build thread from the wind tunnel

[Digger]

Looks like you nailed it.

[Gunnibronco]

I'm happy its sitting right. Hopefully it rides right, and performs off road. Still need to fab 4 body mounts, and probably a new bumper, hang the gas tank, and extend the wheel tubs, because of this spring swap. So I've got a long way to go.

Made an impulse purchase from the CB.com classifieds last week. Hopefully the shipment will be here tomorrow. Should tie the suspension upgrades together nicely. Very excited.

[Jesus_man]

Are you tying both sides of the shackles together when you finalize the design?

I am excited to see how this performs!

[Gunnibronco]

Those are just 3/16x2" strapping. I'm going to make a set from 1/4" once I'm sure of the length. It seems like the shackles made by Ruffstuff, etc, have a center hole allowing a 3rd bolt to tie 2 halves together. I've read its 'optional' to use the 3rd bolt. I read that not using a 3rd bolt allows the shackle to be more flexible, and helps with articulation. But it sure feels like they should have more support, when comparing them to the stock shackles.

[Kinder]

Looks good, I'm interested in feedback about your leaf spring choice once you get it on the road.

[Jesus_man]

That's why I was curious. In my mind, there can't be much difference in flex to have each side separate. But it sure seems beneficial to weld a piece of tube between them to strengthen the assembly and perhaps help wear on the bushings a little.

[Gunnibronco]

Sweet!

[Gunnibronco]

Deavers in. They seem to sit about 3/4" taller than the mystery progressive coils I pulled out.

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Built a couple body mounts out of 1/8" 2x4 I had around. Tacked one in on the rear passenger side. I ended up needing to push the body up about 1/2" so the tailgate would clear the new rear spring hangers.

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[Gunnibronco]

I think I'm finished with the spring hangers & body mounts. That took longer than expected, as usual. I have had to move the rear 4 bodymounts outboard of the frame. Basically hung them off the new spring hangers. The rear body mounts are made from some 1/8" 2x4. The body mounts on the forward spring hangers are repurposed front body mounts I cut off when I tubed the front clip. I've plated all 4 sides at the rear of the frame & 3 sides at the front hangers, & also the passenger radius arm bracket.

Tomorrow I should be able to put new rubber spring eye bushings in the leaf packs, and put the truck back on its rear wheels. I plan on bolting the body back to the frame, and torquing it down for the first time since I swapped all the body mounts. I did a lot of tweaking, and have my door gaps pretty good (all things considered). I probably won't be air tight, but I won't have any striker/latch issues.

The one down side to all this twisting on the tub, my cage doesn't fit any more. I'm going to have to adjust some of the legs lengths. I think I'm going to make new front floor plates that go bolt through the forward body channel. I'm not sure why it wasn't made that way, but now's the chance to fix that too.

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[Eck]

Nice progress!

[Digger]

Glad to see you making progress.

[Gunnibronco]

Glad to see you making progress.

Thanks, seems soooooo slooooooow. But I'm happy with the results. I hope things will move a little quicker from here. Most the major fabrication seems done. Lots of stuff still to do, though.

[Justin]

I like how you tied everything together. Looks great!

[Gunnibronco]

Thanks,

Got the body back on the frame. It's not bolted down, I need some longer hardware to get it all back together.

I built little spacers to fit inside the body crossmember on the forward body mounts, so they hopefully don't crush. Despite the factory reinforcements there is obvious crushing of many of the mount points. I made a couple larger spacers for the rearmost body mounts. The spacers will get welded to the floor.

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I also removed & installed new spring bushings & got it set down on it's own tires again.

[mickphatmac]

You've really got some good ideas put together there! Nice job with your fabrication, can't wait to see it on the ground!

[Gunnibronco]

Plan A

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It's never Plan A, is it?

I think I should name my Bronco 'Plan B'.

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[Justin]

No joke. I think I'm on plan Q.

[phyler]

Those wells are huge! Looks a lot like what Trei posted on Co4x4 today. Plan A never seems to happen.

Sent from my Venue 8 7840 using Tapatalk

[Gunnibronco]

Plan B came together nicely.

Stretched back about 5" and up almost 2". All the sheet metal seams in the wheel well will be flush, nothing hanging to cut a tire.

I'm going to spray Al's Heat & Noise reducer & bedline the tub after this. I want to be able to go to 37's at this point, with a 3.5" suspension lift and no more body lift. Without being able to easily cycle the rear suspension, I'm guessing how much room I need. I *think* this will be enough. I don't want to have to mess with the bedliner, once I'm done.

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[Gunnibronco]

Oh, yeah.

Body is bolted down.

Old rear driveshaft is bolted from the front of the Atlas to the D44 (it's not really long enough, but it works as a temp). It's running right through all the space you could possibly use to mount a crossmember under the transmission. Really threw me for a loop. Sorry, no pics. I have no idea how to mount the trans crossmember to the driver's side of the frame. I'm thinking about a single arm off to the passenger side. The Atlas has a pretty stout mounting system.

The lack of easy crossmember mounting points stopped that project cold, and I moved on to the wheel wells. I guess its good I can move around to other projects until I can think things through a little.

[Jesus_man]

Great work Chad! I like what I see and I hope to copy someday! Post some pics of your front driveshaft and possible cross-member area and maybe we can come up with something.

[Gunnibronco]

IDK?

I think the crossmember will have to sweep back from the trans to the driver frame rail. Maybe I can employ Justin's tube bending skills. Still thinking.

[Justin]

Happy to help. If you want to use the factory holes you do need to either sweep back or use plate that extends rearward.

[Jesus_man]

Yeah, is there enough room for something under the yoke of the t-case? Or sweep above the driveshaft? You'll figure out something.

[Kinder]

Like the body spacers and love the rear wheel well reposition. I'm stealing that idea when I go up to 37's.

[Gunnibronco]

Happy to help. If you want to use the factory holes you do need to either sweep back or use plate that extends rearward.

I doubt I'll be able to use the factory holes on the driver side. I'll take some measurements & see if I can dream up something. Molly is flying back from Iceland into DIA and should be driving back to Gunnison on Sunday. Any chance we could get a tube bent by Sunday, if I get you measurements tonight? If not I'll probably have you UPS/USPS it to me. I can work around this project for a while, its not a rush job.

Like the body spacers and love the rear wheel well reposition. I'm stealing that idea when I go up to 37's.

Thanks. I started just moving it back/stretching it. But I figured it was only a little more work to add a couple inches to the height. It brings the top of the wheel well even with the last step on the inner quarter panel, just above where the upper & lower outer quarters meet. With my full width axles, I really think it will take 37's.

[Eck]

If you're in town this weekend- if you'd like to come by, I have that 66 linkage for you.

[Gunnibronco]

I won't be in Denver, Molly should be driving from DIA to Gunnison Sunday PM. Maybe she can pick it up. Lets see if Justin can even get the tube done, if so then lets see what we can work out. I don't want to run her around much, jet lag makes the drive to Gunni SUCK. Ask me how I know.

Thanks

[Gunnibronco]

66 t-case shifter is different than 67+. I just looked back on what you have, and unless yours is a 66, it's not right.

[Eck]

66 t-case shifter is different than 67+. I just looked back on what you have, and unless yours is a 66, it's not right.

Steering linkage is what I have. Not Tcase.