Trying to figure my own way to lay the front cross member?

[liljimsrodragz]

Ok I know there has to be a way to lay the original crossmember on the ground WITH stock a-arms and WITHOUT "Z-ing" the frame! I have 2600lb bags that when compressed are 2.75" tall. My A-arms are stepped 2 inches. Can I modify the a-arms, for example cut out the spring pockets and raise it up and then not use the plates on one side or another so that when the bags are compressed the bottom a-arm will touch the top of the crossmember? I dont know just throwing out ideas. I know someone out there has had to of done this before!

[Twisted Minis]

Do you have drop spindles? It's a lot of work to make the crossmember lay without them.

[liljimsrodragz]

No I just have the two inch stepped A-Arms and I have thought about getting the drop spindles too but I have been told that you can not run both beacause they will rub or something? I am trying to build this truck as cheap as possible though as its not my main project right now.

[dubdeuce80]

you can raise the section where the plates bolt onto the crossmember a few inches

[liljimsrodragz]

Yea I was thinking about doing that but I still wont get the frame to lay on the ground because it will hit the bottom of those damn A-Arms before it hits the frame.

[Spray-Bomb]

Here is what I did on my truck
But the pockets are prolly a lil too deep because they hit the ground before the cross shaft

And it still doesnt lay the crossmember on the ground

Good stuff starts at post #34
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=251067&page=2

[liljimsrodragz]

Yea That seems like a good idea. Thats similar to what I was looking to do. Now If I do this can I get it to lay frame if I dont make the tube as deep as you do? Thinking I might section the cross member too. That looks like a good way to get it lower.

[Spray-Bomb]

No, it will not lay frame

My frame is still 2-1/2" off the ground at dump
Really if you want to ride low the shallower cup in the LCAs isnt that big a deal, you will only gain about a 1/2" by going with a shallower cup

Once your cross shafts are on the ground (which that mod will allow) you still need almost 3" more drop to get the frame on the ground

Drop spindles will only help you with camber issues, so you can ride lower
It wont make it dump any lower

You will also need shorter shocks if you do that mod to your LCAs

Just look at my build thread for Killer (click killer in my sig)
You will see how much work it is to go low, & not even laying frame

[HotRodYJ]

I dropped my frame rails into the crossmember 5". All stock components other than air bags and it all but lays frame. Actually now that the rear frame section is almost done, it may come really close to laying frame. But honestly a Z would have been alot easier and quicker, I just like to be a little different than the next guy.

You can check mine out in my link below. At this point the rear hadn't been touched yet and the frame was about 2" off the ground under the cab. Now that the rear is dropped, the front frame should be conciderable lower now. Wouldn't take much to make it lay from here if that's what you want. A little more at teh air bags would do it on mine I think, but I've not set it back down yet to see for sure where it's at. I do know the trailing arm crossmember is the only thing holding it up right now, but it's coming out anyway.

Just a different way to do it...

[smashingchuck]

My truck lays flat on the ground with the cross member raised 1.5", tubular control arms (this is crucial), and 3" drop spindles. I would take those stepped control arms and throw them in the trash.

[liljimsrodragz]

Your crossmember is raised meaning you z'd the frame or you just notched the rails to allow the corssmember to sit up farther?

I WILL BUILD MY OWN BEFORE I pay 8-900 bucks for a pair of tubular arms.

[Spray-Bomb]

He didnt Z his frame, if you would look at his build thread you would see that he cut his cross member so that it is higher up on the frame rails