AD on S10 chassis, what are you doing to fix the front track?

[drptop70ss]

I have a couple AD trucks with junk frames and planned on doing S10 chassis builds for both of them. Looking at some of these projects on S10 setups show the front track is way too narrow for an AD. What are you doing to fix that, offset wheels or spacers or both? Anyone have pics so I can see how the track looks once it is set correctly?

[av8tr33337]

Most guys use 2 inch spacers up front. But some just leave it alone. I think I saw one guy who used crome reverse wheels which I think don't have much back spacing so they looked fine. I might add that they usually go with a 4wheel drive rear end becaus they are closer to the AD rear diff length. I'm using a camaro rear which is close to the AD rear length as well. I plan to run 2 inch spacers up front.

[drptop70ss]

Ok, so 2" up front, does the 4x4 rear take care of the spacing on the rear so that no spacers are needed? What about the explorer 8.8 rear I see is also popular?

[av8tr33337]

Originally Posted by drptop70ss

Ok, so 2" up front, does the 4x4 rear take care of the spacing on the rear so that no spacers are needed? What about the explorer 8.8 rear I see is also popular?

Not sure on the explorer, but somebody will chime in. And yes the 4WD s10 or blazer rear is, if I recal correctly, whithin an inch or so of the AD rear diff. I believe 60 inches is what you are looking for from mounting surface to mounting surface.

There is a website that has all of the chassis dimensions with drawings that makes it really easy to compare stuff. I'll see
if I can hunt it down and reply here again.

[av8tr33337]

I think this will answer some of your questions.
Look through this for your AD truck specs

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...esto/index.htm

Then look here at about page 51 for your s10 specs.

http://www.gmupfitter.com/publicat/p..._Truck_pgs.pdf

I'm sure ford has something as well if you search "ford truck chassis specs"

Enjoy and goodluck

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by drptop70ss

I have a couple AD trucks with junk frames and planned on doing S10 chassis builds for both of them. Looking at some of these projects on S10 setups show the front track is way too narrow for an AD. What are you doing to fix that, offset wheels or spacers or both? Anyone have pics so I can see how the track looks once it is set correctly?

Michigan Metal Works makes some COOL a-arms for this specific frame swap!
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=571968

[drptop70ss]

Extended arms look very cool, possible but most likely will go with spacers to keep the budget reasonable.

Bartman thanks for all the info, I will post up a build or two once I get going. Gotta do a truck, just did these two cars over the last two years.

[av8tr33337]

Originally Posted by drptop70ss

Extended arms look very cool, possible but most likely will go with spacers to keep the budget reasonable.

I agree. If your not going to bag it keep it simple.

[av8tr33337]

[QUOTE=drptop70ss;6182676]Extended arms look very cool, possible but most likely will go with spacers to keep the budget reasonable.

Bartman thanks for all the info, I will post up a build or two once I get going. Gotta do a truck, just did these two cars over the last two years.

Nice are they on stock chassis or s10?

[mr48chev]

I'd think that the simple thing would be to go with a reverse wheel that has enough offset to compensate for the narrow track of the S-10 front end. Even if you scrounged up a set of old crusty rusty chrome reverse wheels and sandblasted and painted them and put hub caps on them the cost difference between that and the extended A frames would keep things closer to the original budget. If you are dead set on running a certain wheel with no extra offset and the budget allows for it the extended A frames would be a lot better than the wheel spacers.

[msaintg]

you also have to take into consideration the ride height that you want. I chose to do a static drop on my truck, so I had to keep the 40mm reverse offset rims that came on my 4x4 blazer. I ended up having to put 2" spacers on the REAR... even though it is a 4x4 rear axle. the only other solution would be to run wheels with different offsets in the rear vs front.... but that translates into a lot of money (very few rim styles come in multiple offsets without running lots of money)

[Atommik]

I used 4X4 rear and 2" spacers and 2" spacers in front. I'm using 86 Camaro rims, 8".

There's a couple of pics near the end of my build thread that show the wheel fit pretty well.

[drptop70ss]

[quote=av8tr33337;6182680]

Originally Posted by drptop70ss

Extended arms look very cool, possible but most likely will go with spacers to keep the budget reasonable.

Bartman thanks for all the info, I will post up a build or two once I get going. Gotta do a truck, just did these two cars over the last two years.

Nice are they on stock chassis or s10?

Thanks, 37 Buick is on S10, 47 cadillac has a G body clip.

I have a set of drop spindles if needed but I normally dont use them, I want to keep the suspension close to stock and then channel the cab and bed over the frame to get the ride height I want. I think I can get the look I want keeping the stock stuff, and the most maybe I will need 2" blocks on the rear to level things out. Not a lot of stress up front so I dont think spacers are a big deal but in the back I do not want to run them. I am not sure what wheels I will run yet, depends on what I have on the shelf.
Once I get an idea of what size wheel and tire I am using in the back I will mock them up and see what width rear I will need to use no spacers and then find something that works, could be GM or Ford, whatever will make it work.

Atommic your truck looks great, stance is pretty close to what I want, maybe a little lower in the rear but the front looks to be what I am looking for. I will look through your build and check it out. Are you running stock rear leafs and are there any drop blocks on there?

I have to look into the extended front A arms some more to see what the total cost will be vs the gain. I assume they need aftermarket brakes as well. I try to stick with factory parts for easy replacement if there is a problem away from home. Looking at their website I cant figure out what set of arms are the extended ones to look into them.