[krooser]

Originally Posted by Roadkill58

I have a decision to make.

Do I get some leaf spring perches and do what everyone else does or do I fabricate new track arms and mounts for the coil springs and shocks and track bar?

Also some way of mounting the sway bar.

I don't know if the coil springs will be too soft. I could use coil overs to help.

Looks like I might need to modify the bed as well and will still need a c-notch.

Why not use a '60-'72 Chevy C-10 trailing arm coil spring rear suspension set-up? It's a very easy swap, gives you all sorts of tire clearance, they ride and handle very well and parts are cheap and easy to find.

I'm putting one under my '56 f100... great ride and good traction when you mash on it. You can use everything from under a stock C-10 including the crossmember.

I bought some new stuff to hang everything under my truck but, if you find a donor truck, you can also use the rear axle which will save you hundreds. I have a dodge axle under mine so I needed some store bought parts...

http://www.truckinweb.com/tech/suspe.../photo_15.html

[Roadkill58]

Ogre,

I meant the whole bed. Fenders, tailgate, chains, lights, steps.

My bed is completely disassembled.

Went to a spring shop on friday and got new u bolts and center bolts for the leaf springs.

This afternoon I finished removing (grinding) the rest of the unwanted metal on the rear end.

This machine makes the u bolts.

[Roadkill58]

Krooser,

You are right they do have a nice ride.

That Hotchkis setup looks good!

I have the trailing arm/coil in my 71 Cheyenne, but it's going to stay there.

I've decided to go with the leaf springs on the 58.
I have already spent the money for the new u bolts.

[Roadkill58]

I saw this 57 at the post office the other day.

Stock suspension with 350 v8 and a muncie 4 speed.

[Roadkill58]

notice i reinforced the frame over the c-notch, top of frame is 1/2'' from the bed.
if you c-notch more you will have to raise the bed wood.
as is, i had to trim a bed wood bolt over the punkin.[/QUOTE]


Ogre,

I see your u-bolts go over the axel tube. Mine is a little different.

Take a look at my journal and you will see what I'm talking about.

[garretthes]

I just installed a 74 Camaro rear axle on my 59 Suburban. I removed the smallest two springs to drop the truck a little. Of course it's a little sloppy now and I don't like it. If I flip the springs and C notch, will I need to remove the body from the frame?
Also, I'm getting vibration at low speeds. I'm thinking the pinion angle may be off. Or is it the positive traction rear axle?
In these photos I had the shock mounts flipped as an experiment. It didn't work

[garretthes]

Here is a pic of the new wheels.

[ogre]

Originally Posted by garretthes

Here is a pic of the new wheels.

nice wheels i like the look.
i bought beauty rings for my wheels, i think they will look good; but once i put them on, i am committed to use them.
the teeth that grip the wheel will tear up my powder coating.

my u-bolts go over the axle, but my axle is also over my springs. my truk is also lower.
you also reused the axle bracket, my axle was smaller diameter and the old bracket wouldn't fit.
you say the suspension is sloppy? did you replace the shackles and spring eye bushings? that is where most of the play will be.
you might be able to install a small c-notch without removing the body.
i don't have enough notch to handle the amount of drop. but i fixed it with air shocks to keep the axle off the frame.
i also added reinforcing to the frame above the notch.

[garretthes]

I will check the shackle bushings for slop. I also have no idea how old my rear shocks are. I don't think I will mess with the rear end again until summer. I might just try the flip and notch. What about all that weight being supported by the U bolts? Also, is there a way to install a sway bar with this axle?

[garretthes]

Originally Posted by ogre

the door hinge bolts are 3/8'' fine thread (3/8-24) i bought my replacements from my local home depot.
they are all relatively short, i believe 1 1/4''

if you want door switches, now is the time to add them.
here is a simple bracket i made to mount door switches in the upper hinge, using the center bolt.
the bracket is a piece of 10 ga steel, 1''x5'' with 2 holes drilled in it.

door open


door closed

I put my door switches in the normal boring spot. Also on the back doors.
The second pic is the back door. I also added a 2nd dome light in the back near the back doors.

[ogre]

i've put switches there before, they don't last.
the way these doors close it pushes sideways a bunch.

[garretthes]

Originally Posted by ogre

i've put switches there before, they don't last.
the way these doors close it pushes sideways a bunch.

Maybe my switches are different. They have been working great for 5 years. I also installed a bypass switch for the dome lights on the dash so I can turn them off when the doors are open for extended periods of time.

[ogre]

Originally Posted by Msgt

Sorry to bother you..but my question is on your gear ratio of 3.27 with a 700r4. You said you were getting 20 mpg with it. I read that the best mpg is had by keeping your rpm between 2000 and 2200. Now i drive a 70 mph and my calculations came out to a rearend from 3.48 to 3.80. So with a 3.27 did it feel doggy at highway speeds and what speed do you drive. Im curious if i calculated wrong. ie 3.48 @70mph came t0 2010 rpm. If you feel you could go with a higher rearend it would help on gas and i would sure be interested in that.I have never had a 700r4 so im in the dark here, but I dont want to be lugging the engine down by going to far on the high side. Let me know what you think. And i would like to know what mph your at when you hit 2000 rpm in overdrive..Thanks

msgt pm'ed me, i figured i'd answer in this thread to bring it back to life

a lot depends power vs weight, the ramjet 350 i installed has 350 hp and 400 ftlb and these trucks are light.
my 09 sierra cruises 70 mph at 1800 rpm and gets 19 doing so.
my 58 truk does not have a tach, but it is a lot lighter than my 09.
driving 75 mph with the cruise on, on I75 thru the kentucky mountains it never downshifted or felt doggy.

being a light truck it is still a tire smoking monster due to the low 1st gear of the 700r4.
under normal acceleration it shifts into 2nd about 30 ft from start.
under hard acceleration, my truk is moving 10 mph when the speedo shows 60 mph
if i was so inclined, i'd go lower with the ratio, maybe as low as 3.00, just to see my mileage and performance.

a previous motor and trans i had in this truck with the stock rearend, we put in my son's elcamino.
while it was a hot motor in my truck, it was a dog in his elco.
we ran the casting numbers that showed it was a 1975, 140 hp motor.
don't over engineer your mileage numbers, these trucks are just very light.

as far as what speed do i drive? usually the speed limit, but i consider the freeway open to interpretation

[banjodr]

Any thoughts on what my existing chassis on my 59 would be worth? I'm thinking of a new TCI chassis. OR is that crazy do I just need IFS and rack upgrade and rear suspension upgrade. I want it to daily drive to work and maybe 200-500 mile weekend cruises. Just need ideas to help make up my mind. Body work is almost finished to the point I need to make a decision. thanks for your help.

[ogre]

tci's standard truck frame is a mustII front, brake booster and flipped rear axle w/drum brakes on leaf springs.
basically same as what i did to my 58 truk for $2530 vs $8333 plus shipping for the tci chassis.

imo, that would be crazy.

fatmanfab.com: mustII hub2hub, ss arms, standard springs & shocks. current price = $1895
junkyard 82-92 trans am rear axle, 3.27 ratio, posi and disc brakes = $200
junkyard 2003 hydroboost = $85
inline tube ss brake line kit = $220
shackles, spring pads, u-bolts, center bolts, teflon spring liner, paint = $130
for a total of $2530

granted i also boxed my frame $100, new wheel bearings $100 and painted my frame (included above) (tci frame is unpainted)
but no where near the 8500 cost.

it all boils down to budget.
the savings over doing it myself paid for gm ramjet 350hp crate motor w/efi and phoenix trans 700r4.