Got some work done today. I had a friend weld up my front spring hanger, then i ground it down, cleaned it up and painted it. I will be bolting it up to the truck tomorrow and taking the truck off the jack stands finally here are some pictures

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_20110607_183148.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/IMG_20110607_183148.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_20110607_183158.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/IMG_20110607_183158.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Well today i put the bracket in the truck and took the truck off of the jack stands.

New stance

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=truck2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/truck2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

New front hanger installed. In one of the pictures you can see the front drive shaft. It does fit but i have yet to make my 6 inch shackles so the axle will need to be shimmed.. there is less the 1/8 inch clearance between the u-joint and the yoke.

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=frontsuspension.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/frontsuspension.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=frontsuspension2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/frontsuspension2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I found a piece of tubing that fit around my old steering shaft. I cut the shaft in half because it was to short.

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=steering.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/steering.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

These pictures are way overdue, but heres the serpentine conversion

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=serpentine.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/serpentine.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=serpentine2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/serpentine2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Nice work.

 

Got the new shackles done....

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=frontsuspension3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/frontsuspension3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Started on the rear suspension..

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=rearsuspension1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/rearsuspension1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=rearsuspension2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/rearsuspension2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/?action=view&amp;current=rearsuspension3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/My%20truck/rearsuspension3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

Pretty sure the shackles at the front wont work out to well for you.

 

Nice work on the truck, I like watching the build, keep up the great work. Nice to see a young man more interested in trucks than some video games. Good for you!

 

How come? Ten characters

 

Your front shackles will work just fine.

I would have your friend that welded th front end suspension piece for you, fabricate some boots for you to mount the rear and you'll be fine!

 

Im talking about placing the shackles at the front of the rear lift springs. I just dont see that working out. Whats your idea behind that?

 

I was just trying to get lift out of it easy haha. But my dad and brother have convinced me to get a spring shop to make me new springs. Of course they did this AFTER I cut all the hangers off the frame so i will be bolting them back on. It wasn't that much work to get them anyways. I think i set a record. 12 rivets in 10 minutes

 

If you were tryin a shackle flip you were going about it the wrong way. Get another set of hangers like is at the front of the springs and use them on the rear and hang the shackle downward like you have it now. Itll give you about 4" of lift.

 

Heres a pic of basically what im talking about. The pic uses a hanger desinged for a shackle flip but using the front hangers will work if youre on a budget. I also reccomend instead of new springs go diggin around in a junkyard and get some of the taller chevy 4wd hangers and some chevy leafs that are 64" spring eye to springs eye. Couple the shackle flip with the longer thinner leafs and it will not only lift your truck but make it ride better.

 

I think you made the right choice. Get the springs done and keep the pivot shackle to the rear of the rear leaf springs. I think you will be much happier with the ride and handling of the truck with the shackle to the rear. If you think about the motions the spring/shackle go through when they encounter a bump, it works a lot better with the shackle to the rear. That is the reason the shackle reversal kits are so popular for the 90's F250's and F350's front springs.

Congrats on the build and you have to let us know your secret to removing the rivets, they are always a PIA. I have a good method for removing them, it's just not fast.

Keep up the good work.

 

I have a really expensive, snap-on air hammer. I think its like top of the line. It chisels of the head then i just put the other attachment on to punch them out. I will make a video when i remove the other hanger.

 

liked your video, that thing sounds great!
Good luck!