Build Lynchburg Lemonade, matzell's STW

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I spent a little time in the shop tonight. Drivers side shock mounts tacked in. I am getting 11.5" of travel from axle tube to bump stop. I may need limit straps to keep it in check. I will get the pass side on and evaluate.

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clrussell said:
Does your Coilover location allow more travel than on top of the axle? Or just better for packaging?
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A little bit of both. mounted on the side of the axle allows me to not cut too high in the fender and keep a lower ride height. The fact that it is slightly tilted back, about 10 deg, and behind the axle does allow for a little more travel out of the shock.
 
Mike Shull said:
It’s looking good, Rob!
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Thanks Mike! I had planned to work on it more yesterday, but a good friend stopped by and I felt I needed to catch up tonight. Still a lot of welding and plating on the front axle once I take it back out too.
 
matzell said:
A little bit of both. mounted on the side of the axle allows me to not cut too high in the fender and keep a lower ride height. The fact that it is slightly tilted back, about 10 deg, and behind the axle does allow for a little more travel out of the shock.
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Noted. Really looking forward to seeing this at ride height.

I really like low lift big tires.
 
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Rob here's a picture of what I did to the control arms. I did both sides all 4 bushing.
Some other things to consider. I was running longer shocks (I don't remember the numbers) But they were for a 6" lift and they would allow the axle to really droop out.
But with the panhard bar it pulls the axle way to far to the side. This wears out the bushing prematurely.

The nature of the OEM control arms allows way more droop than articulation. I figured this out by marking my shock in 1/4" increments and testing.
The end result was that I went back to a 4" lift shock so articulation numbers were closer to droop numbers. Bushing are lasting much longer now 😍
I did this many years ago. Sorry I didn't document it better with numbers to share.
 
I came up with a simple solution for my drag link mishap. I happen to have the correct right and left hand taps, so I tapped the tube inserts deeper and will cut 3/4" off each end of the tube to get me the 1 1/2" back.

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Lots of fab work and welding today. Axle is about done. I need to clean up some welds and prep for paint. The outer gussets are 2x2 .250 tube cut in half and boxed in to the ball.

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I made a bash plate for the diff out of 3/16. I also made a bump stop pad for the drivers side and welded the shock towers up.

I need to finish welding the frame mounts and weld some tabs to the shock towers to support the fenders.

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Broski said:
Good call, did you taper the control arms ?
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I did not. I want to see how it does and how the bushings hold up. They look OE. I have Relic Run next month in NC, for the first real test. My main concern is limiting flex with these shocks and driveshaft.

I may do that later and put new bushings in if needed.
 
Curious if you had to do the cut and turn? I know you wanted big caster #s. Do you think 5* could have been achieved without the cut and turn? Or would it just put the pinion in a terrible position?

Mine will be a low lift daily driver.
 
clrussell said:
Curious if you had to do the cut and turn? I know you wanted big caster #s. Do you think 5* could have been achieved without the cut and turn? Or would it just put the pinion in a terrible position?

Mine will be a low lift daily driver.
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Good question. I rotates th e balls about 2 deg. So pinion would have been 4 deg. I was worried about droop. As it is I will need to grind out the yoke on the driveshaft a little do to bind. It is more droop that you have to worry about. 8" travel shocks would help rather than 10" that I have.
 
matzell said:
Good question. I rotates th e balls about 2 deg. So pinion would have been 4 deg. I was worried about droop. As it is I will need to grind out the yoke on the driveshaft a little do to bind. It is more droop that you have to worry about. 8" travel shocks would help rather than 10" that I have.
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Thanks. I need to sit down and measure what I have and start getting a game plan
 
I came up with a simple 1/4" tab to hold the fenders up. I used a ratchet strap to pull them into position before welding them on. I plan to remove the fenders so I can finish welding the shock towers and paint.

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clrussell said:
Thanks. I need to sit down and measure what I have and start getting a game plan
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I have tried to post part numbers for most of the stuff I have bought and said where they came from. I like the shock towers, as they angle back in the center to gain more clearance for the shock but also spread the load across the top of the frame. i did not post pics, but I welded the two frame halves together near the rear radius arm mount and also the shock towers to give it strength and hopefully reduce twist. My panhard mount is so low, I do not think I will need a brace between the frame for that. I did weld the frame pieces together there as well to help reduce flex, that and the plating should help.

Feel free to ask questions on why I did things the way I did. Believe it or not, I was a physics/pre-engineering major in college, for the first year, so I do understand a thing or two.
 
Im Sure I will reach out when I get closer.

I am still at the planning/ buying parts phase.

I need to go see my local cruiser shop who happens to specialize in 80 series and gather some parts. I’m hoping there’s enough stock parts in the pile to piece mine together.

I drive mine every single day and reallly hate having it torn down. I missed last summer with it due to engine failure.

I’ve got a lot of things that I have planned. My suspension swap will be a ways out.
 
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