"Z" ing the frame - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

78ChevySilverado · 12-05-2004, 02:01 AM

I'm thinking about doing this to my 78 CHevy and I need some help. If you can provide detailed instructions, pictures, problems that I will encounter etc. it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

78ChevySilverado · 12-06-2004, 08:11 PM

ttt

FuelCellGuy · 12-06-2004, 09:27 PM

I ran across this board members page. I will be z'ing a 2WD Blazer frame SOON!

http://www.loweredd.com/Frame_Z.html

BK · 12-06-2004, 09:34 PM

yeah, that site has some good pics. I will also be Z-ing my frame next week, on my 65 panel, and a friends 80 chevy stepside. Ill take lots of pics and let you know how it goes, just be aware steering u-joints are spendy.

Col Clank · 12-30-2004, 01:33 PM

How goes the progress?

BK · 12-30-2004, 03:11 PM

hopefully my metal is here today, and i should be attackin it today, wish me luck

drasticwagon · 12-30-2004, 08:36 PM

Cant wait

, I think ill be cutting my frame tomorrow on my day off...

BK · 12-31-2004, 04:21 AM

Well, i did it. its a 4" z, and im using 1/4 cause they had no 3/16 available until a week later, so i said why not. so ive got the rear sides all welded up, just need to cap it off. As you can see i boxed the inside, give me a little more strength. I will hopefully do the front in the next day or 2, depends on if i go snowboarding tomorrow. So to make everything easier, i did move the engine ahead 3", so i shouldnt have dist. clearance problems, and if you can see in the last pic, looking through the big hole in my firewall(which im almost done shaving) you can see my ECE auto tranny crossmember, simply flipped upside down, works perfectly. Also, you may notice in one pic my new firebird tilt steering column. Enjoy, ill get more pics soon.

BaggedC10 · 12-31-2004, 06:01 AM

Nice work, man! Keep us updated.....

drasticwagon · 12-31-2004, 12:19 PM

Awesome , i definantly cutting mine today....

Shev · 12-31-2004, 01:00 PM

How about starting a new thread for each and make at least make one of them a sticky so we don't have the same ?'s over and over...

Nice work by the way

When it's all said and done give us an honest opinion on the difficulty of this mod, I want to do it but I'm scared...LOL...

NO LONGER DISTURBED KONCEPTZ · 12-31-2004, 03:18 PM

Looks good man.

drasticwagon · 01-02-2005, 10:39 PM

Well i started mine today , here are some pics as well as some pics of my son with his bike we are building.

NO LONGER DISTURBED KONCEPTZ · 01-03-2005, 09:40 PM

Sweet man

BK · 01-07-2005, 10:57 PM

Well, i hope you all enjoy the pics, i know i sure do!!! I got the 3" spindles on, got 205/75/15 tires on it, have the engine and tranny in it, recessed the bumper 1/2", flipped my ECE tranny crossmember over and dropped the center 1&1/4" to match the 4" Z and so have room for exhaust, got the TA x-member in, got it all ground and painted, cut a good sized hole in the core support for my steering box, and so its all good. Got my box tubing for the rear so i should get that going. Enjoy!

drasticwagon · 01-07-2005, 11:12 PM

Nice job homie!

SCOTI · 01-08-2005, 11:13 AM

How about some pics @ 80-90psi of air. What's the crossmember height from the ground then?

NO LONGER DISTURBED KONCEPTZ · 01-08-2005, 04:47 PM

Looks good man

81chevystep · 01-10-2005, 09:50 PM

what are u guys doing for the stering hook up, i z-ed mine 3 inches and ny steering shaft hits my upper control arm when layed out. i was just going to get a steering joint or two to get it to work. just wondering what you guys were doing

grnddwn · 01-11-2005, 11:27 AM

I just did one with a big notch in the upper control arm seems to work fine but we re- enforced the hell outta of it after.

BK · 01-11-2005, 03:49 PM

I dont think we can notch our upper arms, cause we went 4". Im thinking just the 3 u-joints and a heim joint should do it, im not sure though, i still dont have my body back on... got the rear notch almost done(lays frame) just gotta get the exhaust done, then body is going back on.

grnddwn · 01-11-2005, 05:50 PM

Yeah we went 3 1/4 with the crossmember and it required a pretty big notch.

81chevystep · 01-11-2005, 10:28 PM

i think i'm going to go with 2 u joints and a heim joint becuase the steering shaft crosses way to close to thebushing of the upper control arm thanks guys

bagged74 · 01-12-2005, 12:10 AM

4" seems kind of drastic. How much pressure is it gonna take to get that thing up high enough to drive? Maybe im missing something, but it looks to me like you could have gotten away with 3" or so. anyway it should look awesome with the body back on.

pissonNOS · 01-18-2005, 02:09 AM

maybe im being stupid here but i dont understand the geometry about Z ing the frame how does it make the truck so much lower?

