Wanna slam that 63-98 C10/C1500? Lets talk about it!

[LocoLocal]

OH!!! And new wheels would mean new tires...

I suppose the control arms are going to be the less expensive route in the short run.

 

[bluex]

OH!!! And new wheels would mean new tires...

I suppose the control arms are going to be the less expensive route in the short run.

Sounds to me like you should do the arms now since that seems to solve quite a few more issues at the moment than wheels/tires will. You also can wait a bit on the sway bar after doing the arms, it doesn't have to be done at the same time. A lowered truck without a bar already handles better than a stock height truck with a bar. So there's nothing wrong with doing it in steps.

 

[LocoLocal]

That was my thought after spending much of the day cruising various forums for solutions, and then I saw an awesome set of 20” wheels and 235/35 tires on Facebook marketplace. But I need to slow my roll…my truck is still in rust remediation status.

 

[bluex]

OK folks I need to add a disclaimer here regarding spindles.

I still stand by my statements that they are all pretty much the same an get them from whoever has the best price. However....

When they come in, check them out very well. I bought a set off ebay on a closeout sale for my 99 (gmt400) dually. I had them on the shelf nearly a year before installing them. The axle stub shaft is incorrectly machined an I've been waiting 2 weeks now on a solution. The inner wheel bearing an seal area is .6 to .7mm to large. The bearing an seal won't fit. Everything else seems correct an they are even bolted up to the truck before I discovered that. Never had this issue before an all I can think is the cheaper spindles just don't get the same QC checks. So if you buy cheaper ones just make sure everything is machined right when they come in so that you don't get caught by this like I did.

Some pictures of the drop spindles and measurements:

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[bluex]

Stock spindle measurements:

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Spindles for the 1 tons are not as common an nearly everyone is currently out of stock so I'm having trouble locating a replacement set as well. The big name ones are all showing mid Jan delivery dates an even the cheap ones on eBay are early Feb. Again just shows the knuckle portion for all brands probably come from the same foundry and the individual companies machine them and add the axle stub.

 

[Radiohead]

Those weren't misboxed for a 3/4 ton by chance?

 

[bluex]

Those weren't misboxed for a 3/4 ton by chance?

In the GMT 400 series 1/2 ton an "LD" 3/4 ton (aka 6 lug 2wd) use the same spindle. The 8 lugs (real 3/4 an 1 ton) use the same spindle also. The only thing that takes a bigger wheel bearing is a 3500HD, which has an ID of 42.8mm. My outer bearing fits perfectly they just didn't finish machining this one right. I've looked high an low for anyway to make them work an there just isn't any option beside getting the axle out and finishing the machining process.

 

[sidschev]

perhalps put the bearings in hot oil to expand them so they slide on ......

 

[Radiohead]

In the GMT 400 series 1/2 ton an "LD" 3/4 ton (aka 6 lug 2wd) use the same spindle. The 8 lugs (real 3/4 an 1 ton) use the same spindle also. The only thing that takes a bigger wheel bearing is a 3500HD, which has an ID of 42.8mm. My outer bearing fits perfectly they just didn't finish machining this one right. I've looked high an low for anyway to make them work an there just isn't any option beside getting the axle out and finishing the machining process.

Are you able to spin it to specs at home or (hopefully) you have an accomplished machinist within a few hours drive? What a bucket of fuckerydoo.

 

[bluex]

perhalps put the bearings in hot oil to expand them so they slide on ......

It's the inner bearing, it has to be packed, in the rotor with the seal. Plus heating only gives you a few thousands of clearance. I need over half a millimeter or 2/10s of an inch.

Are you able to spin it to specs at home or (hopefully) you have an accomplished machinist within a few hours drive? What a bucket of fuckerydoo.

I tried sanding on it, made nearly no difference after 45 mins. I have spoken to 1 machine shop an the only way they would do it is if I can get the stub shaft out of the spindle.

 

[Radiohead]

I didn't think one could get the stub shaft separated once the knuckle was cast. I can't imagine that is an easy connection to sever.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I had the same issue on my CPP 3/4 ton spindles, not drop, stock height, so I called CPP. While on the phone one of their techs sanded one down to get the bearing to slide on. I did that and it worked.

 

[bluex]

I didn't think one could get the stub shaft separated once the knuckle was cast. I can't imagine that is an easy connection to sever.

I've honestly never tried but I'm about to if I can find someone with a big press lol. At this point they are useless to me and anyone else so why not.

Guys I appreciate all the suggestions, but this isn't a normal slight oversized an some sandpaper will fix it. I've lowered a bunch of trucks, never had a set this bad. I've been in industrial maintenance my entire adult life, I'm familiar with all the ways an tricks to install bearings an there simply isn't another fix for this except to have it machined. A full work week with sandpaper wouldn't fix this...

 

[DoubleDingo]

I've honestly never tried but I'm about to if I can find someone with a big press lol. At this point they are useless to me and anyone else so why not.

Guys I appreciate all the suggestions, but this isn't a normal slight oversized an some sandpaper will fix it. I've lowered a bunch of trucks, never had a set this bad. I've been in industrial maintenance my entire adult life, I'm familiar with all the ways an tricks to install bearings an there simply isn't another fix for this except to have it machined. A full work week with sandpaper wouldn't fix this...

I don't you or your background, was just providing the fix I had to perform when installing mine. Sucks that yours aren't fixable.

 

[bluex]

Well obviously there is more of a difference in the cheap spindles versus name brand, in these 1 ton 92-00 ones anyhow.

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Not seen such a drastic difference in C10/C1500 spindles though.