3/4-ton LWB to 1/2-ton SWB- Shorten or Swap?

[CircusWagonJim]

The last time I did this 10 years ago I happened to have both a long bed with a nice cab and a short bed with a junk cab and rebuilt chassis. Now I have a 3/4-ton long bed with leafs in the rear and wonder should I shorten this frame and add trailing arms? Keep the leafs and flip the rearend? Or swap to a short bed frame? Can you just add 1/2-ton spindles and brakes to the 3/4 ton or are the control arms different? Trying to go the simplest route since the truck is together and running. When I swapped before neither had any running gear and the short bed frame had already been gone through with a drop kit and disc brakes added- it was a no brainer just to swap. Thanks Jim

[special-K]

The last one I did I back-1/2'd the 3/4t frame and fabbed a 4-link. That was a pro-street build but would be a way to go for a cruiser,too. Finding a short frame would sure make it simple. By the time you get the trailing arm stuff and swap it after shortening you'll have a chunk of work. Probably lowering with springs would be the simplest. Lots of options/combinations...flip,longer shackles,drop spring mounts,drop leaves.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by CircusWagonJim

The last time I did this 10 years ago I happened to have both a long bed with a nice cab and a short bed with a junk cab and rebuilt chassis. Now I have a 3/4-ton long bed with leafs in the rear and wonder should I shorten this frame and add trailing arms? Keep the leafs and flip the rearend? Or swap to a short bed frame? Can you just add 1/2-ton spindles and brakes to the 3/4 ton or are the control arms different? Trying to go the simplest route since the truck is together and running. When I swapped before neither had any running gear and the short bed frame had already been gone through with a drop kit and disc brakes added- it was a no brainer just to swap. Thanks Jim

The upper a-arms are the same.
The 3/4 ton lower a-arms have a bigger ball joint hole.
Either find some 1/2 ton lower a-arms or buy ECE's conversion drop sprindles.
(they allow you to install 1/2 ton rotors and calipers,... without changing anything)
I would try to locate a swb coil spring frame.