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Hey Scoti, I attached some fiberglass driveway markers to the back of my trailer so I could see them when backing up. They thread into and out of a nut that is welded to the trailer.... for what it's worth to ya.

Alot more lo-tec than a camera, but that's how I roll :haha:

Here is a link to the driveway markers at Home Depot.. they are $2.29 a piece! http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

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This is what I was going to look for @ my local hardware joint. I figured a couple of fiberglass type 'antennas' that I could just temp attach @ each corner for better line of sight.

In the interim, we dropped the t-gate. I'm always nervous about that decision though....

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

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LS swap!!

The '64 is coming along great. How long until the parts are back?

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good idea those antenna's

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Who said I'm still waiting :)

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After the ls swap maybe some bags?

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I'm doing the dually like my other 'tow-trucks' before it. Spindles & cut a coil up front w/flip kit & driveway built AOL set-up. Think budget.... I would love to do Ride Techs Air bar set-up but can't justify the coin for the amount of drop (if I could even find that amount of coin).

I've looked for suspension info on that HHR shop dually but have only found a few pics. Anybody know if any info on specifics are online?

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dont be STINGY with the PICS then.....come on just give us a little pic fix !!

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I'll get some today. It's basically the same 'ole pics.... now w/a splash of color vs. bare metal (black is a color).

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"basically the same pics with a little color"........we dont care , that is like your girlfriend saying she doesnt want to undress in front of you ..cause she is feeling a little FAT..... WE DONT REALLY CAR WE JUST WANT TO SEE UM !!

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Hills dually I think has the RideTech AirBar installed with a custom step notch.
It also has the "Cab and Chassis" narrow rearend.
You might shoot member Cheese a PM and see if he can get you some more info.
Have you also become a member over at www.duallyscene.com?
Lots of cool trucks, and info over there.

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I have been lurking on dually scene. Traffic seems limited in the suspension area so I haven't become a member yet. You confirmed what I thought I had read/seen somewhere about the rear.

I asked ART (Tony & Darren) about the Airbar set-up since I really (really) would prefer one of those. I figured I would get the c-notch they recommend to use w/the kit so that I knew everything would work together (I could do the flip kit now & AirBar when I have the $$). "You won't need c-sections for that kit".... WTF??

I measured the current set-up & have approx 7" between the housing tube & lower lip on the frame-rail. Not needing a c-notch 'suggests' about 4" of drop w/that kit (leaving 3" of travel before bottoming out since it is a dually that is made for towing). That's $500 per inch of useable drop. . .....

For HHR to get that much drop would suggest they bought the kit & then possibly modified it to get lower & what I really wanted to determine.

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ever considered a porterbuild rear suspension ? http://porterbuiltstreetrods.com/sit...n-system-2200/ there pricey though but verry complete

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I have 3 DM's..... A rear kit for the dually is not in my budget.

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:haha::haha::haha:

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thanks TimE ...i was beginning to think i must not be as funny as i think i am !!!

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lets see the pics ............... and we decide if shes eeeeeh of the truck

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I did notice one thing I'm not happy about & will consider it a 'lesson learned'.

I cleaned a bunch of areas on the frame w/a cut-off wheel on the angle grinder. The 60-grit sanding discs would 'load-up' w/the OE coating on the frame or from the coating on the new steel. The edge of the cut-off wheel sanded through it w/o issue so I used it for stripping the old stuff off. As mentioned in an earlier post, just before taking everything to the coaters, I went over everything again w/some 60-grit discs. The frame appeared very uniform.

I can clearly see where the cut-off disc (used @ an angle) gouged the steel during the stripping process. It's not the end of the world but I don't like that it's there.

I'd hope to get a few pics today but the painting process is deciding otherwise. I still had some misc brackets that needed attention & started working on them yesterday along w/the a-arms. I decided to use Rustoleum brand paints after seeing a couple of members use them.

I got the 'professional' series that indicates "quick drying" times but I'm not seeing it (can indicates 15-20mins between coats/dry to touch). Because of the recent weather, I'm painting in a boiler room @ work for consistency. The room temp varies between 90-100°F & it's dry..... Paint drying times for me?? 30-40 mins & the stuff is still tacky (I'm not putting down wet coats either).

Back to VHT for me.....

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hmmm the long drying times might be because the paint is too thick or aplied too thick , it could allso be that the paint is reacting to the new powdercoat , talk to the powdercoat man about that one maibe he knows
personally i would keep using the rustoleum

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These parts were bare steel; not over powder coat.

I've shot enough paint from a rattle can to know a dry coat to a medium or wet. I shot the parts dry to medium. There's enough orange peel to suggest I'm not laying it on wet enough but I can't imagine how long that would take to set up.

I shot one part Thursday night (a small spacer). It sat for approx 1-1.5hrs before I cleaned up for the night. It was dry to the touch so I moved it to another spot for overnight storage. When I went to install it Friday afternoon, it was stuck to the surface I placed it on (remember, it was dry to the touch).

I've used Rustoleum brand paint before & did not like the long drying times (I don't see how you can get good results shooting a part in your driveway or garage where conditions are never optimum w/such a long 'dry time').

