1974 SWB "Clifford" goes to Oklahoma

[JohnC]

Oh man you got Clifford?!! I'll have to get a hold of you someday and take a look at it since it is closer to home now. Always liked that truck, from when Scott got it, to Jon!! Enjoy it man!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[franky69c10]

Looks real good any info on the tires your running
Posted via Mobile Device

[baclay9]

The tires on the rally's are 295/50's on the rear and 245/60's on the front.
Posted via Mobile Device

[87r10owner]

what are the BS on the 10's? are the vintiques? do you have any fender interference?

[baclay9]

Yes, they are vintiques. They are 5" BS. There is a 1/4" clearance. No rubbing at all.
Posted via Mobile Device

[87r10owner]

sweet! ive been throwing the idea of some 10's for the rear of mine, i think it would make my 6.5's that much cooler. im currently flipping my rear so as soon as i get it back together ill get to see how the 8's i have look.

[Low Elco]

Can't believe Jonboy sold Clifford! Good score!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Can't believe Jonboy sold Clifford! Good score!

You're not the only one....

[stroker52]

when you had the 18's up front did they rub any with the 5 inch drop? been alittle worried about going 5 inch drop in the front of mine with the 18's do to houston roads not being nice to dropped truck. how close was the tire to the inner fender well?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by stroker52

when you had the 18's up front did they rub any with the 5 inch drop? been alittle worried about going 5 inch drop in the front of mine with the 18's do to houston roads not being nice to dropped truck. how close was the tire to the inner fender well?

With a 28" tall tire.... you couldn't drive 10mph down an alley w/o them buzzing the top of the inner wells. It had 245-45-18's on 8" wheels w/5.25"bs @ one time (26.68" tall) & only buzzed on big dips @ highway speeds. It was definitely more than 5" drop then (not sure how much has changed since). It also had the full height OE type rubber bumpstop in place @ that time to help prevent bottoming out.

[baclay9]

It has 245/45/18's on it now and rarely buzzes the inner fenders. You have to hit a dip going down the highway. It is a 5" front drop. I don't know how people run 28" tall tires with a 5" drop. I wouldn't go any taller than I have. It does still have the OE bump stops installed. They only sit about 1/8 from the crossmember so they contact it quite often. Can't really feel it though. It rides smooth.
Posted via Mobile Device

[stroker52]

ok im at 4 1/2 drop in the front and running a stiff spring. i was going to leave the stock bump stop for the same reason your saying, to help the wheel not travel so high in the wheel well.

so if i go with a 245/45/18 tire up front i will be ok? i have my lip cut off the front feneders to help. ive had to do it on both my 96 and my 99nbs trucks

[baclay9]

The lips aren't cut on mine. I have 18x8's up front and 18x9.5's in the back. I don't have any sidewall rub issues.
Posted via Mobile Device

[stroker52]

Im going to run 18x9 up front and 18x10 out back.. So with your truck at 5 inch drop in the front the tire only rubbed on hard bumps on the freeway with the 245/45 tire?
Posted via Mobile Device

[baclay9]

To be honest I have only scraped one time since I owned the truck. It was on a big dip doing 75 down the highway. I actually have no idea if my tires buzzed the inners because all I could hear is my lower control arms bull dozing the asphalt. I now avoid that lane on the highway.
Posted via Mobile Device

[stroker52]

Ok cool deal... Yeah i would go out of my way to stay clear of that lane! We have some crappy roads here in Houston so when Im driving Im always on defence lol..
Posted via Mobile Device

[BB72CHEVKT]

Looks great both ways!

[Blackpony]

truck looks sweet!! I have those same wheels on mine.

[baclay9]

Upgrades...

[moregrip]

Oh man! I just bought the LCA's! You got the whole setup! Awesome!

What did you use to paint the parts?

[baclay9]

I scuffed everything with scotch bright, cleaned it with wax and grease remover, and then painted it with self etching primer. I topped that with low gloss black engine paint. I always use it because it seems so stout.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JWall]

Good looking truck!
Posted via Mobile Device

[baclay9]

Well, I pretty much got it all buttoned up. I think there is an issue with the placement of the sway bar. I bolted it up where the stock one was bolted directly to the frame (because the stock sway bar brackets are gone). It appears to be too far back though. It bent the end link bolts when I aired the truck out. I don't think I had the end link bolts assembled in the correct order anyway. I think the spacer was in the wrong spot but am unsure how to tell as the instructions suck. I am going to have to figure out a way to tell is the sway bar needs to be moved forward or what. Maybe I am suppose to have the stock frame brackets, I'm just not sure.

Anyway, here are pics of it where it will sit when aired out and at ride height.






Here is the way the end link was assembled. Anyone know if this is right? I don't think it is.




Here is where the crossmember sits when "aired out". If the inner fenders were out, it would lay out on the crossmember. the tires are about 1/2" off the inner fenders in this pic.

[baclay9]

Upon further inspection, (Pictures on the Porterbuilt website) i installed the sway bar upside down and didn't assemble the end link bolts in the correct order. I will fix it tomorrow night.

[lolife99]

I usually get the end link in place on the a-arms and then position the bar on the frame rails
(without the factory swaybar frame stands).