Will do, should make for a pretty stout hitch receiver.
CK5
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TnA's 86 Jimmy Shop Build / Product Development Thread - (Trailing Arms?!?!)
- Thread starter CFMi
- Start date
LS Motor Swap
Hey Guys! It's been a while since I've posted anything, so today's progress seems to be a good time to post.
I've had a Trazer here at the shop for a while, and have been working on an LS swap for it. First we pulled the front clip so that I could get in there and measure stuff more easily. Then pulled out the old, tired small block that was there.
We took out the old engine crossmember, and installed one of my ultra heavy duty ones. It fit in there wonderfully - I really like the new design on those.
Next, we mocked up the LS engine in the engine bay, and I went at it, measuring and designing. We had to take off the factory low-mount AC compressor due to clearance issues, but other than that and notching the frame in two places, it fits pretty darn good. I'm impressed with how low it sits in there, and clears very well in most places.
Here is the CAD design:
And from there, we go to the Plasma cutter, and the welder to get to this:
And then installed in the truck. Everything fit really well the first time, I'm super happy with this design.
Passenger Side from the front:
Driver's Side from the front:
Front View from underneath:
Passenger Side from underneath rear:
Driver's Side from underneath rear:
I added in slots to all the mounting holes, so there is some adjustment up and down, and front-to-back so hopefully they will fit most all applications. The bottom plate is a full 3/8" thick and the rest is 1/4" so these things are beefy!
-Darren
Hey Guys! It's been a while since I've posted anything, so today's progress seems to be a good time to post.
I've had a Trazer here at the shop for a while, and have been working on an LS swap for it. First we pulled the front clip so that I could get in there and measure stuff more easily. Then pulled out the old, tired small block that was there.
We took out the old engine crossmember, and installed one of my ultra heavy duty ones. It fit in there wonderfully - I really like the new design on those.
Next, we mocked up the LS engine in the engine bay, and I went at it, measuring and designing. We had to take off the factory low-mount AC compressor due to clearance issues, but other than that and notching the frame in two places, it fits pretty darn good. I'm impressed with how low it sits in there, and clears very well in most places.
Here is the CAD design:
And from there, we go to the Plasma cutter, and the welder to get to this:
And then installed in the truck. Everything fit really well the first time, I'm super happy with this design.
Passenger Side from the front:
Driver's Side from the front:
Front View from underneath:
Passenger Side from underneath rear:
Driver's Side from underneath rear:
I added in slots to all the mounting holes, so there is some adjustment up and down, and front-to-back so hopefully they will fit most all applications. The bottom plate is a full 3/8" thick and the rest is 1/4" so these things are beefy!
-Darren
Those are nice, great work.
Clean job on the motor mounts!
Those things look awesome! Any plans on putting together a kit with your cross member for us folks looking to do an LSx swap of our own?
Subscribed!
Sure, I'll offer the motor mounts soon - I have yet to put a price together for them though. I'll figure it out and post up a new thread in the vendor section when I do.
-Darren
Sweet can't wait
You don't happen to remember where you saw that do you? I've been looking all over the place for a solution and have only been able to find people that have used a heavily modified junk yard A/C bracket or an aftermarket A/C bracket to relocate the compressor up high on the passenger side and other people who just said screw it and hacked up their frame rails
I'd much rather keep the compressor down low for the factory LS look if all it takes is a different compressor...A little update for both the forum and TNA!!!
Finally got to fitting the K5 rear brackets he made for my suburban. First up, yes the frame end is different. Buts it's pretty close, I had to cut the bottom of the bracket a little (you can see the plasma heat line in one of the pics) and the rear three holes are not even close. If your going to use the bolt on bumper extensions, only two of the holes will work due to frame interference. I'm sending TNA my template, so he can use it. Best case is future brackets have all the holes, but the easy solution is to cut the oval hole in the brackets and use that to line up and drill the frame to match the K5 pattern like I did.
Everything else should work and line up for welding. I had the ring mounts extended 2 inches as I intend to slot a 2x4 or 2x5 tubing over the mounts and weld in place.
