Leafs to trailing arms

[legends]

I would like to change my leaf spring 71 to trailing arms so i can run bags on the rear. Does anyone sell just the bracket that goes on the crossmember to support the front of the trailing arm? It looks to me like the crossmembers are the same, The leaf spring crosmember has holes for the brackets.

[TireSmoke420]

im sure they are the same. im planing on doing same thing. most auto manifacturers use the same frame for all trucks 1/2 to 3/4 and maybe even 1 ton not sure though. its a price thing for them cheaper for them to use all the same frames just with different suspensions on them.

[68LSS1]

I doubt you're going to find anybody that sells new brackets. You can find trailing arm parts but mostly those are meant for cars that go around in a circle and usually have some adjustability. Some of the parts we can use. You can get adjustable brackets at SCP but you'll need two left hand sets. The reason they sell a right and a left is because the l/h have up/down adjustments and the r/h brackets are slotted for in/out. Having said all that take a look at their l/h brackets as I think you could definitely mod them to work and they are pretty cheap. A link might be nice, huh? Or whenever I get around to removing my cross member I will be selling it. But I have lowered the mounts one set of holes and welded them on per the Hot Rods to Hell kit. The reason I'm getting rid of it is I want more adjustment and got a ECE unit from Brothers to modify.

[Joe67]

If you're going to bag the truck, checkout the custom brace setup from Early Classic

[68C15]

I did the same excact thing 3 years ago. I found a truck box trailer & robbed all the parts. the X members are the same. those brackets are there to spread the load. you may be OK by boxing the frame if you cant find the brackets.

[legends]

Thanks for the advice so far. I guess i wasnt real clear in my original post. the brackets im referring to are the locating mounts for the front of the trailing arms. The front bolt of the trailing arm goes through this bracket. I have trailing arms and a crossmember from a donor truck but I thought it would be easier to just add the brackets to my existing leaf spring crossmember rather than removing the whole crossmember from my truck and the donor truck.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by legends

Thanks for the advice so far. I guess i wasnt real clear in my original post. the brackets im referring to are the locating mounts for the front of the trailing arms. The front bolt of the trailing arm goes through this bracket. I have trailing arms and a crossmember from a donor truck but I thought it would be easier to just add the brackets to my existing leaf spring crossmember rather than removing the whole crossmember from my truck and the donor truck.

It would be easier. You'll need to find someone parting out a truck that will remove those brackets for you (place an ad in the parts section) or you might try early Classics & see if they'll sell just the brackets w/o the entire c-member. You'll also need the coil spring shock/frame reinforcement c-member as well.

For what it's worth, I like the Early Classics c-member. It's definitely solid & well built.

[fade94]

Originally Posted by legends

Thanks for the advice so far. I guess i wasnt real clear in my original post. the brackets im referring to are the locating mounts for the front of the trailing arms. The front bolt of the trailing arm goes through this bracket. I have trailing arms and a crossmember from a donor truck but I thought it would be easier to just add the brackets to my existing leaf spring crossmember rather than removing the whole crossmember from my truck and the donor truck.

Where are you located? I have a complete 69 parts truck with coil rear.

[SCOTI]

If he's not interested, I need that rear shock/frame reinforcement crossmember that's riveted @ the coil mount area. I've got everything else for my leaf to coil conversion, just missing that.

PM & let me know what you have . . .....
Thanks, Scot

[legends]

Im in PA. I have everything i need, just a matter of moving it from one truck to the other. Looks like a lot of rivets to grind off. Thanks for all the help.

[StingRay]

A good air chisel with about 150 psi behind it will pop the heads off in a jiffy. If necessary you can drill the rivet head out and then even a wimpy chisel can knock it off. Use the air chisel with a pointed chisel to drive em out.

[fade94]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

If he's not interested, I need that rear shock/frame reinforcement crossmember that's riveted @ the coil mount area. I've got everything else for my leaf to coil conversion, just missing that.

PM & let me know what you have . . .....
Thanks, Scot

Bed still on truck. This truck is a long bed, will that make a difference on what you need? I am going to be cutting this frame down to a short bed and putting my 71 stuff on it. UNLESS SOMEONE HAS A SHORT FRAME THEY WANT TO TRADE FOR PARTS???

[SCOTI]

The parts are the same long or short. They're just located in different spots on the frame.

I need the crossmember only (for the shocks).