A few added details: The frame was supported with jackstands at the four corners of the bed. Bottom web and notch was cut. Slice of pipe was clamped in place, tacked at the outside of the rail then fully welded along the bottom web. (inside the rail) I set up the boxing plate so the bottom of the rail is “step boxed”. (welded along the top surfece of the bottom web) I notched the top of the rail so the plate could still be fully vertical and welded as pictured. Setting things up in this order kept me from having to do any upside down welding. I was resting on the bumpstops before so i think I got another inch out of this and it obviously rides much better. Shocks and shock mounts are next.
Looked pretty good to me in the before picture, but I'm personally not a big on the low rear on trucks look myself. Or maybe you were out of travel clearance?
Sometimes brief is the best...if you can't follow pictures, maybe you should stop "building" things...!!! R-
Or maybe you were out of travel clearance?[/QUOTE] Resting on the bump stops limits the travel in a major way! On a serious note, I dig the way you inset the plate as to not do any upside down welding. I did a notch similar on my old 64 f100. I used my lift so did more of the overhead type welding rather than on my back. That's a great idea and albeit, a little stronger.
Ok, I am clearly not the brightest, but did you lower it too or just get more clearance? I guess I wasn't specific enough with that. Looks to me you got another inch or 2 but then also lowered it therefore not much more if any more additional clearance. Maybe it just looks lower in the rear, but is actually the same?
Read above. Resting on the bump stops. So yes, more clearance and yes, lower. Consider that the stop itself is a solid inch and probably closer to an inch and a half thick. And the notch gave me 2+ so that's over three from where I was. And with everything out of the way you could subtract an inch or so since everything can now rest where it needs to be. That leaves me with well over two inches of clearance. Plenty for a lowered truck driven on city streets.
i always like these bad tech posts, its nice and simple and to the point. some of the over-explained tech threads on here make my brain sad.
Very similar to what I did on my 49 Ford COE frame which is actually a 74 GM 1-ton chassis. I used some 4 inch diam pipe, cut in half to make two half circles. Cut the same shape out of the stock frame side and bottom, came out about half the height of the frame. Welded it in fully, and then welded a boxing plate about 6 inches either side to support the inside web. The rearend is flipped on top of the springs and the extra couple inches clearance gives good susp travel. I did the same as you and let the pipe sections extend a bit beyond the edge of the frame. A bit more metal for strength and more importantly makes for easy fillet welds that are strong.
Kevin Lee, I like that truck more every time I see it.The color,stance,wheels and tires....Nice! Good work and cool tech!
Super clean notch to the point!! Not a lot of song and dance.I think I might steel your design. I mean steal!! This ain"t no pipe dream.
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