I know I'll be getting weird looks and upset people commenting because of the truck being the way it is probably but I thought I'd give it a try to get some good info from you guys. I was wondering if anyone has run a air ride setup in the front with my kind of situation. Meaning the straight frame with no z or sweep in the front? I would be running shocks also and I want to know of the tortion bars up front would be all I should need or would something else help. And in the rear I'll be running a 4 link setup also but my main concern is the front of the frame being straight. here are some pics and please any help would be great thanks Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Can't comment on the airbag but that pinion angle is WAY OFF what it should be. I can't see it but hope it wasn't set up and welded at that angle as you will get very strange harmonics with that setup, should be lower at around 3 degrees. The front spring bracket appears to be deep angle iron and doesn't appear to extent to the base of the RHS it is welded to. I see the vertical gussets but envisage failure over time, a lot of weight with a nailhead and all forces on a critical area that could be beefier to spread the load. Next those rear bones will break, they need to be braced considerably to avoid failure. Last, with the rear step up I would fish plate those areas due to stress forces as all the weight will be there, I envisage failure.
I bought this as a rolling chassis as it is unfinished. I haven't touched anything yet and I know there is a lot left to do to be safe I just wanted to know more about air ride to see if that would be alright with my setup. If it's not ok that's why I want to know so I don't try and finish the way he started and have to change at a later point. But still thank you for the info guys I appreciate all the help I can get with frame/suspension work!! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
From an engineering and workmanship point of view that chassis is a nightmare. My suggestion would be to return it to the seller and get your money back. I wasn't kidding in my previous post. That chassis will kill ya'.
Look up "scrub line" and study that concept. Then you will understand (one of) the dangers in your chassis.
The most economical way to fix that frame setup. Pull off the antenna, roll the truck out. Roll a new truck under it and attach antenna. Junk that frame! Scrub line, weak, poor welds, horrible angles. And it looks like if you hit any bump the axle/spring wll be in the wishbone/frame.
Lot of welds in pure tension, no mechanical support, no fishplate (or doublers) in high stress areas, no gussets for additional support, spring supports in cantilevered bending, WTF pinion angle, appears to have a lot of caster on front end, scrub line issues as noted, needs upper control arm(s) on rear, and more if I spend more time looking. I agree, that needs to be evaluated and fixed before you drive it. I would raise susp up a few inches, cut off and redo front spring mount, put the shackles through the radius rod (with reinforcement), lower engine/trans in frame, fix the rear kick-up and pinion angle, add rear upper arms, and then it can be considered as starting point for additional corrections
Like I said before I knew ahead of time that I would be doing a lot of bracing and tweeking to his design a lot when I bought it knowing it was unfinished just didn't know it was that bad lol, but again thanks for the info guys and I'm hoping these issues can be fixed with some well thought out ideas Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
That isnt even boxed, old original frame up front, who knows how its attached at the back. Use it as a way to NOT make your new one look at start over from scratch. Every time I look I find more wrong. Would be faster to start over with some 2x4 tube and a drawing