Truck arm rear suspension

[bluex]

Anyone put a 67-72 rear suspension in a 73-87?

I ran across a conversion kit on CPP's site, but not pics or info, just a $1200 price.

Here is one from hotrods to hell...

http://www.hotrodstohell.net/in_the_works/hillbilly.htm

Looks like there kits run around $2000

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by bluex

Anyone put a 67-72 rear suspension in a 73-87?

I ran across a conversion kit on CPP's site, but not pics or info, just a $1200 price.

Here is one from hotrods to hell...

http://www.hotrodstohell.net/in_the_works/hillbilly.htm

Looks like there kits run around $2000

Wouldn't be that hard since they share the same frame rail spacing. Just find an old truck arm donor and either transfer over all the parts or do a back half frame swap similar to what people do to make a long bed into a short bed.

If you did it right you could put the leaf spring stuff back on the donor rig and sell it off to recover some or all of your investment.

I see them as truck bed trailers every now and then for $150 to $300.

[N2TRUX]

There was a thread going in the suspension section on this topic. Do a search there and see if it pulls up. If not I will try to locate it later.....

[Damien]

here ya go. I've been watching this for future reference.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=364043

[2tons of fun]

do it,

pick up a scrap $200 truck and scalp all the rear stuff of it.

63-72

[bluex]

Thanks guys, thats a great thread with lots of good info. I couldnt find it b/c I was searching for truck arms and not trailing arms.


Now I've got something else to add to the list of things to do. Check the other thread for the article on the CPP kit. It dosent seem like a bad price for everything it includes.


68 TT, that was exactly what I was thinking.....


now to find a cheap truck.....


Any difference in arm length between long and short bed??

[joe231]

Originally Posted by bluex

Any difference in arm length between long and short bed??

nope, they are the same length

I have been thinking about doing this conversion for some time. We have a '66 with coils in the rear, and I really like how it rides and handles. I think I can even get all the stuff for free. My wife's uncle has several 64-66's sitting in his field
pretty sure the trailing arm cross member will need to be modified to fit the newer frame, shouldn't be bad though.....

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by joe231

nope, they are the same length

That is good to know. I plan on turning my long bed C-10 into a short bed. Glad to know I don't need to mess with the truck arm stuff too.

[westofb]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

That is good to know. I plan on turning my long bed C-10 into a short bed. Glad to know I don't need to mess with the truck arm stuff too.

3/4 tons are the same too, but the trailing arms are re-enforced to make them stronger.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by westofb

3/4 tons are the same too, but the trailing arms are re-enforced to make them stronger.

How are they reinforced? Any pics of the two for comparison?

[bluex]

http://www.classicperform.com/Videos/Videos.htm

Look at the bottom screen on the lower left. The video is titled '79 C-10 Truck. Pretty nice.

I'm planning a call to CPP tomorrow, I'll see if I can get anymore info on the truck. I'd like to know how much drop the springs on it are. I know those modular spindles are 2". According to the article they used a 3" spring in back, but the video dosent say what spring was used up front. Love that stance on this truck and it corners so flat....


Install article on the kit:

http://www.classicperform.com/tech_a...iling_Arms.htm

[andrewmp6]

For 2 grand you can get a bolt on air bag 4 link from ride tech.

[bluex]

Ya, but then I'd need an air management system, and I'd want to do the front too and im in it for 4-5k by the time its all done.

I'm thinking with a used set of arms, new bushings and some powdercoat on those and the CPP kit (-arms is 609) and could bring the trailing arm setup in for under a grand and be done....

[bluex]

Originally Posted by bluex

Ya, but then I'd need an air management system, and I'd want to do the front too and im in it for 4-5k by the time its all done.

I'm thinking with a used set of arms, new bushings and some powdercoat on those and the CPP kit (-arms is 609) and could bring the trailing arm setup in for under a grand and be done....

Just got off the phone with CPP.

Kit is designed for 63-72 arms and will work with a stock set of arms.
The truck in that video uses their modular brake kit with a 2" drop spindle
They also used a 2" drop spring up front for 4" total.
Their rear arms have no drop built into them
and the truck has 3" 63-72 drop coils in the rear, or can use any other drop or stock spring for those years.

