2003 Silverado Z71 solid axle build

[mccustomize]

The stock factory springs are notorious for axle wrap, two long leaves and a short overload. I am now going to 4 long leaves, no overload, but with helper bags. I will ditch the blocks after the challenge and order a 4" lift shackle hanger and a zero rate. Now that the tubes are welded I should be fine until I ditch the blocks.

 

[mccustomize]

Sunday I got the tube spun back in place, welded the tubes to the housing and re-welded the snapped rosette welds.

Installed some new shackles made from 3/8" plate

Got the 3/4 ton leafs installed, just an FYI if you want to use 88-98 leafs in a 99-07 you will need to press the sleeves out of your bushings for the front leaf eyes.

Space is at a premium for the challenge, everything has a place and purpose!

 

[justcuz]

Nice, when I redid the springs in my 93 Suburban I went with five leafs, my bottom leaf is about 24" long with wear pads, might work well with the 14 bolt.

Looking a your rear shackle brackets, looks like square body rear shackle brackets, upside down.

I was thinking about 4wd rear spring front brackets as a way to do a shackle flip. Like this.
The bottom of the bracket is 3" below the frame and the spring eye hole is 2" below the bottom of the frame. Using this bracket would drop your shackle 5 to 6" from it current position.

Setting behind that chassis is my 1972 Chevy 1/2 ton long bed that I am thinking of making into a 4x4 using HO72 axles front and rear with 14 bolt parts inside.

 

[mccustomize]

Nice, when I redid the springs in my 93 Suburban I went with five leafs, my bottom leaf is about 24" long with wear pads, might work well with the 14 bolt.

Looking a your rear shackle brackets, looks like square body rear shackle brackets, upside down.

I was thinking about 4wd rear spring front brackets as a way to do a shackle flip. Like this.
The bottom of the bracket is 3" below the frame and the spring eye hole is 2" below the bottom of the frame. Using this bracket would drop your shackle 5 to 6" from it current position.

Setting behind that chassis is my 1972 Chevy 1/2 ton long bed that I am thinking of making into a 4x4 using HO72 axles front and rear with 14 bolt parts inside.

They are the factory rear hangers, just flipped

 

[justcuz]

What brand and how big is the white ice chest in the back of the truck?

 

[mccustomize]

What brand and how big is the white ice chest in the back of the truck?

125 Yeti

 

[mccustomize]

I put a quick write up in the adventure reports section of our experience in the overland challenge series

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...Challenge-Series-our-first-trip-to-the-Ozarks!

 

[justcuz]

Nice trip. Thanks for the write up. You were in some pretty country and did very well avoiding body damage.

Is the rain fly replacable or does it have to be sewn back together?

Rough deal about the front axle on the diesel, but you got it fixed.

I guess your buddy Brian in the Z71 was not able to make the trip?

If you have more pictures please post them.

 

[mccustomize]

the rain fly can be sewn back, it ripped the tabs for the buckles off.

The other 1500 was not able to make it unfortunately.

I'll post a lot more pictures once I have some free time. We did weigh the trucks on our way up, full tanks, two occupants, I was pretty much right where I figured I would be.

 

[mccustomize]

If you like my build and don't mind taking a minute of your time please vote my writeup in the Cooper tire contest!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...1-COOPER-DISCOVERER-Round-1-Story-Submissions

 

[ExplorerTom]

So you sort of have a Currie Anti-rock. How does the diameter of that bar compare to the stock bar? Did you ever have the stock bar rigged up with the SAS? How is the "anti-rock" on the road? How does it compare offroad to not having a bar at all?

I've been thinking of doing the Anti-rock. I flex to the point of not having weight on the unloaded spring. And I get in some crazy, not fun, and probably not safe, tippy situations on the trail. It's very rigid while the factory swaybar is connected though- too rigid to stay connected while on the trail.

 

[mccustomize]

So you sort of have a Currie Anti-rock. How does the diameter of that bar compare to the stock bar? Did you ever have the stock bar rigged up with the SAS? How is the "anti-rock" on the road? How does it compare offroad to not having a bar at all?

I've been thinking of doing the Anti-rock. I flex to the point of not having weight on the unloaded spring. And I get in some crazy, not fun, and probably not safe, tippy situations on the trail. It's very rigid while the factory swaybar is connected though- too rigid to stay connected while on the trail.

I believe it's just a cheap torsion style sway bar, it's easily tuneable by adjusting which hole the links are in making the arms shorter or longer. I love it, I would not go back to without one. The bar is 1" diameter, so pretty close to the stock dimension, but I never had the stock one hooked up, the bends just wouldn't work at all.

I am going to coilovers very soon and once that happens I should be able to "soften" up the rate on the sway bar. I want to add a 3/4" diameter sway bar to the rear of my truck eventually.

 

[C W]

Great truck & wonderful thread!

 

[chilliwak]

I went with a Hellwig rear sway bar that I udjusted to the lift by making bolt extensions. Works good.

 

[mccustomize]

I got some goodies in for the truck this week, 4" lift shackle hangers for the rear and FOA 2.5 14" travel coilovers.

Dave's offroad supply treated me extremely well when I ordered these!