trailing arms

[JW76]

CPP has a new trailing arm conversion kit for 63-87 chevy trucks (shortbeds only) They do not have one for long beds. Does anyone make a kit for longbeds? My truck is an 86. Thanks for any help

[JW76]

Can you just take that kit and move it more towards the rear of the truck. For example, can you locate the crossmember that the trailing arms bolt further towards the axle so that the arms are long enough or will this mess us all the geometry?

[Pyrotechnic]

Your best bet would be to get in touch with them, and ask what the differences are. Could possibly be that they've never installed one on a longbed and thus aren't going to make any claims that it will work.

[JW76]

I called CPP and the tech guy says yes it will work with the long beds. He said that the extra length in the frame between the short and long beds is mostly after the rear wheels. HOWEVER, the instructions say trailing arm kit (short bed)... designed for short bed... and will now work with two piece driveshaft...... therefore, I don't know who or what to believe

[JW76]

I have to laugh, I see what people mean about CPP. First time I called I was told that it would not work on a long bed. Then I called tech service and was told it would work. Then I read the article and was confused because it specifically says that it will not work. I called back again and talked to another person who said it definitely will work but that there is another part that is needed to make it work with the two piece driveshaft. I'd like to believe him, but to make sure I got the number of the engineer at CPP who has supposedly installed it on a long bed. I am going to call him to get the last word.

[JW76]

It is confirmed. CPP sells a trailing arm conversion kit for long and shortbed trucks 1963-1987. It is a brand new item and should be in their new catalog coming out soon. There is a video on their site that shows the 1979 truck they just completed and there are also installation instructions.

[N2TRUX]

I am curious why you want to convert? It certainly has it merits, but it won't be cheap.

[JW76]

The CPP truck with the trailing arms performs really well. I am trying to build a truck the performs really well at the track and on the street. Their build seemed to do that. My initial idea was to get split mono leafs and caltracs which would cost me about 700 dollars. I then looked up the tailing arm setup and it is 1100 dollars. I would eventually like to set it up with coilovers. It is something different and I am under the impression that it will be much better than the monos and caltracs at cornering and it would be much smoother.

[N2TRUX]

Just wondering. I assumed it was for better handling, but wasn't sure. You really are taking on a challenge wanting a LWB to be a corner carver. Good luck with it...

[JW76]

Thanks. It should be a fun project.

[thirdstreettito]

A 67-72 setup might work, a little modding and it would probably be really easy.

[JW76]

The trailing arms for the 67-72 trucks are the same ones that the kit supplies. The crossmember is the only thing that might be different. Are the 67-72 truck frames the same width/height as the 73-87 ones so that you could swap the 67-72 crossmember in?