GMC '64 build brought back from the dead? Big booboo

[Palf70Step]

Good to see you are going to bring the old girl back to life.

[Bradydz]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Good to see you are going to bring the old girl back to life.

Thank you very much!


Well, I dropped off my control arms, bushings, and ball joints at my cousin's work. He works in a diesel mechanic shop so he has all the right tools to get the job done! I helped start one but he had to head back to work and told me he'd spend some time on them when he gets off. Got a picture of him steam washing the arms before we started. Man does that work great!



Hope to hear back from him today! He may get the ball joints in too, at least get the old ones out. Hoping he will press the lowers in as I don't have a press. I can handle the uppers if he cuts the rivets out. Cant wait to get the POR and paint and get this thing swapped, brake lines next after I get it painted!

[Captainfab]

Running those longer axles really isn't a good idea. The wheel bearings may or may not be riding on a sufficient area of the axle. Then your brake shoes will not be making full contact with the drums. You will also have dirt, gravel. etc. getting inside your rear drums. I would strongly suggest the correct length axles. You will have to either buy the conversion axles, or have the original ones plugged and drilled to 5 x 5". But only modify the original axles if the wheel/axle bearing surfaces are in excellent condition.

[Bradydz]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Running those longer axles really isn't a good idea. The wheel bearings may or may not be riding on a sufficient area of the axle. Then your brake shoes will not be making full contact with the drums. You will also have dirt, gravel. etc. getting inside your rear drums. I would strongly suggest the correct length axles. You will have to either buy the conversion axles, or have the original ones plugged and drilled to 5 x 5". But only modify the original axles if the wheel/axle bearing surfaces are in excellent condition.

Thank you for reading through and giving me some advice. I wasn't sure if it'd be okay to run them or not, I just couldn't find any posts about it other than one other person saying they had done the same thing. I'll have to check with him and see if he's ever had any issues?
It does appear that it has enough surface to ride on, but the shoes was also a concern of mine. as well as the dirt comment.
I'll find out from a local shop how much it will be to fill and drill my 6 lug axles. Thank you for watching out!