This is why I tried this 'professional' series because it's supposed to dry much faster.

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Yeah, Rustoleum exaggerates their dry times quite a bit.

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Hmmm, I just picked up a rattle can of the rustoleum pro today for the same use, a few spots on the frame that don't justify mixing and shooting a pot of epoxy. I'll let you know what my dry times are, it's about 60 degrees here too so that will be a test.

I like the rustoleum etch primer in a can for small parts, it sticks like real etch and i just topcoat it with whatever black I have laying around.

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Well, not much of an update but my buddy Matt that was w/me to pick-up the parts & get the main x-members connected last Thursday sent me some pics he took that day.

I got the BJ's pressed out of the lower a-arms, got them taped off, degreased, & in some Rustoleum primer. The uppers got the bushings taped off & then degreased before I ran out of time on Sat night. I wanted to get the uppers in primer but there wasn't enough in the can to get even one partially done & a trip to the local hardware joint would have added @ least another 40mins to the drill so I held off.

I was sick Mon + Tues & spent today trying to get back up to speed. Maybe tomorrow I'll get the uppers primed & then some....

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Those rails look good SCOTI!

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looks Slick

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There is a formula to correct the Rustoleum "advertised" dry time. I believe you multiply the hours suggested x days and it comes out about right. 3-4 hours dry time equates to 3-4 days if I'm not mistaken...:lol:

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Sounds about right

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Actually, there's still about a dozen original rivets left (the lower portion of the upper shock x-member & the inner frame channel reinforcement plates for the rear spring area). There wasn't any need to remove these so I left them as is.

But now that you mention it, maybe I need to fix that for consistency . . .....

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Just kidding. It's fine like it is......

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Friday night I worked on getting the a-arms in primer then shot some color on the upper & lowers. I used VHT epoxy black this round w/much better results. Between coats, I worked on installing the R&P c-notch reinforcement plates that I made.

Today I worked on the spindles/brakes detailing. I drilled out the steering arms for the DM set-up (R&P tie-rods use a stud/bolt, mis-alignment spacers, & swivel joint vs. a tapered joint). I then cleaned up some casting flash on the spindles w/OE style D52 caliper bodies & got them in color w/mixed results. I guess they're better than they were, but not as nice as I wanted. They're still in the 'oven' (boiler room @ work) so I'll mess w/them some more next week & see if I can't improve things. Not a big deal since you can't see thru solid steelies, but you never know when some 'see-thru' wheels might make their way onto a project & I wanted to be ready :)

I also got the rear HD brake hardware & parts but still need to get the rear housing cleaned, prepped, & in color (technically it's been scrubbed w/simple green but needs a little more detail work). I'll get the rear drums turned this week so they're ready. I'm trying to knock out the housing before the holiday weekend ends for some assembled, painted/coated, rolling chassis pics.....
:metal:

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Looks great scoti I was debating on doing this to mine and it looks like you got me talked into it.

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Yes. Everything re-fastened w/bright yellow zinc plated GRADE-8 hardware w/lock washers (both sides) & nyloc nuts. The truck arm front mounts are actually GRADE-9 fasteners (fine thread, w/dual lock washers & nyloc nuts) sice they're spaced away from the x-member vs. being bolted directly against the x-member.

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My buddy Matt showed up tonight so we were able to measure the frame for square. We measured from a small notch in each rail (located near the front x-member bolt) back to the last 2 OE punched holes on the top of the rails. Over a span of 13', we were .125 off.

So the front x-member & associated parts are officially tightend down. I was hoping to hang the a-arms & spindles but the backing plate bolt holes need to be tapped on the spindles & the upper a-arm BJ bolts were too long (couldn't get the exact size I wanted today). I'll correct those issues tomorrow.

Matt took the HD drums w/him & will get them turned for me @ his work. I still need to do more cleaning on the rear housing before parts can be attached or color can be applied. Gettin' closer . . .....

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worthless without pics

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It would just be the same ol stuff ;) ..... Regardless, I'll get some before the weekend is over.

Today I worked on tightening more of the various x-members (front splash pan, rear shock x-member, Panhard bar x-member), & I bolted up the front-bumper frame brackets. I figured I'm @ the point of installing the front a-arms, spindles, brakes, & rear suspension, so off the frame 'jig' it came. It's officially on jackstands.

:metal:

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A-arms installed (temporarily).
Bags installed.
Spindles installed.
Calipers mounted.
Shocks mounted.
Brake lines (flex lines) routed.
Rear housing cleaned & shot w/a quick coat o' color.
Rear housing in place.
Truck arms bolted up & snugged to the rear housing.
Rear bags installed.

Got alot done, but a bunch of it is just 'connected' (not finished) which is frustrating. I couldn't tighten the rear u-bolts (didn't have the right size wrench), still need the front a-arm bushing washers, & still need the rotors painted. The parts house was supposed to have my HD brake parts (shoes, wheel cylinders, & spring kit) but only got the shoes.

I'm spent . . .....

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Right on!

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great progress

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All this and still no pictures.....................;)

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^^^ lol

progress is progress man, your doin some nice detailed work!

......now post some pics ;)