72 k20 project

[jbclassix]

That is 78-79 vintage isn't it? And you don't even need the spring perches
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[ryanroo]

yessir. its a 78-9 ford.

dont need the perches, but they are a good flat place to lock the location in on both sides in relation to one another and to the caster angle. so i used them. the link mounts are tabbed into the bag mounts so it keeps them where they are supposed to be also

Ryan

[ryanroo]

GASP!

something, albeit small, was done to this truck! i finally got the parts truck sort of lined out and got done with the OT at work. now that might make you think stuff will happen quicker. we can only hope, but the fabricator in charge of this dog and pony show is lackluster at best.





with any luck, i may get to the other side tomorrow. then i will have to get serious. the front axle needs to go away for the next steps and then i am commited.

[Dieselwrencher]

Oh boy, I'm not looking forward to the install of those. Nice progress and the fab work looks awesome!

[ryanroo]

yeah, it'll be real fun with a cab on the frame!
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[Dieselwrencher]

I think you did this purposly....................

[ryanroo]

Blowing the dust off this thread.

i buzzed down to farmington NM this morning to meet with DeadheadNM. Mr. Deadhead was passing through the area and was kind enough to deliver some oem buckets replete with needed hardware and console that i was able to talk him out of. Thanks again Mr. DeadheadNM!

worked on the upper link mounts this afternoon after recovering from the trip to nuevo mexicano.

i took some process pics for anyone who may be installing something like this in the future, or anyone who is interested in my squirely methods.

i had keyed off what is the upper left hole above the old bushing tube for my reference. this was the OEM punched hole for the rivets that held the original bushing support in the frame. using some dimensions i deemed necessary based on the geometry i wanted, i laid out the bracket on the frame by scratching the paint (and metal under it) with a scribe. then i picked points on the layout lines and hit them with a center punch.



then i sanded all the paint from the areas that will be welded and used what was left of my scribe lines and the prick puches to relayout the bracket. i did this because it is much easier to layout on the paint and transfer it to bare metal. at least for me.



tacked the brackets according to layout marks. checked the thing again for location with a square and level. the frame is jackstanded in position level, so these brackets can be laid out with a level.



then i slid the axle i had previously tacked brackets to under the frame. you can see the top box plate tacked on the upper mount. i will cut the tacks for accessibility for welding but i wanted to see how it looked.



hopefully tomorrow i will get some headway made on some mock up links and get some time on the bag mounts. would be real cool to have it mocked enough to be sitting on air tomorrow. i still have the panhard to design and then the steering.

[ryanroo]

i hacked and whittled to make some mock up links. i mistakenly thought the hardware store would have shraders but they didint. but im not sure i would have been ready for it. i have the design height a little higher than it is now, and there are some other things i need to set as final before i final mount the upper bag mount. but i had an epiphany that may work out really nice for shock mounts. maybe

[Dieselwrencher]

It's looking really nice! It's looking like my cab will need to come off for this piece of the puzzle for sure......

[ryanroo]

you could do it with it on there, but what a pain that would be. im sure if mine had been on the frame the design would have been different. wait, thats not true. i forgot that i am a masochist.

[ryanroo]

sitting on air!



the shock is just sitting there. its to long to even look at the bottom, but you get the idea

[6BT 56]

Nice . Why does the lower bag mount have the nub on it ? That for panhard bar mount ?

[ryanroo]

that is for the yet to be installed/designed/built bump stop. the bags have an internal snubber, but the manufacturer says it is not for functional use, only as an internal stop to prevent the bag from pinching itself. i assume because the bag plates are composite and there is a chance they could crack if you hammered on them. i figured i better listen and at least try to accommodate the requirement. hopefully it will be nice and simple but i have caught myself over engineering it in my head a couple times already.

[6BT 56]

however you do it it im sure it will be super . I'm jealous for sure . My 56 should have sumting like that as well !

[Dieselwrencher]

Looking really nice! I think I'm just going to pull my cab off to do this. Maybe hack my firewall and put a big block in it too.

[ryanroo]

hey whatever tickles your chicken. cab off is a good idea though. totally would have sucked more if it was in the way. that will give you the chance to cut that firewall and move the engine back

almost looks like i can read a tape measure!



always a bit of a nail biter for the first dump. will it hit?



approximate ride height. hard to get a good idea with no front sheet metal.



curbside parking position

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice! I'm pretty sure you're going to have me rebuilding it before I even finish it.........

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Very nice! I'm pretty sure you're going to have me rebuilding it before I even finish it.........

Wouldn't be fair if i was the only one rebuilding my pile of parts a few times. this suspension was all supposed to wait until i had been driving it for a while. as they say, idle hand are the devils playground. when i get bored, i stare at the wall and think up stuff to do to my garage art. or watch cartoons.

[DeadheadNM]

Looking good man! Getting settled here in MT. Great area!! When poss, send me your mailing address again and I'll send the pass side brackets I forgot to dig out of the U-haul. Lot's of good trucks up here!

[ryanroo]

sure thing Mister! glad to hear the area is good, i knew it would be! no need to be rubbin my face in all the new truck shopping you get to do.... have the Blaze and the K20 shipped yet? i'm sure that big blue sky would look better sitting in either one of those beauties.

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

sure thing Mister! glad to hear the area is good, i knew it would be! no need to be rubbin my face in all the new truck shopping you get to do.... have the Blaze and the K20 shipped yet? i'm sure that big blue sky would look better sitting in either one of those beauties.

No it's killing me - the K5 and K20 are sitting in ABQ still Lot's of nice back roads to cruise here. You're always welcome!

[madhatterxlch]

You have some amazing fab skills. My truck will be no where as modified as this. I'm starting to question the non-boxed frame in my truck. Had some people talk me out of it a while back. Said it would induce cracks.

[madhatterxlch]

and another question, what degree is your engine sitting at, taken from the valve covers.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by madhatterxlch

You have some amazing fab skills. My truck will be no where as modified as this. I'm starting to question the non-boxed frame in my truck. Had some people talk me out of it a while back. Said it would induce cracks.

Thanks! i suppose over time the twisting of the frame may cause cracks at the seams where the boxing plates are butted together. time will tell. but the frame is significantly more rigid with the boxing plates than it was without. i am sure it would be fine with no boxing, but with the power this thing will be making after i am done and the fact that it will be tied to something heavy and a lot of that power used, i feel much better with the frame boxed. if i see cracks, i know how to fix them. to much flex in a frame will be more likely to cause a crack due to the fatigue it causes in my opinion. of course it is important that it be done well to make sure the welds are as durable as they should be.

Originally Posted by madhatterxlch

and another question, what degree is your engine sitting at, taken from the valve covers.

i set the engine to make the trans oil pan sit level with the framerails. i believe this is 5 degrees back if you had the framerails level. the number is sort of arbitrary but it is done to make the transmission pan level(or in my case parallel to the framerails)

[madhatterxlch]

You wouldn't happen to have drawings or cad file for your engine mounts/cross member that you would share. Thanks for any help.