6/20 - Well I lost my mind again and I am going to attempt to completely change the suspension design from a leaf spring design to 4-Link with coil-overs design.
First, I bought a kit from Trail Gear so at least some of the calculations and parts were already figured out.
Actually missing a 4th tube but they sent it later.
I started on what I could until the coil over shocks and springs arrived which was supposed to be four weeks but it's been four months and I still don't have them.
Started cleaning and painting the parts that I could.
I needed to remove the driveshaft and carrier bearing so I could cut and remove the stock crossmember support.
And this is what I need to replace it with. It weighs close to 2 million pound give or take a couple lbs.
I was hoping I could put the new cross member in without messing with the bed but I did have to raise it about 6" to get it in and then I could lower it back down. At least I didn't have to take it completely off.
I had to spread the frame about 3/16" to get it drop down properly which I did with a 2x4 that was slightly bigger than the width of the inside frame and then just pounded it straight to separate the frame a little and it worked great :-)
I also had to move two brake lines and some wires out of the way that were running along the top of the passenger frame rail.
Then started welding it up.
Then painted it up to make it look pretty.
Then moved the brake lines and wires back with some bending around the new crossmember.
The exhaust now hits the crossmember so I just bent the crud out of it to make it fit until I can get it to the exhaust shop to fix.
Next was to design a carrier bearing support bracket but first was to actually replace the carrier bearing with a new one of different design.
The old carrier bearing was pretty beat up.
Mocking up the driveshaft for the exact placement and angle.
Mocking up the Rear Coilover locations. I want to move the axle bracket towards the outside more but the Leafspring bolts are in the way for now.
Took it to the exhaust shop to fix the exhaust and there was a cool old Ford pickup at shop that just happen to be white and black as well. :-)
Next was fitting and welding the rear axle housing bracket.
Next was making the Links. Need to cut the links to length (which I didn't need to because they were just the right length with the long bed), weld the bungs on and then screw in the Creeper Joints.
I cleaned up some left over bracket welds that I had cut off years and years ago.
I figured I could go ahead and weld the top Coilover brackets on for now. (The kit does not come with top brackets, they leave that completely up to you how you want to design the upper mounting system. I didn't want to go through the bed so I got as close to it as possible with some brackets I found online and welded them to the factory cross support. I don't know if this will hold up or not but I guess I will find out :-) )
This is about as far as I can take until the Coilovers arrive.
While waiting for the coilovers I changed the rear drum brakes to Disk Brakes (see Disk Brake post)
Also started on some of the front 3-Link brackets (see 3-Link Post)
11/19/2020 - They finally arrived! (5 months later - Covid-19! grrr)
Okay, time to start removing the leafsprings and brackets.
