Project -" Framed" Full widths and more power

[whiteman]

So last night I mad my shackles, they are 6".  With the weight of the motor on the springs, one shackle is at 9* and the other is at 15*.
I cant figure out why, one spring seems to be longer than the other, or have more arc.  I will try and post some pics this afternoon.

What do you guys think I should check,  I mesured from the center of the bolt on my front spring hanger to the center of the bolt on my shackle hanger and they were both at 42 1/4".  Also at full droop, mesuring from the u-blt plate to the frame it is 15", but mesuring from the same spot on the driver side it is 14".   
What do I have wrong?

[whiteman]

Pics 

[whiteman]

 

[86 4runner]

looks good

[whiteman]

Got some work done on the hoopty, the white Toy sitting next to it has a 3" trail master leafs, 3" body, 35" boggers, SBC.   Mine has the rears up front, 5 leafs, and 29's.  With those specs my frame is 1/2" shorter than the white Toy, when I get my tires I should gain another 2-3".


The frame is actually level, what a suprise.

[whiteman]

Some flex pic's

[whiteman]

Another, little smoke in this one.  The rear has no weight on it so it is not flexing as much at all, I think it is alright.

[whiteman]

 

[MiniSimp]

Lift up the rear if you want to see the front flex more.

[whiteman]

Good Idea, i'll go do that.

[whiteman]

Got some pics in the day light.  And more flex from the rear.

The springs in the rear are stiff a hell, I got almost no flex from them, the majority of the flex is due to the rears up front, as you have already noticed.  I will not be running these springs, as i said before they Front 4" Pro-Comp springs, I am looking to get my hands on a pair of f-150's.
You can see that the rear tire is off the ground, when I sat on it, it touched the ground and flexed the front even more.

Everything seems to look good, I have a little more welding to do, make a few more gussets, and braces here and there.  The body was a sinch to line up, I have just a little more tweeking to do, then weld in the rear body mount (3rd mount along the frame from the front)  in place and tighten it down good.

Still got a lot of stuff to do so I am going to try and take the time to make a check list.

[whiteman]

Random pics in the light.

This thing is a pregnant dog to move with no steering.`

[MiniSimp]

Much better!

[whiteman]

Sorry for the bad grammar in the past few post's, I have been using a crappy key board, and forget to spell check.

I am going to go down to a couple of junkyards Wednesday to try and pick up some F-150 leafs.  The rear suspension and the bed are my next main areas to focus on.  In the mean time I have been tying in the loose odds and ends in the front suspension and body mounts, hooking up wires and removing unnecessary parts and wires.
I have a little more welding to do to the front hanger as far as gussets go and extra support.  But once the front is completed I will be able to focus mainly on the rear and get it all set up right.

I was planing on finding a short bed but they are all so dang expensive, I also thought about bobbing the long bed at each end but after looking at it, the under side of the bed is rusted pretty bad.
I have been pondering the Idea of making a flat bed and Hiding it with bed skins, then i could incorporate the flat bed into my stump sliders, and bumper to achieve a stronger more ridged design.  I like this Idea the best, it requires more Fab work, and i like that

Still have not decided how I am going to set it up. 

What do you guy's think

[MiniSimp]

How many leaves are in your rear pack?
Is it a lift pack?
Your rear will flex better with weight on it, try throwing about 300lbs at the back.

[IronClad]

How many leaves are in your rear pack?
Is it a lift pack?
Your rear will flex better with weight on it, try throwing about 300lbs at the back.

they are 4"  procomp FRONT lift springs.. they wont flex any better lol ..   f-150s are yer best bet..

[whiteman]

The only reason the Pro-Comp springs are mounted is so i can roll it around the shop.  I had no other springs that i could throw in so i used these.

[whiteman]

Here are the F-150 leafs I picked up yesterday for the rear.  Took a wire wheel and some paint to clean them right up.

I have been looking at my frame and it looks as if i bent it a tiny bit in the rear from when I rolled the runner.  I will have to investigate, but I think I can fix it and still be straight, and strong.

[86 4runner]

what did you use for your front leaf pack

[whiteman]

They consist of:

Main leaf:  Stock 85 rear
2nd  leaf:  Stock 85 rear
3rd   leaf:  Stock 85 rear
4th   leaf:  2nd Stock, 86 rear spring- cut down
5th   leaf:  3rd Stock, 86 rear spring- cut down
6" shackle

From what others say, i may want to add one or two more leafs.  I am not going to worry about it until i get my tires, and shocks on.  Then i will dial everything in.
The rear F-150's only come with three leafs to a pack + over load, i took out the over load and left the pack alone.

[whiteman]

Ordered up some junk from Marlin yesterday

I ascendantly order three left hand threaded rod ends, so next time i order parts I will order one right hand thread rod end, and have spares.
U-bolt flip kit is for the rear, since I already have the front

One piece of advice to future budget builders, make sure you double check every odd and end to buying and building your truck to make sure you are actually saving money.  I could have bought Marlins complete billet Hy steer kit for $429, instead i decided to build my own and i am into it $480, I have all the parts, but now I have to build it.  Lucky for me I like doing that  

Oh well, I made up for it in the suspension part of the build.

[mudadiction]

Did you ever get those body mounts welded on the other night?

[whiteman]

Yeh, the body mounts were welded on Friday night.  Maybe I will get some pics here.

[Ramrod]

damn haven't checked this out in a while its looking good

[pyrotec220]

its saweet! i cant wait till i get enough time to make a thread for my build. i am doin the exact same thing to mine except mines an 83 with an 81 frame from TONKAREINCARNATE. keep up the good work.

Dan

[whiteman]

Yea she's coming along alright, I am waiting on money right now. 

I still need to

Purchase:

Pitman arm
Steering box mounting kit
Material to make rear shackles, shock hoops, and maybe a bed cage
Bushings for the F150 leafs
Hardware
Shocks
New starter
Tires
Gears
One Aussie locker
Hard lines and fittings for brake lines
Material for belly pan


Fab work:

Relocate steering box
Finish steering (Drag link, and Tie Rod)
Cut off old, rear, Spring hangers, and weld on the new ones for the F-150's
Fab shackles
Mount gas tank
Run fuel lines
Run brake lines, bleed brakes, and clutch
Combine the stock long bed with 18" bobbed short bed to achieve fully custom bed
Mount bed
Lengthen Drive lines
Fab shock hoops
Fab bumpers
Fab Stump sliders
Fab Belly pan

I am sure there is more but cant think of it.

Of course after all this is done, then I get to go back over everything, working all the bugs out.

[whiteman]

I bought this bed the other day for $20.  I is off an 85 and is bobbed 16". 
I just set it on the frame and rolled the axle underneath to get an idea of where I am at, and where I want to end up.

The bed is pretty beat up but for $20 I can't complain.

[whiteman]

The outside of the bed was not welded by the previous owner .

It will need some touch up work but I think I am going to make this bed make due until I can think of somthing else, or afford somthing else.

[whiteman]

I also got the tie rod finished.  I welded the spare jam nuts onto the tie rod, much cheaper than weld in bungs, and better insurance compared to threaded tubing.

[burnyota]

just wondering how you are planning on inboarding your rear springs..nice stuff so far