[ronbo78]

My buds say this should work just fine. Too late to change since I've already bought the nova clip and rebuild kit. Plus I had the clip sandblasted also. I just need words of confidence if this will work out. I'm green and taking everyones word for it.

[Mike H]

It will work fine but the rear steer might give you a little bit of a pain to hook up the steering column. Watch your front wheel offset so the track width of the tire is not up against the fenders I can't tell you how many I have seen with that problem and it kills the look.

Make sure before you cut the old stuff out you measure the wheelbase and write it down somewhere you can't loose it. I tape the paper to the car I am working on. Then brace the frame as much as you can if you are not doing it on a jig and if you are weld the frame down before you cut it. Make sure you get the frontend squair and leval and remember it is easy to cut a tack rather than a weld and it is going to draw if you weld one side then the other so keep your heat even side to side.

Measure about ten times before and during welding the new frontend.

Have fun, Mike

[ronbo78]

Thanks, Mike. The men helping me are young pros. I printed a copy of your comments and will closely adhere to your tips.

[aosborn]

Another vital step in this process is to make sure the new front suspension is installed at the proper height . Mock up the sub-frame with the a-arms and all the steering linkage attached to the sub-frame, but without the springs. Set the sub-frame assembly on the floor and mock it up so the center of the spindle is at the height of the radius of the tire/wheel setup you intend to run. Then support the sub-frame in the position where the tie rod ends are level. That is the height the sub-frame should be when you have finished welding it onto your truck frame. Also be aware of the longitudinal angle of the sub frame when installed. A rule of thumb is that the lower control arms will be level front to rear when installed.

Adjust the tie rods so there is 0 toe in the linkage and 0 camber on the spindles. You can add some positive caster if you like. Put some kind of straight edge across the top of the frame and locate it exactly over the centerline of the spindles. Mark the sub-frame at that point, and that is the centerline of the new suspension. Use that figure to match up with your measurement of where the centerline is supposed to be on your truck. You can also measure from a convenient spot on the sub-frame to the floor. That will give you a height reference measurement when you are mocking it up to the truck frame.

Hope this helps. Lots of careful measuring and forethought will ensure a satisfactory result at the end.

[ronbo78]

Thanks Brother Osborn, I'll make sure all of this is covered when the time comes. I won't forget the careful measuring and forethought. This is valueable information and I won't take it lightly.