'87 front suspension.

[Brownsquare]

I've got an '87 GMC R1500 that's had a tough life. It's an original rust belt truck and the front suspension crossmember has rust holes around the DS spring pocket. I want to eventually lower the truck, but don't dare until I take care of this sketchy situation.

You would think that these would be ultra common considering how many 2wd half tons they made over the years, and how many were discarded when converting to 4wd, yet I can't seem to find a good one anywhere. Nobody seems to make an affordable (as in dirt cheap!) aftermarket that will accommodate the stock suspension arms and I can't afford to do a full aftermarket front-end.

My only other option seems to be patching up my rotten one, but I don't feel good about that either.

Suggestions? Thanks!

[Big Chip]

I can tell you from experience that it almost never pays to take the cheap way out. Short of finding some junkyard control arms for next to nothing I would suggest saving up for some good tubular arms so you can do it once and be done.

[SCOTI]

I suggest a trip down South @ some point. You could prob get an entire stock crossmember assembly for ~$250. So whatever the expenses are added to that depending how far the trip is.

[1957 Chief]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I suggest a trip down South @ some point. You could prob get an entire stock crossmember assembly for ~$250. So whatever the expenses are added to that depending how far the trip is.

What Scoti said. I have prolly 4 sets of stock upper and lower control arms here at the house that are in excellent condition. Just takin up room. But now that I have a shop, I have turned in to a hoarder of c10 parts. I don't throw anything away...

If you were closer, id give em to you.

Bubba

[Brownsquare]

I sure appreciate that Bubba! I wish I were closer too! More than likely I'll end up getting something shipped up here. The funny thing is my arms aren't bad really, it's just the crossmember. I'll have to call around and see what I can find. Thanks guys!

[Big Chip]

What happened to the crossmember?

[Brownsquare]

Rotted out really bad. I scooped handfuls of scale out of the plated area on the bottom, and the area on the driver's side that holds the coil spring is rotted through to the point that I think it's bent...the DS front of the truck sits lower than the passenger side. In short, that crossmember is toast!

I actually found an entire frame with axles and everything from an '86 that's only 20 miles from home, but at the moment I don't have a way to get it here. I'm kind of between daily drivers at the moment and nothing has a trailer hitch.

[Mathew21]

Originally Posted by Brownsquare

I've got an '87 GMC R1500 that's had a tough life. It's an original rust belt truck and the front suspension crossmember has rust holes around the DS spring pocket. I want to eventually lower the truck, but don't dare until I take care of this sketchy situation.

You would think that these would be ultra common considering how many 2wd half tons they made over the years, and how many were discarded when converting to 4wd, yet I can't seem to find a good one anywhere. Nobody seems to make an affordable (as in dirt cheap!) aftermarket that will accommodate the stock suspension arms and I can't afford to do a full aftermarket front-end.

My only other option seems to be patching up my rotten one, but I don't feel good about that either.

Suggestions? Thanks!

I see your location says Wayland as in Wayland, Michigan? If so check out Light truck parts u pull yard in Kalamazoo. I haven't been there in a while but they had quite a few square body trucks the last time I was there. I'm just outside of Detroit I have seen plenty of good crossmembers in the u pulls around me. I bought a loaded crossmember a few years ago from one of them I think they charged me $125.00.