55.2 Chevy 3100

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Cool.
Kim

Thanks Kim.

There won't be anymore progress until next week. Have plans for the weekend. And just when I was making some good progress. That's how it goes sometimes.

[papastrk]

C-notch looks great. Will be much stronger this way.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

C-notch looks great. Will be much stronger this way.

Thanks, ya I'm gonna be a lot happier with this notch, for the strength, look and the ability to make it lower. I don't know why it took me so long to commit to it, with all the debating I did I could have had it done by now. Live and learn.

[Flames97]

It always feels like slow motion. Here is some more progress. I've got the notch tacked in place, after much double and triple checks. Now getting the cross members for the bags and shocks put back in. Then weld it all up completely. I've noticed that since doing this I will most likely move the gas tank up, where it will set on the top of the frame rails. It's a tank from No Limit and originally it mounts to the under side of the frame but I don't like how low it will hang. Easy fix though. Hopefully tomorrow I can get back to the shop and keep plugging along. Here is some pics of the progress.

[papastrk]

Looks nice! Tank relocation may be a good idea when you lower the ride height so much. Have you relocated the four link front brackets?

[papastrk]

Be sure to keep shock travel in mind when welding the rear cross member back in.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

Be sure to keep shock travel in mind when welding the rear cross member back in.

Yep..thanks for the comment. That's actually where I'm at now. And I've been measuring over and over with the bag travel and shock travel.(as far as placement) because I know the shock is what limits the bag from over extending. The shock travels 1/2" farther (total stroke is 4 3/4")than the bag 4 1/4" full travel, so I need to account for that. Hopefully that made sence.

[papastrk]

The bag travel will basically be vertical movement. The shock will be mounted at an angle so it will lose some of that travel in the vertical direction. I think your bags will be mounted inside the frame rail also. Right? I would tack the shock crossmember in and rock the housing to simulate body roll and measure your bag mount dimension on each side. I'm surprised that the shock limits bag travel. They aren't built to bottom out.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

The bag travel will basically be vertical movement. The shock will be mounted at an angle so it will lose some of that travel in the vertical direction. I think your bags will be mounted inside the frame rail also. Right? I would tack the shock crossmember in and rock the housing to simulate body roll and measure your bag mount dimension on each side. I'm surprised that the shock limits bag travel. They aren't built to bottom out.

Yes bags are inside. And good point on the shock movement not being vertical like the bags. That makes sence. I have a floor jack in there now so I can move the axle up and down and get reference points and simulate the travel.
As far as the shock limiting the bag travel. Not on the bottoming out part. The full extention...so not to overextend the bag. I read somewhere to set the shock so that it limits the bags overall travel other wise your bag will stretch beyond the point it's meant too and ruin the bag because the bag itself has no way to limit itself(as far as overall full extention). Trying to think of the best way to explain that. That's the way I've understood it anyway.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Kim

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

Looks nice! Tank relocation may be a good idea when you lower the ride height so much. Have you relocated the four link front brackets?

Missed this post. Thanks papastrk, Yes front brackets have been moved. I really didn't move them much only and inch up. Maybe not worth it to some but, to me it was.

Also Thanks Kim57.

I've also been thinking about how much travel for the rearend I should have past ride height to account for bumps/holes in the road. So it doesn't have a jarring effect. If anyone has advice on this I'd like to hear it. And thanks in advance.

I thought I'd heard that the bars on this 4-link setup should be parallel to the ground for best results. That's where I have it sitting in the last photo I posted. Still just trying to think about shock and bag location.

[papastrk]

Level four bars have zero anti squat. If front of bar is lower, truck will squat under hard acceleration and tires will try to unload. If front of bar is higher, truck will raise under acceleration and tires will load more. I would keep bars level or higher at front. I would think the bag manufacturer would have a ride height dimension for the bag to be set at. 4 1/4" is not much to work with. Some of the air bag suspension guys will have to help you with bag travel setup.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

Level four bars have zero anti squat. If front of bar is lower, truck will squat under hard acceleration and tires will try to unload. If front of bar is higher, truck will raise under acceleration and tires will load more. I would keep bars level or higher at front. I would think the bag manufacturer would have a ride height dimension for the bag to be set at. 4 1/4" is not much to work with. Some of the air bag suspension guys will have to help you with bag travel setup.

Thanks for the info. I looked up the bag specs on the internet and ride hight for this bag is 7.25", fully extended is 9.25", and 5.25" however I got it to colapse to 5" and things looked fine. So that's where I got the 4 1/4" of travel. And I thought it wasn't much. I've had this kit since around 2004/5.

