PB bagged 69 stepside-because Leon asked...

[Jimbabwe]

Haha!! I'm at work, and juggling between this, work and a lack of sleep, I may be easily confused! I'll take two. And all you have to do is slap the word "billett" on it and you'll sell enough to finance several more projects!

[Jimbabwe]

Custom billet frame and fork.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C9COLFf6Jt.../%2521cid_.jpg

[Rochlow]

Exactly buddy!
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[VDOG]

I saw your post on how bad your truck rides right now. I know you have air bags, could you inflate or deflate to make the ride better or is it something else?

Also I see you added spacers, may I ask why?

[Jimbabwe]

Oh no, don't misunderstand. The ride isn't bad. It's just not some sports car, smooth, tight thing like I thought it was going to be. It's still like a clunky truck. A definite improvement over the old stock suspension. The Porterbuilt stuff was really top notch, and I'm very happy with the quality and how it's all put together. I think maybe the fact that I was too busy wondering why on earth I decided to run with manual steering and brakes, and my throttle was sticking was the stuff I was really concerned with! I was driving somewhat low and had no issues with grinding anything, even after hitting a number of serious dips and crappy sections of road on the lovely NYC streets. I even had my very first "That is so cool" from a younger guy in an SUV with his mom at the gas station.
I'm happy with the setup. I've just got to take care of the other stuff.

I used the spacers because I currently have a 20" rear wheel with 5.25" of backspace and I'd like to swap to 22" wheels with 4" of backspace because they look cooler. I didn't want to have the expense of narrowing the rear, and getting new axles a second time. The spacers are temporary.

[Jimbabwe]

Since Nate also asked concerning my "disappointment" with the ride quality, to avoid further confusion or misunderstanding, let me say that the ride quality is not a disappointment at all. The truck does not ride poorly. It is a vast improvement over stock, both in the stiffening of the chassis via the beefed up components, and the allowance of greater clearance at a much lower ride height. The ride of the bags feels very good. I was simply imagining a "sports car" like corner carving, but we have to remember that I hadn't just magically sat in a Porsche, I hadn't driven the truck in 9 months, I stupidly decided to run the power rack manually since I am running the I6 and couldn't find power steering brackets, and my throttle cable via the 71/72 pedal rod to cable swap was sticking dangerously. So my expectations may have been slightly off. That said I definitely recommend Porterbuilt as the kit was very nicely done and Nate, and Dave were great to deal with. Thanks!

[lolife99]

Do you think you would have been happier with the Porterbuilt coil over set-up?

[Rochlow]

Need pictures!!!!

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Do you think you would have been happier with the Porterbuilt coil over set-up?

I'm not sure. That wasn't really my intention when building this one. I previously had a fleetside with a 4.5/6" drop, and I just kept seeing all these bagged trucks and thinking how great it looked. I'd look at the fleet with it's new "drop" and think "Hmm, that's really not very low at all, is it."

I had read someone respond in their build when asked how they liked the PB setup, and they remarked that it rode like a sports car, and I thought "Oooh!". The guy who narrowed my rear also builds chassis for race cars, and the truck was back at his place for something and he remarked how he liked how it was put together, and when I mentioned the person's sports car comment he was like "Um, no. It's gonna drive like an old truck." There are some winding roads around here that are fun to hit a little hard on the bike, or even in my "regular" car, that will make you say "WooHoo!!". I took one on the way home from the shop in the truck and I was like "AaaahhHHH!" I may have peed a little. Seriously though, I AM happy with their kit, and I do like the lowered, tucking stance more than I'm concerned with attempting to build a truck appropriate for autocross, but it certainly wouldn't hurt if there are some things we could do to our trucks for those times we'd like to have some fun in the esses. Another member commented about my alignment and suggested reading the "Make it handle" thread, of which I have read some. Maybe I'll alter the more straightforward alignment numbers I got. Hey, I only drove the thing once so far.

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

Need pictures!!!!

I took a bunch. I just never made a build thread. I'll have to post some.

[n2billet]

I believe that some of your un-sport car ride might be due to the in-board mounted rear bags. The further the bags are apart the better the ride (IMO). I drove my PB truck 3-4 inches off the ground with the pedal to the floor. I have giving a few board members rides that can attest to this....ask stp67-72about the ride I gave him in Columbus I still can hear him screaming!

