I have a 52 Chevy 3/4 ton Dually I'd like to use as a tow rig. Just not exactly sure what to do with the suspension/brakes. The trailer it would be towing is a 2,000lb open car trailer. Figure 7,000lbs loaded. 8,000+ with my Cadillac on it. The trailer does have electric brakes. So far the frame will be completely boxed and reinforced, a 454/th-400 is going in. But what do I do with the suspension and brakes? Obviously the rear springs are not strong enough to support that kind of load. and I wouldnt want a straight axle front suspension. Definitely do not want 4 wheel drum brakes. Looking to make this thing safe and reliable, but still looking original.
hmm maybe.. what rear end does it have? you could do a search on the internet for a front disc brake conversion then get heavier front springs and nab some 1 ton springs from a junkyard as long as they're the right width and length they should bolt right in. and another thing i thought was yo u might be able to keep the front springs and add some leaves in back too. do a search on here for front disc conversion.
Not right now, But I'll get one up later. It's an old farm truck, still has the lettering on the doors. Was converted to a 283/4 speed some time in the 70s
Does it look anything like this one? http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/1559816048.html I think a frame swap to a '73-'87 Chevy dually chassis would be the safest bet for pulling a load like you want to. They are about 34" wide from about the front cab mounts back to the rear of the frame, & they narrow up some towards the front. How wide is your trucks frame?
Similar to that one, but it's a 3/4 ton not a 1 ton. and has an 8ft bed. The wheels are different. As in they mount different, not a different style. All 6 of mine look like regular steel wheels, not with the offset like those. Not sure on the width of the trucks frame. I'll have to check out the 73-87 frame, but I'd really rather not do a complete frame swap.
The front crossmember & all the related suspension components are held in the '73-'87 frames with (I believe) 12 bolts. It might be possible to adapt one of them to your original chassis, then swap the rear springs & axle over as well. And you could use a 3/4 ton model, not a 1 ton dually. That would look fairly original.
GM didn't make a dually 3/4-ton in '52 so either you have a converted 3/4-ton or a 1-ton or larger truck. What is the wheelbase? It should be about 125-1/4 if you have a 3/4-ton or 137 if you have a 1-ton. The frame is stouter on a 1-ton and the extra wheelbase is good when towing. How many lugs on the wheels? 8-lugs front and rear and it is a 3/4- or 1-ton. 5 on front and 10 on rear is either a 1-1/2 ton or 2-ton. You probably don't have a bigger truck but better to figure that out early. I'm building something similar. Mine started as a '54 GMC 250 (1-ton) which is so close to the same as a Chevy that none of the differences matter to this discussion. My objective is to be able to cross a state like Wyoming at the speed limit (75) pulling a similar trailer and load to what you describe, and PASS if I get the urge. Under the rear I have installed a GM 14-bolt with drum brakes and 3.42 gears. I may someday upgrade the brakes but so far have not felt the need. My rear suspension is all stock with a complete set of new pins and bushings on the work bench ready to go in. Under the front I'm mounting the complete IFS from a 70s C20 with disk brakes and power steering. This swap does mean my front tires will stick out past the fender lip and that is one of the challenges I still face. I considered 454/TH400 but a couple of Cadillac 500/TH400 combos fell into my lap and I've decided to go that route. The torque band of the 500 is low and broad and should give me the performance I want. I do not plan to box the entire frame. I have taken one crossmember out and plan to add a new transmission crossmember back and when I do I may box parts of the frame to add some support. Depends on how I decide to do that crossmember. Depending on whether your truck is actually a 3/4- or 1-ton you many not need to worry about the rear springs. I think my solution solves the brakes problems all around, but with the added width looses some stock look in front. I concluded that added width is a plus for towing and plan to solve my problem by widening the fenders. Front brakes is the toughest part of this project. You need something that will stop the load but there is no easy brake or IFS conversion for these trucks. I chose the C20 IFS because it does give me a truck suspension with 3/4-ton brakes and an easy upgrade to 1-ton brakes. And I had it. You mention brakes on the trailer. My bias is to have enough brakes on the truck that a trailer brake failure isn't catastrophic. I do have brakes on both axles and do check them regularly. If they fail I want a heavy enough truck and good enough brakes that I and those around me all have a chance of survival. I don't think any of the car based IFS options available will be adequate once you start pulling a trailer. And I think I'd put the S-10 and Dakota based swaps in that same category. You want something designed to tow the load, not something adapted from something much smaller. That's my two-cents. Since I'm deeply involved in a similar project I'd welcome any follow-up questions and more dialog!
