Moms wedding present 49 chevy 5 window LS 4L60e TCI frame

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by jocww

Scott, it was short, a few months ago I gave them the measurements and they compared it to their cad. TCI came and picked the frame up from my house as Good Guys was this weekend, then they drove it to the shop where he is going to lengthen it. Evan said it was about an 1.5 in too short, but that told Tom add more just in case so maybe he will do it 3 in. Per Tom, the beds should not even be close to touching about 1in apart. I would contact Jay. So far they are making me happy.

That’s just about what I’m missing. With scootching the cab forward and the bed back with new holes drilled, it’ll work. If my truck wasn’t almost completed I’d think about fixing the chassis but taking the entire thing apart would set me back way too much.

[jocww]

Doug, what are the specs of the shifter? It looks like a single bend. trans mount.

[jocww]

Originally Posted by Scott2

That’s just about what I’m missing. With scootching the cab forward and the bed back with new holes drilled, it’ll work. If my truck wasn’t almost completed I’d think about fixing the chassis but taking the entire thing apart would set me back way too much.

how does your wheels look? are the hubs centered to the opening of your wheel well? Hopefully your suspension and ds will let you move back the space you need.

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by jocww

how does your wheels look? are the hubs centered to the opening of your wheel well? Hopefully your suspension and ds will let you move back the space you need.

I’ll look at it all again tomorrow. The best I can do is get the bed about 1/2” separated from the cab and at that point the rear bed mounting pads are over halfway past the end of the chassis! I think I’m happy to find out the chassis is short because I thought I just wasn’t getting it set up right. That answers a bunch of questions but I’m not sure what to do at this point.

I do need to look and see how the rear end is set up in relation to the center of the fender. When I was setting the axle position I could not get it right - it was too far back. TCI didn’t understand but they had not figured out your chassis (and now mine) was too short at that point. This explains the rear axle problem. I had to cut my 4 link bars by about 1.5” and re-thread them to get the axle positioned right. Damn!

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by jocww

Doug, what are the specs of the shifter? It looks like a single bend. trans mount.

This shifter is XATS64L60EBB black 16” transmission mount. It clears the dash and seat through the gear range mounted in this position. Keeping in mind this is a Suburban, though seat positioning is pretty much the same as in a truck.

Hope that helps!

[mongocanfly]

That sure sucks about the chassis....you would think tci would be on their game on this stuff

[MIKESAD50]

What has been TCI's response to this?
I have a friend with a TCI chassis and didnt hear about this problem from him. I will ask him about it when I see him next.

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by jocww

The back end. Before I had my cab on my bed lined up with the holes perfectly. Now that I have the cab on, I cant put the bed on, as the 2 touch, and I still have about an 1.5 in gap between where the bed holes are, and where the holes on the frame are.

Originally Posted by jocww
Scott, it was short, a few months ago I gave them the measurements and they compared it to their cad. TCI came and picked the frame up from my house as Good Guys was this weekend, then they drove it to the shop where he is going to lengthen it. Evan said it was about an 1.5 in too short, but that told Tom add more just in case so maybe he will do it 3 in. Per Tom, the beds should not even be close to touching about 1in apart. I would contact Jay. So far they are making me happy.



Just a thought here - your experience and mine seems to be that the frame is ~1-1/2” short and that the shortage is somewhere under the cab area. This pulls the bed forward into the cab space (and in my case it was a tight fit to get the cab on the mounts as it was squeezed in there). I’m interested in knowing where the shortage is exactly.

I have mine set back just enough to get ~1/2” space to the cab because I drilled new holes for the front bed mounts ~3/4” back . I set my running boards on yesterday and they are a pretty snug fit between the front and rear fenders but there’s enough flex in the fenders that they fit. If I had another 3/4” they’d be great but the bed rear mounts would be nearly off the rear frame. I also need to crawl under it and see if the running board mounts on the chassis and boards line up?

If TCI is going to add in anything more than the missing 1-1/2” you mentioned they suggested 3”) then you’re going to be messed up in the other direction. The running boards will end up hanging in space and won’t reach both fenders and you may have a really big space between the cab and bed.

I’d make sure they have a good plan to get this correct including mocking it all up to get it to fit right. Adding in an arbitrary amount just to be sure could leave you with another mess. Best approach would really be to build a new chassis which meets the specs and swap it out for you.

[mongocanfly]

I dont know but what I would just keep that chassis and shorten the bed whatever it needs....I've seen foose clip a inch or so from a AD bed front,,and it was a nice touch...

[jocww]

Originally Posted by Scott2

Originally Posted by jocww
Scott, it was short, a few months ago I gave them the measurements and they compared it to their cad. TCI came and picked the frame up from my house as Good Guys was this weekend, then they drove it to the shop where he is going to lengthen it. Evan said it was about an 1.5 in too short, but that told Tom add more just in case so maybe he will do it 3 in. Per Tom, the beds should not even be close to touching about 1in apart. I would contact Jay. So far they are making me happy.



Just a thought here - your experience and mine seems to be that the frame is ~1-1/2” short and that the shortage is somewhere under the cab area. This pulls the bed forward into the cab space (and in my case it was a tight fit to get the cab on the mounts as it was squeezed in there). I’m interested in knowing where the shortage is exactly.

