Let's Build A 1 Ton Crew Cab 4x4

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Are those from ord?

Negative. They are from Ebay. I found this set for over $20 or so less with free ship. Seems like they would be perfect for 6" springs or larger but my 4" springs aren't that much thicker than stock springs. If they were threaded all the way like ORD's then they would work fine. I may take them out and cut more threads on them if I can't find a cheap replacement.

[y5mgisi]

For u bolts I think if you look on eBay you will find something that works. I just went on there and typed in "leaf spring u bolts" and came across a few that might work for you. Same thing for the studs if you type in "Dana 60 u bolts" or "Dana 60 studs" I came across a couple.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

For u bolts I think if you look on eBay you will find something that works. I just went on there and typed in "leaf spring u bolts" and came across a few that might work for you. Same thing for the studs if you type in "Dana 60 u bolts" or "Dana 60 studs" I came across a couple.

I looked for a couple hours yesterday and didn't come up with anything. I came up with 1 possibility on the studs but they were pricey. I am trying really hard to not let this thing get too expensive.

I am saving my funds to build my Trans Am. The 6 speed is being rebuilt right now and I should be taking the engine to machine shop to be checked and what not in the next week or so.

[y5mgisi]

I certainly understand the importance of inexpensiveness! My budget is literally non existent while I work on my kitchen remodel. Like $0 dollars!

Do you need studs and u bolts still then? I can try and help you find cheap ones if you like?

[NastyBuzzard]

If you can that would help. Cheapest deal I can find is $30 for 2 u bolts and $20 for the studs.. Just seems really high.

[Chevy_mud_truck]

I just payed $17 for the studs and four nuts $50 some dollars for the other 3 u-bolts nuts and washers good luck finding a good quality u-bolt cheap last cheap u-bolts I picked up and use stretched out and one broke and I was picking my rear axle up out the road

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by Chevy_mud_truck

I just payed $17 for the studs and four nuts $50 some dollars for the other 3 u-bolts nuts and washers good luck finding a good quality u-bolt cheap last cheap u-bolts I picked up and use stretched out and one broke and I was picking my rear axle up out the road

I won't be driving with these. This is just so I can roll it out the shop to clean it. I will be making revere shackle brackets or whatever it is called to lift the rear the extra 4" I need.

I don't need quality I just need it to hold while I mock everything else up.

[y5mgisi]

For the front, the best I can find is $70 shipped for all three u bolts and studs. Basically a whole kit. For the studs, you can run regular bolts there.

[NastyBuzzard]

Front? I already have front U bolts and Studs. Studs just don't have threads cut far enough down but I can fix that.

I am mainly looking for 2 u bolts for the rear for a 2.5" wide spring that are about 13" long so I can have it bolted together so I can roll it outside without my axle trying to come out from under it.

I will later change to reverse shackle setup and ditch the long u bolts and 4" blocks.

[Chevy_mud_truck]

I picked up a truck that didn't have a rear end so took one I had and I used some all thread had some extra bottom plates off 90 model and tops off 80 model and run the all thread between the two with a nut on top and bottom

[y5mgisi]

If you actually plan to only roll it around the yard i have wrapped chain around the axle and spring and bolted it together on two links to keep it tight.

[daddyjeep]

Well in that case....Mine came with a ratchet strap instead of U-bolts on the one side. The scary part is that it looks like it was there for a long time.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by Chevy_mud_truck

I picked up a truck that didn't have a rear end so took one I had and I used some all thread had some extra bottom plates off 90 model and tops off 80 model and run the all thread between the two with a nut on top and bottom

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

If you actually plan to only roll it around the yard i have wrapped chain around the axle and spring and bolted it together on two links to keep it tight.

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

Well in that case....Mine came with a ratchet strap instead of U-bolts on the one side. The scary part is that it looks like it was there for a long time.

All good ideas and good points. Looks like I will just buy some small straps. Currently the only strap I have is like 20' long and the longest chain I have is like 12". I do have a crap tone of twine though! I will work it out.

I just want to get it outside and pressure wash it.

Not related to the truck but I did get my LS1 tore apart last night and ready to take to the machine shop. I am really missing my trans am.

[y5mgisi]

I bet! You got a lot of irons in the fire!

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

I bet! You got a lot of irons in the fire!

Yeah I do and its starting to wear on more than just my wallet. I just have too much motivation. I am so mad I don't already have to 6.5 TD to put the crew cab back together, just haven't been lucky with getting one.

