My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade

[Tx Firefighter]

My height at the old static drop level was frame 7 inches from the ground. I could lay it down flat and still fit my fist between the top of the tire and the fender.

My tentative plan is to have my frame be 4-5 inches from the ground at ride height. Then at full drop, I'd like to keep the frame about 1 inch from the pavement. So I won't be laying anything on the ground at all. I do figure I'll notch it excessively in the back and use bump stops to control how far down it will go. That way if I ever grow in tire size in the future, I'll have the option of still having frame notch to work with and can shorten the bump stop to drop it further to compensate for the bigger tires.

[Hankster]

Sounds like a good plan! Also, with you not wanting to lay frame, you don't have to worry about tucking everything like your gas tank and exhaust and stuff.

[Tx Firefighter]

My exhaust is non useable. It goes well below the transmission crossmember, I'll need to build a new crossmember too because I have the funny one that goes under the frame and wraps up the side. I'll have to build a simple one that's up inside the rails. I am going to plan on a rear mount gas tank just to allow me to get it further off the ground and it opens up space for me to lengthen the lower bars and their mounts up into the space currently occupied by the tank. In my business, I've seen the hell that is caused when someone gashes open a gas tank. Authorities get called and a giant ruckus ensues over a fuel spill. Last thing I want is my tank down flush with the bottom of the frame rails when they're 1-2 inches off of the ground. I'd surely find a sharp rock or something else similarly as unlucky.

[Just call me Sean]

Put the tank behind the seat, where it's safe.

[Low Elco]

I like your work, Chief.

[bluex]

I'm hoping to use a 25 gal K5 tank behind the axle on mine eventually. I have to see if there is enough room after the suspension install though.

[Tx Firefighter]

I stopped at the steel yard this morning in my way home and found some goodies. Four nice pieces of 3/16 plate to make my step notch out of and a length of 2 inch thick wall to make my other link bar out of.



Today is an exciting day because I'll be making templates and cutting notch pieces. Much to learn and new techniques to figure out.

[TheChief]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

I like your work, Chief.

thank you sir

[Tx Firefighter]

I started out by making a drawing of my desired notch dimensions. Then I had to account for the width of my plasma cutter head (5/16" offset to compensate) and juggle numbers to account for that. Made my head hurt just figuring that out. Then draw it all carefully onto plywood for my template.



I had bought this cool little jigsaw at the last swap meet for two bucks. I had to work on the blade retention collar. But with some repair, it's back to good as new. I love these old aluminum bodied tools. They put off that cool ozone smell when you use them. I suspect there's quite a measure of guys on here who don't know the smell I'm talking about. Only the old tools like this put that smell off. Don't know why.



Then clamp template to steel and commence to cutting with the plasma. Notice I'm using old lacquer thinner jugs for a stand to work on. Surely the vapors have evaporated enough by now. Remember, safety third.



Just hanging in place. There's still an entire afternoon worth of measuring, double checking, and prep before the first tack weld goes down.

[Hankster]

Looks good so far! I want to put a monster notch like that on my truck.. One day!..

[Palf70Step]

Nice work so far Kevin. I need a bigger plasma cutter to play with you guys.

[Tx Firefighter]

I've never agreed with the technique where guys try to make their MIG welds look like a TIG stack o dimes. Many of them cycle the trigger repeatedly to overlap puddle upon puddle to look like Jessie James. Sound MIG welds should be smooth and consistent. It avoids cold spots when you repeatedly stop and start the arc.



I'm no Jedi welder, but you can stake your life on the integrity of these.

[rusty76]

Looking good!

[Tx Firefighter]

Stopping point for today. Notch is in and fully welded.





Tomorrow I'll cut the frame out from inside the notch and plate the bottom. Also will try to rebuild rear brake line, rear wiring harness, build shock crossmember, and start looking at building the link bars. Much to do....

[lolife99]

Kevin,... are you going to box any of the frame in front and rear of the notch?

