The birth of trailing arms - Page 4 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

corn · 04-18-2008, 03:37 AM

Ram Man, didnt you sell this project & buy an Impala? How's it coming along?...

Ram-Man · 10-21-2008, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corn

Ram Man, didnt you sell this project & buy an Impala? How's it coming along?...

I came back across this thread from someone else's post. I have been out of touch for about a year. I bought a 65 Impala, still have the truck in these pics and started a 69 GMC budget build. Still no trim on the bathroom door though and too many projects now.

*Shane* · 10-21-2008, 11:17 PM

Check out this one rack of truck arms from one of the Nextel Cup teams I visited last week ... it's no dad-gum wonder we can't find them in salvage yards anymore.

prostreetC-10 · 10-21-2008, 11:43 PM

The other thing that's nice about building your own trailing arms is that you can get the exact pinion angle you want based on how low your truck is and get away from those wedges. Nice work sir!

brad_man_72 · 10-22-2008, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

The other thing that's nice about building your own trailing arms is that you can get the exact pinion angle you want based on how low your truck is and get away from those wedges. Nice work sir!

reason i want to build my own is to get the axle back 1-2" TO CENTER WHEEL IN OPENING.

SCOTI · 10-22-2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brad_man_72

reason i want to build my own is to get the axle back 1-2" TO CENTER WHEEL IN OPENING.

You don't have to build new arms to accomplish that. The trailing arm crossmember can be moved back the req'd amount or you can add spacers between the crossmember & the t-arm mounts.

ruggs · 03-08-2009, 12:29 PM

Ram-Man,
Very nice work. I,m starting to build a set myself but with one mod to your design. I think there should be a sleave welded in where the u-bolts pass thru to prevent any crushing of the tubing. Maybe you did this and I just didn't catch it. Anyway nice work...ruggs

Ram-Man · 03-08-2009, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruggs

Ram-Man,
Very nice work. I,m starting to build a set myself but with one mod to your design. I think there should be a sleave welded in where the u-bolts pass thru to prevent any crushing of the tubing. Maybe you did this and I just didn't catch it. Anyway nice work...ruggs

Thanks, Someone else thought that about the sleeve. Give this some thought there is a plate on the top and bottom of the arm IMO you would strip out the u-bolt before you would be able to crush that tubing.

Tigman · 03-09-2009, 07:22 AM

COT arms are custom built since the early nineties! Laughlin , Ronnie Hopkins, Hutch Pagan all are building them. Also check out Boyce Industries in Ill. The team I worked for got one of the last runs from GM. The GM arms were the stuff . We done all kinds of trick stuff to them. The Boyce arms were tubular then split in half and welded back to back to resemble the GM arms!

Mark

djracer · 03-09-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ram-Man

Thanks, Someone else thought that about the sleeve. Give this some thought there is a plate on the top and bottom of the arm IMO you would strip out the u-bolt before you would be able to crush that tubing.

Ram man if you want to build me a set to try I'll stress test them for you. I should have the 548 finished and installed before too long!

ratrodder · 03-26-2009, 03:35 PM

hey man i have some 2"x3" 1/8 wall tubing laying around. do you think it would be strong enough for this project? and how thick is you 3" flat plate?

jgrisafi · 03-26-2009, 06:15 PM

Thanks for the great thread, I think I will give this a go.

shawn57nomad · 03-27-2009, 11:49 AM

Ram-Man earlier you were talking about liability with the control arms/integrity of the welds. From what I know is that if you were to sell these you can put a clause in with the packaged item, trailing arms, and notify up front about there being no implied or expressed warranty and to use at your own risk. Kinda crappy sounding but I have a few friends that do it for a living and that is what some of the stuff says shorthand. Also, if you are near or have a close by tool and die joint they may be able to heat-treat the arms for you so you can get the integrity you were maybe worried about before. I know that when I get mine done, later down the road, they will go and get treated so that they will be better suitable for stress. After they are treated they will be more resistant to bending and breaking at the welds, more spring steel like. My 2 cents. project looks great and hope to be where you are on day. Me LIKEY!

**michael bustamante** · 03-27-2009, 12:01 PM

question for you guys, What are the advantages of changing out the trailing arms if youre not actaully slamming the truck to the ground? Do trailing arms go bad? I know the bushigs wear out (like mine) but Ive seen quite a few people on here swap out the arms.
excuse my ignorance, but like the commercials on the cartoons on saturday say, "knowledge is power!"

lax54650 · 03-27-2009, 12:20 PM

up here they rust out.

**michael bustamante** · 03-27-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lax54650

up here they rust out.

