Started working on my girl

[44gmcnewf]

Also in a year or so i am planning on putting her on a 10 inch lift with 38's

with your short wheel base you pinion angle will suck... i wouldnt run anything over 6 inchs and 35's on a short box,thats my personal prefence though

[GreaseDog]

extending the wheelbase might help a little.

[Chevyforlife502]

So every one on here with a classic chevy with a short box and a big lift has lenghten the frame? Just woundering. Ya there is progess i just need to take and post some pictures its down to bear frame and i am in the process of reduing the frame. I have a question about the shock mounts on the rear. Do the mounts on the top of the shock come with them when you buy them new. It looks like the do but i would rather be safe then sorry.

[GreaseDog]

nobody said anything about lengthening the frame, or
HAVING to do it. with a short wheelbase, and large lift, the drivetrain angles get VERY close to the end of their operating range. talk to any hillbilly with 12" of lift and see how many ujoints his truck eats. extending the wheelbase will reduce some of the angularity and make things last lnger, as will upgrading to beefier joints that can handle the extra angle, but nobody wants to spend thst kind of money on axle yokes and driveshafts.

[Richie]

i thought this was a post about a girl,lmfao

[Chevyforlife502]

I was planning on upgrading my drive shafts and what not. My buddy know a guy that builds them. Thats y i am not lifting it yet can't afford it.

[Chevyforlife502]

Hear are some pictures of my progress.
The nice rigged up exhaust (scrapped)





Saddly I had to cut holes in my floor all 4


Stock Rims thinking of getting them sandblasted and repainting them black. What do u think?

[trickedout420]

well if you were closer i had a high pinion 44 and 14 bolt that need rebuilt im just trying to get off my land for $100

[Chevyforlife502]

My plan is to throw a dana 60 in the front and 14boltFF in the rear.

[Chevyforlife502]

Also been asking around and guys have been saying to get aftermarket drive shafts and what not.

[1974ChevymediC]

Originally Posted by GreaseDog

extending the wheelbase might help a little.

just curious as to how one might go about this?

[GreaseDog]

zero rate add a leaves can give you 1.5" of adjustment either way, move your rear shackle hangers back 4" and install a set of 56" springs (but install them backwards), 52" spring swap in the front is supposed to move the front axle forward like 4". so in theory, you could get almost a foot of extra wheelbase pretty cheaply.

i plan on building a Blazer at some point that uses all of the methods i just mentioned (remove 52" springs from rear, install in front, backwards 56s out back with a shackle flip, zero rates on both ends. its been said that the SWB trucks are the best compromize of stability and maneuverability of any factory offered straight axle truck, adding approximately 11" to the Blazer's 106" wheelbase should get me pretty close to that happy medium, while being a fairly capable truck, without alot of $ invested. 52s are pretty soft springs, so if the truck is to see much street time, sway bars are definitely a good idea.

[1974ChevymediC]

Originally Posted by GreaseDog

zero rate add a leaves can give you 1.5" of adjustment either way, move your rear shackle hangers back 4" and install a set of 56" springs (but install them backwards), 52" spring swap in the front is supposed to move the front axle forward like 4". so in theory, you could get almost a foot of extra wheelbase pretty cheaply.

i plan on building a Blazer at some point that uses all of the methods i just mentioned (remove 52" springs from rear, install in front, backwards 56s out back with a shackle flip, zero rates on both ends. its been said that the SWB trucks are the best compromize of stability and maneuverability of any factory offered straight axle truck, adding approximately 11" to the Blazer's 106" wheelbase should get me pretty close to that happy medium, while being a fairly capable truck, without alot of $ invested. 52s are pretty soft springs, so if the truck is to see much street time, sway bars are definitely a good idea.

and these mods would leave plenty of spline for the driveshaft when stretched? also, is this method for converting to longbed or only stretching the wheelbase? i would really love to have a long bed and would definitely consider this. do u have any pics or threads of this being done grease?

[trickedout420]

highangledriveline.com is the best place to get some pretty bad ass driveshafts

[GreaseDog]

Originally Posted by 1974ChevymediC

and these mods would leave plenty of spline for the driveshaft when stretched? also, is this method for converting to longbed or only stretching the wheelbase? i would really love to have a long bed and would definitely consider this. do u have any pics or threads of this being done grease?

no, there wont be plenty of spline on the driveshaft. one of my buddies pulled his apart with 4" spring and modified shackle angle. you'll likely have to upgrade the ujoint at the axle, and the CV joint to compensate for the added suspension travel that you'll also see with this swap. you'll probably be able to avoid upgrading the joints by adjusting bump stops and adding limiting straps. you could get by with just going easy on it and not stretching the suspension out, but that's another of the advantages to the swap.

no, this is just for stretching wheelbase. check out www.coloradok5.com or www.pirate4x4.com, there are tons of threads on it.

[GreaseDog]

chevyforlife, i just glanced at the last pics you posted. with the rusty blue sheetmetal, exposed rusty frame, axles and general clutter in the garage i thought to myself, "i dont remember posting pictures of my garage."

[Chevyforlife502]

HA thats great man I just got off my rear cross member, the exhaust member and the rear leaf brackes. Rivits come out fasted with my bros snap on air hammer, Alot quicker than hammer and punch

[FordeatinZ71]

nice project! i had a '78 K20 shortbed (was originally a K10, you couldn't get a 20-30 series shortbed!) that had 11" of lift and 38's and my u-joints lasted alright. i mean, it would have went through less if i had a longer wheelbase but it wasn't TOO bad...

[Chevyforlife502]

Thanks i am looking into drive shafts but it wont be lifted until next year, in this period of time until then I am going to celect the axles, lift, tires and rim and what ever else needed.

[44gmcnewf]

35's and 6 inchs of lift is pretty good height you can make it ride realy nice and not have bad angles... plus its alot cheaper.


buy some heavy duty degreaser and pressure wash that chassis then por 15 it, Looks pretty good so far