I'm thinking you will get another 2-3" drop out of the swap due to the axle being located on the top of the arms, so this truck would have a 4/6 or so drop from stock.


Now I just need some arms and 6 bills.....

[Conundrum]

I'm pretty sure I seen a magazine tech article where they were installing the cpp kit on a mid-late 70s short bed. I believe it was classic trucks, probably 3 years ago, I would try and find it but i'm pretty sure it got left behind when I moved back from Michigan.

[2tons of fun]

the 3/4 tons are clad with a additional 1/8" plate on the top and bottom.

i will have a set of half tons that i dont need, hit me up if you want to work out how to ship them.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by 2tons of fun

the 3/4 tons are clad with a additional 1/8" plate on the top and bottom.

i will have a set of half tons that i dont need, hit me up if you want to work out how to ship them.

I already have the 1/2 ton truck arm stuff in my C-10. I can just reinforce the arms with some 1/8 flat stock like I do with car trailing arms then to beef them up. No big deal.

My 67 body will be going onto the 78 K20 chassis and the 78 body will be going onto the 67 C-10 truck arm chassis. Both are long beds but the 78 will become a short bed eventually. The wheel base of the 78 body is a little longer than the 67 so a little frame modification will be needed on both rigs.

[bluex]

Originally Posted by Conundrum

I'm pretty sure I seen a magazine tech article where they were installing the cpp kit on a mid-late 70s short bed. I believe it was classic trucks, probably 3 years ago, I would try and find it but i'm pretty sure it got left behind when I moved back from Michigan.

It is linked in this thread on post #7.

Also linked in the thread in post #4 in the suspension forum.

[softballnrd27]

I plan on doing the same thing as well to my 85. There are quite a few trucks in the pull a part yard that I can pick from so I will go that route and hopefully keep the cost under $300

[78-5.3]

what advantage is going older truck coil and trailing arm!????

[joe231]

Originally Posted by softballnrd27

I plan on doing the same thing as well to my 85. There are quite a few trucks in the pull a part yard that I can pick from so I will go that route and hopefully keep the cost under $300

if your yard is anything like ours here, if you buy a piece at a time you will probably get it quite a bit cheaper

Originally Posted by 78-5.3

what advantage is going older truck coil and trailing arm!????

the ride is way smoother, traction is better, and the cornering and handling are better also. You can adapt bags or coil overs rather easily also. Makes for a nice corner carver....
I believe there are guys running 9's and 10's in the quarter mile with the stock arms.

[softballnrd27]

Originally Posted by joe231

if your yard is anything like ours here, if you buy a piece at a time you will probably get it quite a bit cheaper



the ride is way smoother, traction is better, and the cornering and handling are better also. You can adapt bags or coil overs rather easily also. Makes for a nice corner carver....
I believe there are guys running 9's and 10's in the quarter mile with the stock arms.

That is the whole reason for me. I have seen some fast trucks launch really hard with that suspension set-up. I can get a good suspension for next to nothing and be able to go from strip to street duties rather easily.

[KQQL IT]

leaf springs and cal trac bars have done 8's on 10.5 tires on a hoosier drag radial

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

leaf springs and cal trac bars have done 8's on 10.5 tires on a hoosier drag radial

I have Cal-Trac's on my Camaro and have run them on several other cars. They work fantastic for drag racing on a leaf spring vehicle but just aren't meant for the street if you want to go fast around corners. The Camaro gets terrible oversteer if I hit a bump going around a corner.

They don't let the rear end articulate like it needs to so the vehicle has good street manners. Most guys who run them on the street and track back off the link bar so they have a pretty good gap at the front pivot bolt when they take the car on the street. This diminishes their straight line capabilities quite a bit. It only takes a minute to make the change but for something like CPP's truck doing auto-x the Cal-Trac bar just won't behave well. Truck arm is far superior here.

[Pyrotechnic]

What are the options for exhaust with the truck arms ? My mufflers are just ahead of the rear axle, seems they would be in the way of the arms ? Never seen the exhaust on a stock 67-72 but imagine the mufflers have to be ahead of the trailing arm crossmember ?