63 3/4ton control arm swap

[PLYONS11]

I have completed the conversion to a 1/2ton 12bolt coil setup in the rear and now I am moving to the front. Currently I have coil springs in the rear, but will likely bag it sooner or later. I did a 4-5" drop in the rear.

I have read through many threads about control arms and swapping a later model cross member in. I don't know that I want to go to all that trouble. Though I like to save money, my time is also at a premium and it seems easier to just buy new parts. My junk yards here aren't the best. It took me almost a full year to find a 71' 12 bolt locally. I just don't have the time to constantly be hiking around junk yards to find the whole cross member from a later model truck.

I would like to buy new drop spindles and a disk brake conversion kit to go from 8 bolt to 5 bolt to match the rear. I have also considered tubular control arms (still on the fence). I would like to have a setup that I can easily get replacement parts for. My major question is are the control arms on the 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton the same set up? Will the tubular control arms from CPP or others bolt to the 3/4 ton?

I spoke with CPP about this and they said that the control arms on a 3/4 are different than the 1/2 and they wont bolt on. The guy told me he was not aware of any company that made a set of control arms that would work. His advise was to just use the stock arms that I have and buy drop spindles to match. I'm not completely opposed to that, but as I have spend the money on a tubular setup in the rear, I figured I might want to make it match up front. Also not sure that I can put bags on the 3/4 ton setup.

I guess what I'm looking for is an answer to this: If I don't want to replace the cross member but will be replacing everything outwards of the CM, what do I need and is it possible to buy all aftermarket parts without going crazy expensive? I have looked at Porterbuilt, but that seems to get a bit pricey for me when looking at the whole setup with tubular control arms. I'd like to keep it under 2500 for everything including the disk brake conversion, but less the airbags. For the time being I would like to drive the truck lowered with coil springs and see how it feels.

The front disk conversion I would like to find will include slip on rotors and be compatible with some type of wildwood caliper. I am using the dynalite setup in the rear as I currently don't have a parking brake. I believe the rear caliper is a D154?

[Captainfab]

the only way that you could perform your conversion without changing the suspension crossmember would be to weld on the saddles needed for a typical round lower control arm shaft. This would have to be done very precisely, otherwise you will never get the front aligned correctly.

There was a member here on the forum that said that the C10 disc brake lower balljoint will fit the C20 lower control arm if the hole is opened up slightly. Something like a sanding drum/flap wheel on a die grinder would work. But that does not allow you to use any other control arms other than stock '63-'66 C20 lower control arms.

I could sell you a stock C10 crossmember, but I'm sure the shipping would be high. Maybe someone closer has one.

[PLYONS11]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

the only way that you could perform your conversion without changing the suspension crossmember would be to weld on the saddles needed for a typical round lower control arm shaft. This would have to be done very precisely, otherwise you will never get the front aligned correctly.

There was a member here on the forum that said that the C10 disc brake lower balljoint will fit the C20 lower control arm if the hole is opened up slightly. Something like a sanding drum/flap wheel on a die grinder would work. But that does not allow you to use any other control arms other than stock '63-'66 C20 lower control arms.

I could sell you a stock C10 crossmember, but I'm sure the shipping would be high. Maybe someone closer has one.

Would the 305v6 engine mounts work with the c10 crossmember? If I remember correctly the bottom bolts of the engine mounts bolt to the crossmember? I also believe I read that it could be replaced/swapped without pulling the engine as long as I supported the engine with a hoist from the top. Is that correct? Aside from the fact that the later model parts are more readily available and likely less expensive are there any other advantages to be gained by swapping the crossmember? If I chose to just buy a drop spindle specifically for the c20 that utilizes the factory ball joint would the geometry all work in a lowered stance? Or am I not understanding your post and you are saying that none of these parts are made? For some reason I feel like I've seen a drop spindle for the c20, but I can't remember where. I just did a quick search and I can't find it now.

Captain I want to take a minute to thank you for all your knowledge and time spent listening to my questions and offering so much advice. This is by far my biggest/most in depth project I have even taken on automotively speaking. The people on this forum are just awesome. I'd still be searching the Internet for my millions of questions and would have completed no progress without you guys!

I've made the commitment and already invested a fair amount of time and money in this project so I want to see it to completion and get my grandfathers truck back in the road, but knowing what I know now I would have just kept it original or bought a C10 to start with. Every time I finish something in converting this thing to a half ton I run into another hurdle.

[Captainfab]

I honestly don't know about the V6 engine mounts as I have not had any experience with those other than removing them. Yes I have seen/heard that the crossmember can be changed with the engine in place, but it just seems much more difficult that just pulling the engine and having the room you need to do the job correctly. Of course to me, pulling an engine in one of these older trucks is quite simple and can be done in a few hours.

