Cheapest and Easiest 5 lug conversion???

[J.Cagle]

What is the cheapest and easiest way to get 5 lug? Kinda thinking of adding 5 lug so I can run some 5 spoke torque thrust style wheels. And maybe add power steering and power brakes down the road. Seems having 5 lug would make everything easier. Thanks, Jared

[72freak]

Buy a cheap 71/72 donor truck, use what you want and scrap the rest. I have what you need for $350 just waiting to be picked up.

[Captainfab]

Cheapest and easiest depends on just what year truck you have. If you have a '65 or '66, then the conversion axles are the easiest IMO. Then you just need the '71 to about '75 drums.

[brokenspoke]

I used 70 axles that I had a machine shop shorten 3/4 inch on each end.....cost me $75.00...then used the 70 drums...on the front just get 72-86 I/2 ton spindals, disk and upper and lower ball joints...bolts on....then the same years master cyl with new brake lines...cost me under 300.00 total

[J.Cagle]

my truck is a '64 c1o 2wd. Does that mean I have to replace the whole rear end?

[kieth]

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

my truck is a '64 c1o 2wd. Does that mean I have to replace the whole rear end?

I just had a local machine shop drill the axles out for the 5 x 5 be careful if you go looking for 5 x 5 axles, some are different lengths than my 66 with coil springs were........

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...13173619_4TK8C

Look closely at the above picture you can see the old 6 lug pattern and one of the 5 lug bolts actually overlapped one of the old studs.......

[Captainfab]

No you don't have to buy a complet new rear end. If your rear end is the original '64 12 bolt, it will have 17 spline axles and correspponding spider gears. That means that if you decide to purchase the 5x5 conversion axles, you will also have to purchase new spider gears. This is because the conversion axles, as well as all production 12 bolt truck axles from '65 and up are 30 spline.

You don't have to go that route. If you are lucky enough you might find a '71 or '72 12 bolt from a C10. That would be a bolt in swap except for the panhard bar. That will require a little tweeking to the '65-'72 panhard bar. You can also look for a '73-'87 rear end. That will require some cutting and welding to install. Either way, the '71-'87 truck rear ends are going to be 1-1/2" wider than the rear end under your truck now.

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

my truck is a '64 c1o 2wd. Does that mean I have to replace the whole rear end?

[kieth]

Watch out when buying your wheels, I picked up a great deal on a set of 17" cragars, $600.00 with wheels and tires, they were 5 x 4 3/4 instead of 5 x 5....now we are drilling the front hubs, rotors, and the rear axle to match them up.....my bad....don't make the same mistake I did....Kieth

by the by I bought a 91 burb for $600.00 used the whole front crossmember to change to 5 x 5 disc brakes, the master cyclinder, the tilt wheel, the power steering pump, a 700r4 and a 350 TBI engine, I think that makes the cost a lot lower overall. Kieth

[J.Cagle]

Originally Posted by kieth

by the by I bought a 91 burb for $600.00 used the whole front crossmember to change to 5 x 5 disc brakes, the master cyclinder, the tilt wheel, the power steering pump, a 700r4 and a 350 TBI engine, I think that makes the cost a lot lower overall. Kieth

Wow, that would be the way to go. I may know where a whole truck is that has everything but the motor. I can prob get it for a couple hundred bucks. How hard was the front cross member to swap? The only thing I wouldn't really want to do is swap in the new tilt column. Any way I could keep the factory column and steering wheel? Or at least the stock wheel?

[J.Cagle]

Thanks for all the help so far guys!!!

[badblu97]

You can definitely keep you stock steering wheel and column, but you need wo either cut and weld the steering shaft, of CaptainFab sells a joint that bolts the two together if you dont have access to a welder. You actually don have to change the whole crossmember, just have 73-87 balljoints installed in your current control arms. There has been some talk I have seen that the u-bolts wont match or are different diameters between the years if you are thinking of just changing the control arms. I did just the balljoints, then did the spindles and all from the 73-87. if you can get the whole truck, or at least the front clip, get it all. Change the whole steering assembly, tie rods and rag joint, as I think CaptainFab said to make it easier. You can use the booster and all. either way, get ahold of CaptainFab and he can make the transition a ton easier!

