Frame Question

[64shortbed]

Ok guys I'm at a stopping point here. As some of you may know i got the front frame section of an 85 1/2 ton 2wd chevy from my step father for parts to do the disc brake upgrade to my 64 gmc. So today after i cleaned the garage up from all the other stuff I've been doing. I drug the frame section in to the garge. Now i have started the tear down. I have remove all the steering, the brake lines, the calipers and rotors, and the backing plates. Now all i have left is the A arms and spindles. Now being as there is not enough wieght to the frame what is the easyest way to remove the A arms? I have the frame sitting on jack stands. I know if they were on the pickup all you have to do is jack the A arm up and undo the lower ball joint. But with no wieght on the frame how do you do that? Can i just undo the 2 U bolts or will that make a no so good plan.?

I'm stuck here can some one help me out? And no im not goin to put the whole cross member under my truck. I'm just after the A arms, spindles, brakes, swaybar, and steering linkages.
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[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

I'm stuck here can some one help me out? And no im not goin to put the whole cross member under my truck. I'm just after the A arms, spindles, brakes, swaybar, and steering linkages.
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I'm Sorry,
Why did you choose to not go the easy route and just roll yours out and roll the newer one back under?
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[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

I'm Sorry,
Why did you choose to not go the easy route and just roll yours out and roll the newer one back under?
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Don't need to. And i don't want to remove engine. Nore do i have a cherry picker to hold the engine up.
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[Captainfab]

What I've done in a situation like that is, first loosen the nuts on the ball joints, and back them off, but not all the way. Leave them on 2 or 3 threads of the ball joint stud. Then use either a ball joint seperator, or pound on the side of the spindle with a 3-5# hammer, until the stud releases. Now with the crossmember and all in the right side up position, remove the nuts on the LCA shaft U-bolts. Just do one side at a time, and one nut at a time on each U-bolt. When you do this, be very careful, and be prepared for the LCA to hit the floor hard. The whole crossmember may jump up a bit as well. As an extra precaution, prior to unbolting the U-bolts, you can run a chain thru the spring and the LCA, so that the spring can't go very far, should things get a little crazy on you.

Above all be very careful, and do not allow anyone else in the vicinity while you are doing this.

[64shortbed]

Heres the pics. Frame section and the 71 booster i was givin and the the sail panel bling.

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

What I've done in a situation like that is, first loosen the nuts on the ball joints, and back them off, but not all the way. Leave them on 2 or 3 threads of the ball joint stud. Then use either a ball joint seperator, or pound on the side of the spindle with a 3-5# hammer, until the stud releases. Now with the crossmember and all in the right side up position, remove the nuts on the LCA shaft U-bolts. Just do one side at a time, and one nut at a time on each U-bolt. When you do this, be very careful, and be prepared for the LCA to hit the floor hard. The whole crossmember may jump up a bit as well. As an extra precaution, prior to unbolting the U-bolts, you can run a chain thru the spring and the LCA, so that the spring can't go very far, should things get a little crazy on you.

Above all be very careful, and do not allow anyone else in the vicinity while you are doing this.

I may have to try this. The other thing i was thinking was a chain and a jack. I could hook the chain to the frame on either side of top A arm and run it under the jack. Then do as normal. think that may work also?

[forestb]

Or a really strong ratchet strap. Or you could try cutting the coils with a torch before unbolting and that will relieve a lot of the tension.

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by forestb

Or a really strong ratchet strap. Or you could try cutting the coils with a torch before unbolting and that will relieve a lot of the tension.