I used to live in Milwaukee. I forget how they love flavoring the roads with salt in the winter,

Mr Chevorlet · 03-27-2009, 02:22 PM

Looks like a fantastic job well done, i like the looks of that. Did you ase a stick welder or a mig.

STOCKISH · 03-27-2009, 03:49 PM

Just saw this thread for the first time. Really nice build going on over there. I like the looks of the trailing arms. They turned out great. Nice work.

Racinaround · 04-21-2010, 01:29 AM

I made some A Arms ones and used a bearing called a COM Bearing A Com10 i think was a 1/2" id for the bolt and a Com 12 was for a 3/4" ?
Anyway, then made a sleave to weld it the tubing and the bearing was heald in the sleave with a snap ring
Worked great! and sounds like it would work in the front of the truck arm.
I will look for some pics

blazerboy_4life · 02-10-2011, 01:37 PM

I know this is an old thread but this is a hell of an idea! And for the price!! Ive got some decent arms on the truck for now but I will be hopefully buying a welder sometime within the next month and maybe trying my hand at it soon. Just a question for your Ram-man. When you welded the plate on the top and bottom of the arm why didnt you weld all the way across? Why 3 shorter welds?

Thanks

Shaky · 02-10-2011, 04:38 PM

Man, those are sweet. You should run without a bed just to show them off!

I'm no welder so I rescued my 3/4 ton arms mechanically and even that took longer than expected.

oldblue1968chevy · 02-10-2011, 06:04 PM

Wow those look CLEAN! Good job man!

blazerboy_4life · 02-11-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaky

Man, those are sweet. You should run without a bed just to show them off!

I'm no welder so I rescued my 3/4 ton arms mechanically and even that took longer than expected.

What kind of difference did it make in the way the truck handles?

jmlcolorado · 06-01-2011, 12:28 AM

I'm getting ready to build some i think. I gotta move the axle forward a couple of inches (which could be done easier by moving the cross member) But my pinion is so far off its horrible!
I need to get the nose of the rear end to point up 3 degrees rather then down 6 degrees. I don't think shims will cut it

p.s. Nevermind my buddy in the picture. He thinks if hes in a few pictures, he can take credit for some of the build

04-18-2008, 03:37 AM	#76
corn Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: here Posts: 5,789	Re: The birth of trailing arms Ram Man, didnt you sell this project & buy an Impala? How's it coming along?...

10-21-2008, 11:17 PM	#78
Shane Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: over yonder Posts: 14,270	Re: The birth of trailing arms Check out this one rack of truck arms from one of the Nextel Cup teams I visited last week ... it's no dad-gum wonder we can't find them in salvage yards anymore.

10-21-2008, 11:43 PM	#79
prostreetC-10 My Carbon Footprint Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Orygun Posts: 5,527	Re: The birth of trailing arms The other thing that's nice about building your own trailing arms is that you can get the exact pinion angle you want based on how low your truck is and get away from those wedges. Nice work sir! __________________ A quick "pedalfest" *Still getting loose (carb test)* 496 Initial fire up video!

03-08-2009, 12:29 PM	#82
ruggs Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NW Ark. Posts: 8	Re: The birth of trailing arms Ram-Man, Very nice work. I,m starting to build a set myself but with one mod to your design. I think there should be a sleave welded in where the u-bolts pass thru to prevent any crushing of the tubing. Maybe you did this and I just didn't catch it. Anyway nice work...ruggs

03-09-2009, 07:22 AM	#84
Tigman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Big Stone Gap, Va Posts: 84	Re: The birth of trailing arms COT arms are custom built since the early nineties! Laughlin , Ronnie Hopkins, Hutch Pagan all are building them. Also check out Boyce Industries in Ill. The team I worked for got one of the last runs from GM. The GM arms were the stuff . We done all kinds of trick stuff to them. The Boyce arms were tubular then split in half and welded back to back to resemble the GM arms! Mark

03-26-2009, 03:35 PM	#86
ratrodder Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Loretto, TN Posts: 4	Re: The birth of trailing arms hey man i have some 2"x3" 1/8 wall tubing laying around. do you think it would be strong enough for this project? and how thick is you 3" flat plate?

