My 40 Dodge Truck Build - Maybe a 41 LOL

[Couper]

Geeeze I said that twice....lol

[Old Iron]

Just keep in mined that the spring perch and caster angle are set with the vehicle at it's natural resting ride height.

[Couper]

Originally Posted by Old Iron

Just keep in mined that the spring perch and caster angle are set with the vehicle at it's natural resting ride height.

Thanks OI. I have her at ride height, motor and trans in place. The only thing that is not loaded is the cab because I don't have the height to get the cab on the frame on the rack. I'm going to estimate my cab weight and some other items like radiator, alt, starter, headers ect and place a few garbage cans full of water on the frame to see where that gets me. The bottom of my frame is about 4 3/4 off the rack (ground) right now. I can crank my rear coil overs to maintian that, but in the front I'll have no adjustment, although my cross member is not welded in, just tacked, so I can adjust that before final weld if need be.

[28sawrig]

You can use a big C clamp to compress the spring to ride height rather than piling thing on 🗜

[Old Iron]

Hairpin front ends don't have a lot of caster gain so you should be fine.

[bob w]

Ya know Couper, if your hot rod doesn't work out, you'll have a lot of us to blame.

[Couper]

Never!

[Old Iron]

Originally Posted by bob w

Ya know Couper, if your hot rod doesn't work out, you'll have a lot of us to blame.

[Couper]

Back on my build thread.....I was lost on that other thread and thought I was in the twilight zone.

So.....back and forth on what to do with that steering input shaft / motor mount obstruction. Spacer, no spacer, spacer, c-notch. Nothing like over thinking stuff. OCD is a terrible thing.

So I decided to c-notch the mount....did it twice. Yep...twice. First time with 1.5 3/16 square tubing, looked great but once installed, too tight. It would have rubbed or bound up my shaft if the poly cushion settled. I opened it up another 5/8 of so and it will be fine.

Welded my steering box plate in and have everything hooked up. Drag link level, pitman link 3/4" higher on the pitman arm side like the directions said and I can steer with a ratchet. Houston we have steering.

Welded some 1" tubing in to support the fuel cell. My son's gona aluminum tig some angle to hang it from. And I started working on the trans mount. Not sure if I'm going to have a bolt in or flange the center section for a drop out in the middle.

BTW....do you see that ****ty crushed washer holding the damper on?? What kind of engine rebuilder sends something out like that? I'm gona turn up a nice thick stainless washer plate for it.

[Couper]

Originally Posted by 28sawrig

You can use a big C clamp to compress the spring to ride height rather than piling thing on 🗜

Thanks for that 28. I've done that with ratchet straps as well. With the barrels of water I can match the cab weight, with the straps or clamp I'd be guessing.

I should be able to maintain my desired ride height by adjusting the coil overs in the back. The front... not sure.

Even though I have a transverse leaf spring I'd like to add some adjustability in the front as well. The shocks I got from Pete & Jakes look like the belong on an RC Car.