"Geronimo" 54' 3100 LS built in PA

[99 to Life]

12-24 Got a couple hours in tonight. Got my Lotos plasma cutter up and running (1st timer here) zipped out this rack and pinion notch. Put rack up in for moch up.

then onto to rear. gotta luv GM for not only keeping basic things like wheel bolt patterns the same and the sbc the same for so many years, a 54' truck and a 98' s10 both have the same leaf spring span 51.75". So pretty cool I think. I'm gonna fab up some shackle mounts and try to mimick the stock geometry as much as I can. I can always block the rear up or down to fit the stance of the M2 up front (which the front springs will take hundreds of miles bf it settles, so they tell me). Customer doesn't want the truck too low, so sux for me but in a way makes it easier for some stuff. I'm going with newer springs and shackles because they are simply better, customer will be doing some light towing and I didn't want this part of the truck to be expensive. So far I had the leafs, bought new shackles for under 70, then new poly bushings for 48. Obviously need a few other things, but compare this to TCI and CPP's kits which are both around 500 plus.

plan to get rear done, get truck down on its own weight, put my temporary rims and whitewalls on (until I can get the final ones blasted and painted). I'll prolly use a moch up frender and rear bedside/fender to make sure the wheel base is proper. Then once those check out, I'll put cab on and start moching up engine.

[84blaze]

Nice work on the IFS

[99 to Life]

12-29 Thanks guys, sorry for the play by play on the posts. Its kinda boring I know, but more fun for me to post and keep track of all the things I do on the build. So this post is not exciting. well.... I did manage to start my day off with my turbo heater not working, then second time using plasma the cup cracked and I kept using it, then burned up my tip. So now I'm debating, do I buy more consumables and this was a fluke or are these cups complete junk.

anyway, go this heavy rear end off the truck and out the door (now I'm tripping on it outside). Spent a lot of time figuring out the wheelbase and then new center line for the rear, in correspondence with the rear fender too. I'm trying to avoid putting this heaaavy bed on until I get the leafs tacked in place, then I'll double check with a bed or bedside etc. I think I got if figured out.

I'm still stripping my donor leafs and getting bushings out. Cool trick is to drill the rubber out then pound out the center, took me a bid to do one, then took forever to get the metal sleeve out. I think the time and effort and cost will still be worth it over a leaf conversion kit other companies sell. I'll prolly start a thread on this conversion when I'm done.

[iowaboynca]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

12-29 Thanks guys, sorry for the play by play on the posts. Its kinda boring I know....

I think i'm pretty sure i'm not the only one, but I enjoy the level of details you put into your posts. They provide a lot of information. Please keep it up!

Nice progress on the build.

[WorkinWrenchs]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

... second time using plasma the cup cracked and I kept using it, then burned up my tip. So now I'm debating, do I buy more consumables and this was a fluke or are these cups complete junk.

Sucks about the cup breaking but they are called "consumables" for a reason. Here is a really hot deal if you have the extra cash, which i know is tight around this time. It is only until tomorrow though so you would need to act fast.

Lotos LCON40 40 Pcs

[joedoh]

yeah man, keep it up! and stop apologizing, only a bovine clodpated citified moron would look down their nose at your posts

[84blaze]

Originally Posted by joedoh

yeah man, keep it up! and stop apologizing, only a bovine clodpated citified moron would look down their nose at your posts

LOL, I totally agree it's nice reading a detailed thread.

[51Chevy3100]

Yes, what they said! ^^

[Chance48]

Indeed, wished I where more detailed in my thread. It's hard to stop and take pics when my mind is Rollin so fast. I don't have a smart phone, lol...so I use an iPad, haha. Maybe if I had the phone it would be easier or quicker I should say. Nah, I prolly wouldn't slow down anyways. Don't laugh, me and the wife are trying to fight the urge to get these smart phones....we feel they do more harm than good, haha.

Lookin good 99 and keep up the good work and details, it is a treasure chest of info for others.

Chance

[Coach529]

I love the updates.,....

[ptc]

Build is looking good 99, as for the detail? Yep its all good to know this stuff and part of a 'forum' of knowledge. I also REALLY LIKE the fact that you give us some COSTS of the parts you are buying and from WHERE you get them. Because for a better deal those suppliers will get my business too!

We all spend ALOT of time shopping sites, catalogs, ebay, craigslist, etc for parts and trying to get the best deal because EVERYTHING is so expensive now. So that TRULEY helps everyone to know where and how much things are costing. Im gonna start doing it on my build page too. Thanks for all the inspiration too!

