Question on 63 spring swap

[richheezee]

Hi all. I have been lurking for a while now and i really think this is a great site. I don't post much or if any at all because a lot of the info I need has been posted already or just a search button away. I noticed today on top of the page has this:

Hello richheezee it appears that you have not posted on our forums in several weeks, why not take a few moments to ask a question, help provide a solution or just engage in a conversation with another member in any one of our many forums.

So, I would like to take this time to get rid of it and ask about my 63 inch spring swap I am about to partake in my 83 diesel jimmy. I scored some 63's for 25 bux with belltech lowering shackles. As for my truck I now have six inch procomp springs installed in the front and echobit shackle flip for the rear. I am running 33 inch procomp mudd terrains. (I know too small for the lift, but soon to be 35's sooner or later. Probably more like later. Heh heh.) The shocks I am running are the gabriels for a 4 inch lift. As soon as I install the 63's, I will install the rear gabriels into the front and get new rear shocks.

I know that the front rear axle spring mounts need to move foward a few inches as well as the rear shackle mount will need to be moved also. So, I plan to move the front mount to the forward 3 holes and drill new holes for the front holes. For the 2 holes that will miss the frame I plan to add and bolt angle iron under the frame and drill a through hole for the spring bolt. As for the rear shackle mount, I will move the mount to the holes that are further back. Drill new holes for the most rearest holes and switch sides for the echobit flip to move the shackles further back.

I read in another thread when I searched 63 swaps, that the bump on the bottom of the frame needs to be cut off. My question is: What do I do with the bracket located behind the shackle mount that is riveted under the frame and bolted with the shackle bolt if I didn't have a shackle flip? I want to reuse my echobit flip but I do not think the shackle mount will be sturdy if I delete that bracket. I was thinking of cutting the bump off and weld in a flat plate or angle iron (for more surface area to weld) where the bump in the frame was and bolt on that bracket. Do you think that would be a good idea or does anyone have any better ideas? Will cutting off that bump and welding a plate cause adverse effects to the frame? Please let me know. I want this mod to be as inexpensive as possible since money is real low. Sorry for the post being so long and Thanks for looking. Any info or pics would be much appreciated.
Rich

 

[richheezee]

Anybody

 

[rdn2blazer]

sorry no one has given a reply yet, so ile take a crack at it. first that bump on the bottom can be flattened out easy by cutting a thin pie section out of the side of the frame and sliting on center of the bump from open side of frame to outer side of frame. then hammer the two tabs up clamp a thick piece of steel on top and bottom tack it to hold remove steel and weld it up. after that you can add a gusset to it to support it at that point. i did the 63' spring swap on my 73'. ile take a pick of the gusset i made. as far as the bracket behind the rear shackle bucket, well im running the ord 4in shackle flip. you dont reuse that with the flip bucket. i have not seen the ecobit bucket. i would think it would be designed to use that bracket with it or be designed strong enough not to need it. on my 73' the front bucket moves forward to the next set of holes, it ends up right on center of the cross member underneath the truck. in the rear just like you said you just move the front holes to the back holes and redrill new back holes. from there you can switch buckets to help improve shackle angle. im not going to drill anything until i know my shackle angle is correct though. hope i helped.

 

[richheezee]

Hey thanks for your input rdn2blazer. I really appreciate it. I think I can visualize what you are saying. But I will wait for a pic just to be sure before I cut into anything. Thanks.

Rich

 

[shaun]

I finished my 63 swap yesterday. I left the front mount alone. I moved the ord 4" shackle flip bracket all the way to the end of the frame. Where the frame starts to curve down and the bumper brackets are. I will take pics have a between a 55 and 65 degree angle and it rides awesome.

 

[richheezee]

I finished my 63 swap yesterday. I left the front mount alone. I moved the ord 4" shackle flip bracket all the way to the end of the frame. Where the frame starts to curve down and the bumper brackets are. I will take pics have a between a 55 and 65 degree angle and it rides awesome.

I was thinking of installing the 63's like that as well. But wouldn't that move your axle back 6 inches? Do you have any problems with the axle hitting the gas tank? How do you have your shocks mounted with your setup? Sorry so many questions. I just wanna do it right the first time. Thanks.

 

[rdn2blazer]

ask all the questions ya want, thats what this site is all about. i will take some photos tonight. i dont have a computer at home yet so it cant download til tomorrow. i wanted to keep my wheelbase stock, thats why i moved the buckets the same amount. plus you use some holes that are allready in the right location. on my 73' the front shackle bucket holes that needed to be drilled in the frame were a bitch cause the body tub structure hangs down almost to the bottom of the frame, and has only about 3 inches away from the frame. i drilled out all the rivet holes with a good 5 flute counter sink that i had our grind shop grind down to .498 so its a close fit over the 1/2 in grade 8 bolts im using. i like to use a countersink to drill out an existing hole cause there self centering. dont use a drill as it can dig in to easy and gouge or tear up the holes unless your really careful. a good 1/2 in counter sink from an industrial supply house measures about .510. but i wanted a close fit so thats why i had it ground down. the cheep ones from home depot usually measure .500, but they dull easy. PM any time ya want.

 

[shaun]

Yes my axle is moved back plus I have a zero rate which puts my axle an additional 1.5" back. I didnt have any problems hitting the gas tank b.c I had a skid plate but never really flexed it. Now the gas tank is on top of the frame sunk into the bed so with 4 feet under any tire I still come no where near the tank. Also I cut the fang off the back quarter panel (the same as you do in the front) So i can stuff my 37x12.5x17's w/ no wheel well extension. (sawzall)

 

[richheezee]

rdn2blazer, you have those pics yet? I hope I start this swap by this weekend. I will try to get this done by the end of the month. My brother is throwing a Bday trip at Holister on the first weekend of June so that would be a good time for some testing. I believe it is listed on trail rides on the PBB if anybody wants to go.

 

[rdn2blazer]

here are a few pics than my damn cammera battery died i dont know how to make the pics smaller either. the first pic you can see the bump is gone, and i welded the split i made in the side of the frame inside and outside of the frame. ground outside weld smooth so ord bucket would bolt up with no interference. the second pic is the gusset i welded in with room for a wrench on the body bolt. i welded in a 4.5 by 4.5 square tube for a rear crossmember. first i welded caps in the end of the tube, then welded all around it and tried to weld the inside of the caps too. hard to weld inside, no room and couldent see well.

 

[richheezee]

here are a few pics than my damn cammera battery died i dont know how to make the pics smaller either. the first pic you can see the bump is gone, and i welded the split i made in the side of the frame inside and outside of the frame. ground outside weld smooth so ord bucket would bolt up with no interference. the second pic is the gusset i welded in with room for a wrench on the body bolt. i welded in a 4.5 by 4.5 square tube for a rear crossmember. first i welded caps in the end of the tube, then welded all around it and tried to weld the inside of the caps too. hard to weld inside, no room and couldent see well.

I am not a member. Can you email me the pics at [email protected]?

 

[rdn2blazer]

richheezee, i can try, but i have never e mailed pics before, and i dont have a computer at home. i go online at work, before i start work or at break time. it royaly sucks not to have a computer at home. when i have money to buy one, i buy parts for my truck insted. oh, and you need to pony up for a membership pal.