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2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
#728412 October 01st 2017 8:47 pm
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Hi all.
Ok so I looked around in here and found advice to lift my van 4" using the following parts. I have a 1990 g20 van

Quote
So your parts list would be
G30 Control Arms
88-91 4" lift spindles c1500
88-91 5 lug rotors
88-91 calipers
If your 5 lug, you have it so easy. Get lift spindles for C truck. The most important thing to understand is what brakes you have, look at the rotor thickness you should have the 11.75" dia. 1.25" thick rotor with the 5 on 5 lug pattern, uses the A3 and A5 bearing and the D52 caliper, when you look for a lift spindle it needs to use the same brakes or your in trouble, the rotor thickness is the give away. Do some research on all the GM trucks from C to G to P, it's all the same front end with different parts from 73 up. Gm is was real lazy in making new front ends.

Now let me say this that G30 top control arms do not fit C1500 spindles I had to grind of the new ball joints and swap for C1500 ball joints. Not a big deal but should be included in the instructions.

I then took my new g30 control arms and soon realized they do not fit my 3/4 ton van at all. The u bolts on my van are for heavy duty control arms and what I got from rockauto.com was the same geometric shape but had a much thinner mounting shaft. So what now? I guess I put my old control arms back in and press in a new ball joint to fit the c1500 spindle at the bottom. If this is the case I would have to say keeping the stock control arms and just replacing the ball joints would have been the simplest way to go.

While I have all this apart I'd like to replace all the bushings in my control arm as well I guess.

I just don't understand why people recommend the above parts list when none of it fits? Am I missing something here? Why even recommend the G30 control arms at all when they are the same geometric shape?

The new bottom control arms do have the rear ugh the size ball joint though. Should I go to pick n pull and just get the saddles for the smaller size mounting axle?

Any wisdom at this point would be very much appreciated

Thanks

Dan

Attached Files
IMG_1022.PNG (3.6 MB, 1505 downloads)
Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
Metal #728416 October 01st 2017 9:18 pm
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Originally Posted by Metal
Hey guys. I'm going to do this c1500 lift on a 4x2 G20 to run 35". I have had the HD spring setup and I would catch air on the smallest bump in the road because it was so ridged. So going with a lift spindle this time round.
So I have 5 lug breaks and tomorrow I'm going to measure the disks. Hopefully I have a match and won't need to change them out to suit. I'm planing to do the whole deal for under $1500 so we will see how that turns out. So far I have found the 88-91 c1500 4" spindles on eBay for $200. Then I'm running Bart super trucker 15"x10" wheels $230 for a set, with 35"x12.5"x15 tires I found a set in excellent condition used for $300.
The ball joints as I've read it on these lift spindles only fit G30 control arms and I'll need a set of these arms to use the lift spindles (correct me if I'm wrong). I've found a G30 being wrecked and will grab the arms from that tomorrow I hope. That's pretty much the front end and wheels covered. The rear I think I'm going to have custom leaf springs made and do it properly. I want to tow a big car trailer with this rig when I'm done and could really use a professional to help set it up right. So I'm guessing $500 or so on that. Then I'll spend the rest on new shocks.

Any input would be great.

Thanks

Dan



Here's what you wrote in another thread ..... when you talk about G30 parts you already have your mind made up to use them..... where did you get your info on the G30 arms ?


SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO
ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN
ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS
'93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB
'92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB
Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
frscke1 #728418 October 01st 2017 9:36 pm
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I got the info from this thread and one other that I can't find the link to right now

https://www.vanning.com/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/707040/3

Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
Metal #728423 October 01st 2017 11:18 pm
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This one ....

Originally Posted by Deathorvictory
So I went to the Mooneyes car show a few weekends ago and saw a lifted G10 2WD van and had to find out what we used to get it that high.

We spoke for a bit and he used G30 control arms (which I didnt know are different than the G10/G20 control arms, they used in the P30 step vans as well) and 88-91 2WD C1500 4" lift spindles. He had to replace the stock 77 G10 rotors and calipers to fit correctly but its all bolt on stuff and the van sat tough as hell! Dude told me he just drove it about 6k miles so I know its well sorted out.

So your parts list would be
G30 Control Arms
88-91 4" lift spindles
88-91 5 lug rotors
88-91 calipers
[Linked Image]


Well nothing in the thread says how much trouble he had to do this set up.
From this post most of what was said was hear say from the "guy" at Mooneyes.
It may be possible to do. He may have had a FULL machine shop at his disposal.
Good luck on your build....


SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO
ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN
ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS
'93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB
'92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB
Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
frscke1 #728426 October 02nd 2017 12:13 am
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Metal Offline OP
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Well I'm going to return the G30 control arms and rebuild the heavy duty control arms I have, then fit with ball joints to suit the c1500 spindles. I should know by tomorrow how it works out so I'll keep y'all pasted

Attached Files IMG_1023.PNGIMG_1026.PNG
Last edited by Metal; October 02nd 2017 12:15 am.
Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
Metal #728445 October 02nd 2017 7:56 pm
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Great thread Metal. I'm very interested in this type of G20 lift having done big coils years ago. I've rebuilt the upper and lower arms and would think that this all would depend on the balljoint specs matching w the C1500 spindles. I always wanted to hunt thru local bone yards and take pictures, measure stuff, or even buy old junk to take home and spec out on a workbench. Keep us posted on your findings.

Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
Metal #728448 October 02nd 2017 10:31 pm
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Ok so here is the pickle.

So I'm lifting my G20 using some c1500 lift spindles. Normally the swap would call for G30 lower control arm. I bought a set and when I went to swap them out I noticed my stock ones seem way more heavy duty. The bushing pin on my stock control arm is way bigger like 2 inch. While the G30 arms have a bushing pin that's about 1.5 inch in diameter. So here's my problem if I run my stock lower control arms I can't find a ball joint with the taper that fits the c1500 spindle.

But if I run the G30 control arm the bushing pin does not fit the saddles riveted to my cross member. So my option are A. Find the G30 crossmember saddles and ubolts and modify my g20 cross member to fit G30 arms. B. Get a custom ball joint that mates the G20 arm to the c1500 spindle. C. Machine the spindle to fit the G20 ball joint.

What do you guys think?

Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
Metal #728473 October 03rd 2017 11:51 am
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So I'm leaning toward cutting the bail joint flange out of the G30 arm and welding it into the heavy duty G20 arm. This should be the last problem I encounter in the lift conversion....I hope.

This way I can use the G30 ball joint and it will fit right up to the C1500 spindle.

I didn't feel like it was safe having the G30 control arm bolted into the G20 crossmember. It is no a good fit and is quite a bit more narrow than my stock heavy duty arm.

Re: 2WD 4" lift 1990 G20 sportvan project
Metal #728474 October 03rd 2017 12:30 pm
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OK .. you have a G20 van using G30 arms with c1500 spindles. 3/4 ton van, 1 ton arms, 1/2 ton spindles.

And the weak point is ....

Why not grab the whole G30 ft end & put it on your 3/4 ton van ?

No welding no mixes just beef .


SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO
ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN
ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS
'93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB
'92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB
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