As for the plasma cutter - there is a learning curve! Ive burned up a few tips quick already but once you learn the way YOURS works it gets better. Try getting some MAGNETIC TAPE - to use as a guide to cut along, its really cool!

[WorkinWrenchs]

Man you are moving along and the "boring" updates are very much appreciated. keep them coming cant wait to see more. You are truly talented and make everything look easy. I guess with everything that you do unless you attempt it you will never master it.

[Advanced Design]

Be as detailed as you want 99. I enjoy, learn too....way better than watching tv!

[99 to Life]

12-30 Thanks guys, glad you appreciate the small details too. I know seeing a lot of explanation on here sometimes gets the "lemme skim through this" effect. Last two days have been beyond annoying. This leafspring conversion is taking way longer than I expected. So for starters and the main reason I went with a modern leaf spring (I had a pair off my 98' s10 sitting there). So I order up some prothane bushings from Summit, I find out on Monday my leaf springs have a bigger eye in the back. Took forever to figure it out because the only other size I could find was 2.5 inch and I'm measuring the ID not OD.

So you know how that goes, finding the right part. Well I call summit back, order the right ones, which in my case are def more rare, musta came off a blazer at some point because 2 and 4wd use same 1.5" bushings. the bushings were suppose to be here today, well....they shipped them to my Pittsburgh address. So I call back, another 30 min convo and I should have what I need tomorrow. So I been moching this all up with the rear spring not having a bushing (well I got some filler in there but its not perfect) so tomorrow I'm really hoping to have the leafs on, atleast tacked up so I can get wheels under em.

I'v been measuring for days and the rear through me for a big loop today. I got to thinking, I was moching up the leafs directly under the frame rails. Well it dawned on me, the frame kicks two different ways. So I start measuring out the ace, got the lazer out, blah blah. getting all kinds of funny numbers. So tomorrow, I'm going to put the stock shackes back on and lazer up the difference, which I think is about .5 inch offset. I doubt this is a huge deal, but I want the leafs to be as parallel as possible. I'm sure putting directly under the frame rail would be fine. So that hiccup has effected me on finalizing the front bracket.

The rear, you can see, the bottom of the frame rail is wider than the top, I trimmed it, squared it up and put a "THICK" plate here, since the shackle bushing will go through this portion. I will eventually box the whole back of frame with thinner plate. Had to remove rear xmember too, which I would most likely have done anyway for fuel tank, hoping to reuse the xmember.

Once I get all the numbers good, I'll prolly make up a diagram and some measurements on how I did it. Which will exclude how I came up with the numbers cause its confusing. Overall the leafs should be about 3" higher up than the stock ones, so I'm hoping that will allow it to sit lower, then if I have to use lowering blocks I won't need a large one.

Here is the bushing kit I needed, go figure its $68 opposed to the $45 ones I have.
ENS-3-2142R
Bushings, Leaf Spring, Polyurethane, 2.5 in. main eye, Red, Rear, Chevy, GMC, Pickup, SUV, RWD, 4WD, Kit

[Coach529]

Some days it seems like it is nothing but a fight. :-)

[99 to Life]

12-31 Got a little work in today. Made some adjustable moch up shocks so I can get this on its own weight soon. No point in putting coils in yet. From what they tell me, the coils will need hundreds of miles put on them to settle. I don't like the sounds of that, since the whole drive train is set up at ride height. it would then need fixed after the springs settle.

anyway tossed tire on here, these aren't the ones we are using. back to the rear leafs. I got the right bushings in the mail finally, thanks summit. Got the metal bushing outa the eye and put the bushings in, got the shackle temporarily bolted up. I then put the rear under so I can see where the perches will have to be placed. Once I get the rear centered and square and figure out the perches, I can figure out the front leaf bracket.

I luv having spare parts around. I tossed a running board and rear fender on for mochup (I got to thinking, the rear fender would actually be kicked up way higher in the back, therefore moving my centerline, so it should come out pretty good since I'm a tad off. I had moved the leaf centerline back to 117".

I'm really hoping now to have it rolling next weekend. I should have rims showing up. Couldn't pass up the deal and I'm siiiick of looking for 15" steel rims. You think they would be a dime a dozen, nope. So it will save me a lot of time too, toss some primer and paint on and be done, no cleaning/stripping old rims, or waiting on a sandblaster.