[fleetsidelarry]

J.Cagle, check out this link:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=443871

it's in the '60-'66 Faq Index, which you might want to look at for other cool stuff

[J.Cagle]

Thanks! I will have to check that out while I am not at work and have more time to read it all. Leaving my stock crossmember and just swapping a few parts sounds more appealing to me!

[kieth]

Your stock front end has smaller bearings, axles, etc than the later model stuff does, one advantage to staying with the stock stuff though is that you do not widen the front end. The 73-87 pickup or up to 91 burb front crossmember widens the front end 3/4" per side and in some instances this causes clearance problems on the front end.

[myoldblue63]

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

What is the cheapest and easiest way to get 5 lug? Kinda thinking of adding 5 lug so I can run some 5 spoke torque thrust style wheels. And maybe add power steering and power brakes down the road. Seems having 5 lug would make everything easier. Thanks, Jared

you could buy a set of wheel adapters. they bolt on to your existing hubs and adapt from a 6 lug to a 5 lug pattern. i would only recommend this as a temporary fix until you get the money to change out axles. i have personally used them eventhough some people don't trust their durability. i never had any problems with them. i think they are pretty affordable too.

[kieth]

The 6 to 5 lug are hard to find and expensive, not problem 5x 5 to 5 x 4 3/4 but that pesky 6 lug pattern is a bit challenging.....

[J.Cagle]

Hmm, so many choices. I am still on the fence if I want to swap everything or not. I guess it all depends on wether I find a cheap donor truck or not. I am also wanting to put in a t-5 5 speed with my I-6 to make it hiway friendly. That may come before power steering and brakes.....

[J.Cagle]

Are the chevy full-size conversion vans the same crossmember as the trucks??? I found a running and driving one with a 350/ rebuilt 700r4 combo. $1000. Talk about a good packaged deal if it would work!

[karlbenz]

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

Are the chevy full-size conversion vans the same crossmember as the trucks??? I found a running and driving one with a 350/ rebuilt 700r4 combo. $1000. Talk about a good packaged deal if it would work!

I do believe the vans are wider.

[Captainfab]

The suspension crossmember is wider on the full size vans. But everything else should bolt up to your original crossmember. I don't think the steering box will work for you though. I'm not familar with a '92, but I do know the '85 and older van steering boxes will not work.

Originally Posted by J.Cagle

Are the chevy full-size conversion vans the same crossmember as the trucks??? I found a running and driving one with a 350/ rebuilt 700r4 combo. $1000. Talk about a good packaged deal if it would work!

[J.Cagle]

its a '92 by the way

[J.Cagle]

Dang, I knew I couldnt luck out that easy after 3 minutes on craigslist,lol

[John Gilbert]

Here's a link to the story I did on converting my '66 to 5-lug using Early Classic Enterprises. It should give you and idea on what's involved.

http://www.customclassictrucks.com/t...rop/index.html

[Clyde65]

I have a 71-72 front suspension except the crossmember, with drop springs and sway bar for sale in the for sale thread, like to get 225. it might not work for you cuz of shipping would be high. option anyway.

[likaroc13]

we swapped/refreshened a '72 rear from a donor truck on my '66...for the front i'm also using the '72 spindles & A-arms...but you can keep your A-arms and swap ball joints as someone else suggested...i just took the ones from the '66 since i didn't want to dismantle them & swapped them onto the donor truck...then i blasted/rebuilt the '72 A-arms....also, one thing that was mentioned to me is the fact that newer A-arms have rubber bushings that don't have to be greased...but i just went with what i had available