Flip U-bolt using stock plate and shock mount

I had a better idea for solidity. The bracket should be sandwiched between the housing and the leaf pack. A flip kit will have to be used besides the bracket. I think it should clear the brake line but they will become one of the lowest point on the housing, I would be a good idea the place them over anyways.

 

I'm back from the machine shop! I'm gonna make a kit for me! Should have some pictures in few weeks!

 

Seriously? Cool. What design did you end up going with?

 

Yeah, I'm gonna begin with only one kit as we never know how this ends! The design is something close to what we discuss ealier but simplier and stronger also. Should be close to your target price and completly bolt-on!

 

any updates or pics of the design?

 

Thanks for your interest! the design has been finalised and the drawings are at the machine shop for the prototypes for three weeks now. It's always longer when you ask for small series in a machine shop... I hope to have them in hand next week. I'm gonna post pictures for sure!

I'm gonna have a nice design of 1/2" thick top plate also and I'll be back soon also with something about U-bolts...

I'm impatient to test all this!

 

Well well. I had to change my supplier so I had delay. Therefore I found a new place to make them fabbed and place my order today!

I should have the prototypes in hand before Christmas. I'm pretty exited about it! I had to place a bigger order because there is a minimum charge as it's a bigger company so I hope they will fit as expected first time. They were good on CAD but who knows! So I'm gonna have a least one spare kit.

 

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The parts were ready yesterday but we got a big snowstorm here and roads were closed... Bad luck the plant is now closed for the Christmas Holliday for 2 weeks...

I will have more details on january 3!

 

I received them! Very happy with them. I'm gonna put a fast paint coat on them to avoid the rust the develop on the parts and I'm gonna take some pictures probably tonight for you guys.

The place where I buy my bolts usually is still closed for few days for the christmas vacation. Because of that I won't have to good ones for the installation but I will be able to ta pictures with some others to show how it works!

Keep tuned!

 

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It seems the paint won't end drying! I did it yesterday morning and it stills sticky today. It's quite cold in my garage and I putted a thick coat so it's quite long.

I'm just back from the garage where I did a simple assembly of the leaf pack, U-bolt, flip-plate, bracket and WOW, I'm so impatient to put it in the truck. I also have to lengthen the brake line prior to install on the truck, gonna work on finding another one to put it serial.

Sorry, still not have pictures but they will come. I have a couple of friends who asked me to order some other for their truck, if some of you are interested and want to be in the next batch you can tell me.

I should work again on that tomorrow! Hopfully to have pictures.

 

The suspense is killing us. Haha. I really am looking forward to seeing your finished product. I am still very interested in getting a set if they will bolt right up and not require any rerouting of the hard brakelines.

 

Don't laugh at me, but the only thing I found quickly to hold the u-bolts that was approx 3" and emulate the axle tude was that roll of towel!

You can see how well it should work. The design is made to allow the hardbrake line to clear the bracket. It's the mounting on the truck that will tell us. I shouldbe on the truck somewhere this week. I'm gonna have more pictures and feedbacks on the ride.

I did a small link to a facebook page on my signature if you guys want to see parts I make. I'll also put updates direcly there. There is also a pictures of the shock bracket unassembled.

So here is a sneek preview picture:

 

Ummm...what's the point?? The bracket looks like it'll hang well below the axle and the whole point if a ubolt flip kit is to gain a tiny amount if clearance from getting rid of that plate...

I mean..it's cool and props for doing something different..but..seems very pointless..

 

Probably it's because of the angle I took the picture. I understand what you mean because it's true it looks like that at looking to the picture. Therefore it doesn't hang lower than the U-bolt. The lowest point in the shock and axle with leaf assembly are the U-bolts. The bracket sits a little bit higher than that, not that much maybe 1/4" to still allow the use and purpose of having the longest shock possible.

Also the hoop on which the shock is bolted have a diameter slithly bigger than the shock eye (a bilstein 5125 10" travel in that case). The purpose is in the case the truck would skid on a rock on something, it should be the bracket that will take it and not the shock. I wouldn't be affraid to jack the truck on the bracket, it's a very strong design.

I saw brackets welded on housing that are much lower hanging and with lighter metal gauge also.

And to answer your first question, the main point it's because it's totally bolt-on and totally reversable if you change your mind of change the truck and want to retrofit the suspension or something... But the main point, it's because it's bolt-on.

 

I found something better than a towel roll to take pictures. I also took better pictures to answer to the Blackdawg concerns about the ground cleanrance. The hardware is the good one that time. I've put the shock boxe to show what would be an approximative horitontal line under the truck. The angle may vary depending on how the truck is level or not, the lenght of the shackle and the leafs lenght... Anyways, all this shouldn't make major differences.

I install all that on the truck tomorrow!

 

This is a much better visual than the first one. Depending on the actual size of the actual axle tube compared to the log, a significant amount of ground clearance should be gained. The ground clearance seems similar to that of a typical ubolt flip kit but the shock mounting is pushed out away from the axle a little more. I like the idea of this and I'm curious to see how it performs on you truck!

 

Yeah, I was too exited first time and grab that roll too fast! lol On the second pic the log you see is pretty close to 3" in fact. You can see by looking at the U-bolt where it meets the log how they share the same radius.

Thanks for the good comment. If my stall is free at the garage tomorrow they're gonna be on!

 

Did the installation today. Took quite a long time but it's been quite straightfoward! I can say the kit is a real bolt-on, I'm very happy with it.

The ride is good so far but I've been not able to test it properly yet. When I came out of the garage there was a lot of snow so I had to drive more carefully... In fact the main problem was more the fact that I blew a front hard brake line after testing my brake pedal just before going. That's odd that I took so much care to desassembled the rear brake line and reassembled them without a trouble to lengthen the rear brake hose. Also the rear bleeders that are 17 years old came like a charm... Well it's the same 17 years old that made that front line blow.

To recap, I came back on the road only trusting my parking brake for stopping the truck, so my attention was more on that than on the rear setup!

Therefore, so far so good. Few pictures of the installation.






Right side





Left side (notice brake line clearance, no probblem.)





What it gives, when everything is at his place, on the ground.