Axle/Suspension help...71' Camper

[nicke]

Hey guys...what do I have here? This is my new 71' Chev 3/4 ton Camper special. What rear end is this? I can't identify thins setup?
What improvements can and should I make if I want to keep it at stock height?

Thanks!

[special-K]

what you have there is an HO52 Corporate rear.They get called Eatons because they supplie the 3rd member.I can`t tell you what it needs to improve without knowing what you need out of it.It hasn`t needed any improvement yet .You have the auxilary springs as well as coils.I guess new coils wouldn`t hurt.

[capev86]

if it is a camper special....it should have the 2750 lb rated (per side) HD option rear coil springs. my 3/4 ton burb only has the standard 2000 lb rated units (optional on the 1/2 ton) and i plan to upgrade to the HD units eventually. its the only way to go if you pull big trailers or haul pickup campers.....hate that rear sag look.....give me some rake in my ride!!

[Blazer1970]

Isn't that truck supposed to have a Panhard bar, or am I missing something? Or is that truck missing something?

[nicke]

I dont think the truck is missing anything. Does anyone else have pics of a 71" C20 3/4ton Camper Special?

[john]

Actually your truck should have a tracking bar to keep the sway out. Between the frame and diff.

[BAGNDRAGIT]

yep your tracking bar is missing.....

[nicke]

You guys are awesome! I would have never known. I wil try to track one down!

Good eye!

[capev86]

classic performance products carries poly bushings for the track bar on the 3/4 ton trucks for like $20.....i made the mistake of buying the ones that lmc truck carries (1/2 ton only). the rear trailing arms use the same bushing at the head end for both 1/2 and 3/4 ton models. all the rubber on my 72 burb is cracked and i am upgrading rather than shell out tons of money for stock rubber.....thinking long term here (as well as best performance). cpp carries both poly and regular bushings for the track bar for both 1/2 and 3/4 ton. for the 3/4 ton the price is the same regardless of material....no brainer to go to poly!

[Longhorn Man]

custom camper
a 71 camper special is a ford truck

[nicke]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

custom camper
a 71 camper special is a ford truck

Correct. It is the Custom Camper.

[nicke]

Whare would I go about finding one of these "tracking bars"?

Is it called something else?

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by capev86

classic performance products carries poly bushings for the track bar on the 3/4 ton trucks for like $20.....i made the mistake of buying the ones that lmc truck carries (1/2 ton only). the rear trailing arms use the same bushing at the head end for both 1/2 and 3/4 ton models. all the rubber on my 72 burb is cracked and i am upgrading rather than shell out tons of money for stock rubber.....thinking long term here (as well as best performance). cpp carries both poly and regular bushings for the track bar for both 1/2 and 3/4 ton. for the 3/4 ton the price is the same regardless of material....no brainer to go to poly!

Make to use a lot of that special lube that is like snot. If not, those poly bushing will squeek badly like my sway bar bushing did when I failed to lube them.

[Longhorn Man]

its called a panhard bar.
You can get a used one from the auto wreckers
a used one from the parts board on this site
a new adjustable unit from many vendors
I would advise not driving it till you get that replaced. You are stressing the trailing arms, the mounts, and the bushings pretty bad, and it should be feeling pretty loose back there. (been there done that)

[nicke]

Ok, I have been able to source a few of them for my application. My question is:
Will the same bar work for the 3/4 ton as the 1/2 ton?

Thanks!

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

custom camper
a 71 camper special is a ford truck

LHM, question related to the Ford vs. Chevy ongoing battle... My uncle has a '67 F-250 camper special. He keeps claiming that his truck is way better than a 67-72 Chevy/GMC... Give me some ammo for the next time I talk with him. How are our truck superior?

[mr48chev]

I think that argument got started less than an hour after the first Chevrolet pickup drove past a Model T pickup back then. And it's been going on ever since.

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I think that argument got started less than an hour after the first Chevrolet pickup drove past a Model T pickup back then. And it's been going on ever since.

Yeah, and somehow Dodge never really even fits into the equation. They've had some great trucks (periodically) throughout the years, but are always kind of the red headed step child...

That aside, I'm waiting for Andy to come back with some good stuff on the rivalry thing.

[71tahoe]

Also looks like the upper panhard mount might need some repair and what's up with the driver's side helper spring?

[nicke]

Originally Posted by 71tahoe

Also looks like the upper panhard mount might need some repair and what's up with the driver's side helper spring?

Not sure I know what you mean. Why is it there? or Does something look wrong it?

[71tahoe]

Originally Posted by nicke

Not sure I know what you mean. Why is it there? or Does something look wrong it?

The upper mount should have 2 holes instead of one hole and what looks like an irregular chewed-out slot. I'm not sure if anything is wrong with the helper spring, just that it doesn't look like the other side. Looks like the strike plate is broken off maybe.

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by 71tahoe

The upper mount should have 2 holes instead of one hole and what looks like an irregular chewed-out slot. I'm not sure if anything is wrong with the helper spring, just that it doesn't look like the other side. Looks like the strike plate is broken off maybe.

Man, that's a good catch! Looking at that picture, I think you're right. Now here's the big question: What the HELL did someone do with this truck that would cause all of this? Jump it maybe?? You couldn't possibly overload it enough to do that kind of damage... I don't think anyways...

I'd say you need to really have a look at that truck and make sure there are no other problems that could cause a safety concern... Better to address them now rather than later.

[nicke]

Nice work guys. The weird thing is that it drives very well. Once I get that track bar in there, I will go through the rest of it. Probably new shocks, maybe new springs.
I am also contemplating putting a lift on it. For me, the extra ground clearance is practical.

[capev86]

my dad put 3/4 ton coils on the back of his 72 burb 1/2 ton in the 80's because the springs were sagged. his truck had the helper springs but didn't need them after the upgrade....even with our heavy 71 holiday trav'ler hitched up. the helper springs are a neat idea, but thats a lot of extra weight and parts under the back of the truck. i'll be upgarding my 3/4 ton burb with the HD option units at some point. i will take a little extra stiffness all the time for the sake of simplicity vs helpers or air springs.