I have mine set back just enough to get ~1/2” space to the cab because I drilled new holes for the front bed mounts ~3/4” back . I set my running boards on yesterday and they are a pretty snug fit between the front and rear fenders but there’s enough flex in the fenders that they fit. If I had another 3/4” they’d be great but the bed rear mounts would be nearly off the rear frame. I also need to crawl under it and see if the running board mounts on the chassis and boards line up?

If TCI is going to add in anything more than the missing 1-1/2” you mentioned they suggested 3”) then you’re going to be messed up in the other direction. The running boards will end up hanging in space and won’t reach both fenders and you may have a really big space between the cab and bed.

I’d make sure they have a good plan to get this correct including mocking it all up to get it to fit right. Adding in an arbitrary amount just to be sure could leave you with another mess. Best approach would really be to build a new chassis which meets the specs and swap it out for you.

Scott, there should be a gap between the running boards and the bed per Tom there should be a gasket. metal on metal rub would cause rust. im not sure if its under the cab, but maybe right behind the cab. you cutting your 4 link might make them to short... and yes make sure your running boards and chassis line up, i had slits in my running board to go in and out but not front to back.
i think what Evan was thinking was just adding 3 in on the back end, and then redoing my frame mounting holes for the bed, but yes if he does this then i am not sure if the axle will be centered in for my wheel arches. But beyond that I want the geometry to be correct, there is only so much play with the johnny joints before they become weak or you bottom out the threads. If they cut the frame behind the cab then they would have to redo my exhaust and all my lines... I AGREE A NEW CHASSIS THAT IS CORRECT WOULD BE THE BEST. Unfortunately I dont see that happening in my future.

[jocww]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

I dont know but what I would just keep that chassis and shorten the bed whatever it needs....I've seen foose clip a inch or so from a AD bed front,,and it was a nice touch...

While this truck will never haul anything besides ass and some chairs or whatever else my dad needs at a car show, Im not going to trim an inch off the bed just to save somebody else work, I want my truck to be right. Even if I did, my front holes dont line up as theyre basically underneath the cab.

[jocww]

Took a drive up to lockeford and visited Tom. He is going to weld an extension then cut then at 45 degrees in the rear and then drill new front holes on the frame.

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by jocww

Took a drive up to lockeford and visited Tom. He is going to weld an extension then cut then at 45 degrees in the rear and then drill new front holes on the frame.

Great! Sounds like they’ll get you all set up correctly.

[jocww]

I am looking at gauges, looking at the dakotas mainly. Anybody used either? Any recomendations?

dakota rtx
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dakota-Digi...bbcd8c3505d24d

and new vintage
http://newvintageusallc.mybigcommerc...c-truck-black/

[Scott2]

Originally Posted by jocww

I am looking at gauges, looking at the dakotas mainly. Anybody used either? Any recomendations?

dakota rtx
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dakota-Digi...bbcd8c3505d24d

and new vintage
http://newvintageusallc.mybigcommerc...c-truck-black/

Both look great! I ended up using Dolphin gauges on mine which was primarily a budgeting decision.

[jocww]

Yea they aren't cheap!!!!

[osaltyone]

What gauges did you end up going with? How do you like them?

Originally Posted by jocww

I am looking at gauges, looking at the dakotas mainly. Anybody used either? Any recomendations?

dakota rtx
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dakota-Digi...bbcd8c3505d24d

and new vintage
http://newvintageusallc.mybigcommerc...c-truck-black/

[jocww]

Originally Posted by osaltyone

What gauges did you end up going with? How do you like them?

I decided with the rtx. The nu vintage would not work with me. They look really nice. The digital readout doesn't look that great. It looks just like it does on website. I thought they has just photo shopped it. It does look like that in real life.

[jocww]

Some updates

[jocww]

wish i could upload the videos and you could see the air bags working or hear the engine run.

[jocww]

needed a new transmission, as the one i bought was broken and the rocker arm trunion on one blew its needle bearings. Thats what i get for trying to be cheap, and not getting an engine pulled while running. So 1600 later (almost half the price i paid for the entire combo) it is running and shifting. time to have Tom get the engine tuned and hopefully it can come home!

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by jocww

needed a new transmission, as the one i bought was broken and the rocker arm trunion on one blew its needle bearings. Thats what i get for trying to be cheap, and not getting an engine pulled while running. So 1600 later (almost half the price i paid for the entire combo) it is running and shifting. time to have Tom get the engine tuned and hopefully it can come home!

For that exact reason, I bought a fully functioning/driving 2001 Camaro for my drivetrain. After removing the drivetrain I sold off the roller. There are too many crooks on craigslist that claim the motor and trans are low mileage. Glad your on the right track now...

[jocww]

It's home. I was able to drive it 50 miles home from the shop. Riders really well, turns better than my bmw and brakes on a dime. Glad I went with the chassis.

[Scott2]

Looks great! That turned out amazing.

[jocww]

Thanks the stack of receipts make me want to cry, but all the stuff he did it would take me years to complete, and some stuff i would never be able to do ie the wiring harness, engine harness and setting up the air ride. they say its easy but looking at the hours either i got taken for a ride which is unlikely or even though i bought the complete kit it still needs to be massaged to get it to work. I still need to more, the bed for sure, but hopefully J can hook me up with a big brake kit, and then i still need to figure out the interior, radio, ac, windshield wipers, paint and i still need to replace the passenger side firewall/floor pan where the body mount is. But the main thing is that it runs, drives, and is safe. How is yours coming along?