55.2-59 my '59 short bed build

[1-ton of fun]

Originally Posted by dsraven

I know it is only mock up and also just a pic, which can be distorted, but it looks like the body line on the cab is not in line with the box. have you checked the frame for straight and sag? just a bad pic?

The bed isn’t bolted on yet; it must have been bumped. The frame is straight.

[1-ton of fun]

So I pulled the bed this morning, cut off the rivets holding factory spring hangers on, and I started drilling holes and bolting up the spring hangers from the 87 Chevy. I’m flipping the rear shackle to put the Shackle in compression instead of tension using a drop hanger kit and drop shackle combined to make a flip shackle lift shackle situation. Hoping to get it all mocked up with the factory 87 rear leafs so I can estimate how much lift I need to level it out and get the rear springs ordered.

[1-ton of fun]

Also I picked up a rebuilt np205 transfer case. Just need to get the 4l80e picked up and I can get the trans and transfer case in the truck and measure for driveshafts...

[1-ton of fun]

Here it is with the spring hanger bolted on and the shackle and shackle hanger clamped on for mock up

[1-ton of fun]

Mocked up the sheet metal to see how it’s all laying out...thinking about the 4” lift springs for the rear. And maybe a 1” block with adjustable pin locations to be able to set the rear axle back 1”. Might put in a stock shackle to make up for the 1” block for axle setback.

[mikebte]

Looking good. I have been wanting to do that same gas tank and your picture has me convinced. Tank ordered. Keep up the good work.

[1-ton of fun]

I had some 4 x 4 square tubing left over from my carport build, so I cut 2 mock up 4 inch lift blocks to put under the rear springs to see where that with the truck stance. I do not plan on driving with these in it, it is just for mock up purposes to figure out how much is a lift needs to be built into the new springs.

[1-ton of fun]

4” is clearly too much. Lol.

[mikebte]

Originally Posted by 1-ton of fun

4” is clearly too much. Lol.

Looks good, has a nice rack to it. lol

[1-ton of fun]

Originally Posted by mikebte

Looks good, has a nice rack to it. lol

i ordered some 2.5" lift rear springs today, hopefully that sets it just right. should have them by the end of next week. i'm sure i'll install them the day they arrive and post pics.

[1-ton of fun]

i managed to get all front suspension bushings switched out for poly bushings. these little guys actually pressed into the stock front shackle hanger holes in the frame:
https://www.suspension.com/9.9176

then i was able to use the cj5 front shackles, and 1/2" bolts with grease fittings on them, so now all the pivot points on the suspension are poly-bushed, and greaseable!

[mikebte]

Originally Posted by 1-ton of fun

i managed to get all front suspension bushings switched out for poly bushings. these little guys actually pressed into the stock front shackle hanger holes in the frame:
https://www.suspension.com/9.9176

then i was able to use the cj5 front shackles, and 1/2" bolts with grease fittings on them, so now all the pivot points on the suspension are poly-bushed, and greaseable!

Very Nice!
I would like to see the set up when you have time for pictures.

[1-ton of fun]

Some pics of the front shackle setup, now with all poly bushings!

[1-ton of fun]

fixed the sideways pics...

[1-ton of fun]

just got a delivery notification for my rear springs! hopefully i can get those on tonight and finalize the stance, and move on to mounting the steering box, and getting a single wheel/tire ordered for test fit. thinking about going with a 17"x9" wheel and 35x12.50r17 mud tires.

[1-ton of fun]

Got the rear springs in. Thinking the stance is looking pretty good. Ordered one wheel and tire in the size I was thinking of running to test fit. Going with a 35x12.50r17 and 17x9 wheels with a 4.75” backspace.

[1-ton of fun]

For reference the wheels/tires in the pic are 31x10.50r15’s with a whole lot more offset than I plan to run.

[rgunlock]

Front to back looks good to me in the pic. Yep, you're going to need more tire to fill those wheel wells though! 2" more on either side of the existing tires looks like it will work out.

[mikebte]

Looks nice. 35" gonna just clear the car port.

[1-ton of fun]

today i got the steering box mounted using the mounting parts from the c10 2wd box kit, with a box for a mid-seventies 4x4 chevy truck, which turns out to be the same box as the 2wd, except for the output shaft.

i mounted the box ~3" forward of where the instructions said to put it, to make it line up with the steering shaft that came attached to the axle. now i just need a 3/4" dd to 1" dd u-joint to have the steering shaft hooked up. I already have a dropped pitman arm on order, and i need to order all new tie rod ends to wrap up the steering. oh and ps hoses i guess too. then steering will be done.

[1-ton of fun]

Steering box mounted!

[1-ton of fun]

got the u-joint i needed...steering is sorted out from the column to the box!

[1-ton of fun]

so i got my test wheel and tire setup, and the tire hits the pitman arm on right turns before lock...so i ordered a different wheel with 1.25" less backspace...

the new wheel came today, hoping i have time tomorrow to get the tire swapped over, then i can see if this one clears the steering...this one is a procomp gloss black steel 17x9 with 3.5" backspace to replace the procomp matte black alloy 17x9 with 4.75" backspace

[dsraven]

just a quick question, and maybe it's just the angle of the pic, back in post 38 it shows the front spring shackles with a spacer/stabilizer bolt in the middle of the shackle. it kinda looks like the bolt is really going to limit the amount of travel the shackle has and may be bottoming on the frame before the spring even comes close to any bump stops. is there enough travel for the suspension setup? if not those nice new bushings are gonna be split out pretty quickly.

[1-ton of fun]

Originally Posted by dsraven

just a quick question, and maybe it's just the angle of the pic, back in post 38 it shows the front spring shackles with a spacer/stabilizer bolt in the middle of the shackle. it kinda looks like the bolt is really going to limit the amount of travel the shackle has and may be bottoming on the frame before the spring even comes close to any bump stops. is there enough travel for the suspension setup? if not those nice new bushings are gonna be split out pretty quickly.

i keep eyeballing that exact issue and wondering if i should get a longer shackle, or one with the brace offset downwards...i likely will do that to avoid issues down the road as you suggest might happen. there are some really neat 'boomerang' shackles that have a bend in them to allow for more travel before the shackle bottoms out - i've been really considering some of those for the front.

thanks for the input!