My Build Begins!

[tallhoedude]

my 67's are leaving today for texas,so im guessin they may be alittle hard to locate..idk

[nvrsatisfied]

texas huh....looks like i better get to watching the highway

i would think your springs are going to be fine, i have been having those "i wonder if this is going to sit right" feeling also going on in my head with my perches and set up i got going. the math on the paper syas it's all good, just hope i got everything put in right. been wondering if i should of made the front axle brackets lower and the sub frame come down more??? hell who knows just have to get it off the stands and see what happens.......

[Chevy1TonFun]

love the build, my wife would kill me if I did that to my truck.

[watahyahknow]

think she declare me irrepairably stupid
the killing begins after i back up over her car

[Critter]

Holy cow! I have checked in on this build from time to time but read it front to back for the first time tonight. More than anything I think I admire your determination. After all the time and hard work you put into those first axles then the front suspension, only to realize you need/want to change it. I would have probably thrown my hands up, sold the blazer, and cried in the corner.

Oh, don't know if you are still looking for a name but...I was going to suggest Blazilla (Blazer + Godzilla) but I think some dude on one of the other sites may already be using that, but I won't tell anybody.

[tallhoedude]

critter,the day when i backed it up in the driveway and aimed towards the back field i was grinnin from ear to ear,but not for long,within about an hour i had decided that the setup just wasnt gonna make me happy.and ill have to admit that as i sat and stared at it"done" but not happy with it,on about beers 5-7 there was a point that frustration turned to sadness and anger,thoughts of roasting marshmallows off the burning chassis did pass thru my mind.
but trial and error is what is all about when your trying to do it yourself and learn.and it is amazing how much i have learned how to do since i started this build about 3 years ago.
keep checking in,looks like this weekend is gonna be big in the name of progress,everybody keep your fingers crossed for me!

[TonyJohnson]

I'd invest in a good rope ladder, lol...

[tallhoedude]

Originally Posted by TonyJohnson

I'd invest in a good rope ladder, lol...

Im kinda working on a hydro assist step.

as long as the mud isnt too thick on the tires,you can climb right up the tire and step inside.

[bigoates]

Originally Posted by tallhoedude

Im kinda working on a hydro assist step.

as long as the mud isnt too thick on the tires,you can climb right up the tire and step inside.

Looks great man, why even mess with assist and not go full hydro??

[tallhoedude]

got a little more done on the 4 link

[tallhoedude]

lol,some more tires.
actually these are what ill be runnin most of the time,just
gotta finish the centers

[watahyahknow]

the topbar will hit that cage you welded on top of it in the front suspension when the want to go beyond level , it might not happen but i wonder why you made it that way (the only thing i can think of is that you wanted a stop at that level to prevent hitting the oilpan with the diff ) and not whent with one piece of square tubing up under an angle without all the bracing

[tallhoedude]

the front suspension has to travel up almost 12" before that top bar hits the cradle.
made the cradle that way for strength and ease of building and repairing.
im building a bump stop over the top of the diff that will also prevent contact.
im runnin superduty diesel coils,dont know if theyll even colapse 12" or not unless im jumpin it.

[nvrsatisfied]

HELL YA!!!!! keep it up looks like your about there....again. quick question, are you going to shim the inside of the brackets where your hyme joints are bolted?? the pics make it look like about .5"-1" of play??..... i would be worried about the force being applied to that much "center area" of the bolt. longer the bolt is the weaker the center is. grade 8 or not. just asking, cause i am in the same boat you are learning as i go and was curious

i got a few of my parts ordered up so maybe i can catch up to ya.........

[tallhoedude]

THANKS
i got all my bar ends used so i could get ends and jamb nuts,super cheap.
i am actually going to buy catagory 3 end links(the ones ive got are cat.1's.)
they are also about an 1" wider,then ill also use some shims to take up the space.

the reason i set em so far apart was to be able to have a nice wide area for the spring to sit,and be able to easily upgrade to bigger joints as needed.

[JeremyPenner]

Hey man nice build! where are you getting your wheels and tires from?? I'm building a chevy and looking for some 66/67 inch floats!! thanks jp

[tallhoedude]

Originally Posted by JeremyPenner

Hey man nice build! where are you getting your wheels and tires from?? I'm building a chevy and looking for some 66/67 inch floats!! thanks jp

Well it took a while to start to find some sources,but ive been finding 4-6 per month.
cant give away my sources but youll be suprised where you find them,dont dismiss anyplace.
start with all the co-ops you can find.

[watahyahknow]

there used in foresting and farming and swamp areas

seen them use different tires too wish where used one huge mowingmachines for golfcourses those looked like mickey thompson tires on steriods

[nvrsatisfied]

CONGRATS BRO!!!!! Now go out and enjoy all that hard work!!!! have a good time and get some pics and vids. i seen a few of the you tube vids of yankee lake and it looks like a good event. i think TGW has been there to catch some footage in either vid6 or vid7.(vid8 is coming out looks pretty wicked)...have a great time be safe!!!!! .........oh and i bet $5 it won't stand up with the little tires up front, but if you try and prove me wrong get it on vid.......
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i hope he tries to prove me wrong

[tallhoedude]

LOL!
I have decided that if its still runninand in one piece when we get back home im gonna get out in the road and try n do a big 4 wheel burnout!

then if its still runnin ill put the rear tires on and get the video camera

[lks dcvn]

I have never been to an event at Yankee Lake - that was why I wanted to see some action pix from the event.

[nvrsatisfied]

wow.....looks like organized kaos, or something like that looks like you had a blast, and everthing worked out good. but i think you could of got something other than a ford to pull you out, surely some one from this forum may have been there and that one pic looks like you had barely even any tire on the trailer... close call

what are the small bugs you got going on that need to be worked out.



small side note and not to be too picky, but when you chain that beast down cross the front and cross the rear threw those D rings you got welded on the axles' with those chain boomers.

can't wait to see some vid!!!!

[tallhoedude]

yes its pretty crazy,especially bout midnight in the mud!!

well my brakes suck ,i knew they werent that good before i left,but hey who needs brakes,so gotta work on that.

i drove the truck bout 5 miles on the road after the event,to run down to a local shop to swap wheels,and ive got a little driveline shimmy/vibration,didnt feel it in the mud,but not sure bout it.

gotta adjust trac bar,springs settled and so now its a little dog-legged.

forgot to plug my rear axle vent,so gotta do that and drain and refill the axles.

other than 6 days of mudremoval,thats bout it,not too bad.

[tallhoedude]

yeah,she was a bit wide on the trailer,but we only went 5 miles with the r2's on there,thats why i drove it back to the shop instead of tryn to fit them muddy tires on that skinny trailer,too easy to slip off.

[Burt4x4]

KickAss!!
Sure looks like fun!
Congrats!