Stamped vs Forged Lower Control Arm Swap

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Brother Al

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Hello to All,

I have searched in vain to get a clear answer to this and have seen conflicting answers...

I have a '92 K1500 Z71. Im building a new chassis with a '98 frame as my core. I would like to ditch my stock stamped lower control arms for the '95/'96-'98 forged lower control arms found on some 2500's.
- Ive read that they will swap, & that they wont swap readily.
- Ive read that some 6 lug Light Duty 2500 trucks had them.
- Ive read that only 8 lug HD 2500 & 3500 trucks had them.
- I know that the 8 lug HD K-series front suspension is quite different from the 6 lug version.

So what is the truth?
Is there a 6 lug version, just like there is a 6 lug version of the SF 9.5" 14 bolt axle. (Which I have for this project)

Why do I want to swap? Because I live in New England and stamped control arms tend to suffer a lot of rust damage over time because of all the nooks that trap dirt, water, & salt.
This truck isnt a mud bogging, offroader... its a daily-driven, light-off road, light load hauling, & camper towing truck. Any "offroad" type driving would be on fire roads for fishing/hunting and the occassional +2 foot of snow from Nor' Easters.

Thanks Much.
Brother Al
 

SkyHighColorado

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go to the junk yard and pull some you like and start test fitting and see what you can do. I bet a light duty 2500 would swap right over, but I would check some out in the jy first.
 

Brother Al

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I appreciate you post Skyhighcolorado, but that doesnt help answer my questions... if it was that simple Id have done it already. Im also not dropping $100+ on parts that I might not ever hope to use. I frequent the boneyards often enough. I have yet to find a 2500 LD 6 lug with forged, hence my questions...
Do they exist?
Or is it simply a 2500HD / 3500HD part?
 

someotherguy

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I don't know much about 4x4 models but I can tell you in 2WD, a light duty 2500 has no difference in control arms vs. a 1500. Upper and lower are stamped. The only differences between those two trucks are summed up easily: 6 lug bolt pattern vs. 5 lug, 14 bolt 9.5" vs. 10 bolt 8.5", and a couple of small support brackets on the rear spring/shackle hangers.

Richard
 

Brother Al

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Yes, this I am quite aware of. 1500 and 2500LD used the same frames and suspensions... There are even some special order 1500 "HD" trucks out there... essentially a stepside with the 6 lug 9.5" 14 bolt SF... that is what I am doing to mine.

Is there a forged lower control arm for LD 2500's (6 lug)?
 

Tech-GeeK1500

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The 4x4 trucks that utilize a stamped lower control arm is much different from the stamped arms on a 2WD. 4x4's use torsion bars instead of coil springs, and the upper arms on all 4x4 models are forged, regardless if 1500, 2500, or 3500. He'll need to use 4x4 parts. A question for the OP, do you currently have a clean set of arms on now, or are your current arms about shot? You can always wire wheel them down and coat the heck out of them with enamel, urethane bedliner, etc. Grab a can of Eastwood internal frame coating and spray down the insides of them. It will eat up any rust already there and and help prevent corrosion in the future. Hit up the inside of your frame while your at it. Just an idea if the arm swap turns out to be too much work.
 

Brother Al

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Overclocked,

My lowers are not "shot" per se, but they are getting fugly. I have a '98 frame that I am using as a new chassis foundation. Its lowers are marginally better looking but have about the same mileage as my '92 originals (150k)... That said, the combination of calcium chloride and rock salt used in my region absolutely destroys anything made of steel...

I am building this truck to last at least another 25 years or more, so Im trying to use the best things GM had in the parts bin...
If there was/is a K2500 LD forged lower control arm, Id love to use it over the stamped one...
Someone here has to know.
 
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