TCI 4 Link Rear Suspension System On My 1953 Chevy Truck

[gag1025]

I just bought a TCI 4 Link Rear Suspension System for my 1953 Chevy truck. Will I have to remove the bed (which does not have the wood floor installed) to do this?

[Lowlyfe]

I would. So much to measure and weld to have the bed in the way.
Do you have pics of the bed mounted without the bed wood? I'm about to get my bed from mar-k and never had one on this truck yet.

[NEWFISHER]

A few bolts, the tail lamp harness and a few friends or a cherry picker , 4x4 and some straps. You will be glad you removed it.

Parallel or triangulated? What ride height and bags , coil overs or coils?

[gag1025]

Lowlyfe

I do not but will take one Sat. when I go to work on it. I bought the metal strips from Bed Wood and am using the flat aluminum ones with the hidden bolts. I am purchasing the White Oak boards from a local hardwood store and routing the grooves myself. The wood is costing me $180 vs the almost $800 the places like Bed Wood, Mar-K, etc. want for White Oak. If you have no way of cutting or routing the grooves yourself then you only have the option of purchasing the wood from them. We are going to look over the situation and if we can attach the 4 link without removing the bed (which will be a pain because the fenders are attached plus the fact that we will have to cut the wiring which is no big deal because we can simply re-solder and cover with heat shrink tubing) we will do so. If we have to remove it we will do so. I asked the question hoping someone had swapped out the stock rear suspension system for a TCI 4 link on a truck that was totally together on the road. I will report back what we find after we do it. I will reply with the photos Sat.

[_Ogre]

you don't need to remove the bed, it just makes life a lot easier
also lessens the chance of weld splatter on your bed

all your welding will be overhead, same goes with drilling, painting
if your adding a c-notch you'll be welding very close to all that new wood
more chance of banging up your sheetmetal or paint

as for lifting the bed with fenders?
that was my preferred way of bed assembly



gag makes a good point about bed wood
for the money he is saving on cutting and grooving his bed wood he could buy a new router
and a lot more tools, for that matter he could buy a table saw off craigslist and still be way ahead
i have a full wood shop and was able to use my table saw to cut everything

[gag1025]

Lowlyfe, I took a couple of photos of my bed without the wood in it. They are included. Not sure what you want specifically and if these do not fit the bill let me know specifically and I will take more and send them to you. Send me your email address and I will send you all you want.

[Gippetto]

Gag0125:

Sorry tp butt-in but wondering whose gas tank you used and what guarentees that the filler pipe doesn't come up right on a bed strip?

[gag1025]

Gippetto, glad to have you join in the discussion. You are always welcome. The tank came fro a company in Omega, GA. The telephone number is 229-528-4300 and the email address is sales@docskustom.com. The times I called I actually spoke to Doc (the owner). He was extremely helpful. His website is below. The question about the bed wood is a good one. Since I am purchasing the White Oak from a local hardwood store and routing the groves myself. I will make sure the inner wide board is right over the filler tube is in the center of that board. I actually got the dimensions from Mar-K. They use the following board width dimension Pattern are 4 1/2" - 5" - 7 1/4" - 7 1/4" - 7 1/4" - 5" - 7 1/4" - 4 1/2". There is a 1/2" gap between each board. The outside 4 1/2" boards can be adjusted (made wider or more narrow) to customize the fit. What I am going to do (since I am making them myself) is do a mock up on paper before I actually cut the boards down to those sizes which will allow me to make the widths what I want them to be. The reason I am making my own is because every wood bed company I have talked to want over $700 for the wood itself. I can buy the same wood from the local hardwood store for $180. The router set up and routing procedure is free because I have a router table. Once I make this I will post it on here. Thanks for asking. BTW I did buy the bed strips and angle strips. I am using the flat aluminum ones with the hidden bolt heads.

http://docskustom.com/shop/viewcategory.php?groupid=23