Suspension / Driveline
Suspension / Driveline
Engine sends power to a stock 700R4 engine (I think it was rebuilt before I got the truck). Behind the 700R is a NP231 transfer case. This splits the engine power between a GM 10 Bolt rear and factory IFS front. I really don't know that much about it. Both axles currently turn factory 3.42's. Soon to be 3.73 for towing, wheeling, and such.
The truck is lifted about 2-2.5 inches over stock. This is attained in the front by cranking the torsion bars up, yea poor mans lift! The rear is lifted by a combination of 2 inch "short" add-a-leafs, (which basically helped out the sagging rear springs) and custom built shackles. They are 2 inches taller than stock for about an inch more lift. I basically did this to level everything up. This set up works pretty good considering the amount of money I have invested, it's a little stiff but you get used to the old "grandpa's dump truck" feel.
The shackles were built using 1/2 inch think steel, yea I didn't want them to break. They are 2 inches total over the stock length. The cross member is located about 2/3 down from the top. The original bolts were metric but I couldn't find any metric bolts that were longer, the original were to short go through the thicker steel and still be able to get the original nut on safely. So I replaced them with 5/8" bolts. I could get them the length I needed, and they were about the same size as stock. I did one thing wrong when I built these, I should have spaced the side bars about 1/8th inch more apart, they were pretty tight to get on.
(Built by Brent Mizell and Me...Thanks Man!)
Dampening is attained with Explorer ProComp ES3000 shocks at each corner. They are a bit stiff in the rear but get the job done.
GM's factory front IFS suspension can be seen here, including the Explorer Pro-Comp shock. I had just put on a new set of brakes in this picture.
Normally the front hubs are automatically engaged by a vacuum system. This is an OK system, when it works... mine didn't! So I replaced it with what's called a Posi-Lok. (See the link below) It replaces the vacuum actuator with a cable that can be pulled and locked. That way the front hubs can be locked in and wont disengage at the most in opt times!
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Click on the links below to see the websites of some of the gear I use...
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