information, I thought my truck was screwed up too :lol:

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

The truck, whether 4x4 or not, should not pull to the right when the brakes are used. Something is definitely wrong.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

I have never heard of such a thing. What sense would that make?

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

If the suspension is stock.When you brake hard the axle moves a little bit closer to the steering box making the wheels turn slightly to the right.

If you are lifted it makes the wheels move to the left. Has to do with push pull steering and the way stock and lifted springs are arched.

It's called brake steer.
Fast forward to 3 min 15 sec. BRAND NEW BLAZER.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

It was still messed up. My truck, even lifted, brakes just fine and stays in a straight line. Something is wrong in the braking system, for sure, if it pulls one way when braking.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

I am not sure why the front axle would move to the right when braking.. never heard of such a thing.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

The axle doesnt move to the right..It moves forward due to the arch of the stock spring.

The steering box is located forward of the axle so if you move the axle forward the wheels will turn to the right. The steering shaft off the pitman arm does not expand or contract.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

Heres some pics and I still need to do something with the brakes. And it needs a tune-up bad so next weekend is already full of things to do.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...33470758_n.jpg
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...61588389_n.jpg
http://hphotos-iad1.fbcdn.net/hphoto...71770385_n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...62277691_n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...13695777_n.jpg

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

Sorry.. went back and reread that. Must have scanned over it too quickly. Got it now, hard braking causing the front suspension to squat.... cycles the suspension.

Re: Bought a square body, have a few questions...
 

That truck is awesome :D It has the criteria to make a perfect truck... 4x4, big block, stick!