03-26-2009, 06:15 PM	#87
jgrisafi Velocity Speed Shop Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 172	Re: The birth of trailing arms Thanks for the great thread, I think I will give this a go. __________________ --------------------------------------------------- My Build Thread ..... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=288143 My Garage ..... http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/OCD69

03-27-2009, 11:49 AM	#88
shawn57nomad Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Newton, IA Posts: 173	Re: The birth of trailing arms Ram-Man earlier you were talking about liability with the control arms/integrity of the welds. From what I know is that if you were to sell these you can put a clause in with the packaged item, trailing arms, and notify up front about there being no implied or expressed warranty and to use at your own risk. Kinda crappy sounding but I have a few friends that do it for a living and that is what some of the stuff says shorthand. Also, if you are near or have a close by tool and die joint they may be able to heat-treat the arms for you so you can get the integrity you were maybe worried about before. I know that when I get mine done, later down the road, they will go and get treated so that they will be better suitable for stress. After they are treated they will be more resistant to bending and breaking at the welds, more spring steel like. My 2 cents. project looks great and hope to be where you are on day. Me LIKEY! __________________ FAST cars don't make power to the front wheels, THEY LIFT 'EM!

03-27-2009, 12:01 PM	#89
michael bustamante Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 7,840	Re: The birth of trailing arms question for you guys, What are the advantages of changing out the trailing arms if youre not actaully slamming the truck to the ground? Do trailing arms go bad? I know the bushigs wear out (like mine) but Ive seen quite a few people on here swap out the arms. excuse my ignorance, but like the commercials on the cartoons on saturday say, "knowledge is power!" __________________ 1967custom

03-27-2009, 12:20 PM	#90
lax54650 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: lacrosse wi. Posts: 426	Re: The birth of trailing arms up here they rust out.

03-27-2009, 02:22 PM	#92
Mr Chevorlet Rusty Nuts Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Clever Missouri Posts: 1,338	Re: The birth of trailing arms Looks like a fantastic job well done, i like the looks of that. Did you ase a stick welder or a mig. __________________ (Clever Missouri) Southwest Larry Mr Chevrolet My Build, The Marathon Truck http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=604414

03-27-2009, 03:49 PM	#93
STOCKISH Formerly- 1972SuperCheyenne Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wake Forest NC Posts: 5,782	Re: The birth of trailing arms Just saw this thread for the first time. Really nice build going on over there. I like the looks of the trailing arms. They turned out great. Nice work. __________________ --Josh My Build Thread:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=799218 A good crossthread is better than Loctite any day. Life is not about what you have, but who you have to share it with.

04-21-2010, 01:29 AM	#94
Racinaround Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mountlake Terrace, WA Posts: 260	Re: The birth of trailing arms I made some A Arms ones and used a bearing called a COM Bearing A Com10 i think was a 1/2" id for the bolt and a Com 12 was for a 3/4" ? Anyway, then made a sleave to weld it the tubing and the bearing was heald in the sleave with a snap ring Worked great! and sounds like it would work in the front of the truck arm. I will look for some pics __________________ 1950 Chevy 1500 1961 C-10 1969 C-10 1971 Chevelle 2008 Dodge HD3500 Tow Rig

02-10-2011, 01:37 PM	#95
blazerboy_4life 70Custom10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 322	Re: The birth of trailing arms I know this is an old thread but this is a hell of an idea! And for the price!! Ive got some decent arms on the truck for now but I will be hopefully buying a welder sometime within the next month and maybe trying my hand at it soon. Just a question for your Ram-man. When you welded the plate on the top and bottom of the arm why didnt you weld all the way across? Why 3 shorter welds? Thanks

02-10-2011, 04:38 PM	#96
Shaky Six in a row makes it go... Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vacationland: Maine Posts: 1,346	Re: The birth of trailing arms Man, those are sweet. You should run without a bed just to show them off! I'm no welder so I rescued my 3/4 ton arms mechanically and even that took longer than expected. Attached Images __________________ 67 C20 long step resto: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342086 66 C10 long step build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post3814790 CT to Alaska in a 67 C10: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=399224 “The height of sophistication is simplicity." - Clare Boothe Luce



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02-10-2011, 06:04 PM	#97
oldblue1968chevy Grandpa in the rustmobile... Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Spokane WA/Viola TN Posts: 11,422	Re: The birth of trailing arms Wow those look CLEAN! Good job man! __________________ John Goose-1968 C10 355,9.32-1CR, Vortec Heads ,262 voodoo, 3.73:1 3OTT (HS ride/beater/farm truck) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=317684 Grams 53-1953 Chevrolet Belair http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post4327784 1969 Chevy C10 Shortbed 4.5/6?" Frame off resto http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=548136 1999 Toyota Tacoma 4x4

06-01-2011, 12:28 AM	#99
jmlcolorado Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Elbert county, CO Posts: 249	Re: The birth of trailing arms I'm getting ready to build some i think. I gotta move the axle forward a couple of inches (which could be done easier by moving the cross member) But my pinion is so far off its horrible! I need to get the nose of the rear end to point up 3 degrees rather then down 6 degrees. I don't think shims will cut it p.s. Nevermind my buddy in the picture. He thinks if hes in a few pictures, he can take credit for some of the build Attached Images

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