Projects on hold for the day, gotta go see the new neice.

I do have my sleeves welded in the frame, I did the best I could with them, considering the truck has obviously been wrecked before and caused frame damage (and repaired)

Front eyes fully welded, I need to weld the last two gussets in place, then I'll be able to push the bushings in place.


Thanks Jesse! I wanna get it done, I'm pretty close, need more massaging done to fit the left shock hoop.

 

Put them in the freezer tonight. They are a tight fit even with grease.

 

Are you going to be running the stock leaf springs in the rear?

 

I've noticed, I put them in before I was even ready to weld, ya know one of those hairbrained moments?


Jason, I'm running 7" alcan leafs with an extra 1000# payload. the rear is a little rough without 300# back there, rides nice with a dirtbike. The overall plan is to ditch those, get some nice soft high arc leafs to replace these alcans and have airbags that'll follow the articulations well or some sort of helper spring I can put on easily.

 

lookin good klitch!!

Trimble: yes I am planning on a MILD lift. I only wanna run 37's at the most but I will most likely be using 35's

Bigreen2: I know you guys {farmboy fab} sell the kit. What I kinda need is a step by step on just how to do this kind of a swap. I have been searching for what seems like months now. My Dad and I can weld and such but just trying to figure out the math etc. is the really hard part. I was just gonna use my Cousin's f-350 just to see where all the brackets and stuff goes.

 

I may be interested in your alcan springs if they are for sale, Klitch.

 

The way that Jesse designed the kit theres not much too it at all. He drew me a diagram of aproxamate on everything. Once the front hanger/ crossmember is in place its pretty simple, the sleeves for the rear shackle are cut with a hole punch and if you look on the back side of the frame theres a welded seam there that goes right though the circle you have to cut. The trac-bar/shock mount will only fit in one place on the frame.

 

MM: Not at this time, I do not have the budgeting means to step away from these leafs.

Wookie/trimble, please NOTE this, check your frame for signs of damage BEFORE you just go from Jesse's template, I found out after i cut the left side that there was frame damage there in that particular section I had not known about. As soon as i layed out my mark for the frame sleeve, I bored the outside hole, no problem. Soon as I centered up on the inside seam I should have taken a step back to see if that was actually parallel with the new front eyes, I wound up being at almost a 20* angle which I had to compensate for as well as crush my frame back to a more correct width.

 

the front half on the frame on my truck is undamaged... the rear part of the frame fatherest back under the bed had some damage from the hitch getting ripped off.

 

pics would be nice of what you are describing Klitch, if possible, as well as ones of what you had to do to correct the problem.

 

Sorry MM, I cant get a good shot that shows the damage and "rectified" crushing of the frame. I did however get the left spring pack to sit 1.25-1.5" inside at the front eye after the 46" mark, but moved into place easily.

Now sitting on the axle lightly. gonna paint my lower shock mounts, go do an appointment, come back and bolt it together on the drivers side, then do another appointment and come finish it (dont think I'll fully weld shock mounts, worried I may be off that little bit.)

 

looking good so far. are those 37'' A/T's up front? are you sticking with those or getting a new set to better match the rear tires? your pumpkin to ground clearance is more than I thought it would be.

 

nah those are 10 year old 35's, with 60k on them already. Not sure what I'll be doin yet, have to wait til next year to get some new shoes.

 

I know that there is not any frame damage on my truck! I purchased it as a lease turn in back in 06. The car fax checked out ok and it was serviced at the stealership that I bought it from. I have EVERY piece of paperwork on my truck including the factory invoice/window sticker. The Gentleman who owned it b4 me is best friends w/ my Great uncle!!

Can I use the factory x-member? or would I have to fab one up? I have seen a few pics of this swap but I don't like how the factory x-member has that u-shape that bends down where the 0em control arms mount.

 

You could cut it out, but your new crossmember should be in place first, and also consider that U shaped member is right below your steering box.



Sitting on its own weight, bolted together ready for an alignment, shocks, finishing shock mounts and brake lines.