1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes

[watahyahknow]

iether that or buy leafsprings with more of an arch in them
you might even be able to combine 2 sets by taking one set apart and use parts to put a couple of extra leaves in the 2nd set it will bounce like hell though

[mknittle]

L@@ks great Ryan! I hav en't cheacked out your build for a while and I am missing out

[mcbassin]

Nice progress Ryan. I love watching all these builds get closer while mine just sits...
Posted via Mobile Device

[ryanroo]

progress looks great. your engine compartment is looking really clean and spiffy. the picture looks like it is miserably humid though!

Ryan

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I also picked up this spare cluster from a friend.

How do people get lucky enough to stumble across something like this?

[ryanroo]

i had that same thought. considering i am building a diesel truck as well, i have been keeping my eyes peeled for a diesel tach cluster and Ryan ends up with 2. some guys have all the luck

Ryan

[doubleb's69]

Looks great Ryan.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 1972RedNeck

How do people get lucky enough to stumble across something like this?

It was dumb luck this time.

Originally Posted by ryanroo

i had that same thought. considering i am building a diesel truck as well, i have been keeping my eyes peeled for a diesel tach cluster and Ryan ends up with 2. some guys have all the luck

Ryan

My first one I purchased from a member here on the board and paid 2 1/2 times more than what I have in this one. I need one for my crew cab truck you know.

Originally Posted by doubleb's69

Looks great Ryan.

Thanks Bud!

[Dieselwrencher]

I managed to get the suspension sitting how I want it and not super high in the rear. Now I have to get the rear axle as close to centered in the wheel tubs as I can.




I managed to get the steering block on and the drag link hooked up. I have to get a reamer so I can get the chevy rod end in farther to the dodge steering arm.




I have to get new tie rods because Napa decided to give me the wrong ones.

[birdistheword]

Looking good keep at it.

[ryanroo]

Sweet

and that reminded me i need to mail that block for our crewcab. its still sitting in my garage....

what did you do to change the rear suspension height? i think mine is going to be high in the rear. i prefer it to be a bit higher, but without the fuel tank batteries and a bed i'm not sure yet if ill have to adjust it or not.

Ryan

[Str8-6-68]

Very nice progress Ryan, this orange beast will be burning rubber in no time now!

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by birdistheword

Looking good keep at it.

Thanks man.

Originally Posted by ryanroo

Sweet

and that reminded me i need to mail that block for our crewcab. its still sitting in my garage....

what did you do to change the rear suspension height? i think mine is going to be high in the rear. i prefer it to be a bit higher, but without the fuel tank batteries and a bed i'm not sure yet if ill have to adjust it or not.

Ryan

That's funny you mentioned that. I was looking around for it because I couldn't remember if you sent it or not and I thought I lost it like all my other spare parts. LMAO. I prefer the back to be higher a little too, but mine was literally 4" higher. I didn't want to raise the front that much because I don't want the truck to look stupid. Big lift, small tires you know. I ended up replacing the front spring hangers on the rear springs with 2wd ones and removed the 4wd ones. This literally dropped the rear 4".

Originally Posted by Str8-6-68

Very nice progress Ryan, this orange beast will be burning rubber in no time now!

Getting real close buddy.

[Dieselwrencher]

I just remembered some thing else. I saw on another thread where some one was saying the studs on the D60's like to break off? I can't imagine that unless you get in a wreck or severly shock load the front tires. The same guy mentioned going to crossover steering, which isn't a bad idea. But you still use the same area to mount a tie rod to, so what's the diff?

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Thanks man.

That's funny you mentioned that. I was looking around for it because I couldn't remember if you sent it or not and I thought I lost it like all my other spare parts. LMAO. I prefer the back to be higher a little too, but mine was literally 4" higher. I didn't want to raise the front that much because I don't want the truck to look stupid. Big lift, small tires you know. I ended up replacing the front spring hangers on the rear springs with 2wd ones and removed the 4wd ones. This literally dropped the rear 4".

