It doesn't look like you've made many so far!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Step 3, traction bars.







The hangers required some clearancing.











Other than that, it was pretty painless.







The test drive was great. My biggest concern was that the 2 piece aluminum/steel bushings would make the ride more harsh. It actually feels more cushy, like a truck that had a Cadillac in it's lineage 40 generations ago, but don't get me wrong, it still feels very much like a 50 year old truck.

The roads are wet so I am not really able to get a sense of better traction. It actually seems easier to spin than it has been in the past in similar conditions(wet roads), but there is no hop. It's like butter when the tires (or tire, no posi yet) spin and that is definitely a good thing. We'll see what it's like on a dry day.



So step 4 will be some form of positraction but that's after I track down some shorter gearing from the junkyard to see if something like a 4.11 works better overall. Once I find a gear that's a good compromise, then I address the rear. That probably will not happen this year. Gotta finish other projects.



And after that, I think that's about all I can do without significant changes to the frame and suspension. Oh, well I guess I could get some slicks. And then that's all I can do.



Lawrenceville, GA

Charlie: My homemade  "Cal-Tracs" really work....you leave "Hard" with no axle hop and

       the truck goes straight....See ya in Columbus...I hope

                                                 Bill

Bill

Pelham,Al

I'll be there. I'm probably not bringing the truck this year. I need to get the wiring project finished. And I really want to get my low speed cooling issue resolved before I go on another long trip. I almost had to pull off the road in Cincinnati because of the traffic. I can leave early to avoid that traffic but then I have to deal with Atlanta traffic. Given the choice, I'll take Cincinnati any day. The driver side axle seal is leaking. I want to put that repair off until I have another gear to put in so I can handle it all at once. I'm certainly not making that drive with a leaking axle seal. In a month or so, I think it will be the first full year without anything breaking - I don't count the seal, it's probably time.



But I do hope to make it to Atlanta Dragway at least once before the end of the year to see if I can beat the 15.95 from last year. With the elimination of wheel hop alone, I think I can achieve that. It's a lot easier to control the traction that is available now.


Lawrenceville, GA

To catch up on this thread, I did make it to a test an tune:

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic75263.aspx?

Over the past week, I built some shock relocation brackets. I thought it would be a good idea since I had lowered the rear to restore the stock geometry but I also noticed another problem while I was getting measurements. The axle is from a '68, installed before I bought the truck. Everything I've read says "it just bolts right in!" and like most things that assert that, it technically does not, though it was in there and functioning well enough for me since I've owned the truck. The problem is the location of the shock brackets on the axle housing. They are about 6" wider than the stock width of 26" which puts the axle mount right under the frame rail and causes the shock to hit the frame. So I designed them to address this issue as well. In addition to lowering the mounting point about 2.5", they move the mounting point about 2" toward the center of the axle.

I don't know if this will do anything for traction and that's not why I did it but it must allow the shock to do it's job better if the angles are more like original and that is a good thing.



Left, before. Right, After. The camera angles don't match, I know, but you can see the change of mounting position in relation to the axle tube.



Before:



After:



It's starting to look like there is something going on under there.



Now I have to paint them but I might mount them first and go for a test drive just to see if it seems any different, good or bad. The shock do need to be replaced, though but I can get new shocks ready while the pain dries.


Lawrenceville, GA

Nice work Charlie! I agree with you about the "bolts right in!" comment! It seems like I always have run into that very thing on every project I've done.
Provided you did your usual good job of welding on the rear housing, that should work perfectly.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

Charlie,

I have a garage, a mig welder, and plenty of projects. When are you coming up? Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I think we can work something out. I don't normally do this, but for you, I'll accept an Eaton blower motor for compensation

I made a novice mistake and didn't make sure that the non-stock shocks would work. The shocks are for a '68, the axle is a '68, the bracket angle is the same, the dimensions came from the axle brackets, so I assumed they would work, but they didn't for whatever reason. Maybe the frame mounts on the '68 put them at a different angle. I had to support the truck by the frame to allow the axle to sag and ensure that there is enough clearance. When the axle is at it's lowest point is where the angle is the most extreme relative to the brackets.








Lawrenceville, GA

Nice work Charlie. I know some grad engineers that would be jealous!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Got some goodies today.  Detroit True Trac differential,  Moser axles and center section.  Should be strong enough for the turbo engine (when I get to that in about 30 years ) and absolutely bullet proof for the current engine.  The ratio is the same, 3.70, most likely not what I will end up running, but that needs to be the same for now so I can properly evaluate the engine changes I did last year.  Hopefully this actually results in less spinning off the line, for more conclusive test and tune results.

I plan to get them installed this weekend.




Lawrenceville, GA