convert a 1971 c30 dually into a srw front

[1971c-30]

ive got a 71 c30 and am wanting to replace the dually front end with a single rear wheel front end ... make sence ? basically ive got some nice 8 lug wheels id like to put on the truck but they are singles not offset duals.. i all ready swapped out rear ends but not sure what i need for the front... can i get some 3/4 ton front hubs off something and swap them off mine... use my spindles and a 3/4 hub ? any info would be a great help... worst case i go to the junkyard and start pulling what i can find...but dont really want to spend the time and waste the money on stuff that isnt going to work.....

[tkeduk8r]

As far as I know you can use the 3/4 ton stuff and it will work just fine. Just make sure you use the 71-91 parts. I'm sure others will chime in with their expertise as well.
Mike
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[1971c-30]

i didnt know if they were the same parts.... i figured 73-88 or so but wasnt sure... thanks for the help.. anybody else know for sure ?

[old Chevy guy]

Im almost 100% positive the control arms and the ball joints are the same. Im not so sure the spindals and the brakes are the same,but its posible just the rotors are diffrent. They have the big spacer for the bud wheel but I think the rotor face is in the same place as is the bearings and the nut. Ill tell you what though,I have what you need if the spindal is diffrent. I have a 71 C20 with single wheel front that Id like to run the bud wheels on to match the duals I have in the back. Maybe we could work out a parts trade. At any rate if your rotors are good I would be interested in buying them if you take them off.

[1971c-30]

mine are good... i will have to see if i can find a same era truck c20... if so i would sell you my stuff...

[old Chevy guy]

I just looked up Ball joints upper and lower and they are the same c20 & c30

[old Chevy guy]

I have all the parts for same era C20

[1971c-30]

well if you were alittle closer id say we could just swap out parts....

[old Chevy guy]

The calipers are cheap to buy new. I have an extra disk brake set up from a 71 c20 but I'm sure the calipers are no good anymore so I could send you the spindals and Id have to look to see if the part the caliper hangs on is a seperate part or not but what ever it takes I could send that too in trade for your rotors. Let me look at what I have tomorrow. I also have a 3500 GMC for parts and it has the bud wheel set up minus the rotors and I can compare the parts. My truck is off the road right now so you could set your brakes up and send me the rotors when its all said and done. I just need the rotors I have everthing else already. Think about it I'll post what I have for parts tomorrow. If nothing else I'll be able to tell you what you need .

[1971c-30]

i am game....take a look... i think the hub should slide right on the spindles...and use the same calipers..see what you can find out.... mine is a daily driver so i need it to be right...

[kwmech]

You have to use all 3/4 ton stuff. Spindles, hub/rotor assy and calipers. Ball joints are the same and so is the outer tie rod

[1971c-30]

okay , well there we go.. thanks for all the help...

[1978 GMC Plowboy]

Does your truck have drums in the front? If so I'd be interested in buying the dually hubs off of you.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 1978 GMC Plowboy

Does your truck have drums in the front? If so I'd be interested in buying the dually hubs off of you.

A '71 would be disc brake.

[superwade57]

Sorry to dig this up but... my brother has a 71 single wheel c20 he wants to conversation to a dually. What does he need to swap in the front to use the correct offset wheels?

[kwmech]

Did you read this at all?

Dually spindles, hub/rotor assy and calipers. Even the bearings and seals are the same. 1971 thru what 1991 on the 1 ton. Go to the wrecking yard and find a square body dually, rob parts

[superwade57]

Please excuse my ignorance captain condescension. I did read all of it. Its a lot parts trading and info. I was looking to clarify. I can pull the hubs, with caliper and cage off and slide it right on his 71 c20? Install an axel nut and offset bud wheels?

[kwmech]

Originally Posted by superwade57

Please excuse my ignorance captain condescension. I did read all of it. Its a lot parts trading and info. I was looking to clarify. I can pull the hubs, with caliper and cage off and slide it right on his 71 c20? Install an axel nut and offset bud wheels?

No, your reading comprehension owns you
read it again, and it not a lot of parts trading, 3 per side SPINDLE, HUB/ROTOR assy, CALIPER

[viking427]

A a side note, for 72 and earlier, both 3/4 and 1 ton used a 1.25" thick rotor with 2 9/16" dia. caliper pistons. Starting in 73, the 1 tons could come ordered with the JB8 (or JD8) option - which got you a 1.50" thick rotor and 3 1/16" dia. piston calipers. On these larger JB8 1 ton brakes, the spindle was different only because these thicker rotors used the heavy duty "wedge" style calipers, rather than the "2 pin" style calipers found on the 3/4 and 1/2 ton vehicles. You could swap out the DRW ("dually") rotors on these and swap in a SRW JB8 (1.50" thick) rotor, and everything else was the same - the difference was solely in the depth of the DRW rotor. I only mention this because some people want the larger 70-80's JB8 brakes in a SRW package in their earlier 67-72 3/4 & 1 ton trucks, and also give more options if you're hunting down parts. The lower control arm and ball joint for the 3/4 and 1 tons are different from the 1/2 ton for these years (73-87).

Ill leave it to the experts above on the swap'ability of strictly 67-72 brake parts b/n C20 - C30.

[superwade57]

Thanks Viking that's good info. Re kwmech I'm not against the work I was referring to the confusion caused in this thread by all the sell me this ill ship you that "classified ad" type garbage