Wylie, I don't think you need to worry about a frame graft or even swapping control armsUnless you want to upgrade to the full on 4000# front end.
Most 3/4 ton pickups use the LD front end and most if not all are 8 lug. From what I know, you should be able to find one and just grab the knuckles/spindles and brakes and swap them right to your truck. I'd stick to a pre 78 donor just because I'm not sure of what/why the steering was changed then. Just pop the ball joint studs and tie rod studs and grab what falls on your toes.
Red, do you know if any of those steering arm numbers are supercessions of previous ones? Or do your catalogs not have that info?
I'm not concerned about whether I have the 4000# front end or not, but I'll be sure to verify that before I get my tools out. There still seems to be plenty of older iron around me that I don't think it will be too hard to find. Especially since I can get these from a van also.
Thanks again everyone for the good discussion!
I agree that for your intended use you don't need the 4000# front end setup, but you do need to make sure the donor truck is a non 4000# setup. Otherwise you are looking at swapping arms and at least modifying the crossmember. Yes van spindles work, but double check the steering arm numbers.
Note, finding a pickup donor is better as you can grab the rear axle too. Van axles don't swap straight in, the spring spacing is different and iirc the whole thing is wider.
Yeah, I will double check. The online used part locators all seem to list a 3300# and a 3800# axle, of which I'm obviously going with the lighter one. I have considered the van set-up because I know that the lower control arms have a pocket in them for the coil spring. And that was a low buck way to drop the front end down on these trucks, before anyone made new spindles. But I'll have to be careful because it seems that there's not as many vans in the yards near me, as there are old class C motorhomes. And I'd suspect that even the shortest of those would be the stronger axle.
If my memory serves, the van rear axles are not just the wrong spring perch spacing, but I believe they're slightly offset to the right. But there is at least one place locally that seems to have everything on one truck. I might have to just go look at it and see if I can get the rolling chassis for about the same price.
