CK5
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Have any thoughts on the driveshaft and that center cross member ?
Yeah. The crossmember is higher than it looks in the pictures, and the driveshaft heads downhill immediately aft the trans member, so there will be adequate distance between the driveshaft and the subframe there. I did spend a significant amount of time thinking it through before committing to the design. Ask @KirsL and @AgDieseler
I’ve been a busy bee over the last couple months. Road trips. Vacations. Built a “swing set”. Finally decided to cut up the firewall and frame from the old rusty burb and scrap them (the two fuel tank crossmembers are all that’s left of what originally walked off the assembly line in 1988, and they’re going to a guy who wants to use them to install a 40gal fuel tank in his early gmc pickup). I’ve also been working on these frame plates to box in around the front upper shackle hangers (got the idea from @AgDieseler). Similar concept to the CUCV reinforcements. Hopefully better execution. Yes, the ORD FUSHs are now captive parts. Yes it’s okay. The bushings are still serviceable and that’s all that matters.
I can finally get started on these Deuling frame plates.
Andy
I can finally get started on these Deuling frame plates.
Andy
Big progress day yesterday. Got the front frame rails stripped down and braced and got the Deuling Design overlay plates tacked in place. Might work on the steering box brace next then slowly burn it all in over the next week or so.
Andy
Andy
Good to see progress and one of the boys helping you out.
Didn’t realize how much time had gone by since my last post. I’m nearly done with the overlay plates front and rear. Just got some holes to fill on the inside of the rails in the rear, then I can flip the frame over and weld up the bottom end front to back.
The frame has remained level and square throughout the process.
Andy
The frame has remained level and square throughout the process.
Andy
Bottom end is done. Time to flip it right side up and tackle a few small spots. Then clean up the frame, prime it, and get it back under the body.
That should be way stiffer now.
Gives me a plan for my truck.
That’s the hope anyways!
Glad there’s something you can garner from it!
Start em off early!
Y’all get to preview what IG has to wait until 2024 to see.
I got the frame finished up and went ahead and sprayed painted the bare metal (to protect until Powdercoat) and reinstalled all the brackets. Then with the help of a friend, we dragged the frame around to the back of the house, jacked the body up and slid the frame underneath, bolted the two together, hung the springs, slung the axles, and mounted the tires. Behold …
The ORD springs are rated for a few thousand pounds more than what they’re holding up now, so the truck sits VERY tall … much taller than it will when it’s loaded down and settled. Still, the K10 main eye hangers I ordered from CNA seemed to be giving the backend more lift than it should (they are longer than factory suburban hangers) so today I swapped them out for the factory hangers and that brought the rearend down about 2 inches. I’m working on a more permanent solution going forward. I also threw the front clip on, and rolled it out onto the grass for a quick photo shoot.
K10 hangers vs factory suburban hangers:
Lots of work ahead, but none of which will occur until probably February. My attention is needed elsewhere for the next 6 weeks. This is a good spot for a breather.
See y’all in 2024.
Andy
I got the frame finished up and went ahead and sprayed painted the bare metal (to protect until Powdercoat) and reinstalled all the brackets. Then with the help of a friend, we dragged the frame around to the back of the house, jacked the body up and slid the frame underneath, bolted the two together, hung the springs, slung the axles, and mounted the tires. Behold …
The ORD springs are rated for a few thousand pounds more than what they’re holding up now, so the truck sits VERY tall … much taller than it will when it’s loaded down and settled. Still, the K10 main eye hangers I ordered from CNA seemed to be giving the backend more lift than it should (they are longer than factory suburban hangers) so today I swapped them out for the factory hangers and that brought the rearend down about 2 inches. I’m working on a more permanent solution going forward. I also threw the front clip on, and rolled it out onto the grass for a quick photo shoot.
K10 hangers vs factory suburban hangers:
Lots of work ahead, but none of which will occur until probably February. My attention is needed elsewhere for the next 6 weeks. This is a good spot for a breather.
See y’all in 2024.
Andy
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That's a big milestone right there!
Driver side rear main eye hanger is done. This was a full day of welding. I’m real pleased with how it turned out. It moves the main eye up roughly 2” from the CNA brackets. Now let’s see if I can duplicate success on the passenger side.
Looks like a lot of welding!
Needs more triangulation. JK.
Looks good.
Looks good.
That’s a big unit! Awesome work, enjoying following along.
It sure is.
Thanks! I’m glad you’re kidding bc I woulda nearly died if not
It’s quite heavy. I should do a weight comparison between the three different units. Thank you, I’m enjoying the process!
Andy
And now there are two.