That was going to be my suggestion if you didn't figure something out. great minds think alike i guess. did you have to leave the shackle bolted real close like it was? i think if it stays that way it will make the ride real choppy.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I just remembered some thing else. I saw on another thread where some one was saying the studs on the D60's like to break off? I can't imagine that unless you get in a wreck or severly shock load the front tires. The same guy mentioned going to crossover steering, which isn't a bad idea. But you still use the same area to mount a tie rod to, so what's the diff?

i know with the block there is a little more chance of it happening, but in the stock form in a driver type truck its a non issue. with huge tires and hydraulic steering sometimes they do shear simply from being over stressed. the off road world has solved that issue by making knuckles and arms that are keyed. in a stockish height truck and with the intent being street driver/tow i much prefer the GM factory style steering. crossover wants to push the axle on the springs and is really not that easy to get rid of bumpsteer with. the steering on my jeep is crossover and i spent plenty of time making sure the drag link is flat and everything is correctly matched. i still have a little bumpsteer wiggle on bumps on the street. with all the components in good working order and the drag link angle reasonable and sane GMs stuff does great. the only improvement would be to have the swing point of the steering in line with the spring eye so the drag link and axle swing in the same arc.

Ryan

[1985-GMC]

Are you going to have full steering to the left like that? I was looking at a square body the other day with a dodge arm and it looked like it was going to need two of the short tie rod ends for it to work right, and also the hole reamed out from the top.

[1968vetL-71]

Hey Ryan, just cruzin through and checkin out the progress. Great job! Everything is going together well. Can't wait to see that bad boy beatin the pavement. Again... great job man.

[mknittle]

Great job Ryan, looking good!

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

That was going to be my suggestion if you didn't figure something out. great minds think alike i guess. did you have to leave the shackle bolted real close like it was? i think if it stays that way it will make the ride real choppy.

Yes I did have to leave the shackle bars short. I may have to make another set and give it a half inch or so. I don't know yet. We'll see how it rides I guess.

i know with the block there is a little more chance of it happening, but in the stock form in a driver type truck its a non issue. with huge tires and hydraulic steering sometimes they do shear simply from being over stressed. the off road world has solved that issue by making knuckles and arms that are keyed. in a stockish height truck and with the intent being street driver/tow i much prefer the GM factory style steering. crossover wants to push the axle on the springs and is really not that easy to get rid of bumpsteer with. the steering on my jeep is crossover and i spent plenty of time making sure the drag link is flat and everything is correctly matched. i still have a little bumpsteer wiggle on bumps on the street. with all the components in good working order and the drag link angle reasonable and sane GMs stuff does great. the only improvement would be to have the swing point of the steering in line with the spring eye so the drag link and axle swing in the same arc.

Ryan

I have heard the same issues you just described with the cross over steering before. Fords basically have cross over steering and they get bad bumpsteer when components start to wear. Plus, I want to keep the cost down and use what I have for now.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Are you going to have full steering to the left like that? I was looking at a square body the other day with a dodge arm and it looked like it was going to need two of the short tie rod ends for it to work right, and also the hole reamed out from the top.

This is aother concern of mine. Once I get a steering column in it I can check that. I'd like to find a GM style steering arm for it, but if I can't, I'll have the rod ends cut and tapped so I can get it shorter. We'll see I guess,

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 1968vetL-71

Hey Ryan, just cruzin through and checkin out the progress. Great job! Everything is going together well. Can't wait to see that bad boy beatin the pavement. Again... great job man.

Originally Posted by mknittle

Great job Ryan, looking good!

Thanks guys. It is taking longer than I'd like. But I haven't been able to work on it at all.

[Beat68CST]

Ryannn!

When are you gonna start on your hood latch?!

I've moved away from mine so you could master it and I could copy ;D

I'm gonna make my loop drop down lower tonight where my drive shaft runs through and the original carrier bearing is so I can run a single.

BUT! Good work as always! I'm loving it!

[1985-GMC]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

This is aother concern of mine. Once I get a steering column in it I can check that. I'd like to find a GM style steering arm for it, but if I can't, I'll have the rod ends cut and tapped so I can get it shorter. We'll see I guess,

I just got to thinking and my idea with the two short ends won't work, the long one is right handed threads and the short one is left handed threads. So like you said you will either have to find a short one with RH threads or cut it and have it threaded.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

I just got to thinking and my idea with the two short ends won't work, the long one is right handed threads and the short one is left handed threads. So like you said you will either have to find a short one with RH threads or cut it and have it threaded.

Right now the way you see it in the pics, with the front end on jack stands, I can turn it stop to stop from right to left with no issues. I actually need to run the stops in from where dodge had them set. I don't think I'm going to have an issue. We'll see though.

[Dieselwrencher]

I'd like to thank Bud, Double B's 69, for helping me get a really good deal on a pretty nice driver shape 72 grill. Thanks again Bud!