Project "Dream Truck"

[1LoC10]

looking awesome... what ever happened to the drop member you had made for this?

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by 1LoC10

looking awesome... what ever happened to the drop member you had made for this?

The dropmember was for my other frame i built. I started another frame and then started looking for a motor and trans when i came across the c5 drivetrain. I still have the other frame and am trying to sell it so i can finish this project.

Josh

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by GMracer

I new around here big on a couple other forums, but I couldn't leave without saying how amazing this project is, keep up the good work.

Thanks alot for the complement. You should check out this forum. There is alot of great work and great people.

Josh

[GMracer]

I've been lurking for a while... I'm currently building a 2001 truck frame off... but thats neither here nor there. Keep up the great work.

[abadsvt]

Well i got a little more done. I wanted to make the rear center section removable so when i install the rear end it was a little easier. It wasn't hard before but after the frame is powdercoated i thought it would be hard to move it around without scratching anything. I also got the rear suspension about 98% done. Also what is really cool is since there is two mounting plates the center section sits off the frame 1/4-5/16 leaving a nice gap which just looks cool and a little custom. So after the frame is all powdercoated i was thinking about chroming this center piece to help make it pop. We will see though. I just have to make one last thing then the rear is all done!!!!!!!! I also just ordered a new set of shockwaves that have a smaller stroke and overall length because of the rear frame rails being narrower than stock frames i couldn't make a longer shock work. So when i get my new bags then i will take a few pics of the rear suspension with the bags and tires inplace. I also figured out that i am getting 7" of lift for the rear and only 6 1/8" for the rear. I wish i got more lift but this will work for my needs. Anyways here is some pics of the new center section piece.

Josh

[abadsvt]

Here is two more.

Josh

[FnLow69]

Wow... looks good josh, what kind of tubing bender do you have?

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by FnLow69

Wow... looks good josh, what kind of tubing bender do you have?

I bought a JMR manual tubing bender before i started this build and man i have earn every single dollar back out of it. I couldn't have done much at all without it. I only bought a 1.5" die but i really want to buy a few more when i get some more money.

Josh

[Coronas56]

Josh, what Model number bender did you get, and is it easy to use, .Getting older and not alot of umph left.......thanks

[arkracing]

Looks great - I have a dumb question. What are you using to weld everything? All I see in the photos is a Miller Mig ?? The gussets that you have on the frame seems look like they were welded with a TIG. I guess they could be MIG - if so, wow.

Keep up the great work. Not my style of truck, but I love the fabrication work and effort.

[Frizzle Fry]

Nice! Where did you get the rockers? And where are you tieing into the arms? Just curious because I've kicked around a couple options.

[Frizzle Fry]

Oh, I can see it now. Linked to the stock shock mount.

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by Coronas56

Josh, what Model number bender did you get, and is it easy to use, .Getting older and not alot of umph left.......thanks

I have the standard JMR Manual tubing bender. I don't believe there is a model number since they really only make a few machines and this is the only one they have that is a manual one. I did my research on tubing benders before i bought this one and it had the best reviews. The price isn't too bad either but it adds up really fast with all the options. I ended up spending i believe around 1300-1400 for the bender but i got the works (anti-spring back bar, degree ring, stand, 1.5" die, protactors with mount) with a sweet computer program for telling me what degree of bends i need and where to mark and so on. It isn't too hard to bend .120 pipe. That is just my opinion though. I haven't had anyone else use it too see how hard they thought it was though. Eventually i would like to switch to an hydralic bender just because how much i use it. I love it and i ordered mine from www.tricktools.com.

Josh

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by arkracing

Looks great - I have a dumb question. What are you using to weld everything? All I see in the photos is a Miller Mig ?? The gussets that you have on the frame seems look like they were welded with a TIG. I guess they could be MIG - if so, wow.

Keep up the great work. Not my style of truck, but I love the fabrication work and effort.

It is all with my millermatic 180 mig welder. Thanks for the complements on my welds. I try and take my time to make them look good even though after the frame is all powdercoated you probably won't really even see them. On my other frame i was tig welding and it took for ever and with the amount of welding i have on my frame i would still probably be welding up the gussets Talk to you later

Josh

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Nice! Where did you get the rockers? And where are you tieing into the arms? Just curious because I've kicked around a couple options.

