custom front suspension idea???

[reddog64]

OK I may get chewed out for suggesting this but...

You know how the front spring goes into a holder on the front of the rig...

Well what if a guy drilled out the rivets in those and put say a 2 inch block of steel behind it and then refastened the front spring mount down.... this would lift the front about 1.5 inches and rotate the pinion up... now if you get the ord heavy duty shackles that are a little longer... wouldnt it bring the back of the shock up... and there fore almost level it out but leave the pinion still slightly pointed at the pumpkin???

You see what I'm saying???

 

[twenty_below0]

Yes it works great!!! My brother is a Dodge fanatic and has done this on several BIG trucks he has built!! The last one we did, we cut the mounting plate rivets out and put a piece of 4" tube still capped on the ends in between the spring hanger and frame and welded it,( need to have some confadence in your welding skills) and proceeded to lift the truck a total of 13" and run 44" Gumbo's, this design works great and is cheap if you have the tools,we got the Idea from an old school wheeler who's been doing it for 20 yrs. before they had quality lifts. If you have access to a heliarc rig it looks really nice too!!Carbon steel is easy to heliarc, there's a truck that we built this way 10 years ago still running strong some where around here. It also helps your approach angle since the bumper can be mounted that much higher from where the springs are bolted in the front. Glad to here some one thinking of old school ways to reach the sky!!!

 

[Thumper]

One of the guys in our club with a GMC half ton lifted his whole truck 4" like that. He built a shackle flip for the rear, and put in a 4" drop mount for the front springs. He used everything else stock, including the front springs. The thing rides excellent and works great.

Mike


<font color=blue>Thumper
85 Fullsize Jimmy

<font color=red>Aint Skeered!! </font color=red>

 

[michaelm]

pointing the pinion at the TC is another way of saying 'roll my caster so my truck handles scary'
there is no cheap and dirty way to point the pinion up and still have the front susp aligned properly

 

[RedDwarf]

For a lift that slight, you do not need a pinion angle correction.

Do the relocation of the hangers, get longer shackles, and shim the rest of the difference so you keep your caster


Still Poundin' "pavment" after all these years!!!

 

[michaelm]

guess i wasnt clear.
all i was trying to suggest was that caster and other alignment settings are more important than driveline angle concerns

 

[reddog64]

I wouldnt be trying to get alot of lift out of it this way... Just maybe a way to squeeze in a few inches???

How much do thte extended shackles add in heith???

 

[twenty_below0]

I agree, we never went more that 4"...........that I can remeber but I can guarantee that 4" is safe and that is probly all I would go.,...I personally run springs front and back but it does work!! And quite well

 

[reddog64]

Well all i'm lookin at is maybe and inch to make up for the extended shackles...

Anyone know how much they add...

 

[FastEddy]

did this on my 74 k5 about 11 years ago, check out the pics here http://y42.photos.yahoo.com/fasteddy454
we too, pointed the pinion towards the transfercase, but if you look at the pics good, you will see we cut the axle tubes and turned the center section up, preserving the correct front end geometry...we used rear springs up front out of a heavy half ton, they used to have a good arc to them, but have settled over the years...it used to sit real high with the 40's on it, but it's been abandoned for years, still runs and drives, has no brakes though, and I robbed the shocks years ago, it's got a 350, 4speed std, 203 case, rear diff is welded...it is for sale, needs a body though, last time I drove it the drivers seat fell through the floor into the rocker box....would like to get $1000 canadian for her (probably spent that in welding rods and grinding wheels, not to mention power bills) and yes, i even have a title for the old girl (I actually had it registered, but that was before we lifted it,) it would make a good chassis for an off road toy or something like that, and it does have the flat steering knuckle on the pass side to go to crossover steering, if so inclined. anyway, i'm starting to bable.....just my 2 cents...ED