Fitting a Dana 80?

[jocko]

Originally Posted by XGreen

I am working though modifying the trailing arms now to except the larger U-bolts.

xgreen - I applaud your willingness to tackle this undertaking - my 2 cents here only, but I feel you may have compromised the structural integrity of your trailing arms - regardless of the plan to weld material back in, I'm not sure those are suited for the original rear, let alone a D80. Don't know a different way to say it - and perhaps you have a longer vision than I have with those arms, but in the interest of safety, felt it was worth adding the 2 cents.

As for the interim plan of driving without the dualie fenders - other comments are pertinent - you'll likely get busted after a while. Now, if you lived down here TX way, well, I routinely see 6" lift trucks with a ridiculous offset that almost puts the inside face of the tires even with the outside of the fleetside... Ha. Looks absolutely stupid - but I don't see them getting tickets. In IN, where I grew up, such a tire arrangement wouldn't last a week without a chat with Mr. Fife.

Good luck on your build - I'm interested in this one, just want you to be safe in the mods, that's all. Nuff said, jocko out.

[XGreen]

Originally Posted by Alex V.

Sound logic, I'm sure. On a 2WD I'd want trailing arm suspension, too. I assume this means an 8-lug conversion, too? Wish I was closer so I could snap up your wheels.

That is an affirmative on the 8-lugs. Front and back.

[XGreen]

Originally Posted by jocko

xgreen - I applaud your willingness to tackle this undertaking - my 2 cents here only, but I feel you may have compromised the structural integrity of your trailing arms - regardless of the plan to weld material back in, I'm not sure those are suited for the original rear, let alone a D80. Don't know a different way to say it - and perhaps you have a longer vision than I have with those arms, but in the interest of safety, felt it was worth adding the 2 cents.

As for the interim plan of driving without the dualie fenders - other comments are pertinent - you'll likely get busted after a while. Now, if you lived down here TX way, well, I routinely see 6" lift trucks with a ridiculous offset that almost puts the inside face of the tires even with the outside of the fleetside... Ha. Looks absolutely stupid - but I don't see them getting tickets. In IN, where I grew up, such a tire arrangement wouldn't last a week without a chat with Mr. Fife.

Good luck on your build - I'm interested in this one, just want you to be safe in the mods, that's all. Nuff said, jocko out.

Thanks for the advice. I will never knock anyone trying to keep it safe. I will have fenders for the duallies. They just will not be pretty.

As for the trailing arms I hope I am able to get them to work.What I did here was cut out the old holes and using some plate and pipe made like an "H" and welded that in. I am now debating whether to just fill in the gaps or go and box it in from just in front of the spring back, on either one or both sides. Do you think that would do the trick. Worst case scenario they bend and I just build some new from scratch out of nice big square stock.

[Cali72K20]

These are on a local CL listing, never seen these style helper springs before or if they will help your build.

Good luck on your project!

http://santamaria.craigslist.org/pts/5560322142.html

Casey

[XGreen]

Originally Posted by Cali72K20

These are on a local CL listing, never seen these style helper springs before or if they will help your build.

Good luck on your project!

http://santamaria.craigslist.org/pts/5560322142.html

Casey

Thanks. Those are like overload springs. I actually have a set that came on my Suburban

[Alex V.]

Mine has those auxiliary overloads, too, and I'm glad of it. IIRC brochures of the day say it added 500 lbs. to the spring rates.