Wristy's 1980 Meatmobile build up

[WristPin]

I decided to bob the bed. started with the frame. cut off the tails. welded in a 2.25" square tube. I pounded down the spare tire hangar, then once it was all welded, i pounded it back up and made a few welds under it. I used some angle 3/16" thick around the corners of this tube. I wasnt to worried about the heat affecting the bushings. i loaded em up with grease inside and out the other day. since i didnt see any boiling out, they will be just fine.▼▼▼







This is for the bob, and also, im going to do more reinforcing on the side. im going to use the same square tube to make an additional cross member on the other side of the spare tire hangar, then take another piece and run it length wise. that way, once i make a winch plate with a receiver hitch, it'll have some strength behind it.

also upon my discovery of my frame problem. i noticed cracks on one side of the rear spring, front hangar.
i made some gussets out of 3/16" steel and welded them in. i turned up the welder as hot as i could to get deep penetration. and surprisingly, as rusty as the inside is, the frame did not burn through.▼▼▼





i am out of some of the steel, so i havent started on the frame patch. i have cut out many pieces, so once I do it, this part here will no longer be a weak link. even tho the other side has slight problems, im going to do the same thing to it. ▼▼▼



I still have the front spring hangars to work on. im going to beef the hell out of those too. once this is all done, the frame is gonna be so much beefier than it ever was. since i never had decent recovery points, this work is really gonna pay off. i have a few D ring shackles to weld on, and some hooks. Im gonna do the same type of hitch setup for a winch as i am doing for the rear.

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

That should hold 'er.....

[WristPin]

im hoping for the best.

I got a lot done on the front.
DAMN I wish i has a plasma cutter, or even a torch.

I am gonna do it all over kill.
(but not so much where I have 500 extra pounds)

[WristPin]

bed has been bobbed 13"




yeah. thats my hot wheels set in the backround

[WristPin]

at first i was going to put some bondo in there. but since there is none to be found in my shop, and i dont really feel like doing it, and since id rather not see it get water logged and chunk out or bash it on the trail and chunk out, I have decides to just paint over it.

[WristPin]

I finished the rear plow:

[WristPin]

by the way those weenie 31" tires are on it so its easier to move around till I get it all done. then the 35" tires go on.

[valentine]

Nice progress.

Maybe one of these days I'll get off my ass and head on down there to give you a hand...

[WristPin]

you just need to get down here so we can scout some wheelin spots and find a place to kill clay pigeons.

[D'Animal]

Wristpin

Can you exlain your theory on your rear shackle angle? Shouldn't the rear perches be further forward?

[WristPin]

the perch location is stock. the spring length is stock. the stock shackles i removed set vertically, just like these longer ones I have now.

the trucks that use the longer 63" chevy springs, often I see with the shackles pointing at an angle, when just sitting on flat ground.

when my spring compresses, the shackle will extend out at a simalr angle to the ones with 63" springs.

does this answer your question?

[amgraham]

Originally Posted by WristPin

the perch location is stock. the spring length is stock. the stock shackles i removed set vertically, just like these longer ones I have now.

the trucks that use the longer 63" chevy springs, often I see with the shackles pointing at an angle, when just sitting on flat ground.

when my spring compresses, the shackle will extend out at a simalr angle to the ones with 63" springs.

does this answer your question?

I think he's referring more to the fact that ideal shackle angle is around 45* to the rear. Here's mine when I still had stock shackles and AALs:


I don't know why yours sit upright like that.. I guess because of the arch of the springs. Once you get some weight on them and flex them out it should get better though.

[bigndn]

Originally Posted by WristPin

you just need to get down here so we can scout some wheelin spots and find a place to kill clay pigeons.

Where do I sign up? Sounds like fun! Nice work on the truck, Wristy! Need some flex shots ASAP.

[WristPin]

all of the springs are brand new. I havent moved the truck more than back and forth outside my shop since i installed them. once i am completely done, i will get some flex shots, and maybe that shackle will start to stick out.

[WristPin]

got more werk done.

i used naval jelly to kill the rust on the inside of the frame. i got most of it. certain parts i couldnt access.
i used rustoleum brand rust primer/stop rust/sealer. it has some kind of goo in the bottom that had to be mixed really well. i got a can. the other paint cans weighed much less than the rust primer.

i figured i should paint the entire area, and just remove what i had to later to weld. the primer stuff smelled really good going on, but once i started welding- PPPEEEEWWWWW. that stank.

i used 2x3/16 angle to box in the frame. i boxed all the way around, this was a halfway boxed pic.



there are so many holes in this frame. why there are so many is beyond me. i understand a few, so it can be maneuvered in the factory, but c'mon this is ridiculous! so i am on another quest to seal off every one of em, so more mud wont get in ther and cause more damage.

i mean, i would really have to start washing my truck after every time i go kill some mud. i werk hard to get that mud on there, you know?!




over top of the ancle i cut and bent some 3/16" sheet to kind of match the contours.



inside the crossmember, was really hard to clean out, so i hope this will hold. i used a peice of 3/16" sheet that i bent to fit.

no, thats not a missing weld vertically, there is a 1/4" gap between the plates. later i will put another 3/16" plate across it.



after i was done for the day, i ate some
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmeat.

[rusty_tlc]

Originally Posted by D'Animal

Wristpin

Can you exlain your theory on your rear shackle angle? Shouldn't the rear perches be further forward?

I saw that too. Keep in mind there will be more of a load once he gets the body back on, plus the suspension will settle out over time.

[Hilux]

while were on the subject, can anyone tell me why a vertical shackle is so popular?

I see them on EVERY Aussie rig I've ever looked at. Truly a W.T.F.

I cant figure out why this would be intentionally, seems as though its in the most prominent off road country's or areas. Do they know something I dont?......Like how and where to achieve useless flex?

The Man-a-Fre catalog is full of pics of them.


.another case in point

[WristPin]

I always thot it was normal. I never paid much attention to it. I can totally understand why mine are like that now, new springs, never driven, never loaded down. they are stock length. I made sure they werent too short.

now that it seems abnormal, im gonna be checking them all out

[WristPin]

damn i want to finish this all up. there is never enuff time in the day, you know?! i want to go kill some mud!

[Jonathan_Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Hilux

while were on the subject, can anyone tell me why a vertical shackle is so popular?

I see them on EVERY Aussie rig I've ever looked at. Truly a W.T.F.

I cant figure out why this would be intentionally, seems as though its in the most prominent off road country's or areas. Do they know something I dont?......Like how and where to achieve useless flex?

The Man-a-Fre catalog is full of pics of them.


.another case in point

Most are like that, mine is not one of them.

They are like that in Australia because most Australians make their junk into posers rather than wheel 'em.