Isles4evr's 91 2rd Getting a 44

[Isles4evr]

More and more delays. I have my sisters car back together, I just need to change the plugs and oil, then adjust the timming on it. My moms buick started leaking cooland out of the water pump last wed. night so I had to take care of that. Plus we have been swamped at the shop, working 8-8 almost everyday mon-sat just to catch up!

I have the front corssmember tacked into place, I just need to make vertical suports to brace it better, and I have the rear hangers about 1/2 made. I still havn't had a chance to puck up a set of flat top knuckles, so the steering still isn't fixed but will work for the mock up.

Now for the pictures... the first one is the front crossmember tacked up:

The second is of the spring hanger tacked onto the crossmember:

 

[Isles4evr]

And i thought I'd throw in this third pitcure of my new truck I bought last week.... it is so sweet!!!

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Isles4evr
And i thought I'd throw in this third pitcure of my new truck I bought last week.... it is so sweet!!!

And to think I respected you for your leaf SAS and you go and purchase a GM product. haha j/k! At least it's a GMC. Kinda like the color but don't tell anybody.

 

[Isles4evr]

Oh come on... it's kinda the same color of my explorer so that has to count for something?!?! Just a little shinier . I had a tahoe before that, and it was one of the best vehicles I ever owned... I just needed a pickup, go figure.

Chris

 

[NOTAJP]

I did say I liked the color. Nice driver. At least we know where the real 4x4 is.

 

[Isles4evr]

Originally posted by NOTAJP
At least we know where the real 4x4 is.

True that

 

[Isles4evr]

Been a while again (what's new). My boss told me today that he needs the rear shop (where my truck sits) to be open by firday to make way for one of his trucks to come in so we can do something with the brakes and S-cams. So basically I need to get the explorer to stand on it's own 4 wheels by friday so I can roll it out.

Tonight, I finished making the rear spring hangers, and tacked them into place. After doing that, I noticed that the front hangers are placed about 1/4" in to far. So I need to break them off and re tack them out 1/4." I have another idea on how to brace the front crossmember to the frame and intergrate the hangers into it, but it is going to take a while to fab up so I will just move the hangers for now.

Also, my flat top knuckles should be in tomorrow, so I will be taking them to the machine shop to be drilled and tapped. I will also be taking my pitman arm to be re-tapered to the bigger rod end. So the steering looks to be kinda figured out. The real trickey part wil be trying to press the new ball joints out of my current knuckles and into the flat tops without damaging them.

Pics tomorrow

Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

Here are some progress pictures. Nothing is braced yet... everything is still only tacked into place.

Rear hangers:

I am going to make braces from the bottom of the hanger to the frame to releave the stress on it.

 

[Isles4evr]

And a front shot... I need to move the front spring hangers. I didn't know that the frame was tweaked until i started this project, so the measurments are off.

That's it for now. Hopefully some more progress pics tomorrow.

Oh yeah, my flat top knuckles came in today. They will be sent out sometime early next week to be drilled and tapped, and have the pitman arm re tappered. The arms, 1" longer studs ,cone washers, nuts, and arm spacers will be in when the machining is done also.

Chris

 

[Isles4evr]

A couple of email requests for the cost of SAS, so here is the tally so far (updated asI go):
Front

The basics:
Axle 150
Gears, install kit, carrier 250
Steering 40
Shocks 100
Springs 20
U-joints 40
Ball joints 80
Wheel bearings and seals 50
Calipers, rotors, pads 100
Warn hubs 60
Spring mounts 30
Misc bolts, and metal 50

Total: 970

Extras/necessaties:
High steer 500
Brake lines 100
Wheels 120

Total: 1690

For the rear when I complete it:
Axle 150
Gears, install kit, lincoln locker 250
Spring mounts 30
Shocks 100

Total: 2220
Labor: Freebee, zero, zilch, nada!

 

[Isles4evr]

Progress is on hold until the garage becomes available again (sometime tomorrow I hope). As far as what is left:

Move shackle to the rear spring hanger
Redo front hanger, moving it in 2 inches and not using a shackle
Brace all brackets
Get flat tops and high steer back from machine shop, and installed
Mount shocks, brake lines, stabalizer
rear-end swap

Here is a picture of the truck rolled out of the shop. Remember, the shackles will be moved to the rear, the springs will be mounted higher and out of the way, and the axle will be moved back 2 inches... leaving it at a 104" wheelbase, not 106" as it sits now.

 

[Isles4evr]

Got to working on it again today. I mounted the shackles in the rear (off of an F250), and started to make the braces. Here is a picture of the rear shackle angle now:

How does that angle look? I havn't measured it yet, but it looks around 50*.

As for the front... I am afraid if I move the front hanger inward I am going to flatten out the rear shackle. I took a picture of the front with a universal shackle bolted to it to give the extra hight needed. The front springs are still to low to the ground, so what I might do is add a leaf or two to the pack and that should bring the spring up to where I need it. By moving the shackle to the rear, I did raise the front of the springs 5" from where they were (but they are still about 2" to low). I also got the wheel base right where I wanted it, 104". Here is how the front sits:

This is what I am thinkings of doing to it (a picture is worth 1000 words)

Ideas, comments, questions?

 

[Kirby N.]

Looks like what I would do. I hope you leaf spring pads aren't welded on because that will completely change your pinion angle. Also, that front Square stock crossmember looks about as thick as a soda can. I would consider doing something a little more beefy. Lastly, I think your Shackles look OK. I would do that last, and then flex it up. They might need to be moved rearward from the looks of it depending on how much arch your springs have and how much they flex.

 

[Isles4evr]

I havn't welded the pads on yet... I learned that from when I did the rear SOA. They are just tightly bolted on for now. The front crossmember is 1/8" think 3x3 box. Box is suposed to be much stronger than channel, flat or angle so I had figured 1/8" on that and 1/4" on everything else would work well. I may wind up changing the whole front mounts anyway though... I have a couple of ideas in my head. The springs sit almost perfictly flat now. After I add the extra leaf or 2 it will change it. I guess I can wait and see how the shackle ends up after the extra leafs and adjust accoordingly.

I do appreciate your input Kirby!

 

[cdsl227]

I havn't welded the pads on yet... I learned that from when I did the rear SAS. They are just tightly bolted on for now. The front crossmember is 1/8" think 3x3 box. Box is suposed to be much stronger than channel, flat or angle so I had figured 1/8" on that and 1/4" on everything else would work well. I may wind up changing the whole front mounts anyway though...

I would think 1/8" would be a bit light??? Maybe 3/16 or 1/4 Box would have been the move? How is the 1/8" holding up?

 

[Isles4evr]

I would think 1/8" would be a bit light??? Maybe 3/16 or 1/4 Box would have been the move? How is the 1/8" holding up?

I havn't found out yet. It has been sitting outside for a month or so with out me working on it. I have been aggressivly looking for a house for the last 2-3 weeks, so between that and 55-60 hour work weeks I don't have the urge to work on it. I think about design ideas everyday, and have come up with a few good canadits. The rear mounts are finished being braced, it's the front I am still working with.

We'll see what happens in the next week or two.

Chris