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by n2billet

I believe that some of your un-sport car ride might be due to the in-board mounted rear bags. The further the bags are apart the better the ride (IMO). I drove my PB truck 3-4 inches off the ground with the pedal to the floor. I have giving a few board members rides that can attest to this....ask stp67-72about the ride I gave him in Columbus I still can hear him screaming!

Yeah, I had no choice but to run them inboard with the stepside.
If only I lived closer to Texas! That's where most of the trucks I like seem to be coming from!

[Jimbabwe]

Since Rochlow wanted some more pics. I'll take some better outside when it finally stops raining.

[Rochlow]

Awesome!!!! Thank you, sir for the motivational pictures.. If I knew I didn't have a couple months of overtime ahead me, I'd print these pics and post them on my garage wall.

Oh and BTW.. If you think about getting rid of those wheels, let me know.

[cflvulcan]

I know I've said it already mr james but your a tease lol, where's a shot of the whole truck? I know its tight down there in the city but come on lol
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[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

Awesome!!!! Thank you, sir for the motivational pictures.. If I knew I didn't have a couple months of overtime ahead me, I'd print these pics and post them on my garage wall.

Oh and BTW.. If you think about getting rid of those wheels, let me know.

Oh, come on now. The truck looks cool lowered, but it's just a rusty mess. Not really worthy of anyone's garage wall. Thank you though.
The wheels will have to stay for the time being since I have no money left after this leg of the project! 20/22's will have to be off in the future a bit!

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by cflvulcan

I know I've said it already mr james but your a tease lol, where's a shot of the whole truck? I know its tight down there in the city but come on lol
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Tom, when did you become vulcan-something? I never noticed that. I don't mean to bore you, since you saw these pics already, but if you imagine #4 and #5 together it's like a shot of the whole truck. I only got those first two in between the house and the neighbor's chain link (that he loves) when I finally got it home last week. Seems like it's been raining since.

[Rochlow]

Originally Posted by Jimbabwe

Oh, come on now. The truck looks cool lowered, but it's just a rusty mess. Not really worthy of anyone's garage wall. Thank you though.
The wheels will have to stay for the time being since I have no money left after this leg of the project! 20/22's will have to be off in the future a bit!

Aint nutin wrong with a rusty mess.. Basically, I tell everyone I'm trying to make chicken salad outta chicken s*#t..

Basically, your truck is really similar to mine, except mine is a fleet.

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

Aint nutin wrong with a rusty mess.. Basically, I tell everyone I'm trying to make chicken salad outta chicken s*#t..

Basically, your truck is really similar to mine, except mine is a fleet.

Thanks John. You had a stepside though, didn't you? Or a step bed for the truck you're working on now? I can't remember, although I had looked at your build.

[Rochlow]

No. Always had a fleet. The stepsides are really starting to grow on me now though.

[74 stepside]

Dammit. Now I want a 67-72 stepside. Nice truck!

[502ms]

#TeamStepside!

You guys know that you want one! Fleetsides are nice, but there is something sexy about nice lips stuffed into a step bed.

James, I have not driven my truck in a few weeks, but I did not build it to be a corner carver, but it does move around in a manner that I am pleased in in corners and such. Now that I am going to have a T56 and the 6.0L, handling will be something interesting....in a good way. Maybe shocks can help out (firmer/adjustable ones)

[lolife99]

Did you say you have a power rack,... but no p/s pump?
Would you be better off running a manual rack?

I would keep it power and add a set of these brackets:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/194-215-230-...sories&vxp=mtr

You will like driving your truck so much more with power steering.

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by 74 stepside

Dammit. Now I want a 67-72 stepside. Nice truck!

Thanks!

[Jimbabwe]

Originally Posted by 74 stepside

Dammit. Now I want a 67-72 stepside. Nice truck!

Originally Posted by 502ms

#TeamStepside!

You guys know that you want one! Fleetsides are nice, but there is something sexy about nice lips stuffed into a step bed.

James, I have not driven my truck in a few weeks, but I did not build it to be a corner carver, but it does move around in a manner that I am pleased in in corners and such. Now that I am going to have a T56 and the 6.0L, handling will be something interesting....in a good way. Maybe shocks can help out (firmer/adjustable ones)

#TeamStepside!!
Nate mentioned different shocks and a rear swaybar recently. We'll see. Since I only drove it one time so far I'll wait until I have a better feel for it. Haven't driven it again because I've got to fix my sticky throttle cable--I was going to put the rod back on, but I bought a Lokar cable--and fix the leak that's got the truck laying out in a day (ordered check valves).