I know it's been talked about before, but I couldn't find where pickup axles were mentioned for this swap.
The B-body axles are too short, C-body and van axles are long enough for resplining, but are the pickup axles long enough for a respline/retrofit to an A-body?

Also, can I combine B-body spindles, cal. brkts., &rotors with A-body upper arms for a front disc swap? Might this work with B-body ball joints in the A-body uppers? I'm having one heck of a time finding a complete setup locally for this.

Roger

GTS225@aol.com

Hi,

My understanding is that pickup axles are going to have the wrong bolt pattern/center register.
The disc brake setup needs to be '73-'76 A-Body or '73-'74 E-Body spindles, 'A'/'E' or 'B' (and others) caliper adapters and calipers and matching rotors. They key parts are the spindle and caliper adapter, they will dictate the calipers and rotors required.

A friend here in Iowa is doing this to his '69 Charger and found spindles/adapters for $50 (both sides), but they are somewhat hard to find here.

Check Moparts.com, there is usually someone there that has a set of spindles for sale. That's the hardest part to get in my opinion.

good luck,
mark

mldingba@collins.rockwell.com

Yeah, Mark, I know the feeling about hard to find. I'm over in Waterloo, and have pretty much exhausted the local possibilities, and am now "reaching out" to the rural yards.

It's nice to know that the E-body spindles, etc. should work, it opens up the search a bit.

Thanks for the info on the pickup axles....I hadn't thought about the register size.

Moparts.com, huh? Well, if I have to......I'm afraid the shipping costs are gonna be a killer, though.
BTW, where are you located?

Roger

GTS225@aol.com

I got a set from a early 70s pickup. They are a little longer than a C-body axle, about 29 inches. I checked them against a B-body wheel, but I have not sent them to Moser.

tkeith@mindspring.com

**************************************************
OK, Tim, are you saying that the lug pattern is 5 on 4.5, with 1/2 in. studs, and how's the center register match up for dimensions?

Roger

GTS225@aol.com

As far as I know the 1/2 ton pickups used the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern through 1984. I used rear brake drums and shoes off of a 1977 Volaré parts car for my 1979 pickup truck. They were the exact same drums and shoes. And I know the brake drums from the same Volaré will fit the 74-76 A-bodies.
So to answer your question.....it appears to me that 1/2 ton pickups use the same bolt pattern and center register as large bolt pattern A-bodies.

cfield@ll.net

Before leaving the Pick-N-Pull, just to be sure I was getting the right parts, I pulled a wheel off an R body New Yorker and matched the axle against that. I pulled an axle from a B series van, the van had the same bolt circle as the pickup axle.

BTW, are the 489 center sections from trucks worth pulling ? Most of the trucks had 489s.


tkeith@mindspring.com

Tim & Craig....thanks for the info.....it means I've found my large pattern rear swap.
..................................................
..................................................
I don't see why not. The 489 is supposed to be the good center, and the castings would be all the same. I can't speak for the guts as far as splining, but a sure-grip, either cone or clutch would drop into it.

Roger


GTS225@aol.com