Update for 8 13 2007
Day 2! =)
So today I started in on dissmantling the old chassis and moving the suspension over to the new chassis.
It was a slow tedious process but things went REALLY well. Bolts that i expected to be rusted and not salvageable weren't siezed or rusted at all. Every part was salvageable and came apart with ease. Especially the rear hangar bolts and bushings ... the bolts came out like they were put in yesterday (not 21 yrs ago LOL)... The front cam bolts all slid out the same.
When I dismantled the donor chassis the front cam bolts were all unsalvageable and rusted up and just a mess same with the rear hanger bolts.. had to cut a lot of the bolts.
I think because my truck hasnt seen more than a few weeks of sitting in its 21yr old life most of these bolts didnt have time to sit and sieze together.... I have no idea how long this donor frame has been exposed to the weather next to the barn i got it from. (probably a long time hehe).
Today I was also working soley by myself so things went a bit slower
Ok so i took some more shots to show best I could the bent frame.
Ok so below note how the torsion bar sits when its untorqued (no tensioin) ... It should sit in the mount underneath the cab... the arrow points to that mount.. notice how the torsion bar isnt in the mount, LOL
Here i put both sides next to each other. Notice the adjusting bolts are gone... these bars are just chillen. They tell A LOT about a frame where they're sitting like this. THEY SHOULD SIT IDENTICAL!
...
Ok i guess this one shows it best ... The upper A-arm should make a straight line down to the torison bar adjusting mount. Unlike this:
The other side (and any straight vehicle) its a straight line between the upper a-arm and this mount... That red line should cross right through where that arrow points.
Anyone notice the Differential mount and my ghettofab 1" spacer? And the grinded out mount to clear the lower A-arm bracket? LOL
Ok enough of that, i think the point has made it across...
I pulled the gas-tank and all the hydraulic and gas lines off the old chassis and moved it all to the new one (minus the gas-tank, i need someone to help me install that) Oh i LOVE air-ratchets!
Then pulled the rear-end:
heh, finally had a neighbor wander over and wonder what I was doing. Front yard resembles a junkyard:
Heh, not everyday you see someone tear a truck completely a part. =)
Got a shot of the cab and how I supported it.
Plan to just lift it up (rear) and slide the new chassis under same way we rolled the old one out. Pivoting on the front end. I was a lil nervous supporting the cab this way since the majority of the weight of the cab is in the center where the dash is and MOST of the weight is on those 2 center mounts... but its amazing just how rigid that whole thing really is.. I'd have to load it up with cinderblocks to make it tweak =)
Heres as far as I got tearing the old chassis down:
Will get the differential out tomorrow where I have a few more people.. we have to weld in a mount (driver side) for the dif on the new chassis since PO some reason cut it off
.. anyway thats for tomorrow.
Heres where the new chassis sits tonight.
the IFS is all installed .. tomorrow ill adjust the cams to where I think will be the best starting point for a driveway alignment, BEFORE the differential goes in (makes turing those nuts so much easier when the dif, engine and body are gone)
Then put the stock torsions on (ditching the rancho 26mm's), throw some front wheels on then we'll move the new chassis into the front yard and install the rear-end and then it'll be ready for the cab!..
so tomorrow we'll have a truck again =) Stay tuned.