That's a big assumption on your part! Because you and I both know how hard that button is for newbies to find

Oh, and I know you well enough to know you were leading into that haha!

I did mention in here earlier that my new shackles are also 1" longer overall - just like the front hanger moved down 1" from stock. So yes, I think I did touch on that, but thanks for making it a point to make it clear on what needs to be done and why.

 

So I skipped working Tuesday night as I was really urked on my GPS issue and didn't want to go to the shop and look at it... GPS doesn't work and the guy is not responding to get my $$ back. Went against my gut feeling and paid via cashier's check instead of PayPal - per seller's request (which should have been my 1st clue) So yeah - I may be out a bunch of $$


Anyways... on to the good news...

I got my butt back to work last night and the spring hanger is getting closer - and looking good! I welded on more of the spring mounts last night. A few finishing touches and we should be good to go!


Another "nickle stack" or "roll of dimes" weld bead. I'm actually liking my welds on this thing. Which is good - because it sticks out and people will see it. I hate when people see bad welds on my work!




Looking like a spring hanger instead of a mass of dead weight now!


Getting ready for a little "bling" to be added.


Ok - more to come tonight!

 

I never made it back to the shop that next night due to having to work late. I did however get some good shop time in on Friday

I started off by dimpling and welding up the plates at the front of the leaf hangers



Next I started sanding down the recovery point anchors to get them to the shape I wanted.
You might remember I left them like this before


Well - they now look like this. The design for them is the paper template in the middle. Instead of having something that just welded to the face of this thing like most people would do I made something with more weld surface.


I started cutting the rectangular tube to slip these things in.



You can see the solid piece from the "mounting surface" for these things and how these new "recovery points" will sit snugly against them.


I got the 1st one fit and started welding


Saturday was spent making a custom seat mount for a buddies 76 F-250 so no work got done on my stuff.

The surf is good today - so I most likely won't get any work done tonight. This thing is slowly getting closer to being done though and one of these days I will finish it...

 

wow that is looking really good
i got the rest of my steel and d rings and what not yesterday so if I can get back over to my buddies shop i will start tacking everything together and possibly even making some progress
knock on wood.
I get to go to bronco fest in sand lake oregon for the week so sadly this truck isnt getting the attention it needs, lol

 

So this week had NOT been productive at all

Surf was no good on Monday so it was a waste to go do that instead of working in the shop...

Last night my friends invited me over for dinner again and I got distracted hanging out there with their kids so I got to the shop pretty late. All I had time to do was finish welding up that 1st recovery point.

Today I had to run to the shop to meet a craigslist guy so I put some paint down on the thing.

Hopefully I'll get to putting the other one in tonight. I'm gonna do some welding for a buddies dad though - so I'm not sure how long that will take.

 

<style>.wysiwyg { PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: #f5f5ff; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 5px 10px 10px; FONT: 10pt verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucida grande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: #000; PADDING-TOP: 0px } .wysiwyg A:link { COLOR: #22229c } .wysiwyg_alink { COLOR: #22229c } .wysiwyg A:visited { COLOR: #22229c } .wysiwyg_avisited { COLOR: #22229c } .wysiwyg A:hover { COLOR: #f40 } .wysiwyg A:active { COLOR: #f40 } .wysiwyg_ahover { COLOR: #f40 } P { MARGIN: 0px } .inlineimg { VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle } </style>Got more work done last night. I got the 2nd recovery point got welded in.


Mmmmm - pretty beads!


All painted


Bolted (temporarily) in place and looking good.



Final test fit of last plating piece. I need to do some small adjustments in the cad file and get them cut.

 

Looking GOOD!!! Going to pay the guy for the 79 F-350 on Sunday if everything goes as planned...next step...find out where the heck i'm gonna put it!!!

 

Is there a reason the recovery points are so far inboard from the frame? I really like it, but (in my opinion) since they are that far in, the receiver with a shackle could replace them.

Again, not bashing, just curious.

 

Ted:

I may have to field this one. Kind of early here, and if you know the term "surfs up", well,it means that Steve might not be close to a puter for a bit. Its friday, and this might be a good surf day for the guy. Yup, not only is he a desert guy, but he is a beach bum too, lol. Must be a sand thing. Although I cant get him to the dunes though. Maybe this season.

If you refer back to post #108 you will notice that the "mounting surface" or solid stock inserted into the sides of the rectangular tubing ends right where the clevis mounts are attached. These solid mounts add strength to the center of the assembly and help to prevent the entire thing from bending right up the center.
Placing the recovery points closer to the frame would compromise the overall strength, but by adding them where they are actually makes it stronger.
OK, you are correct that the center recovery point could be used instead of either of the clevis mounts, and this is true. However, it is only true to the point when the center reciever is not being used. In the event that there is either a license plate in the center or even a winch mounted there and occupancy is limited, the side recovery points become a real convenience regardless of location.
I think part of the location in the design was based upon the overall construction of the piece with a heavy emphasis and consideration to strength.

 

UGH, everybody is getting there stuff done but me!!
i have 99.9% of the plates cut to finish this long drawn out process but guess what.... welder?!?!? ofcourses not!!!! 3 craigs list deals fell through on getting one.. .
.
.

this is crap,, im guna go sand something to keep busy.
im out....

 

Thanks for fielding that one Ed. Unfortunately no surfing this morning. Instead I was on a job site in 90 + degree weather looking at boulder placement

You are dead on with the explanation you gave.

Hind site being 20/20 I thought of the way I SHOULD have done it just now, but it is a bit too late for that and I have waaaay too many hours in this thing to do it again.

Just in case someone wants to copy this idea - here is how I would make it a tiny bit better...

Instead of doing the recovery points how I did I would move them over and incorporate them into the inside plate for the leaf mounts. Therefore instead of doing a 3/16" plate with a weld washer on it there I would do a 3/4" plate notched to fit around the 1.25" thick solid "structure" or mounting piece. And I would just build a recovery point into that.

here is a quick/crappy photoshop attempt to explain what I mean...

 

Welcome to FLAKESlist... Good at sometimes and horrible with flakes at others.

Something will come through!

 

i do have one technical question before i peace out, lol
i was looking at the templets i made for the actual "spring hanger" and from the the 4x4" box tubing down to the center of the leaf spring bolt hole is will be 1.5"..same as the hangers i pulled off. now if i was to use sd springs down the road would i have enough room to squeeze them in? this is the best time to address this cause as i stated this is just in a templet stage,, it might be cheap insurance to give my self some a little bit clearance.

 

that is the truth!! i think the worst is when you are the one selling something and you spend all day waiting around for them (usually about 1 to 2 hours late) then as soon as they get there all they do is look at if for 2 seconds and try and loo ball you,, i mean sometimes its fine and its how people can get goood deals.. but when i list something for 850$ for instance and they come up and ask if i will take 400 cash... come on,, really guys??

 

most of the aftermarket super duty springs have a "miliatry wrap" end on them. These are MUCH bigger than the stock spring ends. I have not run a superduty spring before but 75F350 says he removes the leaf with the military wrap when he runs them. This makes them a bit more flexy for articulation and also makes them fit in the stock spring hangers he is running.

if you want to run a spring with a military wrap then now is definitely the time to plan for it! I would allow for 3.5-4" dia for the springs if you want a miliatry wrap.