1962 C40 milk truck suspension upgrades ?

[wutnxt]

So here is my Question for those of you guy's that have messed around with the C40's ...

I know a crossmember swap in the C10's is no big deal in a 62 C10 ....But does the same go for a C40 ? Can I swap a C30 cross member in and does anyone know what works ? The C40 has a torsion bar set up that I want to lose and I want to add power steering / disc brakes /air bags that kinda thing . I was just wondering if someone has do it or tried it and what slides in nice and easy . Before I started hacking I thought i would give this a try....you guy's here have always been a step ahead of me anyhow....lol
( sets the Timer to see how long it takes Bomp to find me )

[Clyde65]

I would think it would be the same. Nice project too!

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

I would think it would be the same. Nice project too!

I have a felling it is....I had hoped someone would show up and say oh ya use a 67-87 crossmember drill 2 holes and bobs your uncle....lol. I am being lazy and looking for someone who has done the leg work already

[Mathew21]

Awesome project. Please keep us updated with progress.

[jtrichard]

If you want to stay with the duels later C30 member should be your answer .... You might want to go single C20 and later rear axle also then you could put some pretty wide tires on the rear (you have the tubs) just a thought

[franken]

I see 5 lugs on the front, and a C30 will be 8, so you then need 2 spare tires.

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by franken

I see 5 lugs on the front, and a C30 will be 8, so you then need 2 spare tires.

Ya well I will swap out a same kinda year bolt pattern...I have a P30 outside but it has a straight front axle and thats not the way i want to go . But ya what ever the pattern upfront i want to try and keep front and backI wanna run some Alcola's

[jtrichard]

Good catch on the lugs another reason to change both front and rear with either later C20 or C30 ..... With the C40 rear you will most likely run into brake problems trying to match up front disc,rear C40 and power master

[LVPhotos]

I would give the guys at Porterbuilt a call. If not bagging, I would keep the bars and go to a one ton spindle while swapping to year specific ball joints. But as far as brakes, I was shopping for upgrade or bigger brakes for my one ton and the 4500 series trucks run the same brakes. Are the bars larger than the 10 and 20 series?

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by LVPhotos

I would give the guys at Porterbuilt a call. If not bagging, I would keep the bars and go to a one ton spindle while swapping to year specific ball joints. But as far as brakes, I was shopping for upgrade or bigger brakes for my one ton and the 4500 series trucks run the same brakes. Are the bars larger than the 10 and 20 series?

Not a job for Nate and the boys.....I have bagged probably 40 c10s done a bunch of crossmember swaps in the c10s .I just havent messed around with the C30's or C40's....if it goes like i think it wouldn't be a big deal. But i have been wrong more then once in the past lol. The torsion bars look about the same size but they do look way longer.....

[wutnxt]

If you want to stay with the duels later C30 member should be your answer .... You might want to go single C20 and later rear axle also then you could put some pretty wide tires on the rear (you have the tubs) just a thought
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I will be keeping the dually part for sure....swap in a rear disc brake set up is my plan....

[jtrichard]

I would go with later C30 front and rear as you should be-able to upgrade to rear disc pretty easily .... then you will have duels that you can get AL wheels for and better ratio and parts availability

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by jtrichard

I would go with later C30 front and rear as you should be-able to upgrade to rear disc pretty easily .... then you will have duels that you can get AL wheels for and better ratio and parts availability

Ya for sure....I was planning on just buying a rear disc brake rear end...lots of the newer duallies have rear disc brakes now

[andyh1956]

I think the later rear axles with disc brakes will have a metric pattern & won't match the SAE pattern hubs from a '91 back c30 that you will be getting the crossmember from. I think I'm right.

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by andyh1956

I think the later rear axles with disc brakes will have a metric pattern & won't match the SAE pattern hubs from a '91 back c30 that you will be getting the crossmember from. I think I'm right.

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Well played Sir....I hadn't considered that ....