[Advanced Design]

Moving right along. I made some adjustable shocks / struts from larger diameter all thread rod. Using nuts and large washers it is pretty easy to set ride height. Spare parts are sure handy...when you can find them. I spent an hour yesterday looking for an ac compressor I know I have and haven't found it yet.

[IWanna49]

It's awesome that you will jump in and try something new, no problem. Then work through the prob and come out on the other side better for it. You're already faster on this one, even with the differences in the build. Strong work!

[99 to Life]

AD, yeah I used tubing with a nut welded on it and the all thread going through it. I didn't have heavy duty all thread and I was lucky to have found some of this. Don't even get me started on knowing you have something and can't find it. I'v been battling chaos for years as I never had the chance to just sit down and have my tools all in one place and get organized. I'm in 3 different garages/locations and always rushing into the next build.

Greg, I'm really hoping to sit down and look through all the hours on this build vs. last. I want to have a system for either build and know how long things take. I'm all about data because I plan on building a lot of these trucks. as for the new adventure on the leafs, I'v seen a couple companies offer kits and I just think its a bit pricey and with my version you'd be getting beefier bushings and going with poly at that. I figure there would be some trial and error. My plans are to make a kit and sell or possibly give plans of. that way all you'd have to do is come up with some leafs and the rest would be new. Save people 600 bucks on a kit. Next truck if all goes well will be bagged on OG frame. I plan to make 4 link kits and have them on hand for future builds.

[FarmerSid]

Nice 99! I use a similar setup for mock up shocks.

[youngrodder]

Looking great...nice progress.

Marc

[99 to Life]

1-2 Well same old report, still on the rear end, but closing in on it. I had to cut the perches off the axle, PIA that was. Came to the conclusion that the springs wouldn't rest under the frame on the front and back. (remember when I said I did a ton of measuring the other day!) well my conclusion was correct and for these springs in the rear they are 40.75" apart, up under the front of frame they were 36.5" apart. I didn't feel comfy with that, so I moved the springs out board of the frame ( will make it easier to deal with). so as you can see, I have the inner portion of the bracket done which will atleast let the springs stay up on their own now.

I'll have to make the outter portion of the bracket. Both inner and outter brackets will bolt into the "old" brackets holes, which is nice I think. allows for things to be changed in the future if need be.

I got some new cups and tips for my plasma. Thought I'd try extended tips, well I couldn't get the first one to work for shat, burnt it up. I put my original tip in and it worked great, put new extended nickel plated tip back in and it wouldn't arc at all this time. So I'm not sure what was up there. but..... my theory of blasting a starter hole through thick metal (I'm talking .25 and.3125)
worked pretty good, with the exception that some of the holes were hard as heck to drill, I think either 1. the metal got hardened cause it go so hot, or 2. its just dross that cooled back down and is harder than the metal itself. either way, I had to jump around on the front and back of the hole and use several different bits to try and get around the hardened part. But... its still faster than drilling a pilot hole through .25" steel.

should have rims painted hopefully by next weekend, if Im lucky some tires mounted so I can get this on the ground and make sure we are all good.

[Advanced Design]

Good experimentation! It works. Drilling a small hole to a larger size is really slow going anytime I've done that. Guessing it has to do with how the bit cuts in the smaller hole?

Good you were able to drill through.

[lower50's]

Sorry I'm a bit late to this,but I like all the detail. Reminds us all that we are not alone working on this old stuff Good job with the rear springs. I put all 4 of my front spring perches out side my frame on my Jeep. Plate out 2 gussets up the frame even with hard off roading its all good.

[99 to Life]

1-4 Got some moch up tires on, the offset is wrong but its enough to get it on its own wheels for now. Rims should be showing up this week, then I'll paint them and hopefully get tires put on. Took me a bit to get the rear centered up, I still don't have the pads welded to the axle yet. Want to wait and see if I can set the drivetrain and get the pinion angle.

I'll def still have to add blocks to the rear. Still have to finish the front bracket and in the rear I have to plasma out the hole for the top shackle bushing. My plan is to cut the hole and weld tubing in there so I can use the poly bushing, if not I'll have to just use the bushing and metal that came with the shackle, going that route, I'd have no room for error on my hole.

I feel like progress is good, but same time just inching along, playing the wait game sucks. but once I have wheels on, I'll set cab back on, get engine moched up and hopefully have a continuous flow of work.