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[ChiefRocka]

Depending on application, I try and locate shocks with maximum extension.

For example, I measure axle travel to contact with bumpstop, and add 1" or so for bumpstop compression...then set top bolt hole location for shock at compressed point.

This gives maximum axle droop or "flex" for wheel'n.

The closer the shocks are to vertical, the better they will work.

You can run a longer, tighter shock mounted at an angle, so they will fit in the chassis, and still allow for maximum travel.

Brake, vent hoseing, E-cable and driveline pullout are obvious issues to be checked as you know.

[Bomp]

I like it. will watch this one.

[Captainfab]

Well that depends on how you are planning on using the Burb. I just assumed mostly driving on roads. The Chief is talking about offroad shock setup.

What I was saying, assuming on road use, is to compress the shock aprox 30%, and locate your hole. Or you might go to 40%-50% if you mount them after the body is on.

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

thanks!, I can probably wait until the body is back on before I mount the rear shocks.

so did I read this right? compress the shock so that only30% of the arm showing, then locate the hole?
..or did I get it backwards?

[jonzcustomshop]

that sounds perfect, yes this will mainly be for winter transportation.

[jonzcustomshop]

got some stuff done last week:
brake hose holders
capt. fab steering spacer
sway bar Xmember- I had to pull the 60-66 rad support to get it to fit, however I am thinking of using a 60-62 radiator, so I might not need it.

[jonzcustomshop]

I added this brace that supports the spring hangers, it took up 1 whole box of bolts by itself! I had to cut the inner support , and break out the arc welder and change the angle that it hits the frame -64 is tapered, 88 is parallel-
got the spring hangers bolted on, had to trim them down a bit and put in some new holes to fit them on the shorter 64 frame.
found a good place to mount the shock inside the pass. frame rail, on the old spring perch. the driver side one mounts outside the frame.

three 25 count boxes of bolts, so that means close to 75 rivets taken out and 150 holes drilled!!!, I guess thats not counting the rivets on stuff that just had to come off the 64 frame... add another 20-25!!

[Bomp]

Would "Holey Moley" be fitting?

You know what your doin' and it looks good.

[padresag]

did you go 3/8 or 7/16 on the bolts. i found that all of the holes were to sloppy for 3/8 so i drilled them all for 7/16 bolts
the body mount brkts are a little different over the spring perch on a 4 x 4 and the emerg brake mounts up behind the t/c crossmember. just for info only.
those were all my old diesel fuel lines that were hanging with return line

ron

[jonzcustomshop]

interesting , the difference in brackets, that one looks to be up a little higher than my 2wd as well...
I went with 7/16 grade 8 bolts, I had to run the 7/16 drill bit through all the holes, to shave off the tiniest bit of metal to make them all fit...
was that a factory 3/4 ton 4X4 'burb?

[Captainfab]

Nice work Jon

It looks like the sway bar crossmember fit without any modifications?

Yeah, it looks like you are getting to know your drill really well

You're probably on a first name basis with where you're buying your hardware too

[jonzcustomshop]

yes the sway bar crossmember fit without any mods.
the hardest part is trying to find the holes...lots of measuring.
there is one steering box bolt that won't come out with the crossmember in... so if I ever need to change the box, the whole thing will have to be moved.

The key with the drill is lots of oil, and pilot holes, I am amazed , but I am still using the same 7/16 bit I started with!

....and I pretty much ran the local ACE out of 7/16 bolts, nuts and washers!
actually waiting for them to get a new shipment...I need at least 1 more box.

[jonzcustomshop]

got the gas tank mounted up today.
I used the one out of the 85 blazer- the tank in the blazer was about 10 inches shorter than the 2 suburban tanks I had to choose from. I think I could have been able to get them to fit, but the filler ended up in a bad spot (interfered with the body support)

I moved the rear frame brace toward the bumper about a foot, and then turned the blazer tank around 180 so that the filler is now on the left. You can see the scored line on the frame where the stock 64 filler came across the frame, so there shouldn't be too much work to connect to the stock filler tube.

I fabbed up a support with some angle iron and used that across the top to trap the tank in the frame- the 85 uses the cross braces.

also mounted the rear brake bracket in the best spot I could find.

in the last shot you can see the profile of the tank, the spring kind of covers up where the tank tapers up a little towards the front (which used to be the rear of the tank.)

[jonzcustomshop]

I was able to salvage the exhaust system out of the blazer as well, I used all the brackets (more drilling) and had a couple pieces fabbed up at the exhaust shop to extend it 11 inches, had to cut a couple windows in the old trailing arm support for the pipes to run through.

[62 short step]

Looking good! Dont know how I missed this build.