Not cutting coils. May use them in my truck if they will lower it a bit? I talk to my dad and he has a spring compresser. So ill go that route. Thanks for the idea.
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[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

What I've done in a situation like that is, first loosen the nuts on the ball joints, and back them off, but not all the way. Leave them on 2 or 3 threads of the ball joint stud. Then use either a ball joint seperator, or pound on the side of the spindle with a 3-5# hammer, until the stud releases. Now with the crossmember and all in the right side up position, remove the nuts on the LCA shaft U-bolts. Just do one side at a time, and one nut at a time on each U-bolt. When you do this, be very careful, and be prepared for the LCA to hit the floor hard. The whole crossmember may jump up a bit as well. As an extra precaution, prior to unbolting the U-bolts, you can run a chain thru the spring and the LCA, so that the spring can't go very far, should things get a little crazy on you.

Above all be very careful, and do not allow anyone else in the vicinity while you are doing this.

I got a spring compresser from dad but it didn't work. So i did this and work good. Now i have another question. Do i need to keep the lower A arm cradles (the mounts)? Those and the sway bar mounts is all i got left to remove from the frame section. But if i don't need the A arm mounts i wont remove those.
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[Captainfab]

If your '64 is a 1/2 ton, youe original crossmember will already have the saddles for the lower control arm shafts. You will want to upgrade to the newer and larger LCA U-bolts though.

If your '64 is a 3/4 ton, you will have to change your original crossmember to the newer one from your donor. The '60-'63 3/4 tons use a flat LCA shaft, so there are no saddles for the round LCA shafts.

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

I got a spring compresser from dad but it didn't work. So i did this and work good. Now i have another question. Do i need to keep the lower A arm cradles (the mounts)? Those and the sway bar mounts is all i got left to remove from the frame section. But if i don't need the A arm mounts i wont remove those.
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[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

If your '64 is a 1/2 ton, youe original crossmember will already have the saddles for the lower control arm shafts. You will want to upgrade to the newer and larger LCA U-bolts though.

If your '64 is a 3/4 ton, you will have to change your original crossmember to the newer one from your donor. The '60-'63 3/4 tons use a flat LCA shaft, so there are no saddles for the round LCA shafts.

Thanks mine 64 gmc is a 1/2 ton so i'm good thanks for the info. And i do plan on upgrading the U-bolts.

I do have a question about the brakes. If i use a 71 manual master cylinder for dics/drums. Do i still need the porpotion valve?

[GVDobler]

Yes you will still need the prop valve unless you are changing all four to disc brakes. (I assume you mean the bios out of the donor)

I have thought about the same mod on my '66, but I was going to bolt the whole thing on. What parts are you changing out? Just the spindles?

Looks like fun.

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by GVDobler

Yes you will still need the prop valve unless you are changing all four to disc brakes. (I assume you mean the bios out of the donor)

I have thought about the same mod on my '66, but I was going to bolt the whole thing on. What parts are you changing out? Just the spindles?

Looks like fun.

Thanks for the answer. And I'm going to use the A-arms top and bottom, the spindles, the steering linkages, the steering gear box, the sway bar (and the sway bar frame mounts), calipers, and the rotors for now. I'm not sure if i want to buy the after market rotors for 6 lug and keep my western wheels or if I'm going to have the rear end swapped or redrilled for 5 lug.

If you can support your motor or its not in your truck I'm sure it a lot easyer to just use the whole member. But i have no way of doing so with out borrowing tools.
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[GVDobler]

Caution is the operative word. They can come loose and hurt you, so try to make sure you know what is going to happen when they let go, cause there's no time to duck.

Keep us posted.

PS: Grew up in Nebraska, came to Kansas for 3.2 beer and fireworks.

[64shortbed]

I got it all apart tonite. Then hauled off what was left to a buddys shop. I will try and post pics tomarrow.

The other thing i got done tonight i changed out my a vacume port on my intake so i could test out the 85 and 71 brake boosters. Well I'm sure the 85 booster is bad. When i hooked it up with the engine running it ran ruff. But when i hooked up the 71 booster it smoothed out some but not as smooth as me pluging off the hose with my finger. It was easy to push the rod in but i didn't like how it didnt smooth out. So is the booster bad?
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[Captainfab]

Sounds like the '71 booster may have a leak in it.

