The New DD

[CRaSHnBuRN]

Im thinking of moving my rear springs up front and using 52"(?) chevys in the rear. cutting off the traction bar in the front and going to cross over steering.

if i still have any cash left over im going to buy lockers. havent decided which ones yet. but im not going to be a cheap ass and weld the carriers

the rears up front is a easy way to do it. You will need to add some leaves from another spring pack of some sort (toy, waggy, xj, etc.). Build a new front crossmember/spring hanger. It'll give you a little more lift and keep the pitman arm and springs from hitting, plus allow you to move the axle forward a little more which you will need later when you get larger tires. And of course you will most likely need shocks. I prefer bilstiens or BBCS, but you can get some 14 inch travel procrap ones for really cheap (30 bucks a piece). Then use a set of ford shock towers (25 bucks) to mount them

As for the rear springs, most people use the 63 inch chevy springs, not the 52". I don't think the 52" springs would really gain you anything. Some people really like the way the 63" inch spring flex and ride, some don't. I didn't like them because of how long they were and how much they stuck out in the rear. But if you are not going to bob your bed, it really doesn't matter as you have alot of rear overhang allready

[CRaSHnBuRN]

so since you're talking about lifting it, are you getting new tires?

[Eckert]

so since you're talking about lifting it, are you getting new tires?

no, i just wanted a couple more inches or atleast stronger springs to support the weight of the bumpers.

[Graystroke]

Alright. for bumpers, the rear is going to be a 2x4 1/4in wall square tube with 3/8in brackets. reciever hitch weled through the middle. angled on the ends to match the body lines. im also making sliders out of the same tubing.

as for the front...i really like the design belowand want to mimic it.

seam in or out?

[sasquatch]

as for the front...i really like the design belowand want to mimic it.

that looks good man. build it how you want it to look.

[CRaSHnBuRN]

no, i just wanted a couple more inches or atleast stronger springs to support the weight of the bumpers.

okay, but you do know that the rears up front and chevies will yield a fair amount of lift? Look at my 4runner. Rears up front with 3 leafs from a rear waggy pack (spring pack is pretty flat), and a 1 inch drop hanger, with stock f150 springs in the rear. I tried to keep it low (I'm guessing I'm at 3-4 inches of lift), but I could still have run 35-37 inch tires without needing to trim the fenders. 31 inch tires might just end up looking wierd. Another thing to think about is that you really need at least 3 inches of lift in order for everything to clear with crossover style steering.

Maybe if you add some beefy bumpers and stuff it will settle everything back down to only a 2 inches or so of lift. Or perhaps keep your front springs as they are now, but add a longer shackle and a extra leaf or 2 to beef things up, then save the rears for when you are ready to fully lift the thing

[Sharpe]

Screw 63's they are teh ghey. I have em in the rear of pigpen and will be swapping them out for 56's soon to reduce my rear overhang.

[Eckert]

finally got it all together and drove it around today. soon as i got back home i tore it back apart. now that i have the drivetrain done, im working on the interior. the sound deadening/heat shield, whatever it may be was acting like a sponge and starting eating away at the paint. so im going to sand, prime, and repaint the floorboards. the rear shelf is blue for some stu[id reason. so im recovering that with red/maroon indoor/outdoor carpet and finally putting in my system.

starts up on the first crank now, 22r's rock.

I also bought a newer 3 core radiator. looked brand new. guy wanted $50 but because he was alumni, i got it for $20.

i found some 4x4 square tubing so thats what the rear bumper is going to be made out of. im turning it so its like a diamond with the ends facing up/down/out.

[Eckert]

progress so far. cleaned up the rust and primed, painted, and cleaned out the entire truck. aldo added an IH tractor muffler until i drive it down to the muffler shop. go cart filter+egr port=CAI.

[uglyota]

CAI?
Truck looks good. Instead of relying on that flimsy shelf they come with, build something beefier that won't fold when you start hopping


Or build it right so it won't start hopping

[TexTJ209]

CAI?
Truck looks good. Instead of relying on that flimsy shelf they come with, build something beefier that won't fold when you start hopping


Or build it right so it won't start hopping

CAI = Cold Air Intake. Jeez you're old.

[uglyota]

wtf?

[TexTJ209]

Yeah I dunno. Apparently the fancy intakes they make for vehicles, like K&N's FIPK, are now known as CAI's. I learned this yesterday.

[Eckert]

CAI?
Truck looks good. Instead of relying on that flimsy shelf they come with, build something beefier that won't fold when you start hopping


Or build it right so it won't start hopping

I was joking with the CAI comment.

As for the rear shelf. the previous owner already tore all the stock stuff out and made a rear shelf out of a 2x12 and new side pieces for speakers.

as of today:

[uglyota]

aha! I was wondering how much extra air you were planning to pull through there...or how much you were planning to need!