Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[glock35ipsc]

Was that around the battery cable? If so, yes, you can do away with it. I had the same thing on my engine. It's gone now.

[fpjr0]

yes,, ok so I guess my harness its all finish and good looking lol. by the way how do you take pics so you can easy up load them with out having to many size problems?

[glock35ipsc]

Use a hosting site, like photobucket.com or something similar. Upload your photos there, then copy and paste the address they give you into your post. Uploading them to a hosting site will usually resize them to what mine are in this thread. Bigger ones will be a little smaller, just the right size to post. Smaller ones will stay the same. I set my camera to 640x480 resolution to take general pics.

[glock35ipsc]

OK, somebody stop me!!!!!!! I've been sitting here this morning comparing frame drawings and dimensions between a 67-72 frame and a 73-87 frame. I have this crazy thought to convert Fred to a 67-72 trailing arm rear suspension........

[Driveway Dreams]

That would be really cool and probably would not be too too hard either.

[glock35ipsc]

The width of the frame where the trailing arm crossmember would go is about 2" wider on my truck than the 67-72. That shouldn't be a problem and can be worked around. I have my 68's old frame that still has the crossmember in it, a real nice set of trailing arms, and a spare housing that has the trailing arm mounts on it. All I would need is an adjustable pan hard bar, fab a set of upper coil spring mounts, and the coil springs.

Advantages of doing it would be a better ride quality (IMHO, having owned and driven both), an inexpensive way to lower it and not lose any payload capacity since the lowering coils maintain that and only cost about $100/pair, and one more cool factor!

[menace121978]

man... the wheels are turning in someones head this morning!

i think the quote in your sig has driven you off the edge Bob!

[glock35ipsc]

Hahaha, I think you might be right!!

[nlped]

DO IT!!!! Plus it would provide a great location for air bags in the future. Really good load capacity then, and fantastic ride quality .

[djracer]

I love the trailing arms. It kills me when folks take them out for ladder bars and such. I think it would help you get the new found power to the ground. If you don't plan to go super low you can use coilovers instead of instead of coil springs. I usually do this to my trailing arm trucks.

[glock35ipsc]

I'm with you Kevin. Anytime I hear people talk bad about trailing arms I always think of your Pass Time video and the guy questioning the stock suspension. I LOVE the ride of trailing arms, and how they put the power down.

I've been pouring over pictures for the last 30 minutes of both trucks and cannot see where this should be too big of a deal other than exhaust, and that's fairly easy to work around. I'm also thinking I can use the Suburban frame to do a mock-up of this to see what issues I might come up against.

[joe231]

Several guys on here have converted, and I think CPP even makes a kit. I have been hoping Porterbuilt would make a conversion. I have been throwing around the idea for sometime, just haven't followed through with it.
The trailing arms are better for cornering also. There is a white truck online that has been converted and is used in road courses.
I'll see if I can find the link.


http://www.classicperform.com/tech_a...iling_Arms.htm

[glock35ipsc]

Oh sweet!!! Thanks! I wish their pictures were bigger, but that will be some great help.

[joe231]

Try this one
it might be better
http://www.classictrucks.com/tech/08...kit/index.html

[glock35ipsc]

CPP's conversion kit is $609 without the trailing arms, or $1199 for a kit with arms. Not bad I suppose, but other than the panhard bar, I have everything I need to do it.

Oh yeah, much better pics. Thanks!!

[joe231]

Yeah
my plan was to rob all the stuff from one of the 63-66 frames sitting in the field at my wife's uncle's place, super cheap, just some metal work.

[glock35ipsc]

Oh yeah, I'm doing this!!!!

[joe231]

[menace121978]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

Oh yeah, I'm doing this!!!!

ut oh! where's the popcorn!!??!!

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

The width of the frame where the trailing arm crossmember would go is about 2" wider on my truck than the 67-72.

I got this from comparing the two frame drawings that I have, but all the info I have found so far say they are the same width. It looks like it will mount just barely ahead of where the tank switching valve is located.

Lets see, I have:

Trailing arms
T/A cross member
Lower shock brackets
Used coil springs
Coil spring clamps/plates
T/A u-bolts (new)
Upper shock mounts and cross member

I'll need:

New trailing arm bushings and bolts
Adjustable track bar
Build upper spring perches
May as well do a C-notch while I'm there, I have plenty of pipe

Looks like I should gather up some parts to use as barter material.......

[rongstad]

Bob,

Youre killin me; I haven't even cracked a wrench on my 86/6.0 install and here you go...addin to my to-do list...

[djracer]

This should be good! I didn't know that anybody made a kit. I'd like to stress test those tubular arms.

[joe231]

Have you guys seen the PB trailing arms and crossmember?

[glock35ipsc]

Yes, and they are bad a$$!

[joe231]