Trailing arms
 

My truck came with leaf springs and I want to convert to trailing arms so I can drop on springs and later in the future, bags. I've read that i can use my existing rear crossmember, add the brackets, track bar, and shock mount crossmember.

Does this sound right?

Anyone got a source for old trailing arm takeoffs?

Re: Trailing arms
 

Remove the existing spring pads on the rear-end housing.. New ones go on at angle. Don't forget to set pinion angle before welding.

Re: Trailing arms
 

Truck arms are easy for doing the coil to bags swap for dropping. It's also pretty easy to get the same rear drop (as a dropped coil) w/the leaf set-up by simply doing a flip kit on the rear.

As far as used/take-off rear truck arms..... sites like this work well sourcing used parts, but you'll need to be a 'subscribing/supporting member' to place an ad for what you're trying to find.

Re: Trailing arms
 

I have one old trailing arm in perfectly good condition that I have not gotten around to selling.... but I'm in NJ.

Re: Trailing arms
 

Classic parts has the axle seats that are cut at the right angles to use with trailing arms.

https://classicparts.com/chevy-gmc/t...ear-axle-seats

The good thing with them is that they will stick them in the smallest priority mail box they will fit in or will send you a bunch of small pieces in a priority mail box and that might help you quite a bit with shipping.

They do have tubular trailing arms but they aren't inexpensive. https://classicparts.com/chevy-gmc/t...lar-black-pair

Plus a number of different height rear coil springs.

Then you still need the U bolts, hardware to connect the trailing arms to the crossmember and a rear sway bar.

Personally, I would just flip the axle on top of the spring and forget the bags.

Re: Trailing arms
 

I would not use a Truck Arm that's a solid tube construction (round or square) with fixed ends.

The originals were I-beam construction (allows for some flex/twist) w/rubber bushings @ the front end (also allows for some flex). Remove that 'flexibility' & you now have bind.

Tubular arms should have a flexible joint @ the leading end to allow for some non-binding rotation.