SOA set up with no drivetrain question

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cruisertom

cruisertom

Joined
Feb 21, 2005
Messages
519
Location
granger, indiana
I have a 83 FJ60 no drivetrain. Doing spring over on stock springs. Going to have chevy 350, 465, and 3speed case. I am still collecting a few drivetrain parts and prepping the drivetrain parts I have. My question is can I set up the spring over with out the drivetrain in it? I know guys send in their housings to companies to have them cut and turned, so is there any reason I would need the weight of the engine, trans and tcase to do it? I would probably tack the rear axle perches for now till the drivetrain is set. Just wanting to move along and also, get the 37's under it to get out of the way in the garage. Also will be easier to do body work if it was up off the ground.
 
If you're a company that does C&Ts, then you know the number of degrees to turn it based on what springs and what drivetrain. I'm guessing you are not one of those.

No reason you couldn't tack the perches in a guessed location and get it up off the ground.

If you want it right, you want not only the drivetrain in it, but you want the steering all bolted up while you're doing the perches and the C&T to verify that you have steering/spring clearance.

Another alternative: Your combination is pretty common. You could find a local club member with that exact setup and measure it. Don't forget about the steering issue though.
 
i would wait until you have all the weight in your truck. are you doing the cut and turn. its pretty easy with a grinder and welder. angle finder, string line.
 
Yes I am doing a C&T just want to get it right. I don't think it will be too bad. If I have the rear set at ride height I should be able to do the front. I don't think it would change with the weight in the truck?
 
For my truck I dropped 4 chains down from the frame to some square tubing. One piece of tube under each frame rail basically. Keep the square tubing and chains just off the floor. I then placed mechanical jacks on top of the middle of the square tube which is under each side of the axle housing to push the housing up to the desired ride height. I then rotated the housings, shortened driveshaft and checked all angles etc with that static setup. I did not have the full weight of the truck so this worked quite nicely.
 
Sorry I don't really understand what you are doing, I will have to guess you don't have any pics of what you are talking about. Can you explain it to me like I am in preschool because I can't picture it.
 
This is what I did. One piece of HSS both sides. Red are chains. Frame up on jack stands at ride height to make things easy.

How to compress springs.jpg
 
Chris Wilcox said:
This is what I did. One piece of HSS both sides. Red are chains. Frame up on jack stands at ride height to make things easy.
Click to expand...

Please explain how this accurately accounts for the weight of the drivetrain?

I don't see what the big rush is. You can prep the axles, put the perches in with u-bolts (un-tacked) and stick it all under the truck while you do body work and prep the drivetrain. Once you put the drivetrain in, set your pinion angles, tack the perches. Set the caster on the knuckles and tack them in place. Pull the axles out for final welding and paint. Done once and done right.
 
Hard to get shackle angle and pinion angle and caster angle correct without weighted suspension . You said a son on stock springs. Are you flipping the springs for more wb ? are you doing a shackle reversal ? These 2 will change everything.
FWIW a basic soa with cut n turn on stock springs no other changes - set axle level left to right - jack pinion to 8 to 10 * - tack perches on at 0* (level)- turn knuckles so you have 4* on driver and 5.5* on passenger - make shock mounts & steering stops ( or get marlins kit )
pinion angle at 8 would be IMO for flat tired springs with small tires and stock gas type shocks
pinion angle at 10 would be good arced springs and pressurized shocks and some lift due to aftermarket shackles because you probably won't reuse the stock ones.
 
peesalot said:
Hard to get shackle angle and pinion angle and caster angle correct without weighted suspension . You said a son on stock springs. Are you flipping the springs for more wb ? are you doing a shackle reversal ? These 2 will change everything.
FWIW a basic soa with cut n turn on stock springs no other changes - set axle level left to right - jack pinion to 8 to 10 * - tack perches on at 0* (level)- turn knuckles so you have 4* on driver and 5.5* on passenger - make shock mounts & steering stops ( or get marlins kit )
pinion angle at 8 would be IMO for flat tired springs with small tires and stock gas type shocks
pinion angle at 10 would be good arced springs and pressurized shocks and some lift due to aftermarket shackles because you probably won't reuse the stock ones.
Click to expand...

I'm in the midst of SOA with Diamond axles. But what has caught my attention is the 4˚ Driver and 5.5˚ passenger. I've been pouring over Mud for a couple years now on all this and have not come across this. Why the difference?

I guess it's for a crowned road?
 
Last edited:
pjohnson said:
Please explain how this accurately accounts for the weight of the drivetrain?

I don't see what the big rush is. You can prep the axles, put the perches in with u-bolts (un-tacked) and stick it all under the truck while you do body work and prep the drivetrain. Once you put the drivetrain in, set your pinion angles, tack the perches. Set the caster on the knuckles and tack them in place. Pull the axles out for final welding and paint. Done once and done right.
Click to expand...

What I did simply allows you to compress the suspension while the truck is elevated and has nothing to do with the weight of the drivetrain. You'd have to measure the ride height earlier and then recreate it up in the air with the wheels off. I had reasons to do it such as figuring out steering stops and working on the rest of the truck in general. At the same time I could check fit on my 80 series elocker actuators to the springs, steering damper and also build from scratch the steering system, fit hellfire knuckles, check clearance to my onboard air tank, etc etc. Wasn't just setting pinion angles.
 
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