'62 K10 rear shocks: should I stagger/offset them? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Brad54 · 10-10-2017, 11:29 PM

Couple things running through my mind about the rear suspension on my '62 K10 project (I can't actually start on it for a while, so I'm brain-building it)

The rear shocks are set up so they limit side-to-side motion (wide at the bottom, meet more in the middle of the cross member at the top).
Modern trucks have the rear shocks set up running fore and aft, with a mount on the housing and one shock leaning forward to the frame mount, the other shock leaning backwards to the upper frame mount. This helps combat axle wrap.

Has anybody done that conversion to their early K-series trucks?

-Brad

b454rat · 10-11-2017, 06:50 AM

With a stiff as those springs are I dont think need to worry bout axle wrap.

Brad54 · 10-11-2017, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b454rat

With a stiff as those springs are I dont think need to worry bout axle wrap.

I'm going to swap in longer springs front and rear--I plan on using the truck as my daily driver, and I'd rather not piss blood because the springs killed my kidneys on a road trip!

GenIII has longer springs on his '63, and said axle-wrap is a bit of a problem for him, so I was wondering if staggering the shocks would solve that.

-Brad

BILT4ME · 10-24-2017, 02:06 PM

I had a 60 K10 that had the stock shock locations. Axle wrap was an issue, but because of the 6" tall block between the spring and the top of the axle housing.

I'm not sure if the 62 is the same, but if so, it doesn't matter where your shocks are, you'll get massive axle-wrap with the block.

I ended up building ladder bars for mine because I was running 375 HP with a manual and 33" tires.

FYI, on the later years with the repositioning of the shocks, the right side of the trucks would always crack the frame and the RR side would sag. I'm sure it is related to the "twisting" action it causes because the shock action would create a twist on the axle housing, rotating the RR rearward more than the left side. (not rotationally about the axle shaft, but about a vertical centerline rotating CW/CCW based on shock resistance....

Hopefully that makes sense....

10-10-2017, 11:29 PM	#1
Brad54 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 1,458	'62 K10 rear shocks: should I stagger/offset them? Couple things running through my mind about the rear suspension on my '62 K10 project (I can't actually start on it for a while, so I'm brain-building it) The rear shocks are set up so they limit side-to-side motion (wide at the bottom, meet more in the middle of the cross member at the top). Modern trucks have the rear shocks set up running fore and aft, with a mount on the housing and one shock leaning forward to the frame mount, the other shock leaning backwards to the upper frame mount. This helps combat axle wrap. Has anybody done that conversion to their early K-series trucks? -Brad __________________ '61 Suburban daily driver: off the road due to 180-pound 8-pt buck! '62 K-10 long-step project '61 C30 Camper, aka "Valdez" There's no cool like Old School

10-11-2017, 06:50 AM	#2
b454rat Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 3,469	Re: '62 K10 rear shocks: should I stagger/offset them? With a stiff as those springs are I dont think need to worry bout axle wrap. __________________ 2000 GMC CCSB 454/4L80 6” lift SAS 1999 Chevy CCSB 454/NV4500 4” SAS 1999 GMC Yukon 350/4L60 6" SAS

10-24-2017, 02:06 PM	#4
BILT4ME Registered User Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 267	Re: '62 K10 rear shocks: should I stagger/offset them? I had a 60 K10 that had the stock shock locations. Axle wrap was an issue, but because of the 6" tall block between the spring and the top of the axle housing. I'm not sure if the 62 is the same, but if so, it doesn't matter where your shocks are, you'll get massive axle-wrap with the block. I ended up building ladder bars for mine because I was running 375 HP with a manual and 33" tires. FYI, on the later years with the repositioning of the shocks, the right side of the trucks would always crack the frame and the RR side would sag. I'm sure it is related to the "twisting" action it causes because the shock action would create a twist on the axle housing, rotating the RR rearward more than the left side. (not rotationally about the axle shaft, but about a vertical centerline rotating CW/CCW based on shock resistance.... Hopefully that makes sense.... __________________ 1970 GMC K2500 Dis-use is harder on a car than mis-use.



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