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We finally got started on the suspension. (Fitting that motor in there took a while) We had the a few days to myself in the garage
. Well...here's what We got,
First, We measured and marked where the diff sat in its original location
We then removed all of the stock rear suspension, and cut out the rear bed floor.
The original front leaf spring mount was weak and of an odd design, so it needed to be removed. It was a real pain to get out as it was welded from the inside.
As you can see, once it was removed there were plenty of holes to fill and tears to patch. We filled all the tears and holes and finished them before proceeding.
Then We tacked in the first of the side plates
Then the inner plate and the 2 x 3 tubing
Then We cut the tacks, removed it from the vehicle and welded it all up. We added gussets, and a tie-in to the floor board and test fit it back in the vehicle.
We got all the bushings and bolts needed and cut out the arms.
We cut out the tears in the framerails that were caused by removing the old front spring eye mounts and patched them.
We made sure that the DOM bushing sleeve was square and tacked it in.
We welded in the sleeve and then capped the front of the arm.
the finished bushing mount.
finishing up.
here are the finished arms and mounts.
We held the mount up against the frame rails, and outlined the 9/16 hole for the bushing bolt. We used a Square to draw a line down the frame rail through the center of the hole along the bottom and up the other side. We measured from the center of the hole to the bottom of the frame rail, and duplicated this measurement on the other side. We drilled two small pilot holes, as the rockers were in the way to drill a straight hole on the outside of the frame rails.
We used a 3/4" hole saw from the inboard side, and cut through both pilot holes completely through the frame.
Here is the final cut.
You can see the patch I had to weld into the frame to repair the tear caused by the removal of the origional leaf spring mounts
oops! I don't have as much finesse as i would like with an air chisel!!
Then We inserted the sleeve through the hole, and bolted the mount in place using the bushing sleeve as well. This made sure the sleeve would be aligned with the holes in the mounts and that once we welded it, we would be able to put the bolts back in later. Then we tacked the sleeve and to place.
Then final weld both sides, cut off the excess length, and grind flush.
We did another pass with a welder and the grinder and then coated the area with weld through primer.
We made a plate for the inboard side, as the plate for the other side is part of the mount. We sprayed the back of this plate also in weld through primer. We drilled and dressed some plug weld holes in the plate as well.
We ran a bolt through the plate, and the mount to keep the holes aligned and welded it into place
As of now it's all installed, and we're ready to mock up the rear end. Got to clean the grease off of the thing and cut off all the old perches. We'll probably get to that this Saturday. And then I have to make up my mind on those wheels and tires...
. Well...here's what We got,First, We measured and marked where the diff sat in its original location
We then removed all of the stock rear suspension, and cut out the rear bed floor.
The original front leaf spring mount was weak and of an odd design, so it needed to be removed. It was a real pain to get out as it was welded from the inside.
As you can see, once it was removed there were plenty of holes to fill and tears to patch. We filled all the tears and holes and finished them before proceeding.
Then We tacked in the first of the side plates
Then the inner plate and the 2 x 3 tubing
Then We cut the tacks, removed it from the vehicle and welded it all up. We added gussets, and a tie-in to the floor board and test fit it back in the vehicle.
We got all the bushings and bolts needed and cut out the arms.
We cut out the tears in the framerails that were caused by removing the old front spring eye mounts and patched them.
We made sure that the DOM bushing sleeve was square and tacked it in.
We welded in the sleeve and then capped the front of the arm.
the finished bushing mount.
finishing up.
here are the finished arms and mounts.
We held the mount up against the frame rails, and outlined the 9/16 hole for the bushing bolt. We used a Square to draw a line down the frame rail through the center of the hole along the bottom and up the other side. We measured from the center of the hole to the bottom of the frame rail, and duplicated this measurement on the other side. We drilled two small pilot holes, as the rockers were in the way to drill a straight hole on the outside of the frame rails.
We used a 3/4" hole saw from the inboard side, and cut through both pilot holes completely through the frame.
Here is the final cut.
You can see the patch I had to weld into the frame to repair the tear caused by the removal of the origional leaf spring mounts
oops! I don't have as much finesse as i would like with an air chisel!!
Then We inserted the sleeve through the hole, and bolted the mount in place using the bushing sleeve as well. This made sure the sleeve would be aligned with the holes in the mounts and that once we welded it, we would be able to put the bolts back in later. Then we tacked the sleeve and to place.
Then final weld both sides, cut off the excess length, and grind flush.
We did another pass with a welder and the grinder and then coated the area with weld through primer.
We made a plate for the inboard side, as the plate for the other side is part of the mount. We sprayed the back of this plate also in weld through primer. We drilled and dressed some plug weld holes in the plate as well.
We ran a bolt through the plate, and the mount to keep the holes aligned and welded it into place
As of now it's all installed, and we're ready to mock up the rear end. Got to clean the grease off of the thing and cut off all the old perches. We'll probably get to that this Saturday. And then I have to make up my mind on those wheels and tires...
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