12-05-2004, 02:01 AM	#1
78ChevySilverado I love my Chevys Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Montgomery, Texas Posts: 236	"Z" ing the frame I'm thinking about doing this to my 78 CHevy and I need some help. If you can provide detailed instructions, pictures, problems that I will encounter etc. it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

12-31-2004, 04:21 AM	#8
BK BK Built Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oroville, WA Posts: 478	Well, i did it. its a 4" z, and im using 1/4 cause they had no 3/16 available until a week later, so i said why not. so ive got the rear sides all welded up, just need to cap it off. As you can see i boxed the inside, give me a little more strength. I will hopefully do the front in the next day or 2, depends on if i go snowboarding tomorrow. So to make everything easier, i did move the engine ahead 3", so i shouldnt have dist. clearance problems, and if you can see in the last pic, looking through the big hole in my firewall(which im almost done shaving) you can see my ECE auto tranny crossmember, simply flipped upside down, works perfectly. Also, you may notice in one pic my new firebird tilt steering column. Enjoy, ill get more pics soon. Attached Images

12-31-2004, 06:01 AM	#9
BaggedC10 Under construction! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NorCal Posts: 1,065	Nice work, man! Keep us updated..... __________________ 2001 Silverado bagged on 22's. Sold

12-31-2004, 01:00 PM	#11
Shev Head Peon Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Imlay City MI Posts: 295	How about starting a new thread for each and make at least make one of them a sticky so we don't have the same ?'s over and over... Nice work by the way When it's all said and done give us an honest opinion on the difficulty of this mod, I want to do it but I'm scared...LOL... __________________ '72 Suburban, factory tilt, tach, front & rear AC, front & rear disc brakes, 383/700-R4

01-02-2005, 10:39 PM	#13
drasticwagon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Haslet, Texas Posts: 83	Well i started mine today , here are some pics as well as some pics of my son with his bike we are building. Last edited by drasticwagon; 01-02-2005 at 10:42 PM.

12-06-2004, 08:11 PM	#2
78ChevySilverado I love my Chevys Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Montgomery, Texas Posts: 236	ttt

12-06-2004, 09:27 PM	#3
FuelCellGuy FUEL CELL GURU Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mineola, Texas Posts: 993	I ran across this board members page. I will be z'ing a 2WD Blazer frame SOON! http://www.loweredd.com/Frame_Z.html

12-06-2004, 09:34 PM	#4
BK BK Built Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oroville, WA Posts: 478	yeah, that site has some good pics. I will also be Z-ing my frame next week, on my 65 panel, and a friends 80 chevy stepside. Ill take lots of pics and let you know how it goes, just be aware steering u-joints are spendy.

12-30-2004, 01:33 PM	#5
Col Clank Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 137	How goes the progress?

12-30-2004, 03:11 PM	#6
BK BK Built Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oroville, WA Posts: 478	hopefully my metal is here today, and i should be attackin it today, wish me luck

12-30-2004, 08:36 PM	#7
drasticwagon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Haslet, Texas Posts: 83	Cant wait , I think ill be cutting my frame tomorrow on my day off...

12-31-2004, 12:19 PM	#10
drasticwagon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Haslet, Texas Posts: 83	Awesome , i definantly cutting mine today....

12-31-2004, 03:18 PM	#12
NO LONGER DISTURBED KONCEPTZ Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 257	Looks good man.

01-03-2005, 09:40 PM	#14
NO LONGER DISTURBED KONCEPTZ Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 257	Sweet man

01-07-2005, 10:57 PM	#15
BK BK Built Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oroville, WA Posts: 478	Well, i hope you all enjoy the pics, i know i sure do!!! I got the 3" spindles on, got 205/75/15 tires on it, have the engine and tranny in it, recessed the bumper 1/2", flipped my ECE tranny crossmember over and dropped the center 1&1/4" to match the 4" Z and so have room for exhaust, got the TA x-member in, got it all ground and painted, cut a good sized hole in the core support for my steering box, and so its all good. Got my box tubing for the rear so i should get that going. Enjoy! Attached Images



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01-07-2005, 11:12 PM	#16
drasticwagon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Haslet, Texas Posts: 83	Nice job homie!

01-08-2005, 11:13 AM	#17
SCOTI Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: DALLAS,TX Posts: 22,064	How about some pics @ 80-90psi of air. What's the crossmember height from the ground then? __________________ 67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... *Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol.*

01-08-2005, 04:47 PM	#18
NO LONGER DISTURBED KONCEPTZ Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 257	Looks good man

01-10-2005, 09:50 PM	#19
81chevystep ShadeTree Kustomz Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: spring, texas Posts: 300	what are u guys doing for the stering hook up, i z-ed mine 3 inches and ny steering shaft hits my upper control arm when layed out. i was just going to get a steering joint or two to get it to work. just wondering what you guys were doing __________________ -chris- 1981 c/10, 383 fully built bagged, custom interior. built entirely by me

01-11-2005, 11:27 AM	#20
grnddwn belly dragger Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: sherwood park AB. Canada Posts: 694	I just did one with a big notch in the upper control arm seems to work fine but we re- enforced the hell outta of it after.

01-11-2005, 03:49 PM	#21
BK BK Built Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Oroville, WA Posts: 478	I dont think we can notch our upper arms, cause we went 4". Im thinking just the 3 u-joints and a heim joint should do it, im not sure though, i still dont have my body back on... got the rear notch almost done(lays frame) just gotta get the exhaust done, then body is going back on.

01-11-2005, 05:50 PM	#22
grnddwn belly dragger Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: sherwood park AB. Canada Posts: 694	Yeah we went 3 1/4 with the crossmember and it required a pretty big notch.

01-11-2005, 10:28 PM	#23
81chevystep ShadeTree Kustomz Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: spring, texas Posts: 300	i think i'm going to go with 2 u joints and a heim joint becuase the steering shaft crosses way to close to thebushing of the upper control arm thanks guys __________________ -chris- 1981 c/10, 383 fully built bagged, custom interior. built entirely by me

01-12-2005, 12:10 AM	#24
bagged74 its just $$$$$ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OK Posts: 2,078	4" seems kind of drastic. How much pressure is it gonna take to get that thing up high enough to drive? Maybe im missing something, but it looks to me like you could have gotten away with 3" or so. anyway it should look awesome with the body back on.

01-18-2005, 02:09 AM	#25
pissonNOS senior member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: fort macleod alberta Posts: 2,770	maybe im being stupid here but i dont understand the geometry about Z ing the frame how does it make the truck so much lower? __________________ 69 GMC bagged

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