14 if you only count the ones that connect the crossmember to the frame. 4 on each side through the frame. 3 on each side up through the bottom of the frame. Some frames have additional struts and add some more bolts. And then you'll want the sway bar (4 more) steering box (4 more) and you'll need the idler arm (2 more) Don't ask how many times I've had it together and back apart making sure I like how everything in mounted....
Well turns out this may not be a real dually then. It's a 3/4 ton for sure. 125" wheel base and 8 lugs all around. I just took a closer look at the rear end and it is a regular 3/4 ton rear and uses regular wheels with spacers and an extra set of wheels mounted to that. Kinda weird, I'll take a picture so you see what I mean. Do you have any pictures of your project?
I've seen setups like that to convert a 3/4-ton to a dually. JC Whitney used to sell them. The differences between a 3/4-ton and 1-ton rear are the standard gears, 4.57 in a 3/4- and 5.14 in a 1-ton, and the size of the brakes. Its the same axle housing and internals otherwise. The difference at the rear between a dually and single wheel 1-ton appears to just be the wheel size. There is no reason you can't swap the stock 18-inch dually wheels onto the back of a 3/4-ton. However the rear brakes are big enough on a 1-ton that smaller dually type wheels are a problem. And of course your brakes might be under size. The front is where the real difference in hubs would occur between a single wheel and dual wheel truck with the hubs that support dually wheels only on the 1-ton dually during the AD years. I've not been able to find an 18 inch truck tire that will fit the stock 1-ton dually wheels AND provide modern highway service, so I've given up and dropped back to a single wheel type 16-inch light truck tire. Lots of them. But most were taken in a dark shop and don't show much that is interesting. You can see my project page on my web site at http://www.maxwellgarage.com/MaxProjects/ServiceTruck_20091208.html. I've been side-lined by some medical issues so my progress has slowed. While its advanced some since that page was last updated, the IFS is still not yet finalized and the cab is still off and the engine and transmission are not mounted. I've been working on sorting out bracket details and measuring things so when I'm ready to go again I can press on full speed ahead. I find dialoging with others doing similar projects keeps my head in the game and helps me see issues that might otherwise get missed. Lots of work to go, and if you press forward you'll probably finish before me. Meanwhile if there is anyway I can help from my keyboard I'm more than happy to try to be of service.
What OldSub said is very good way to go. If you want to keep the dually look and get modern running you can do like I am going to and others have here as well and transplant a P30 or C30 chassis under your truck. Here is a thread that is following one guys transplant. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/<wbr>forum/showthread.php?t=355535&<wbr>goto=newpost
That thread is interesting and well worth reading. I've always said you need to choose whether you want to build suspension and suspension mounts, or build body mounts. While I've generally come down on building body mounts on my own project I've chosen to build suspension and motor mounts for this one. That thread also is instructive in helping think through some of the other issues in a hot rod tow rig. Gas or Diesel? He chose Diesel while I chose gasoline. For me its about the noise and smell and my own preferences. I also penciled out the cost difference over my expected use of the vehicle. If I remember right he looked at the cost figures too, but with some different (not wrong) assumptions and came to difference (not wrong for him) conclusions. If you don't find that analysis in his thread here look for him on one of the Diesel boards. I'm pretty sure I saw something somewhere on that topic. Manual or Automatic? He chose a manual while I chose an automatic. Since I'm running a big gas V-8 with a broader torque band I don't need the manual and I prefer the smoother towing an automatic allows. Dealing with the narrow torque band of a smaller Diesel the manual makes sense in his case. And lots of people would rather drive a manual. Drum or disk on the rear? He converted to disk on the rear while I have so far chosen not to. I'm not sure I'm committed to my choice, except leaving it drum is easy and most my towing experience is with older trucks running rear drums without any problems. Each of my choices has created challenges and I have wondered if I'd make the same choices if starting over. However at least some of the issues I've faced would be the same or similar either way. The most important thing is to start with a carefully thought through concept for the finished truck and make sure every decision fits. That's the way you'll most likely end up able to predict problems and make it all work the way you want it to.
Does anybody know if a chevy front rotor of a dually fit on a 3/4 ton front end? Lookin at a coe with 3/4 ton suspension, wanting to conver it to dually.
Here is a picture of my 51 GMC on a 78 chevy frame. It currently runs a 454 w/ 4 speed and a 4.10 rear. has power steering and hydroboost brakes. You can get more information on the following links. http://www.oldgastowrigs.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11 http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/smith_david_1951.html
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