1976 Big Block RC build

[SixGun]

I'll have to be sure to seal my underwear too just in case.

[workgoats]

If you sandblast nude there won't be any sand under the clothes.

[SixGun]

If you sandblast nude there won't be any sand under the clothes.

Now that's a thought 

I don't think the mother in law would approve though.

[80W150]

I don't think the mother in law would approve though.

She'll be ok, just go ahead and strut on out and do your thing. What's the worst that could happen?

[SixGun]

   Nice day today so I packed up my tools, jack and compressor and went to the inlaws again. 

Took the rear leaf springs out and removed the bushings.  Burned them out with the torch. fire fire fire   Man I don't know which tool I like best now - the cutting wheel or the torch.  Both are so much fun and destructive.   

I picked up some 3 legged casters and moved the RC top closer to the truck and away from the basketball hoop.  Don't trust the little nieces and nephews.  My brother-in-law thought it would be a good idea to move it off the grass sitting on some tires and onto the concrete by the BB hoop.  Don't know what he was thinking. 

While I was at Harbor Freight using up some free junk coupons and spending some gift cards, I picked up some bigger impact sockets to tackle the knuckles out swap hopefully soon.  Question comes to mind, do I pull and swap the axle shafts out too?  Are they the same?  If so maybe I'll just keep them for spares. 

Anyways, heres some pics.  While I was at the mother-in-laws, lookie what I saw.  Remember the Barbie car racing video?  ooh ooh ahh ahh ... are you thinking what I'm thinking?

[crazzywolfie]

that barbie car looks a tiny bit too small to be doing what they did in that video. i know where to get a jeep that would work . i think i could also take the 1 atv. the gears in those thing wear out so quick when people that are too big for them take them for a ride.

[SixGun]

I was cutting off the rear shackle hangers and went back to the car for a tool.  I came backand one of my work gloves was missing.  After a short search, I found it and the guilty culprit.

[80W150]

 

[SixGun]

So big block pop tops apparently have a larger rear spring eye bushing and bolt.  It's been a long search for some poly bushings but found some finally at http://www.polybushings.com/pages/bushingsbysize.html   The spring eyes are 1.25" diameter and a 5/8" bolt.  This is just the rear.  I believe the 3/4 tons and CTDs used them too.  The fronts are the regular 1" eye and 1/2" bolt.  So in case anyone needs these larger spring eye bushings, they are poly T bushing #2141.  The bushings were $3.54 a piece and a set of 8 was $28.32 and included the bushing lube.  Shipping was only $6 and came USPS in just 3 days.  I even ordered the NP203 poly bushings he carries for $26.  I didn't want to post this until I made sure they fit.

As I mentioned a few weeks back, I pulled the leaf springs and burned out the bushings already but I still had the outer sleeve to take out.  Put the leaf in a vise and took out my handy dandy air hammer.  I used the pickle fork looking chisel and tried to cut the sleeve out. It was taking too long so I used a 7/8" impact socket and my BFH to get the party started.  About a 1/3 of the way in it stopped.  I then used the next smaller size socket to eventually drive it the rest of the way out. So I discovered that if I cut a notch about 1/4" all the way around the sleeve, I could use the air hammer to fold in the tabs.  I sprayed some PB blaster and let it soak in for a minute.  This gave the smaller socket a step to bite on.  By the last one, I had it out in less than a minute.

I cleaned out the spring eye and with some light taps with mallet I was able to seat the bushing.  This bushing will not use an inner or outer sleeves.  Here's some pics.

[SixGun]

Spent the day measuring and taking pictures of my leaf springs so I can put the leaf packs  back together correctly.  Then I tore them apart, sanded, cleaned and started painting them with rustoleum. 

I should have bought this compressor years ago.  It just saves so much time.

[crazzywolfie]

looks good. i wouldn't mind doing that to my trucks eventually but i think i may end up sandblasting mine after i wire wheel the loose crap off. i plan on building a good sized sand blasting cabinet out of a old washer as soon as it warms up up here.

a good compressor is a great investment. mine has saved me so much time.

[SixGun]

I finally got the rear spring hangers off.  Those rivets were tough tough tough.    
8 rivets that I had to cut, chisel, drill and hammer on the outside and inside.  This was my 3rd day at it (not in a row) and I had to remove my gas tank to get at the inside back of rivets. Luckily, since I knew I was going to do a shackle flip, I never fully installed it back in.  I left loose bolts and hose clamps on the new rubber lines. 

Those hanger plates are heavy and I was able to match them up to some shackle flip hangers made by http://www.gatsbycars.com/dodge.html .   I ordered the deluxe kit with bolts last night. 

Elwenil on RCC had suggested I flip the U-bolts while I was at it and so I ordered some leaf spring flip plates from Jungle this morning for the 9.25 axle. http://ramchargercentral.com/jungleshddodgecomponents/dodge-rear-spring-d60-9-14'-'u'-bolt-flip-plates/  I need to go back and measure the axle tube and mocked up leaf pack to make sure I get the right size  before I order some U-bolts.  My only concern is making a shock mounting point on the axle tube.  No welding skills or welder at this point yet. 

Not sure what size welder I would need for all my fabrication needs in the future (140 or 180).  If I'm correct, the 140 will weld 1/4" and the 180 will weld 3/8".  Big jump in price .... any suggestions?

[ProjectPW]

So big block pop tops apparently have a larger rear spring eye bushing and bolt.  It's been a long search for some poly bushings but found some finally at http://www.polybushings.com/pages/bushingsbysize.html   The spring eyes are 1.25" diameter and a 5/8" bolt.  This is just the rear.  I believe the 3/4 tons and CTDs used them too.  The fronts are the regular 1" eye and 1/2" bolt.  So in case anyone needs these larger spring eye bushings, they are poly T bushing #2141.  The bushings were $3.54 a piece and a set of 8 was $28.32 and included the bushing lube.  Shipping was only $6 and came USPS in just 3 days.  I even ordered the NP203 poly bushings he carries for $26.  I didn't want to post this until I made sure they fit.

As I mentioned a few weeks back, I pulled the leaf springs and burned out the bushings already but I still had the outer sleeve to take out.  Put the leaf in a vise and took out my handy dandy air hammer.  I used the pickle fork looking chisel and tried to cut the sleeve out. It was taking too long so I used a 7/8" impact socket and my BFH to get the party started.  About a 1/3 of the way in it stopped.  I then used the next smaller size socket to eventually drive it the rest of the way out. So I discovered that if I cut a notch about 1/4" all the way around the sleeve, I could use the air hammer to fold in the tabs.  I sprayed some PB blaster and let it soak in for a minute.  This gave the smaller socket a step to bite on.  By the last one, I had it out in less than a minute.

I cleaned out the spring eye and with some light taps with mallet I was able to seat the bushing.  This bushing will not use an inner or outer sleeves.  Here's some pics.

Yup ALL the ram chargers that I have hanging around seem to use 5/8 bolts and 1.25" bushings on the stock  rear springs- I would recommend some sort of locking nut on your set up Richard. If you are not using sleeves inside the poly bushings the bolt will over tighten/smash the bushing- by using a a locking nut you can set some preload on the bushing without fear of the nut working itself loose or completely smashing the bushing.

[SixGun]

Thanks Noah, I knew others had done this but no one has mentioned a torque amount.  Do you think I should just eyeball it being snug or can you suggest a torque amount. I appreciate the input.

[SixGun]

I started mocking it up and there is space for a sleeve.  .750 OD x .120/.125 wall tube Only need a foot.  4 each x 3" tubes.  Found 12" online for $4 but shipping is $12.  Gonna check around town.