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Going coils in the rear. *link pics up*

CherryK5 said:
Frenchie is my girlfriend.. and frenchie can weld.
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I just teasen, I know she's your girl, didn't know she could weld though. Good for her for having a good skill like that.
 
Got the panhard bar finished up. Time to get the wishbone finished up.

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My upper coil spring mounts. Adding more steel, just ran out of welding wire though. So that'll be tomorrow.

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Don't use the chain to limit droop, capture the coils up top.

This helps a ton with stability on a blazer. I have one linked 2 blazers. We ended up capturing the spring top and bottom on both of em, it just worked better overall.

Keep the wishbone as flat as possible, I realize you have already built the pahnhard but it needs to be as long as possible too.

Good luck with it, one links work decent most of the time but I have seen a couple that didn't work very well at all
 
blazinzuk said:
Don't use the chain to limit droop, capture the coils up top.

This helps a ton with stability on a blazer. I have one linked 2 blazers. We ended up capturing the spring top and bottom on both of em, it just worked better overall.

Keep the wishbone as flat as possible, I realize you have already built the pahnhard but it needs to be as long as possible too.

Good luck with it, one links work decent most of the time but I have seen a couple that didn't work very well at all
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Im planning on mounting it nice and flat. And I wanted a high roll center and 34 inches is as long as I was comfortable with before I start hitting the other frame rail.
 
What are those coil buckets out of? They look cast and you're welding steel plate to the sides?
 
Avery4jc said:
What are those coil buckets out of? They look cast and you're welding steel plate to the sides?
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Dunno. Found them in my scrap pile. But they're plenty strong. Its welded on three side, inside and out. Im not worried about it breaking. And if it does, that'll suck a fat one and male for an interesting ride. I'll probably end up plating the entire top side of it also. I have plenty of steel and no reason not to.
 
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You can add steel all you want but if they're cast iron it'll crack apart the way you're doing it. I'm all for budget builds but there are just some things that aren't worth skimping on. This is one of those areas...
 
Avery4jc said:
You can add steel all you want but if they're cast iron it'll crack apart the way you're doing it. I'm all for budget builds but there are just some things that aren't worth skimping on. This is one of those areas...
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Well if I plate the top I can use the 5/8 bolt for my spring retainer and bolt it through also.

Dammit. Now im worried. I was going to do all this tomorrow.
 
Not sure what route is best for you but at this point I'd say either make a coil bucket from scratch out of steel, find some used ones that would work without having to modify them with welding plates on or pony up for some off the shelf buckets.
 
I could drill and fetal the stock bolt holes. That would be easy enough. It was held on to the stock brackets with 4you 1/4" bolts. I figured welding was way stronger than that.

Called my buddy that gave them to me way back when and they came of his girlfriends lj
 
So i beat on my upper mounts with a 10# sledge for about 10 minutes trying to break or crack a weld. i think that since i welded them so hot, and preheated them that they will hold. i also have a feeling they were cast steel not iron. Anyways, this truck gets driven about twice a week and stays close to home, say ~20 miles, so if it were to break it would be close to home and i could throw it on a trailer. no biggie. but i am going to give it a good beatdown and jump it and take it to a close by creek run.

Now on to more positive stuff.

My wishbone will lay almost flat. i only have three inches of lift which is nice. i may take it to four to allow the spring to settle back to ~3. if the settle too much i can throw a spacer in it.

im using stock perches from a spare axle and i will be mounting the rear of my link with ubolts and it will be movable 2 or 3 inches so i can lengthen my wheelbase if i want.
 
I have welded steel to cast iron on several occasions and never had a problem with it breaking. Just make sure you get good penetration and check the welds for cracks when you're done. If it cracks just grind it down and try again.
 
big dan said:
I have welded steel to cast iron on several occasions and never had a problem with it breaking. Just make sure you get good penetration and check the welds for cracks when you're done. If it cracks just grind it down and try again.
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No cracks anywhere. And i welded it as hot as i was comfortable. It stayed hot enough that there was no tinking or crackling when it cooled. Which is usually a pretty good indication that its cracking.
 
Flexy flexy.
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It has way more in it but that little lift did have much balls.

To anyone doing rear coils in the rear. JK springs are a little soft. about 180# is what i would guess.

I'm currrently sitting about an inch off my bumps. I might make new, lower top mounts. or go with so 3-4 inch HD lift springs. the ride is AMAZING!! soaks up the bumps like a beast and handles much better than my worn leaves. goosing it around a turn will pick up a front tire but it still feels so controlled that it isnt scary or uncomfortable. Needs a little more work but its sounds and im so glad i did it.

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I'll get some later. Just finished it up and nothing is painted. soo after paint. :D

And the end of the links look haggard from cutting with a torch.
 
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