what will pancaking the crossmember gain me

[67cheby]

I cant afford a dropmember right now, but considering pancaking my crossmember, how much do i take out, and what else does this cause issues with, what will it gain me , is it worth it ?? I have strong arms with bags, i have raised my bed floor about 5 inches and i am step notching it right now as much as i can to fit under the bed floor, currently running a 29.1 inch front tire, how low will this get me if i pancake it

[71tahoe]

There are a few threads on here that take you through the process. I think the most common thing I've seen is interference with the upper A-arm and steering shaft. Depending on the width of tires/wheels, you might have to trim the outer fender and mod or toss the inner.

[67cheby]

i forgot to add i have the new cpp modular drop spindles i think they are 2.5 inch

[SCOTI]

Steering interference requires switching to u-joints/shafts. Crossmember requires possible clearancing depending on the combination of parts. Without raising your steering box, pitman, & idler, you'll max out @ 1.5" additional drop/clearance. If you adjust the box,. you can yield more w/some other mods to the frame.

[67cheby]

Scoti, do you still have yours available and did you finish welding it up ?? and is it any cheaper, help a poor broke dude out with a lowering addiction !!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

Scoti, do you still have yours available and did you finish welding it up ?? and is it any cheaper, help a poor broke dude out with a lowering addiction !!

It's been finished (& was even installed in my 68). I indicated the pics I had available @ that time were from before it was 100% welded up. I just didn't have any available from after it was all welded (but not installed).

[Wild83C10]

Does anyone use the search button anymore?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Wild83C10

Does anyone use the search button anymore?

Have you? It works ok for some things; not so ok for others.

[Wild83C10]

Search first ask questions later. I don't water down the board so that there are 200 threads to read when there could be 5.

Every forum I am on I search and find 99% of the answers to my questions.

[67cheby]

For your information 83 i searched several times kept coming up with the same things so i wanted some more information, if that is ok with you, maybe i should start asking you before i post anything !!!

[sweetnlow67]

i dont mind you asked before you searched, i haven't done this but enjoyed hearing the input of all those that have and i wasn't planning on searching for it, so keep the questions coming!

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by sweetnlow67

i dont mind you asked before you searched, i haven't done this but enjoyed hearing the input of all those that have and i wasn't planning on searching for it, so keep the questions coming!

agree. last time i looked into sectioning a crossmember, i never seen scoti's pics. now i have..

[SCOTI]

Part of the issue w/the search feature in this instance is the verbage. Modifying a crossmember is called many different things: sectioning, notching, pancaking, chopping, hacking, slicing, raising, modifying. . ...

Earlier, I tried to search for the link I posted above using the board search feature (I googled the 67-72 site). It was my own post, I remember posting the info here, but it still took more than 8 pages of looking through various 'crossmember' topic related threads/posts. I wound up going back through several pages of my own 'subscribed' threads before finding it.

Now, take someone that doesn't know exactly what they're seeking & it can be a frustrating task trying to find specific information.

[Wild83C10]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

For your information 83 i searched several times kept coming up with the same things so i wanted some more information, if that is ok with you, maybe i should start asking you before i post anything !!!

This was posted on 8/20/2009 with links and plenty of info. Everyones memory that short?

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...hlight=pancake

Not trying to give everyone a hard time. Like I said, instead of having 5,6 good threads with all the info we have to search through 200 to find the same info because the same questions get asked every week. If you see a thread with some of the answers post to that thread and bring it back to the top.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Wild83C10

Search first ask questions later. I don't water down the board so that there are 200 threads to read when there could be 5.

Every forum I am on I search and find 99% of the answers to my questions.

Ok. Do me a favor & search for this info & put up the links you feel will answer the question.

[71tahoe]

Originally Posted by Wild83C10

Search first ask questions later. I don't water down the board so that there are 200 threads to read when there could be 5.

Every forum I am on I search and find 99% of the answers to my questions.

On this board, the way everyone interacts makes it so great. I like seeing topics come back to the top because I might get a new idea or two from something I've seen before.

You have to add a little water to make a good soup right?

[N2TRUX]

The least you could have done was impressed us with your amazing search skills by offering a couple of valid links....

Combine everything that Scoti said along with a search feature that's not working well, and it's not easy getting results these days.

[67cheby]

Thank You guys, i really had searched it several times i appreciate the back up!!

[XXL]

Search 101: Don't use the google engine search box. Use the board search. To get hits in the google engine, you have to have been properly crawled, which doesn't happen very often... and you have to use search terms that google's proprietary algorithm likes.

BTW, I just used the board search for "pancake" (that's the PB, "crossmember" is too common a search word, so it gets ignored).

In hits 1, 2, and 3 of the list, I got lots of info on sectioning crossmembers (one was this thread, so it could be argued that there were only 2).

a) Use search (creatively, 3 or 4 times, not just once)
b) use eyes and brain to read subjects on a few pages of the forum before tossing out question
c) lurk a while to see if your question is a common one such that threads pop to the top a lot
d) ask in new thread

[67cheby]

thanks for the info i had always used the google one !!!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by XXL

Search 101: Don't use the google engine search box. Use the board search. To get hits in the google engine, you have to have been properly crawled, which doesn't happen very often... and you have to use search terms that google's proprietary algorithm likes.

BTW, I just used the board search for "pancake" (that's the PB, "crossmember" is too common a search word, so it gets ignored).

In hits 1, 2, and 3 of the list, I got lots of info on sectioning crossmembers (one was this thread, so it could be argued that there were only 2).

a) Use search (creatively, 3 or 4 times, not just once)
b) use eyes and brain to read subjects on a few pages of the forum before tossing out question
c) lurk a while to see if your question is a common one such that threads pop to the top a lot
d) ask in new thread

While good advice, it doesn't work for all. If I click that 'search this forum' button, I get nothing. Same w/the 'forum tools' selection.

[panhandler62]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

While good advice, it doesn't work for all. If I click that 'search this forum' button, I get nothing. Same w/the 'forum tools' selection.

If you are using the "lightblue" theme a lot of features won't work. I like the look of that one better, but I switched to the default because it works better.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by panhandler62

If you are using the "lightblue" theme a lot of features won't work. I like the look of that one better, but I switched to the default because it works better.

Ahhh. . .... That made the difference. Gracias.

[smashingchuck]

OK, enough about the search.

You can raise the crossmember 1.5" and have zero adverse effects on the steering. The upper a arm clearance is easily fixed with the Flaming River joints and shaft (I literally built mine in 30 minutes). Raise the steering the same amount as you do the crossmember and you will be home free. Or figure out the correct rack and pinion to use.

[Primer70]

Originally Posted by smashingchuck

You can raise the crossmember 1.5" and have zero adverse effects on the steering. The upper a arm clearance is easily fixed with the Flaming River joints and shaft (I literally built mine in 30 minutes). Raise the steering the same amount as you do the crossmember and you will be home free. Or figure out the correct rack and pinion to use.

If you raise the steering the same amount as the amount you section the crossmember the steering will keep the geometry the way it's supposed to be, but at that point Z'ing the frame is less work. But I've gotta question, if your gonna raise the steering with the sectioning of the crossmember why only go 1.5"?