[andyh1956]

I don't know what the cut off date / truck model would be but I know they changed- some research is in order! Something ELSE to do!

[Ronzo]

The mystery deepens, also good info.

[Captainfab]

I'm not sure just how the C40 is setup. The C40 is a bit rare. I am assuming it has 20" wheels? My '63 C60 has 20", 10 lug wheels front and rear but only 5 wheel studs on the front. I know that some of the '60-'62 medium duty trucks has an independent front suspension, but it is different than a C10-30. I'm not sure how the C40 falls into that. I would measure the frame width at the front suspension and compare to a later model. If it is the same, then I would definitely go with a '71-'87 C30 front suspension.

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I'm not sure just how the C40 is setup. The C40 is a bit rare. I am assuming it has 20" wheels? My '63 C60 has 20", 10 lug wheels front and rear but only 5 wheel studs on the front. I know that some of the '60-'62 medium duty trucks has an independent front suspension, but it is different than a C10-30. I'm not sure how the C40 falls into that. I would measure the frame width at the front suspension and compare to a later model. If it is the same, then I would definitely go with a '71-'87 C30 front suspension.

Thanks for any and all help.....

[wutnxt]

Anyone know what the deal is on the camper specials front cross members ?....are they 1 ton ?..help ?

[wutnxt]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I'm not sure just how the C40 is setup. The C40 is a bit rare. I am assuming it has 20" wheels? My '63 C60 has 20", 10 lug wheels front and rear but only 5 wheel studs on the front. I know that some of the '60-'62 medium duty trucks has an independent front suspension, but it is different than a C10-30. I'm not sure how the C40 falls into that. I would measure the frame width at the front suspension and compare to a later model. If it is the same, then I would definitely go with a '71-'87 C30 front suspension.

measures 28" outside to outside thae same as the 66 Camper special cross member i have does

[wutnxt]

Okay so these are the A arms off the 66 camper special....bottom arms note the flat control arm shafts . Now if that 66 camper special infact has a 1 ton crossmember in it in theory i could use that with the a arms and swap out the upper and lower ball joints to run what ever year of spindles i want to use .....right ?

So looking under the C40 right now the lower a arms sure do look alot like the camper special ones...granted i haven't held them up or measured them but they look to mount the same . I know i want to loose the torsion bars...I know i want discs ....i know i want power steering.....i know i want alcoa wheels .....So..your all smarter then me where does this out us ?...

I want to use it for a shop truck to haul parts around with leave it patina ish...load stuff back and forth to the car shows we do . Thinking coils when i put it together then bag down next year .I want the boys to have fun building something for the shop....Budget mostly free using stuff we have lol ...ya i have that stroker motor in my office it makes me smile when i look at it everyday.

[wutnxt]

Okay update :
Just measured the frame rails where the cross member goes in and it's 28" wide...

So i happen to have a 1965 Camper Special front cross member which apparently measures 28" as well so ...it's getting closer . Now the next question is what the heck is a camper special it's not a C20 cross member it's differnt does it have a 1 ton cross member in that ?...

[aerotruk63]

According to the parts book there's a 63-66 C10 cross member and then there's a 63-66 C20 - C30 cross member. So the 3/4 and 1 ton shared the same cross member.
Now are you going to go with a donor truck to get the disk brakes as well?

[andyh1956]

Does a milk truck go fast enough to NEED disc brakes???
OK found this:
2010 and older GM 2500/3500 trucks are 8x6.5"
2011+ GM 2500/3500 SRW trucks are 8x180mm
2011+ GM 3500 dually trucks are 8x210mm
This is un-confirmed info from an interchange manual I looked at the junkyard today.
So looks like you are looking for 1973-1991 3500 drw front suspension & 2010 back to 1st yr w/ disc brake dually rear axle. By the way how many cows you gonna run? I think you'd be better off with an Ice Cream Truck!