Every Kid's Dream

bob w said:

A family from another part of the world could live in that cab. Hurry up and get it done so we can have the pleasure of viewing it.

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I did find this picture where the seat back was built so that it hinges up to create bunkbeds.......not sure if top or bottom bunk is worse.

This is what I'm thinking of doing for the front frame notch. I want to tuck the airbags up into the notch about 6 inches. The massive frame support up top will let me move the upper shock mount way up in the fender. I was planning on making the arched piece from frame material and welding it to the top of the frame. I would then cut the notch and patch in the lower flange.

Yes.

The RV frame is probably stupid overkill for a pickup. It is 9 inches tall. If I use a piece of frame to build the notch, I can fit it under the Seagrave inner fenders. I'm guessing this will let me lower the truck at least a foot and still have suspension travel.

How thick does the frame need to be over the airbags on this thing? 6 inches? 9 inches?

How thick the frame needs to be over the air bags will depend on the weight involved, both as driven, and as it might ever be loaded.
With an estimated weight range, such numbers can be calculated. Without any idea of the weight involved, everything is just a guess. The shear size of the parts tells me it needs to have at least 6"- 8" above the bags.

gene49 said:

How thick the frame needs to be over the air bags will depend on the weight involved, both as driven, and as it might ever be loaded.
With an estimated weight range, such numbers can be calculated. Without any idea of the weight involved, everything is just a guess. The shear size of the parts tells me it needs to have at least 6"- 8" above the bags.

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Engine is a Cummins 8.3 and trans is a Allison 3060. Engine is supposed to be over 1500 lbs, trans is 575 lbs plus fluids.

The truck is just going to be a street rod and not haul heavy loads.

My previous idea for bag location is flawed. The cutout for the bag would take out the VIN on the frame. I did some CAD (cardboard aided design) work and might have something that will work. The RV sway bar mounting bracket is made from 1" plate. It is beefy, but not big enough to weld link brackets to as is. I need to make it bigger.
I am going to extend the baseplate by adding 3/8" plate.

Ignore the mess.

So will the 3/8" steel plates the cardboard represent bolt to the frame with existing holes or brackets on the current frame?

Are you keeping at least the main leaf to keep the axle positioned, or how are you going to keep the axle properly positioned? Maybe I'm just not getting the full vision here.

gene49 said:

So will the 3/8" steel plates the cardboard represent bolt to the frame with existing holes or brackets on the current frame?

Are you keeping at least the main leaf to keep the axle positioned, or how are you going to keep the axle properly positioned? Maybe I'm just not getting the full vision here.

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These are the 4 link brackets on the front axle. It will bolt to the axle where the leaf springs would normally go (although this RV never had leaf springs...it had elastomer torsion bars).

Previous idea had the link mount above the axle and the bag in front of that. Now everything has scooted rearward. Links are 18-wheeler parts. They mount with 1" diameter bolts. Bags will now be bolted down through one of the axle mounting holes.

Previous idea:

Make sure to have clearance bag to bracket because, some bags balloon out when airing them up.

Old Iron said:

Make sure to have clearance bag to bracket because, some bags balloon out when airing them up.

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I was looking at that yesterday. I currently have about an inch, but there is room inside the bracket to allow me to shave the corner off for more clearance.

I went back And looked at the part prints that were on Amazon when I bought these bags....they don't match what I have. The bags I have are bigger. I think this will be better for the truck if I can fit them......but it would be nice to know what the diameter is supposed to be.

There are stock bags on my Southwind. Basically a P30 General motors frame. I can check and see what clearance it shows on the bags.

After checking I doubt my info will help. The front bags are inside of coil springs with very little clearance if any to the inner surface of the springs. The rear bags are on leaf springs with 1" clearance at it's closest of bag to metal.

smallfoot said:

After checking I doubt my info will help. The front bags are inside of coil springs with very little clearance if any to the inner surface of the springs. The rear bags are on leaf springs with 1" clearance at it's closest of bag to metal.

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The top flange is 9 inches on my bags. Puffed out can't be 9.12 inches.



I did find this drawing for one of the part numbers that is supposed to be similar. 11.4 inches diameter? I need to look at my patterns using that dimension this next weekend.