1970 Chevrolet C10 Problems: 6 Known Issues

On the 1970 Chevrolet C10, nHTSA campaign 70V094000 identifies certain 1970 Chevrolet C10 trucks with affected one-piece 15 x 5.5 wheels. Cracking can cause severe vibration and potentially wheel separation with loss of vehicle control. Applies to: 1970 Chevrolet C10 trucks fitted with the affected one-piece 15 x 5.5 wheels. Other wheels, including later replacement or aftermarket wheels, are not covered, and a historical campaign may not offer a free remedy today.

On the 1967-1972 Chevrolet C10, the half-ton 2WD C10 locates its coil-sprung rear axle with two trailing arms on rubber bushings. Owners on 1967-72 Chevrolet truck forums discuss replacing worn trailing-arm bushings and describe them as hard to remove, even with the arms on a bench. This is age-related wear reported by owners, not a manufacturer finding. Applies to: 1967-1972 two-wheel-drive Chevrolet C10 half-ton pickups with the original coil-spring, trailing-arm rear suspension, including the 1970 C10. Trucks with leaf-spring rears or aftermarket rear suspensions differ.

On the 1967-1970 Chevrolet C10, the 1970 C10 came standard with drum brakes at all four wheels; front disc brakes did not become standard on these trucks until 1971. Owners of 1970 C10s have posted about a rear wheel locking up under hard braking, and owners on C10 forums describe converting the front brakes to discs. Causes owners discuss include drum brakes out of adjustment (the star self-adjusters), air in the brake lines, and a seeping wheel cylinder letting brake fluid contaminate the linings. This is an age-related, owner-reported weak point of the original drum system, not a manufacturer defect finding. Applies to: 1967-1970 two-wheel-drive Chevrolet C10 pickups that still have the original-style drum brakes at all four wheels, including the 1970 C10. Trucks already converted to disc brakes are different.

On the 1967-1972 Chevrolet C10, owners on 1967-72 Chevrolet truck forums describe batteries that go dead or are not kept charged, including on 1970 C10s. In those threads, other owners point to the regulator's ground at the radiator support, the alternator ground, a regulator-to-alternator plug that was mis-pinned or had its blue and white wires swapped, and the resistor wire that feeds the regulator from the ignition switch. Owners also discuss the original breaker-points ignition and recommend converting to a GM HEI electronic distributor as an update. These are age-related, owner-reported problems, not a manufacturer finding. Applies to: 1967-1972 Chevrolet C10 pickups with the original-style alternator and separate (external) voltage regulator, including the 1970 C10, and trucks still running points ignition. Trucks already converted to an internally regulated alternator or electronic ignition have different wiring.

On the 1967-1972 Chevrolet C10, classic-pickup specialists quoted by Hagerty report a few rust problem areas to inspect on 1967-72 Chevrolet C/K pickups: the wheel wells, the cab corners and other spots where dirt and moisture sit, the rain gutters and drip rails, and the joint where the toe board meets the rocker. They also report that the small drain holes at the front of the cab clog easily. Hagerty notes these trucks are not known for being especially rust-prone overall; this is a reported age-related pattern, not a manufacturer finding. Applies to: 1967-1972 Chevrolet C/K pickups, including the 1970 C10. How much rust a given truck has depends on its history; some trucks are solid.

On the 1967-1972 Chevrolet C10, owners on 1967-72 Chevrolet truck forums describe steering play and trucks that wander. Replies trace it to worn or loose steering linkage, especially the idler arm where it bolts to the frame, and to worn ball joints. This is age-related wear reported by owners, not a manufacturer finding. Applies to: 1967-1972 Chevrolet C10 pickups with the original-style steering box and linkage, including the 1970 C10, with manual or power steering. Trucks converted to aftermarket steering systems differ.