upper and lower A-arms? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

sgtjed · 03-17-2003, 01:12 AM

i got a 72 front cross member and was wondering if just the a-arms will bolt to the 70 cross member?
reason is,is that i need to rebuild the 72 ones and the 70 ones are shot too.
it is cheaper to buy the 72 bushings than it is for the 70,plus the 72 bushings are rubber vs the steel bushings for the 70. so i figure i would get a better ride.

also i really dont want to change the whole cross member if i dont have to,since i gonna do it in my driveway.

crazy longhorn · 03-17-2003, 10:32 AM

Yes, you should be able to bolt the later arms on your crossmember. if they have rubber bushings, they are 73 up tho.....the 67- 72s were all steel bushed. Also the 71-72 had the same part# on balljoints & tierods, but the 73 up had a different upper balljoint, & outer tierod end. (taper was different on the pins), so you need to know which yr spindle you have when you order parts. good luck,crazyL

**COBALT** · 03-17-2003, 12:01 PM

Doesn't he have to worry about making sure he's going from 1/2 ton-to-1/2 ton, or 3/4 ton-to-3/4 ton? I didn't think they were interchangeable.

crazy longhorn · 03-17-2003, 12:58 PM

Yes, that is correct....1/2 to 1/2, & 3/4 to 3/4. I saw C10 in the sig......& didnt think any farther! From what i have seen, the upper a arms will bolt in either a 1/2, or 3/4 ton balljoint. the loweres are differnt tho.....the hole size is larger in the 3/4 ton arm(for the ball joint). also, on the 3/4 tons, the 73 up retained the steel bushings in the a arms, while the 73 up 1/2 ton went to rubber bushings. The balljoints & tierod ends are also different fron 1/2 to 3/4 ton, as are the spindles/rotors. 71- 87 should be the same pcs on the 3/4 ton, but the 1/2 ton went 71-72, then 73-87. My 1st post was geared toward a 1/2 ton swap, so steel bushed arms on the 73 up ARE 3/4 ton! Thanks for brining that up Cobalt

crazyL

sgtjed · 03-17-2003, 02:54 PM

thanks for the info,i suspected the front end i got was a 73 and up as the proportioning valve was on the frame and not on the master. but it is a 1/2 ton front end.

what i was going to do was take the a-arms,centerlink and tie rod ends from the donar and swap it onto my cross member as i suspected they were the same. i figure since i have no way of suspending the motor,it would be easier to rebuild the new stuff and just swap it out with the old.

so when i order the bushings for the 73 and up a-arms,any year will work from 73-up? also the same on the tie rod ends?

crazy longhorn · 03-17-2003, 07:47 PM

I dont think you will run into any diff on the bushings from 73-87, but they do list a heavy & lite rotor(heavy is 1.250, & lite is 1" thick). You may check with the parts counter guy on any diffs in balljoints & tierod ends, depending which setup you have. good luck, crazyL

03-17-2003, 01:12 AM	#1
sgtjed What if? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Choctaw,Oklahoma Posts: 649	upper and lower A-arms? i got a 72 front cross member and was wondering if just the a-arms will bolt to the 70 cross member? reason is,is that i need to rebuild the 72 ones and the 70 ones are shot too. it is cheaper to buy the 72 bushings than it is for the 70,plus the 72 bushings are rubber vs the steel bushings for the 70. so i figure i would get a better ride. also i really dont want to change the whole cross member if i dont have to,since i gonna do it in my driveway. __________________ 2002 red extended cab Silverado 2002 Wheatland yellow Suburban

03-17-2003, 12:01 PM	#3
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Doesn't he have to worry about making sure he's going from 1/2 ton-to-1/2 ton, or 3/4 ton-to-3/4 ton? I didn't think they were interchangeable. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

03-17-2003, 02:54 PM	#5
sgtjed What if? Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Choctaw,Oklahoma Posts: 649	thanks for the info,i suspected the front end i got was a 73 and up as the proportioning valve was on the frame and not on the master. but it is a 1/2 ton front end. what i was going to do was take the a-arms,centerlink and tie rod ends from the donar and swap it onto my cross member as i suspected they were the same. i figure since i have no way of suspending the motor,it would be easier to rebuild the new stuff and just swap it out with the old. so when i order the bushings for the 73 and up a-arms,any year will work from 73-up? also the same on the tie rod ends? __________________ 2002 red extended cab Silverado 2002 Wheatland yellow Suburban Last edited by sgtjed; 03-17-2003 at 02:57 PM.

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03-17-2003, 10:32 AM	#2
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	Yes, you should be able to bolt the later arms on your crossmember. if they have rubber bushings, they are 73 up tho.....the 67- 72s were all steel bushed. Also the 71-72 had the same part# on balljoints & tierods, but the 73 up had a different upper balljoint, & outer tierod end. (taper was different on the pins), so you need to know which yr spindle you have when you order parts. good luck,crazyL

03-17-2003, 12:58 PM	#4
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	Yes, that is correct....1/2 to 1/2, & 3/4 to 3/4. I saw C10 in the sig......& didnt think any farther! From what i have seen, the upper a arms will bolt in either a 1/2, or 3/4 ton balljoint. the loweres are differnt tho.....the hole size is larger in the 3/4 ton arm(for the ball joint). also, on the 3/4 tons, the 73 up retained the steel bushings in the a arms, while the 73 up 1/2 ton went to rubber bushings. The balljoints & tierod ends are also different fron 1/2 to 3/4 ton, as are the spindles/rotors. 71- 87 should be the same pcs on the 3/4 ton, but the 1/2 ton went 71-72, then 73-87. My 1st post was geared toward a 1/2 ton swap, so steel bushed arms on the 73 up ARE 3/4 ton! Thanks for brining that up Cobalt crazyL

03-17-2003, 07:47 PM	#6
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,402	I dont think you will run into any diff on the bushings from 73-87, but they do list a heavy & lite rotor(heavy is 1.250, & lite is 1" thick). You may check with the parts counter guy on any diffs in balljoints & tierod ends, depending which setup you have. good luck, crazyL



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