[64shortbed]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Sounds like the '71 booster may have a leak in it.

Thats what i was thinking. thanks.

[64shortbed]

I painted things so i know how many spacers and were they went for when i go back together. And i did remove the lower A-arm mounts just to be sure that is why they are painted also.

[64shortbed]

ok so tonight i just hooked the hose to that 71 booster and sucked on it. Lol. I could hear air goin in to the rear of the booster were the rod from the pedel goes in so im pretty sure its got a leak. So now I'm on the search for a differant one. Just for the hell of it i was looking at the master cylinder we have at work. I found a remaned one part number r101264. Looked up the number on the net and it says its for a 77-82 vette. It has a shallow hole and a 1 1/8 bore. So if i can't find a booster i may just use that master cylinder and run manual breaks for now.

Do you know what booster would work with that MC other then the what i said it was for?
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[Captainfab]

Pretty much all GM boosters made from '71-'99, or even beyond

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

ok so tonight i just hooked the hose to that 71 booster and sucked on it. Lol. I could hear air goin in to the rear of the booster were the rod from the pedel goes in so im pretty sure its got a leak. So now I'm on the search for a differant one. Just for the hell of it i was looking at the master cylinder we have at work. I found a remaned one part number r101264. Looked up the number on the net and it says its for a 77-82 vette. It has a shallow hole and a 1 1/8 bore. So if i can't find a booster i may just use that master cylinder and run manual breaks for now.

Do you know what booster would work with that MC other then the what i said it was for?Posted via Mobile Device

[64shortbed]

Thanks captainfab. I think i may be able to get a booster off of a 99-01 s10. Not sure of year yet. Any way its been wreaked and he only wants $20 for it so its worth a shot! If i get it and its good i'd like to buy one of your brackets. I'll let you know. And thanks for all the help.

[64shortbed]

Well i went and tryed to get the booster out of the truck. Well long store short i have one darn bolt left and i can't get to it with out braking or drilling a hole in the darn column mount!! So as made as i was i just sayed forget it for the night! I did look at the year and its a 2000 s10 and i pulled the hose off the intake and sucked on it and it seems like a good booster. It held vacume till i pulled the hose off and it sucked air back in to it so I'm guessing its good.? Sound right?

A lot of work for a $20 booster!! Lol!
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[64shortbed]

I got the booster out of the 2000 s10 to night. I had to drill a hole through the steering column bracket to get to the last bolt. The bolt patern is the 3 3/8 x 3 1/2 so it should work with your bracket captainfab. My only question is the push rod between the master cylinder and the booster is a little differant then the 85 and 71 c10 ones. The little metal piece doesnt come out of the inch round center piece. But that whole center piece comes out? That shouldn't matter though right? It should still work with that 77-82 vette master cylinder right?

And id like to know how to get ahold of you to get one of your booster brakets. Thanks again for your help.
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[Captainfab]

The intermediate pushrod should be fine. Are you using the Vette master cylinder because you have 4 wheel disc brakes?

I'll send you a PM with purchase information.

Originally Posted by 64shortbed

I got the booster out of the 2000 s10 to night. I had to drill a hole through the steering column bracket to get to the last bolt. The bolt patern is the 3 3/8 x 3 1/2 so it should work with your bracket captainfab. My only question is the push rod between the master cylinder and the booster is a little differant then the 85 and 71 c10 ones. The little metal piece doesnt come out of the inch round center piece. But that whole center piece comes out? That shouldn't matter though right? It should still work with that 77-82 vette master cylinder right?

And id like to know how to get ahold of you to get one of your booster brakets. Thanks again for your help.
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[64shortbed]

No because i can get it cheep. And its the same style as what a lot of the cpp kits come with. I'm sure i can get one for the 67-72 just as cheep. So i guess it realy don't matter as long as its a duel one.
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