Holy Ghetto Fab, Batman!!

A 5 gallon bucket and a cinder block (loaded in the very much wrong direction)!!!???

Dude, get to HF and get some jackstands before you hurt yourself. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Michael

Nah the frame is only about 100 lbs, not very heavy.

I ain't worried about weight. I am worried about stability. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Michael

But you have 100 lbs of axle hanging there too. Jackstands please, at least turn the cementblock 90* till you get back with new jackstands.

The rest looks good <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> I lack your ambition :P

In the south, cinderblocks and 5 gallon buckets are a way of life. Hell, entire homes are supported on them <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Lookin good, Chris. Gettin anxious to see how it will all come together.
-J <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Ay there trooper J Finally someone backs me up. Believe me I own jackstands but I could not set them up in a way to get the suspension to hang , which I needed here for some measurments. Thanks for looking out for my wellbeing but the housing is empty it only weighs about 20 lbs. I would not use cinder blocks or buckets to hold up a truck, but a bare frame is a lot lighter than it looks hell I can lift it myself flip it over which I've been doing a lot lately to get better welds.

Ay there trooper J Finally someone backs me up.

Yeah, but even in GA, none of those houses are loading the brick in the weakest direction. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You got steel, you got a welder. Ditch the bucket/brick stuff and do it right. I would be even happy with some HD sawhorses. Heck, wood would work for that. We are talking about such a minimal amount of expense for an immense increase in safety and stability.

Joel(spaccab90) was not expecting to need stitches in his face. Regardless of weight, (although, I am betting (and hoping) that the frame is more than 100# bare) if it comes off and lands on your leg/foot/hand/head, you are going to have some issues. It may not kill you, but it will not help you.

I don't want to read your next post as "How do I weld with 9 fingers?" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Michael

Spent so much time thinking about this front suspension I ignored the obvious and easiest solution. I did not want to use such long 8" shackles because I thought they'd be unstable but a shorter shackle would mean a spring that couldn't extend all the way if I kept my mounts where they were (already welded the tubes in 75%). I got some scraps and mounted the front hanger 1" forward and had better results for a mockup. 7" shackles let the spring extend all the way so that is going to be my plan. Please ignore the 94 ford explorer water pump pulley tool my brother made that was the only scrap I had long enough.





Beefed up front spring hanger a bit more.


Cut out the old steering box section to prepare for a new one.


Since I am moving my hanger forward 1" I had to build some way to attach it-- rather than hacking something I just re built the front of the frame with longer pieces.






My method for plating and sleeving the frame for the box was to build the mount first then slide it into the frame already welded and assembled. This eliminates any inaccuracy of trying to line up drilled holes and sleeves. I drilled the holes in the 1/4" plate to 1/2" and did teh same to the steering box itself. For sleeves I used 1/2" black pipe cut in 2" sections. I don't understand black pipe measurements, no measurements on these are 1/2".




[img]http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/21/12.jpg[/img]

Just a small update. Built a front diff cover out of some steel I had. Cut it to make it bend easy around the housing.


Used cardboard to mock up little pieces.


Tacked together


I took it off and jigged it so I could weld the cuts and it wouldn't warp. Cut a little notch so water would drain out then put it back on the housing. Now I was building it to be a shield and not actualy touch the housing (just welded at top and bottom) but I looked online and saw that some people weld theirs to the thin steel of the housing. Not sure what is the best way to do it.


I cleaned and painted the housing, and replaced teh kingpin bearings & races. The seals aren't fastened yet because I have to get a fish scale to check the preload.

Everything is tacked together the way it will end up, and this is the last mockup to make sure nothing binds up in the steering. Should be good to go...




Let me know if you see anything that might not work as I'm going to weld everything up this week. Pitman arm is directly above draglink on droop but it gives a few inches of clearance at full turn when compressed. I can't rotate the box forward as I am at the absolute max interference of where I have to rebuild the front body mount or any semblance of one. I think with the steering box moved so far forward I shouldnt have pitman arm interference.

Sharp-looking differential guard... the only thing I would do is open up the drainage hole a bit, as you have liquid forms of soil in your neck of the woods.

Since the axle moves back under compression, you should be in good shape for clearing the pitman and steering arms. Have you thought ahead to bumpstops yet -- they'll really extend the life of your springs, and now would be a good time to build them in while you can still cycle and see where everything hits.

Randii