The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks '62 Frame up next step

Hey everyone, on my '62 I have the truck stripped down to just the frame. I removed the whole front end as a single piece and have the differential and trailing arms removed also. The last major step I took on my truck was sandblasting then painting the frame. I have some idea of what I need to do next, but I would like the opinions of others too. Right now there are lots of parts that still need to have rust and grease/dirt removed from them.

The parts I haven't cleaned or am in the process of cleaning are,
[*]Front end (steering/suspension components)
[*]Trailing arms
[*]Rear axle

I know that the next thing I want to do is work on the suspension and steering components but I'm not totally sure where to start. Here are some general questions I have, anything else you think I should know would be appreciated.

-Should I take apart the front end further? Currently everything is together in one piece that was unbolted from the frame.
-How will I know what parts to replace in the steering system?
-Should I replace everything to be safe?
-Should I start with the front or rear first?
-Do rusted coil springs need to be replaced?



I really appreciate any help I can get. I really wan to kick working on my truck into high gear so I can try to get it completed within a few years so my grandpa can see it.

Were you driving the truck prior to taking it off the road? The behavior on the road might inform some of your decisions. Some will say, if it was not broke dont change, with the corollary of, first, do no harm.
With that being said, I would recommend (at this point) replace all of the suspension bushings since you are there. Get the frame back to rolling chassis. I dont think there is any preferred sequence, front or back. Ball joints may be easier to change from your bench if you decide to go that route.
Springs - inspect and reuse, but they are not hard to find and replace if budget allows. The spring cups will be rusted and should be replaced. Look for cracks and welds on the springs in case they were damaged in the past.
Ball joints inspect and replace if needed. Some will say just change the ball joints so you never have to worry about them. I did not change mine. It has not bit me yet, but I think there will be a day when I wished I had changed them when I had easy access.
Steering - inspect. Steering gear, pitman, connecting rod, and idler arm are likely good to reuse. Tie rods and tie rods ends are cheap and easy and replacement now will make alignment adjustment easier. Spin steering gear at the spline. It should spin freely and not hang up anywhere. If it spins nice, clean exterior and check grease level. If it looks all cruded up (in that the seals were leaking) or if it does not spin nice, rebuild with new seals and bearings on your bench. Good description in the shop manual and on line.
Brake lines, brake components, parking brake.
That should keep you busy for some time.

Matt, your truck is 58 years and I guess you have no history of past repairs. I would start by continuing to clean parts as you go. Replace EVERY perishable part as you go. Anything with rubber bushings or covers and of course the steering rag joint. As HB said tie rod ends are fairly cheap and easy to find (Rockauto.com) and ball joints are a piece of cake with the a-arms on the bench. Pick a point and start there, focusing on everything attached to that point. Start at the front, start at the back, it doesn’t matter, just start. Clean prime and paint removed parts prior to reinstalling them. Before you know it you will be happily bouncing down the road with a big😁 on your face. Happy trucking.🛠

Thanks for the advice! The truck has been parked on the side of my grandpa's shop for about 30 years, so I sadly have never been able to drive it. Knowing how it handles would definitely make finding worn parts much more easily. I think I'll probably start on the rear end since I will only have a week or so to work on my truck over my Christmas break. I think I will probably replace ball joints once I get to the front end since you're probably right about doing it now so it doesn't go bad later. Taking it apart more will also make it easier to paint the control arms anyway, so I think it's the best thing to do. I'll order parts soon.

I really appreciate the help, guys!