[papastrk]

These are the dimensions you have to get right. Great job getting those specs. I would bolt in a 9 1/8" fixture to imitate full bag extension and then mount shocks at their full extension. The shock companies would frown on using them to limit suspension travel, but you gotta limit it some way. Or risk tearing a bag. Make sure you have full bag compression going the other way. You don't want the shock to limit things that direction. Rubber bump stops should control it that direction. Hope you don't mind these suggestion. Just trying to help. As I wrote earlier, I have had to do many mods over from making mistakes.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

These are the dimensions you have to get right. Great job getting those specs. I would bolt in a 9 1/8" fixture to imitate full bag extension and then mount shocks at their full extension. The shock companies would frown on using them to limit suspension travel, but you gotta limit it some way. Or risk tearing a bag. Make sure you have full bag compression going the other way. You don't want the shock to limit things that direction. Rubber bump stops should control it that direction. Hope you don't mind these suggestion. Just trying to help. As I wrote earlier, I have had to do many mods over from making mistakes.

I appreciate all the help and comments. I'm gonna head to the shop after a while and continue working on it. I'm sure this kit is designed in a different manner than what I really want. But I think it has some limiting factors that unless I change to a different bag and shock completely it's gonna be what it is. And right now getting different stuff isn't an option. I'll keep messing with it and see. Thanks again for the help.

[Flames97]

Ever feel like things take way longer than they should???lol.
Ok, I've been working on this notch longer than I thought I would be, but I like how it is way better than how I originally had it. Still have to make two more little boxing plates to finish the rear of it and then fully weld everything. Getting really close though. Should have it all done tomorrow.

Papastrk gave good advice to make a fixture to help set things up. So I got some all thread and made two fixtures, that way I could simulate as if the bag was in there at the different measurements I needed to check. And held the bag cross member in place when it came time to tack it in.


After I tacked everything in. I checked again with the shocks and bags in place collapsed and at full extension. I also had to add 1/4" spacers to the ends of the cross members to makeup the difference from the other setup.




This pic shows the plates I made to finish it off. In the beginning of all this I wanted to box the frame completely but decided not to for multiple reasons.

[Flames97]

I also relocated the fuel tank to the top of the frame. Just marked and drilled some new holes and welded some nuts in. I'll be raising the bed floor anyway. In its original location (mounted to the bottom of the frame rails) it hung down around 5 1/2" below the frame. Now it barely hangs down. Way better in my opinion, also it will be hidden better and If I run exhaust it will give more room. That is if there isn't too many cross members and other stuff in the way of running it that far out. That will come later though.

[papastrk]

The boxing plates really clean everything up. Nice! Will the upper bag mount tie in to the side of the frame rail somewhere other than the one crossmember? Do you have the panhard bar figured out yet? The tank relocation is going to make the back of the truck look much cleaner. Looks great!

[Kim57]

Looking real nice.
Kim

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by papastrk

The boxing plates really clean everything up. Nice! Will the upper bag mount tie in to the side of the frame rail somewhere other than the one crossmember? Do you have the panhard bar figured out yet? The tank relocation is going to make the back of the truck look much cleaner. Looks great!

Thanks,
There is no other attachment point for the bag cross member. That's how it came I just modified the center for clearence. I have been thinking about putting in some kind of gusset though where it does meet the frame.
As far as the panhard bar the kit came with a track bar.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Looking real nice.
Kim

Thanks Kim.

[_Ogre]

nice simple motor mounts.
when they are this easy to fabricate, makes you wonder why people buy those $79 fitall kits that still need to be welded in.
well done

[papastrk]

Same thing. Am anxious to see it as a rolling chassis.

[Flames97]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

nice simple motor mounts.
when they are this easy to fabricate, makes you wonder why people buy those $79 fitall kits that still need to be welded in.
well done

Thanks _Ogre, I actually didn't make those. They where included in the complete package with the suspension. Came with all the suspension components front and rear, all the airbag stuff- tank, compressor etc, everything to do the brakes. I got it along time ago and was nice because it took care of everything and didn't have to piece a bunch of stuff together. And the price was right. Your right though they are simple and could be made easily.

Originally Posted by papastrk

Same thing. Am anxious to see it as a rolling chassis.

Thanks, You've been a great help. And I can't wait either. I managed to get most of the notch area welded. still have a few welds on the underside to finish but I'm going to do that until I can flip the frame over. No sense in getting welding spatter rained all over me.
I'm also redoing the center crossmembers in the frame (the two that have the rounded c-notch in them) I'm going to make a drive line loop in the one towards the rear and the one toward the front, I may incorperate into a tranny mount also. We'll see about that one though. I know people won't even see them but thats how I am. After all that the frame will pretty much be done. I want to get the box put on and figure out how I want to raise the bed floor and the mounting of the bed. Lots of options to ponder. Plus wheel tubs.

[ChuckDriver]

Nice project, very well thought out on the rear suspension.