Finally got to fitting the K5 rear brackets he made for my suburban. First up, yes the frame end is different. Buts it's pretty close, I had to cut the bottom of the bracket a little (you can see the plasma heat line in one of the pics) and the rear three holes are not even close. If your going to use the bolt on bumper extensions, only two of the holes will work due to frame interference. I'm sending TNA my template, so he can use it. Best case is future brackets have all the holes, but the easy solution is to cut the oval hole in the brackets and use that to line up and drill the frame to match the K5 pattern like I did.
Everything else should work and line up for welding. I had the ring mounts extended 2 inches as I intend to slot a 2x4 or 2x5 tubing over the mounts and weld in place.
y5mgisi
1 ton status
Cool stuff!
Just wanted to note, sent my template to TNA today. Hopefully it can help him and get it to also fit up to suburbans. Along with that got some 2x6 tubing today to actually get my bumper build moving along. Should mate nicely with the TNA brackets.
Hey, just wanted to let you know, the brackets worked PERFECTLY.
Redrilled the frame................
And got it 75% done, still needs some 3 inch flat stock for filler and endcaps and some diagional braces..................
Redrilled the frame................
And got it 75% done, still needs some 3 inch flat stock for filler and endcaps and some diagional braces..................
Hey, just wanted to let you know, the brackets worked PERFECTLY.
Redrilled the frame................
And got it 75% done, still needs some 3 inch flat stock for filler and endcaps and some diagional braces..................
Looks great man! Glad to know that the side brackets can be made to work nicely with the Suburbans too!!
-Darren
Yes I did, thanks. I never really thought about clearance for a hitch, since my bumper designs over the years have all incorporated a 2" receiver into them anyway. But it's such a small amount to clearance, I think it's a good idea to do in the future, it won't really compromise strength and just make it a little more universal.
-Darren
Happy New Year!
So here are some of the first orders for 2015, ready for cleanup and packaging!
I know 2014 was a hard year for a lot of people, myself included, so say so long to it and welcome the new year!
Thank you to everyone who supported us in 2014, and here's to a great 2015!!!
-Darren
So here are some of the first orders for 2015, ready for cleanup and packaging!
I know 2014 was a hard year for a lot of people, myself included, so say so long to it and welcome the new year!
Thank you to everyone who supported us in 2014, and here's to a great 2015!!!
-Darren
So after the Holidays, multiple family birthdays, and spending every weekend at the shop working on customer rigs, and then a death in the family, I finally had a day to spend on the shop rig today...
I got to work on the design for the new rear spring hangers - I had a design for the older style with 4 side bolts and two bolts underneath, but never got to designing the 6 side bolt style (which I have). There is a hole in the factory location, then holes every inch forward of that for 6". If you combine this with the 6" of adjustment of the rear shackle flip, then theoretically you could have approximately a leaf spring 12" longer than the stock 52" springs. That works out to a 64" long rear leaf spring, which just happens to be a common swap in these trucks (okay, so maybe it's not a coincidence, lol). The pics here show everything installed with the factory 52" springs still in place. The 4" blocks are still in place also, and everything still sits just right along with the 4" lift front springs. Later, I'll be swapping in the rear 1/2-ton 2wd 64" springs I have sitting at the shop, to check and see what the ride height differences are.
Here are the pics...
The Bracket by itself:
Passenger Side Installed:
Driver's Side:
And the Rear Shackle Flip, as it was:
...now I can't wait to get the 64" springs in there!!!!
-Darren
I got to work on the design for the new rear spring hangers - I had a design for the older style with 4 side bolts and two bolts underneath, but never got to designing the 6 side bolt style (which I have). There is a hole in the factory location, then holes every inch forward of that for 6". If you combine this with the 6" of adjustment of the rear shackle flip, then theoretically you could have approximately a leaf spring 12" longer than the stock 52" springs. That works out to a 64" long rear leaf spring, which just happens to be a common swap in these trucks (okay, so maybe it's not a coincidence, lol). The pics here show everything installed with the factory 52" springs still in place. The 4" blocks are still in place also, and everything still sits just right along with the 4" lift front springs. Later, I'll be swapping in the rear 1/2-ton 2wd 64" springs I have sitting at the shop, to check and see what the ride height differences are.
Here are the pics...
The Bracket by itself:
Passenger Side Installed:
Driver's Side:
And the Rear Shackle Flip, as it was:
...now I can't wait to get the 64" springs in there!!!!
-Darren
Dude those are killer. So many options for springs!!!!!
very cool, hopefully they work great with the 64's.