[Tx Firefighter]

I'm thinking very seriously about it. The way it is now just doesn't make me feel warm about it.

I need to go to the real steel yard tomorrow and get some metal. I need some decent thick wall round tubing for the bridge crossmember. All I have here is like 14-16 gauge. And I need some thin gauge square tubing to weld around the inside perimeter of the bed for my raised floor to sit on.

[Tx Firefighter]

And also, anyone have a suggestions....

I've worked myself into a corner here as far as bump stops go. I haven't chosen a particular bumpstop yet, but I'm to the point of closing up the bottom of the notches permanently. I need to make some accommodation for installing them later. I'm thinking about drilling a hole in the center of the bottom plate of the notch before I install it, and weld a 3/8 nut inside of there. That would lock me into bumpstops with 3/8 studs only though.

[lolife99]

3/8" nut is what I would use.
That's what all the Energy Suspension bumpstops are.
Plus if they aren't tall enough,... its easy to make a round tube extension.

[Tx Firefighter]

I might hit the junkyard and climb under some pickups. Surely I can find a pair of bolt on bumpstops that would suit this application. The good 3 inch tall Energy Suspension ones are like 40 bucks. I'm betting the junkyard would be 5 bucks tops.

[83 Silverado]

In a earlier post you said you are looking at doing a rear mount tank to make room for longer links, and the blazer tank was out do to ground clear ins, but how about a 15gal tank from a jeep yj, just from a quick search the dimensions are 25-1/4 x 18-1/4 x 10-7/8 and be easy to tuck up in the frame. The other thing is the sending units look to be 90 ohm's like the stock GM senders.

I liking the direction your taking this truck, I'll be following along on this one.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

And also, anyone have a suggestions....

I've worked myself into a corner here as far as bump stops go. I haven't chosen a particular bumpstop yet, but I'm to the point of closing up the bottom of the notches permanently. I need to make some accommodation for installing them later. I'm thinking about drilling a hole in the center of the bottom plate of the notch before I install it, and weld a 3/8 nut inside of there. That would lock me into bumpstops with 3/8 studs only though.

Originally Posted by lolife99

3/8" nut is what I would use.
That's what all the Energy Suspension bumpstops are.
Plus if they aren't tall enough,... its easy to make a round tube extension.

That's how I did mine. I was going to use ZQ8 S10 stops & based my dimensions off of them. I got everything installed & found the ZQ8 stops compressed WAYYYYY too much w/my heavy stuff on top. I switched to the poly 'cone' style stops from Energy Suspension. Same basic dimensions (approx3") w/much less compression. Then I just made up the difference w/a short metal extension (1").

For the record.... I don't recall if they were 5/16" or 3/8"....

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by lolife99

3/8" nut is what I would use.
That's what all the Energy Suspension bumpstops are.
Plus if they aren't tall enough,... its easy to make a round tube extension.

When I did Korbin's '82, I welded in a 3/8" nut in the notch like you described. I used a Engergy Suspension stubby bump stop that I had on hand from the CPP blot in notch I used on my '65. It also had a 3/8" stud. Worked great....

[aggie91]

What's up the artsy fartsy black and white photos?

[jhama78]

While you are in the wrecking yard check for the rear bumpstops on superduty trucks, Ive got a set laying around after installing firestone bags on my brother in laws truck.



Another option to keep it all GM would be the 90s rear bump stops off of chebby trucks... Its the one all the way on the left in this pic GM PART # 15712438



looks like they are 12 bux new http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...umber=15712438

or if you wanted a stiffer poly bumpstop you could use the ones off of a later model tahoe GM PART # 15023225 but they are spendy at 25-30 apiece



Happy hunting.


edit: Btw, these arent my pics, just some Ive saved from researching online.

[lolife99]

I personally like using the shortest Engery Suspension "hockey puck" looking bump stop for less compression.
And then I build an aluminum stand for it the correct length.