Hey Frizzle! I fabbed up all the parts for the rear suspension. It was a little difficult becuase of the upper control arms and the narrow rear frame rails. Also what made it hard is the fact that the lower a arms sit at a 10deg downward angle towards the back of the truck and as the a arm travels through the suspension it moves forwards and backwards about an 1". I ended up bending a peice of 3/16 steel and welding some 1 1/4 pipe to it to make up my lower linkage. The rocker arms are around 1.5/1 ratio but with the lower arms ratio also i am ending up being about 2/1. Which is good for my situation because i was only able to fit a shockwave with 3.5" stroke. So i really needed that 2/1 to get my 7" of lift. The only bummer is i wanted to go with a sleeve style shockwave and i ended up going with a double convoluted bag becuase of the ratio of the rocker arm. It should still be okay though becuase i have the IRS. The cool part is i ordered my bags from Nathan and i ended up going with the double adjustable shockwaves so now i can adjust the compression and rebound of the shocks to get a sweet ride with excellent handling. When the bags come it i will get some pics of the entire rear suspension. You should do it. I love the look of cantilever suspension setups.

Josh

[Rokcrln]

Looking good! So is a 2:1 ratio the max for the bags you are running? 7" should be enough for all but changing a tire, will you need to unbolt the shock to jack it up enough to remove a tire? I have been thinking about a simular set up but I can't go with the canti set up because I need to save as much rear floor space as I can. I want the diff right up tight to the floor so I will need to figure out another way to go. May be to a canti set up with the bags on the out side of the frame rail with the bag parallel to teh frame if that makes sence. Some day I will get started on it.

I have been using the JD2 model 3 bender for about 12yrs now and a model 2 for years before that. I have paid for mine over and over with personal use and shop jobs, I used to do alot of roll cages for jeeps and early bronco's. I converted mine over to hydro about 4yrs ago and can not figure out how I did it before when it was manual. You will love going hydro once you get it set up. I got a great deal on a small knack job box that has worked out very well for the bender, dies storage, angle finder and all other bener tools with nice heavy duety draws for all the parts right at your finger tips.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Ol'Rover]

project is comin along nicely.

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

Looking good! So is a 2:1 ratio the max for the bags you are running? 7" should be enough for all but changing a tire, will you need to unbolt the shock to jack it up enough to remove a tire? I have been thinking about a simular set up but I can't go with the canti set up because I need to save as much rear floor space as I can. I want the diff right up tight to the floor so I will need to figure out another way to go. May be to a canti set up with the bags on the out side of the frame rail with the bag parallel to teh frame if that makes sence. Some day I will get started on it.

I have been using the JD2 model 3 bender for about 12yrs now and a model 2 for years before that. I have paid for mine over and over with personal use and shop jobs, I used to do alot of roll cages for jeeps and early bronco's. I converted mine over to hydro about 4yrs ago and can not figure out how I did it before when it was manual. You will love going hydro once you get it set up. I got a great deal on a small knack job box that has worked out very well for the bender, dies storage, angle finder and all other bener tools with nice heavy duety draws for all the parts right at your finger tips.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Hey Kevin! The ratio really depends on the load rating for your airbags. For example. Since i ended up with about a 2:1 (rocker arm ratio and lower a arm ratio) for my rear suspension you need to divide the ratio to the load rating on your airbags. A sleeve style shockwave has a 1500lbs rating per bag and if I was to use that shockwave the load rating would be cut in half to 750lbs because of my ratio. If my ratio was 1.6:1 then the load rating on that shockwave would be 900lbs per bag. That is why i am having to use a double convoluted shockwave because they have a higher load rating of 2140lbs per bag. Does that make sence? You could always do something similiar to what ValleyCustom did on his frame with the air bags parralle to the frame and some custom rocker arms. Seeing those pics of your bender makes me want to go and convert it to hydraulic. Nice setup!

Josh

[abadsvt]

Well i got a little more done today. I can't finish the rear suspension becuase i am waiting for some more parts so i decided to get my cab ready to be installed on the frame and see how everything lines up. I braced up the cab a little more than i probably should have but i am not sure what i am going to be doing to the floor so i thought more is better than less bracing. Everything came out great! Here is just a few pics. I can't wait to see it lowered.

[kyull67]

I'm going to go ahead and throw in my vote for Best Project on the Board.

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by kyull67

I'm going to go ahead and throw in my vote for Best Project on the Board.

Thanks for the complement Kyull67! There is alot of great talent and great projects on this board so i don't know if I agree but it is still nice to hear.

Josh

[gringoloco]

Swank! Too bad it won't ever be close enough for me to see it in person...

[Frizzle Fry]

Wondering how low you're going to be able to get it bc my torque tube comes up into the cab much higher.

[Coronas56]

Came across this site, Thought it might help Convert you tube bender.........Julian http://reference.toolandfab.com/writ...page/index.htm

[Rokcrln]

Looks great! It must feel really good to be this far along. If you get a chance how about a pic of the rear tire to frame clearance for me. Also I just noticed that you went back to the factory design for the front upper arm attachment. GOOD I liked the looks of the new design but having all that force when you really push this thing all on a single shear attachment like that made me nervous. I think you will be very happy with the end results. Also nice cab lift

Kevin
LFD Inc.