[jonzcustomshop]

Originally Posted by duallyjams

What length front & rear springs did you use also could you share some pics of the rear spring hangers.

some of my pics of the gas tank install should show some pics of the rear hangers...

out of the 4 trucks I could have used hangers off of for the rear spring , the rear hangers were all the same, but the front hangers (for the rear spring) were all different- 2wd 1/2 sub, 4wd 3/4 sub,4wd 1/2 blazer, and 4wd 1/2 sb truck.

the rear springs and hangers I used were the 3/4 ton 4X4 sub, and they measure 55.5 inches center to center.

the front springs were off the 1/2 ton sb truck, and are 4 inch lift springs, they measure 46.5 inches center to center.

hope this helps, sorry it took so long to respond.

[duallyjams]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

some of my pics of the gas tank install should show some pics of the rear hangers...

out of the 4 trucks I could have used hangers off of for the rear spring , the rear hangers were all the same, but the front hangers (for the rear spring) were all different- 2wd 1/2 sub, 4wd 3/4 sub,4wd 1/2 blazer, and 4wd 1/2 sb truck.

the rear springs and hangers I used were the 3/4 ton 4X4 sub, and they measure 55.5 inches center to center.

the front springs were off the 1/2 ton sb truck, and are 4 inch lift springs, they measure 46.5 inches center to center.

hope this helps, sorry it took so long to respond.

thanks

[jonzcustomshop]

starting on body work... first is to patch the patch....
the lh center brace was cut up when the wrecking yard sold the 1/4's off the sub years ago, so I fabbed up some patches, then the only rust in this piece, was the driver foot well.
sure is easy to do the repair when it is up on its side!

[piratexpress1369a]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

starting on body work... first is to patch the patch....
the lh center brace was cut up when the wrecking yard sold the 1/4's off the sub years ago, so I fabbed up some patches, then the only rust in this piece, was the driver foot well.
sure is easy to do the repair when it is up on its side!

are you using a rotisserie

[jonzcustomshop]

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

are you using a rotisserie

no, the front 1/2 is cut off right now, so I pushed it up on its side..

[rs74]

Any more progress?

[jonzcustomshop]

took a little time off for the winter break, but today and yesterday , I pulled the rockers off... they were in decent shape, and I didnt really want to pull them, but I needed them off to get the correct access to weld the body back together.

I will take some pics of what I am doing next time I am out there.


>>>>> and anyone have good suggestions of which rockers to, or not to buy???
I see top banana has a pair for $66, then I saw some on ebay for $68 +$25 shipping, and then I saw some others on ebay for $140 + shipping.....

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

took a little time off for the winter break, but today and yesterday , I pulled the rockers off... they were in decent shape, and I didnt really want to pull them, but I needed them off to get the correct access to weld the body back together.

I will take some pics of what I am doing next time I am out there.


>>>>> and anyone have good suggestions of which rockers to, or not to buy???
I see top banana has a pair for $66, then I saw some on ebay for $68 +$25 shipping, and then I saw some others on ebay for $140 + shipping.....

I believe Top Banana sells Triplus. Greg is ordering from them for his cab, I believe.

[jonzcustomshop]

here is some progress.. rust repair on the lower door pillar, on the rh side I had to make patterns and fabricate the rusted away piece, luckily there was enough left on the left side to use as a pattern.

the inside of the rockers.. they are a little surface rusted , but not too bad, and the patch on the rh floor brace, where it was cut up with the torch.

[jonzcustomshop]

here is the bottom of the door pillar, this is why I had to cut the rockers off, so I could access this piece to trim it to fit and weld it in.
after I place the floor I will bolt it in ,and then weld it in. I also set it up so all the welds will be behind the rocker , so no body work needed!

the insides of the rockers are pretty surface rusty too, these are spot welded on near the door rubber, and under the sill plate is the seam from the inner/floor meeting the rocker , on this sub floor some of the spots were already broken from use, and that left a way for water to seep in, when I put the new rockers on, I will seam seal this seam.

next are the 3 templates I made to fix the rust on the rh lower door pillar, seen in the first pic of the previous post.
I use thick paper , cut it to fit, tape it together, then transfer it to a piece of sheet metal to weld in.
a lot easier to cut the paper and get it right first before using the sheet metal.

last is a pic of the brace that gm welds on subs and panels to hold the rocker to the 1/4 panel.

[jonzcustomshop]

putting the body back together.
It was easier to take 'em apart, one was rusted away, and the other had the 1/4s cut off.
In order to get the floor back in without pulling the wood floor out (and the cross braces, and maybe having the body collapse) I cut this little corner piece out so I could slip the floor in, I will just have to do a little more welding...