Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Started making a switchbox but I don't think I'm going to use it.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

I love the long panel!!! cant wait to see it done!!!

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Me either! Lol. I just found some seats for it. They are a few hours away so hopefully next weekend I'll go pick them up. I'm down to seats, exhaust, and gas tank then I'm ready to start putting floors in. It'll basically be done at that point. I'm hoping it'll be ready for floors in the next couple of weeks. Goal is to have all but the body done by the beginning of April, if not earlier!

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Got another snow day today but I got a late start. Been fighting a cold. Cleaned up the garage some and then got to work. Think I got the exhaust figured out or at least a decent start.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Cool work. Spring is coming soon

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Always a good day when you pull up to this.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Inside was the Michigan Metal Works upper and lowers that I ordered around Thanksgiving.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

As much as I wanted to try to mess with the new control arms I went with the original plan of trying to get some exhaust done. I decided to go cheap and went with glass packs. I actually liked the way it sounds. Hopefully it doesn't drone when I drive it. Like my custom rope ratchet hangers? Lol

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Those MMW arms look awesome! Can you bring those rope hangers down to Dave's when we get ready to do my exhaust? Lol

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

If you go to Lowes and buy some I'll install them for you. I ran out of time for the hangers and didn't want to leave them just hanging there. Was an easy solution for tonight.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

the a arms are nice are they narrowed from the stock measurements? so you have some extra turning room when aired out?

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

They are suppose to be! Im going to tear off the old ones today and maybe get some measurements. I ordered them to be 1" narrow and was told they should also move the wheels forward .5". I liked the way they look and MMW ran a Thanksgiving special where you could name your price. I was able to get the complete set for $775. I originally was going to go with Porterbuilt but those were going to be another $300 additional plus more for shipping.

But yes hopefully they will help with wheel placement and steering. I'm currently running 205/70/15's on the front with fenders trimmed and they still hit the edge of the hood. Im hoping this will help with turning. Otherwise I may have to add spacers to the frame and put it back to factory rocker height. It currently lays door. I'm bodydropped about 4"

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Dude, you just need to put 2 seats up front and leave the floor the way it is. :metal: Just don't drive it in the rain and don't drop anything! :haha:

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Haha. I'm feining to drive it so that might just happen. Lol

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Just por15 the bracing and call it good. It'd be so sweet!

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

haha love the hangers!

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Got my Michigan Metal Works control arms on one side today.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Got way more fender gape now. Pretty happy with them.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

what all did these do for you? did they just bring the tire closer to the frame, or is there other purposes for them?

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Yes, they brought the wheels in toward the frame which gives me more fender clearance so I should be able to turn further at a lower stance. I also think they correct some of the camber but I won't know that for sure until I get the other side done and get it back on the ground. I also think it looks like it centers the bag better so it lifts straighter if that makes sense which may give me more lift. We shall see once it's back on the ground.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Do your students know you're building this bada$$ truck?

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

That front suspension is looking good :metal:

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Yeah because I use it as an example all the time. Last week we worked on setting goals so I used myself and the truck as examples. I've been trying to get them to take on a hobby or something tangible instead of playing online/on their phones. Literally yesterday my classes unamously agreed they spend between 6-8 hours playing on their phones or online each day. That was mind blowing to me!

They also know me as the guy who drives old stuff like my 52 Packard or my Harley chopper. I got the Packard back in the fall in a trade.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Yeah of course I love the Internet/technology, but it has ruined today's youth.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Good and bad news tonight. Tried tightening down the cross shafts on the Michigan Metal Works control arms and as soon as I put the slightest bit of pressure on it, it stripped out. Awesome.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Other kind of bad news is that after tightening the other side and airing it up, I only seem to have between 2-2.5" clearance from the lowest point of the LCA. I don't see how I'm going to get over anything. Is this normal? How much clearance do the rest of you get?

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

About the only good news I got tonight was that at full lift I can turn fully without any rubbing issues.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

And full clock the other way

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

So I was doing some thinking and I don't think I'm getting full lift out of the bags on the front but spacing out the bag won't help me any with my LCA ground clearance. I'm running 3" drop spindles so I'm going to try and dig out the factory spindles and install them. That should help with my LCA ground clearance and improve the lift. Hopefully I won't find out that I need to order a different set. If that's the case I'll have some already cupped LCA's, energy suspension bushings, and 3" drop spindles on Craiglist in the near future. Lol

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

send them my way :)

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

those arms are set up for much larger tires and wheels, they have the geometry of dropped lower control arms. so you are probably right that you are not squashing the bag enough, there should be 3" between your upper mount and lower mount when laid out. To find out how off you are, put a 2x4 under the tire and lay the truck out, if it still lays out, put another 2x4 on top of it and try to lay out. this will help tell you how much more tire you will need. If you dont want bigger tires, you can put a cup on the lower arm to squish the bag more but it will never improve the arm to ground clearance. usually that is not a big issue, because the tire will roll over an obstacle and the arm goes up too.

you will want to fix it not only for lift but also because your bag pressures will be much higher if you dont have it squished down to 3", you want every single psi to contribute to lift, not have an empty volume that has to fill before it can start lifting.

good luck.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

You are correct and that's exactly what I was thinking. I may try your 2x4 trick before I go bolting the factory spindles back on. I was able to run a die on the thread and get the nut to tighten down.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

I measured the bag and found out it wasn't compressed enough so I jacked up the truck and put 3" tubing I had laying around. It stills lays out and compressed the bag fully so I need to put the factory spindles on it. That will also increase my LCA clearance. I now have almost 6" of clearance and roughly 11" of lift.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

haha your air system will be happy not running 200 psi for 3 inches of lift. good idea using the stock spindles too!

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Threw the factory spindles back on and got the results I was looking for.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

So the truck gets good lift, has over 5"s of clearance at the lowest point on the LCA's. I fired it up, drove it outside, layed it out and then put it back in the garage. Lol. On to the next task. Here's a pic of it back in the garage laid out on factory spindles. Only bad news is that the hood hinges won't work now.

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

lovin this thing man. wicked ride. the loooonnnggg panel makes it even cooler i think

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Check this out here

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

Thanks! It's def a boat. I almost gave up on it before I got going. Saw a shorter panel at a show and hated everything about it. Bout quit right then. But now I love this freak machine. The extra legthn makes it that much more crazy. Lol

Re: Free Candy Inside: 63 Long Panel Build
 

That rocks. Thanks!