Project: Overkill (1998 GMC SAS3500 on 40's)

[Devillusion]

Well, I guess I should have started this thread a long long time ago as that is when this project started. Rather than starting all these little threads about what I am up to I think I'll just start from the beginning and try to get things up to date as soon as I can as the truck is near 99% complete now.

I'll try to give as much details as I can remember and go from there. Bare with me as it might take a couple weeks to get up to speed on the project to date.



Pretty much how the truck began it's life with me when I bought it with only 119,000km on it back in 2003. Stock as all can be, though that didn't last long.


First stage...Reflection cowl hood, tonneau cover, wheels/tires, small lift, tint, etc.


Second stage, went to MT Baja Claws, ditched the tonneau, fender flares, and some color matching.


Then came the body lift, 35's, changed out the Rancho lift for a Trailmaster 6"...for a total of 9" of lift. Along with some power goodies etc which I'll get into later.


And last but not least, the way it looked before this final tear down and complete rebuild. SAS in (not functional yet), and driveable.

...and so the build begins.


Started the tear down, stripping out the "uneeded" parts etc.


14 bolt full floater in place, measuring for spring pad placement, front suspension all removed, brackets etc.





Built a new front crossmember so that I can remove the factory one for differential clearance and of course looks as well. Made from 4x6 square tubing, then put 1/4" plate on the ends in a "C" shape to contour to the frame. Welded together, then bolted with grade 8 bolts. More than secure...in fact I can jack up on the passenger side frame rail and the whole truck will lift as one. It is also braced to the original bracketry that resides on the backside to the frame rails. For extra precaution (not like it was needed) I added a brace from sway bar mount to sway bar mount. This will also space down my sway bar so that it is not such a long distance from the intended placement.





Frame all ground down, sanded, 3 coats of "chassis paint" then hit it with bedliner to give it a nice clean texture to it, plus protect it from flying debris off the gravel roads. The chassis paint works amazing and is as good as POR15 IMO, but much cheaper. Paid around $80 CDN for a gallon.



HP Dana 60 from an 88' Ford F350 purchased from a guy in Portage, Indiana. Shipping was a killer but was the only one I could find that was in my price range. Though I did end up buying another one from a 78' F250 with the narrower spring perches (to be explained later).