Thought this post might help someone if they find themselves needing to beef up this area. Recently I had to strengthen this area up. As many of you know the rear shock bolts only have one attachment point which can cause a lot of problems whether hard use or even street use. Now I know that ORD makes a V-shaped bracket of their own that solves this problem, but I really wanted to make my own and didn’t like the look of their bracket. CPP also makes one for trucks that will work of the passenger's side of a K5, and it is what I used as reference. It will not work for the driver's side on a K5. All-in-all it's cheaper or about the same price to make your own. The biggest drawback for this method is that you will need to remove the fuel tank. My frame is off so this was a nonissue, but I know that removing it or lowering it is a pain. What you'll need is an angle grinder, welder, and a drill with step bits. A bench vice and hammer is helpful but not necessary. I used 3/16in flat bar and some 3/8 weldable threaded inserts from RuffStuff (other companies make these if you look). You'll see the measurements in the first photo, they don't have to be exact. Once you've mapped it out, you'll be ready to start cutting out the basic shape. I would also drill out the 1/2in hole for the shock stud and the two 3/8in holes for the bolts that will attach to the frame at this time. It's easier when it's flat. After you get it cut out, you'll need to do one of two things. Cut out each individual piece and then weld them together at the right angles or bend it along those lines. If you decide to bend it, this can be done with a strong bench vice and 2lb sledge, or you can put a deep relief cut on the outside of each bend and then bend by hand. This allows you to get a good flush fit. Once you're happy with the angles you can weld up the relief cuts. If fitment is good, from here you can smooth out the welds, round the edges, and paint it so it looks nice. As for the frame, you'll need to mark the two 3/8 holes and line them up with the bracket. I used the bracket as a drill guide and held it in place with some c-clamps and the shock bolt. Once the holes are made, use a step bit and fit the weldable inserts. Weld those on the backside of the frame. The inserts are a little thicker than the frame so I ground them back flush. The reason you want to use these inserts instead of nuts is because once the fuel tank is in place you'll be unable to easily access the inside of the frame rail. After this, you’re basically done. Quick note, in the pictures I have grade 5 bolts, but once on the road I will be using grade 8 bolts with a lock washer. In the end, there are probably lots of other ways to do this, but this is what worked for me and I’m happy with the results. Anything is better than the way it was from the factory.