Money wise though the 01 TA takes priority. We are rebuilding the trans and soon as I can get the engine to the machine shop and back I will be building it.

I will have to start selling a few spare parts & things here soon though to be able to keep funding the crew cab.

[NastyBuzzard]

Drilling holes for the engine cross member was a pain in the ass. I hope it is right and in the correct location and what not.

You can see how the engine mounts are slotted to fit into the shorter 2wd frame.

Also have the front xmember mounted somewhat but it is not being easy at all. I have already ground off at least an 1/8" off each side just to get it to fit within the frame rails without bowing it out. Another issue is the frame is different such that I can't angle the front xmember like it would be on the 4x4 so sway bar isn't matching up so I will have to figure out what to do about that.



Here you can see the issues with the sway bar...



I am also having odd problems such that one side of the xmember sits flush top and bottom but the other side has gaps above and below.

Here are the gaps and you can see it sits right against the frame.



Here is where it is flush top and bottom but has a gap between it and the frame.



Crazy ass ****!

Now my buddy has a lifted K5 and this is how he did his front sway bar. Anyone ever seen anything like this or know where I can buy it? It could potentially solve my issues.



Also for the rear reverse shackle, this is what my buddy made for his truck and it is super beefy. I am thinking of doing the same thing except not fully boxed in and a little thinner metal. This is close to the plan though, I am having to save as much as possible during this build.



On a side note, I also dropped off my LS1 at the machine shop last Friday and my T56 is about 3/4 of the way rebuilt.

[slotard]

DIY4X makes hangers like that. On a truck this size I'd go overkill rather than trying to save.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by slotard

DIY4X makes hangers like that. On a truck this size I'd go overkill rather than trying to save.

Yeah I am aware. Trust me anything I do will be overkill and be a lot stronger than diy4x or ord or any others that I have seen. I just won't be using 5/16" thick steel like my buddy used or box it in, it isn't really necessary. He had already designed a newer version that wasn't boxed in. I will use 1/4" thick or so.

[daddyjeep]

I don't like that sway bar solution at all. by clamping the leaf pack together at that point has to cause all kinds of problems with they way the leaves work. Maybe something similar to that mounted on top of the U bolts would work.

[NastyBuzzard]

Yeah it isn't really good for anything other than just driving down the road. If you look close you can see where he has had to weld the piece back together that bolts to the leaf spring when he went off road and broke it.

I don't like it but just looking at options. May just have remove the mount pads from the crossmember and bolt down the crossmember and then mount the pads back farther where they will work.

[y5mgisi]

Honestly, I just would put it together without the sway bar and then just try and find some random unit that will work. With those Springs, you really won't need a sway bar unless you start towing.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Honestly, I just would put it together without the sway bar and then just try and find some random unit that will work. With those Springs, you really won't need a sway bar unless you start towing.

But towing is what I am building the truck for.. That's why I want the diesel.

[NastyBuzzard]

I found my solution for the sway bar. I just removed the sway bar mount from the cross member and moved it back in the frame to where it will be usable. Only issue now is I will have to use spacers under the front cross member to make up for the material I removed or modify it a tad. This will work I think though.





I am also trying to determine what my final height might be. To accommodate for the frame differences between 2wd and 4wd I lowered the front spring's rear shackle by 1" lower than the 4x4 version, this of course threw off my pinion angle. Come to find out though that it wasn't enough. So last night I just decided to make some quick shackles to try and fix it some.

The stock shackles has holes spaces 4" apart, I moved it to 5" but that may be too much.





This of course made my pinion angle worse. I may make another hole at 4.5" and see what that is like but some how I have to move the front mount for the front leaf spring down the same I have moved the rear. So I may have to detach the hanger from the body mount and space it down 1"-2" to match what the rear is.

Fun fun, just showing what little progress I made last night.

If the truck gets too high I may have to go for a smaller lift spring, like 2.5" or so. I really don't want 6" of lift, I know that may sound weird but I am building it to be practical, it probably won't see any intentional off road use.

[y5mgisi]

I think you can just fix your pinion angle with shims under the leafs. If you want to run those Springs and end up at only 4" lift, you'll have to clearance the frame for the shackle.

[daddyjeep]

"It won't see and intentional off road use". That is an interesting comment. Do I want to know how you accidentally get into an off road situation.