Well , got a little more accomplished.The crossmember is in and all welded up , and the 2 gussets are welded in.I started to put some of that blue steel on , but only did a small portion of the back part of the frame so far.Also I did some stuff on the front end.The upper control arms are gone , the tie rods are off , the axle is almost off , just have to get the sway bar out of the way to get it out of there.I can't get the ball joints off the lower control arm , for some reason unknown to me , one of the bolts on each end has some kind of plate around it , and only a small portion of the bolt is sticking out.Hopefully Jerry will chime in and have some knowledge on how to get those puppies off so I can get the lower ball joints off.The torsion bars are all off , and I painted the brackets on each end with rust paint , plus they are gonna get re greased when I put the new bars in.The new bars , OME don't seem any different in size or weight compared to the stock when I took the stock ones out , so not sure how they get the extra percentage stronger <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I'm still debating whether to take the sway bar off and leave it off , or put it back on.I will have 4" suspension lift , and 3" body lift when I am all done , with the heavier torsion bars , and 33" tires.Once I get the axle out , and the lower ball joints , then I will start cleaning up the front and putting that blue steel on.Then the frame will get painted up , or possibly some of that paintable rubberized undercoating , I haven't decided yet.Then the new stuff will be going back on.All new ball joints , tie rods , torsion bars , shocks , brakes , brake lines , etc , etc. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> Still lots of work to do , but its slowly getting there.A bigger shop and the proper equipment would make a huge difference.Anyway , heres a few pics of the frame , then a couple pics of the front end stuff , with pics of the lower ball joints , and the one bolt that you can hardly get a wrench on , let alone get a grip on it at all.















Now why they put that plate there leaving just a bit of that bolt exposed , I'll never understand.Either they have a special tool for this , or there is a trick to getting a grip on it somehow.I know a socket and a wrench won't work as I tried.There just isn't enough of the bolt exposed to grip on too.As for getting the sway bar off , thats a silly setup too.Its a 12MM nut on top and another on the bottom , which you can't get anything in there to grip onto.So , all that happens is the top one keeps turning.I tried loosening one of the bolts on the lower control arm , thinking it might be easier to take the whole thing off.No idea what they are torqued up at , but I broke my 29" extended handle cheater bar trying to break it loose <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> I thought I had snapped the socket , but it was the bar that broke <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

That bolt on the lower control arm has a capture around it. Its usualy holds the head of bolt, and keeps it from spinning. But if the bolts get kinda rusty the bolt can spin in the capture, kinda like the body bolts.

The new cross member looks beefy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I would not coat the frame with anything but paint as any type of coating will eventually lose the bond between itself and the metal but stay intact forming a small void for water to be trapped, corroding/freezing etc. At least with high grade paint when it fails it will flake off and you get some kind of warning the coating has failed.

I think with the lift, upgraded torision bars, and stiff sidewall tires you won't be able to tell the difference with the sway bar on or off. The lift won't stiffen your suspension but it will feel that way due to the change in angle of the a-arm.

Are you referring to the capture nuts on the back of the lower control arms?I know those are welded to the control arm itself.The one I can't get off does have some kind of plate around it , although why they did that just to one bolt out of 4 doesn't make any sense to me.I can't get a grip on it with anything to get it off , and if I cut the head off , then the bolt stud would still be stuck in there which doesn't do me any good either.I have the new ball joints all ready to go , just a matter of getting the old ones off of there.

As for the sway bar , sounds like I won't notice much difference , so I guess I'll leave it off.I gave it some thought , and I'll just cut the top nut off , even if I decide to put it back on later all I would have to replace is the 2 top nuts on each side , which is no big deal to find.Out comes the grinder tomorow for that <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> Then I can get the axle out , and start putting in the lockright while thats out.Hopefully my diff drop brackets get here soon so I can put those back on right away.Then time to steal more parts from the other truck for all the suspension and rear end stuff.After that I can start puytting the lines in and the fuel stuff.Put the 3.4 in there and get the exhaust all done up , tranny on , then the body <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Its slowly coming together , one step at a time.

I ended up tack welding on of the bolts for my lower ball joint in place.

So you think it might be easiest for me to cut out those 2 bolts on the lower control arm to get the ball joints off , then just tack weld a new bolt on there? Or maybe even replace it with a bolt a little longer so that problem doesn't happen again.Just a strange setup to do that on one bolt on each side where the others are fine.

Well, it worked for me.

Sounds good enough to me.Will be easier than trying to get it out with some kind of fabbed tool <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Gotta hate wasting time on things like that when there is so much to do , and you want to get it done as easy and soon as possible.

Got a little bit accomplished today.The sway bar is now gone , the ball joints are off( a little grinding <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) , the axle is out , and the carrier is unbolted , but still have to get it apart.I also did a little more coating the frame , am about 3/4 of the way done with the rust stopper.After that I flip it over and do the bottom , then start painting it.I also bought that wax coating for the inside of the frame so it will never rust inside again.I think I will power spray the inside first , get whatever crap is still in there out before I coat it.

Other than that , nothing too much exciting , other than my angle grinder cathing on fire <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> No idea why , I was on number 3 of 4 little bolts , all the sudden it stopped and a flame shot about about a foot , I almost had to change my pants <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" /> This was a new grinder too , just got it a few months ago as my other one siezed up on me for some reason.No more new pics yet , but will get some when I have a chance.

Not a whole lot accomplished today , got home late.I did manage to get my drill and my angle grinder replaced free of charge <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />I finihsed grinding of the bolt that I was on when it blew up on me.I finished putting on the blue steel on the whole top of the frame , next I flip it over and get the bottom really good , then the painting starts.

I also took some measurements for how I am going to mount my fuel cell , it should work out good , I have to build the little cage I am making to mount it in , the the stock skid plate should still fit under it for more protection.

I also managed to get the carrier apart on the front axle and cleaned it up , taking all the grease and stuff off of it.I can start putting the lockright in it now , and once my diff drop brackets get here , I can put the axle back together.

I just keep plugging away with what little time a day I have to be out there.Weekends are about the only time I really get much time out there and make the most progress.Hopefully by the end of the weekend it will be all painted and ready to start going back together piece by piece.