sas on 2003 2500hd

[rob h]

Ive been collecting parts for this and figured while im going this far this time i should fit in some type of bump stop. Since it looks like it will be the 1st week in april till i get shop time ill have plenty of time to get what i need. A set of poly bumps i dont think would work well for this. Ive been looking and wasnt sure what to buy, so i came across the 2.0 hydralic bump stops. I found them online and foa was the cheapest but i dont care for the finish with the weather here. What i did find tho the quality looks as good as fox and king but the price is just a little over the foa's. So i purchased a set of Radflo 2.0x2 with bump cans, I dont see a need for 2.5s. Hopefully the clear cadmium finish is good enough for the salty winters here. These should work out nicely with my kings, here is the link.... http://www.radflo.com/store/product/2-0-hydraulic-bump-stops/ ill have those in 2-3 weeks since they are made to order.

 

[rob h]

Check these out, the radflo's will be here Wednesday. After that just waiting for the bump cans.

 

[Chevy305]

Wow either those 99c Arizona cans go smaller or your parts are freakin huge!

 

[rob h]

Lol, they are a decent size. That is a 12 oz arizona tea can, was all i had at the moment.

 

[y5mgisi]

Those are beefy!

 

[rob h]

Hopefully they will work perfect for what I need. I looked at all 10 of them and they all seem pretty flawless. I was rather impressed over the size. These are the 2.63 with 5/8 bolt hole and 1 1/4 threads, will work perfect with the 2 inch Dom. I'm going to do all 4 links and the track bar in the same tube. The track bar mount will be moved to the side of the frame and I'll loose the under engine xmember. I'll move it out of the way to get the height I'm shooting for.

 

[rob h]

Radflo'a are in... waiting for bump cans.

 

[y5mgisi]

 

[rob h]

Yes, lol...the pieces are flowing in real nice. The dom and plate was delivered to the shop too. I gotta get tube inserts, jam nuts, washers and bolts. The bolts ill pick up some grade 8's. I wish i could get to this sooner, with the weather here being like it is its not going to happen. Still looking at april till i can get to it.


The radflo's look real good, they were sealed up in bubble wrap and packed in a box stuffed with brown paper. They also look to be charged too, you cant move the shaft at all. Im glad they also came silver and black, they will be in black bump cans anyway so you wont see much of them. Im going to pick up a set of coilover covers also, if i dont i think the winters here are going to put a beating on the kings.

 

[Deuling]

How are you attaching the cans to the frame?

Just an FYI, when welding any plates to them, keep them as far on the back side of the pinch slot as possible. I welded mine right down the middle of both sides, and it shrunk the cans a bit and I had a hell of a time getting the bumps slid in.

Not sure how to word that correctly lol.

 

[rob h]

Thanks for the tip, not sure yet. I'm plating the frame 1st I think, might have to notch the frame plates so they are back some...not totally sure yet till I get it pulled apart and the 4 link is set up and works good.

 

[Deuling]

Thanks for the tip, not sure yet. I'm plating the frame 1st I think, might have to notch the frame plates so they are back some...not totally sure yet till I get it pulled apart and the 4 link is set up and works good.

Yah, I ended up having to hit the plates with a torch and pull the cans open and let cool. Pain in the butt.


But here is what I did, and a better understanding of what I meant by weld placement. I should have moved the plates to the back a bit, otherwise the cans cannot open up at all.

 

[rob h]

Ok, thankyou. By the way that looks really good.

 

[Deuling]

Ok, thankyou. By the way that looks really good.

Thanks. Was alot of work to make it look "good" lol.

 

[rob h]

Last pieces of the puzzle came, first the synergy bump cans and now today the speedway engineering sway bar. I chose the 40.5 inches wide, 48 spline ends, 1.25 solid bar with 17 inch long 30 degree curved arms. Not sure if I'll use poly mounts or grease able pillow blocks. For now I picked up a set of collars and the stock mounts to see where it's going to go and where it fits best. Going to use 1.25 tube with 3/4 heims for the links.

 

[rob h]

Here are some pics of the build, mock up and some finished.

The front .......The axle was completely torn down, pressure washed, cleaned and painted. Everything was cut off, the frame was plated to make it clean and to start fresh. The links were integraded into a 3 piece cross member. The axle link mounts were welded off center on the tube to help the truck keep travel with a lower amount of lift. The idea of this style was used since this way seems best for these trucks. 2.0 dom 4 link bars have tmr bushings at one end and ballistic fab joints on the other, all 2.63 size. The top link has a slight curve to it so the most amount of travel was achieved. The radflo bump stops worked good, bump pads were added to the upper 4 link bars. The speedway swaybar fit nicely in the factory position with links made from 1.0 dom and 1/2x1/2 heims(no pics at the moment). The full 10 inch travel kings were used, adjustable limiting straps on one end and the radflo bump stops on the other. The kings were set up so at the last 2 inches at ride heigth the lower spring kicked in on the dual rate. The springs currently are what king suggested. I have a 400 on top and a 500 on the bottom, it seems like alot but the truck sat perfectly within a 1/2 inch where they had me set them.

 

[rob h]

The rear........ the axle was removed also, cleaned, painted and a shackle flip was built to replace the 3 inch blocks. The flip was adjusted to level the truck. The bds 5 inch springs are still there and the flip has seemed to soften up the rear suspention. Then a big set of firestone air bags with 12 inches of travel and internal bump stops were used, mounts were welded to the axle tube and the frame. Gussets were added to both sets of mounts to add strength. A set of traction bars were built for each side, the style with a shackle at one end. These were designed around the rize industries style. The mounts look low but aren't as low as the 4 link crossmember. For these the same 2.63 ballistic joints and 2.63 bushings were used. The rear was setup and uses the full 10 inch travel also. The 12 inch travel 2.5 foa resi shocks i had on the front were taken apart, cleaned, revalved and are on the rear now. Reservoir mounts for those are on the frame up and out of the way.

 

[rob h]

So far it's not finished but it is 1.5 inches lower than before. There is a few things left to do like shock mounts, paint the rear parts and make resi mounts for the kings. It's getting there tho. Here is a few pics of the truck flexed up front and a ride heigth pic, It sits 1/16 high in the rear currently. The last pic is of the total heigth that the bump stops start to work at, it goes another 2 inches making it right at 24 inches off the ground . It steers clear of everything right now with 37s at this heigth. A set of steel 1.25 wheel adapter(spacers) is being made to bring the rear tires out even with the front.

 

[rob h]

The bag mounts, traction bars and shackle flip are,all done, painted and bolted on. The front needs the brakelines rebent so they don't look out of place, hydro assist ram bolted back on, the inner fender liners put back in and finally bleed the front brakes. That should be it and it will be time to test drive it. Then I'll know how the spring rates work, how it handles, rides and if the shackle flip made the rear any softer.

 

[Chevy305]

Love this truck