Changing the crossmember does not change the geometry in a lowered stands. What changing the crossmember does, is allow you to use a lower control arm other than a stock '63-'66 C20 lower control arm. Which is what I thought your goal was.

Yes there are dropped spindles for the C20's, but as far as I know you will be stuck with an 8 lug wheel. Also I do not know if there is a dropped spindle that will accept the '63-'66 C20 lower ball joint. That would be something to check with a spindle manufacturer or seller about.

The one and only C20 that I was involved with in converting to a C10, we changed the entire front suspension, including the crossmember.

Originally Posted by PLYONS11

Would the 305v6 engine mounts work with the c10 crossmember? If I remember correctly the bottom bolts of the engine mounts bolt to the crossmember? I also believe I read that it could be replaced/swapped without pulling the engine as long as I supported the engine with a hoist from the top. Is that correct? Aside from the fact that the later model parts are more readily available and likely less expensive are there any other advantages to be gained by swapping the crossmember? If I chose to just buy a drop spindle specifically for the c20 that utilizes the factory ball joint would the geometry all work in a lowered stance? Or am I not understanding your post and you are saying that none of these parts are made? For some reason I feel like I've seen a drop spindle for the c20, but I can't remember where. I just did a quick search and I can't find it now.

Captain I want to take a minute to thank you for all your knowledge and time spent listening to my questions and offering so much advice. This is by far my biggest/most in depth project I have even taken on automotively speaking. The people on this forum are just awesome. I'd still be searching the Internet for my millions of questions and would have completed no progress without you guys!

I've made the commitment and already invested a fair amount of time and money in this project so I want to see it to completion and get my grandfathers truck back in the road, but knowing what I know now I would have just kept it original or bought a C10 to start with. Every time I finish something in converting this thing to a half ton I run into another hurdle.

[PLYONS11]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I honestly don't know about the V6 engine mounts as I have not had any experience with those other than removing them. Yes I have seen/heard that the crossmember can be changed with the engine in place, but it just seems much more difficult that just pulling the engine and having the room you need to do the job correctly. Of course to me, pulling an engine in one of these older trucks is quite simple and can be done in a few hours.

Changing the crossmember does not change the geometry in a lowered stands. What changing the crossmember does, is allow you to use a lower control arm other than a stock '63-'66 C20 lower control arm. Which is what I thought your goal was.

Yes there are dropped spindles for the C20's, but as far as I know you will be stuck with an 8 lug wheel. Also I do not know if there is a dropped spindle that will accept the '63-'66 C20 lower ball joint. That would be something to check with a spindle manufacturer or seller about.

The one and only C20 that I was involved with in converting to a C10, we changed the entire front suspension, including the crossmember.

That is/was my goal, but the more I learn about it the more I question it. My issue is more or less that of space and neighbors that don't exactly share my enthusiasm for cars and restoration. I have limited space and already have 5 vehicles at my home. With my limited time and lack of knowledgable friends to help with the project I was trying to avoid pulling the engine. Plus, I've pulled many engines and put them back in, but never on a manual. I know very little in that regard. To take on that project would require me to free up space in my garage and move cars to the street which the hoa frowns on. I would likely not be able to complete this is a weekend on my own.

I guess I'll check on the drop spindles and see if any will work the the 63 lower ball joints and also see if I could use a 5 lug. If not, I guess I'll just bite the bullet and do the crossmember swap. The neighbors and HOA will just have to deal with it!😆.

Just out of curiosity, what do you think you could sell/ship me a crossmember for? Ive yet to find one at a local yard (just started today) and car-part doesn't have an option to search for a front suspension crossmember.

I'm totally assuming here, but I bet the 305 mounts would work. The reason I assume that is because I have seen a few guys that did that swap and then swapped a BBC and mounts in. I also talked with another member on here that was able to put BBC mounts on his truck with only minor frame trimming and was using a stock crossmember from a 64 I believe. I have Mary some York my bad assumptions in the past tho...........

[Captainfab]

With a manual trans in these trucks, you can leave the trans and bellhousing in place in the truck. If you don't turn the engine after it is out, or turn the trans input shaft. it should slide back together fairly easily. It may be easiest if you remove the engine mounts from the engine before removing the engine and reinstall after the engine and trans are bolted back up.

I would have to check on the shipping cost of a crossmember. I know it won't be cheap. Shipping a 40lb wheel to California is about $40.00. I know a crossmember weighs a bit more than that, plus you're farther away.

[chevy_mike]

Early Classic Enterprise makes a drop spindle that converts a 3/4 ton to a half ton (5 or 6 lug) spindle/brake combo. You can keep all your stock suspension, ball joints, steering parts, etc. This would be the easiest way to go.