1993 Splash in SC

[Curious Hound]

What's the plan?

What Gump said.

The plan is fluid. The cross frames and perimeter framing will be 2" square tubing. I think the sides will be about 16" high. 1.5" DOM for the top rails of the sides and front. Miscellaneous upright frame pieces will be 1" square and other stuff I have on hand. At the rear, I will turn the sides in far enough to leave an opening for my tablegate tailgate. I've ordered some LED lights for the tail/turn/reverse lights. There should be a spot on one side of the rear for the license plate and it's light. My cousin's father-in-law has a piece of rectangular steel tubing for my bumper (attached separately). I think it's 3" x 6" with pretty heavy wall thickness. Hitch receiver tube and recover shackle mounts will be incorporated there. Hoping for a roll bar at the front. Not sure if it will be bent DOM tubing or 2" square welded together. Floor will be 14ga or 11ga sheet. Sides might be paneled with expanded metal. Cargo tie downs incorporated as I see fit.

Then, I'll probably need beefier rear springs.

Here are the official "blueprints". First drawing shows how it will look when I roll it upside down.

 

[Curious Hound]

What Gump said.

The plan is fluid. The cross frames and perimeter framing will be 2" square tubing. I think the sides will be about 16" high. 1.5" DOM for the top rails of the sides and front. Miscellaneous upright frame pieces will be 1" square and other stuff I have on hand. At the rear, I will turn the sides in far enough to leave an opening for my tablegate tailgate. I've ordered some LED lights for the tail/turn/reverse lights. There should be a spot on one side of the rear for the license plate and it's light. My cousin's father-in-law has a piece of rectangular steel tubing for my bumper (attached separately). I think it's 3" x 6" with pretty heavy wall thickness. Hitch receiver tube and recover shackle mounts will be incorporated there. Hoping for a roll bar at the front. Not sure if it will be bent DOM tubing or 2" square welded together. Floor will be 14ga or 11ga sheet. Sides might be paneled with expanded metal. Cargo tie downs incorporated as I see fit.

Then, I'll probably need beefier rear springs.

Here are the official "blueprints". First drawing shows how it will look when I roll it upside down.

View attachment 70330

View attachment 70331

Oh, yeah. I also need a spot for the fuel filler hose. And maybe a trap door to access the fuel pump/sending unit.

 

[Blmpkn]

Going all out with the DOM, nice.

 

[bobbywalter]

wow....found some cool pics back when lil bob was still racing karts when he was 5....

 

[bobbywalter]

there are composite crossmembers and more uprights that were installed during that removal period.


but it really stiffens up the truck even before the extra uprights.. if you run stout rocker rails or a cage setup similar to the bronco it will really make your suspension work. definitely in the worth it category over all.... when you consider the lack of worry for glass sides.

 

[Curious Hound]

Ok. The crossmembers won't be as bad as I thought.

And it appears I'm overdue for new bushings in the springs. I'll probably also order extended shackles to account for the new bed being little heavier.

 

[bobbywalter]

Way too low. Especially for big tires.

Grab your engine hoist and pick up one side from the tire until the other is just off the ground. Then add 2 inches....and whatever you think your max tire size will be.... I suggest 38,s.

 

[bobbywalter]

My tires rub ....my wheel arch is the bump stop with 42s by design.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ok. The crossmembers won't be as bad as I thought.

View attachment 70649

View attachment 70650

And it appears I'm overdue for new bushings in the springs. I'll probably also order extended shackles to account for the new bed being little heavier.
View attachment 70651

Watch the pinion angle with the longer shackles especially since you are lifted.

Spring bushings are a Pita, I will get new springs from here on out.

If you want anything drawn in cad let me know.

 

[Curious Hound]

My tires rub ....my wheel arch is the bump stop with 42s by design.

I'll revisit that. This is just mocking up crossmembers to get a starting point. I have a 6" high arch planned. That was to give clearance for more than 38". But maybe I'll go higher. I'll see what happens when I do the test you recommended. I doubt I would ever go more than 37" tires on this truck, though.

 

[Curious Hound]

Watch the pinion angle with the longer shackles especially since you are lifted.

Spring bushings are a Pita, I will get new springs from here on out.

If you want anything drawn in cad let me know.

Thanks. My pinion angle isn't really perfect now (before I removed everything). I think longer shackles by an inch or two, since that is at the rear, would turn the pinion more upward, which is what I need anyway.

Yes, I've heard plenty of stories about spring bushings around here. Maybe look into new springs. These are the skyjacker 6" lift springs. Ideally, new springs with the same arch and a little more payload might be ideal.

This project is opening more cans of worms than I had hoped for. Going to order a new filler hose, too and get the longer one for fleetside beds.

Yeehaw!

 

[BlackBII]

Spring bushings are a pain, but if you hit it with a hole saw and then a torch they come out a little easier.

What kind of driveshaft do you have? If it's just regular u joints you'll want the pinion angle to match the transfer case output, eg 0' and 0'. If you have a double cardan then you want the pinion angle at 90 relative to the body of the shaft, so that the u joint at the pinion is at a 0' angle.

 

[Shran]

I built mine flat... 215-75-15's would rub with stock suspension. Then I put a 6" lift on and 33's and it still rubbed (obviously.)

So when I went to 35's I obviously needed a redesign. Now they do not rub but they get damn close. Note that my flatbed is also spaced up off my frame about 2"

 

[Curious Hound]

Spring bushings are a pain, but if you hit it with a hole saw and then a torch they come out a little easier.

What kind of driveshaft do you have? If it's just regular u joints you'll want the pinion angle to match the transfer case output, eg 0' and 0'. If you have a double cardan then you want the pinion angle at 90 relative to the body of the shaft, so that the u joint at the pinion is at a 0' angle.

I have a double cardan shaft. A few weeks ago, I measured the angle on the flange at each end of the shaft.

Rear 82.7 deg. Or 7.3 degrees from vertical
Front 85.4 deg. Or 4.6 degrees from vertical. (Truck not on a level surface)

So, my pinion is pointed upwards about 2.7 degrees more than the downward angle of the t-case output. But the pinion is still not pointed directly toward the t-case output. So, no. The pinion u-joint is not at 0 degrees.

 

[Curious Hound]

I built mine flat... 215-75-15's would rub with stock suspension. Then I put a 6" lift on and 33's and it still rubbed (obviously.)

So when I went to 35's I obviously needed a redesign. Now they do not rub but they get damn close. Note that my flatbed is also spaced up off my frame about 2"

Thank you. How much is the height of your wheel arch above the flat deck level?