El Taco Diablo... Mall Crawlin, now with LT for tall curbs

It'll be close, but I bet your perches aren't quite right for your current axle either considering you're lifted. Id wait to put them in once you have the 63s hung. It isn't much more work to put the truck on the axle with the perches just clamped to check, finish welding perches might take you 45mins after and you can tack em on the truck first.

 

I just went from all pro expo leafs to Chevy 63s and somehow my pinion angle stayed the same despite the ride height being a bit higher until they settle. Evrey truck is obviously different so you are going to have to measure no matter what. Honestly that check takes a few min before doing the final burn in on the perch anyway. The law of the universe will say if you weld them in first the angle will be wrong LOL

I was fully prepared to cut off the perches and adjust though.

 

That would 100% be my luck. You are right about that @slander



It's not so simple to do the leaf perches while I'm hanging the 63s.

The perches set the pinion angle. The pinion angle has to be determined to set the flange (for the spindle and brake backer) angle. The leaf perches have to be on to do the truss (back truss that will have to be notched at the perches). Literally, the entire axle has to be built according to where the leaf perches are.

Sounds like I may need to take a week off and rip the band aid off though.

 

My .02cents, tac everything until you’ve measured as many times as necessary to be 100% sure. Another thing to consider for ride height is the leaf perch height/ design. I ended up milling ~1/2” out of my perches to get them to sit as low and close to the leafs as possible. SUA is a bit different but same considerations apply

 

Just using an abundance of caution here. Double checking my work.

I get 39 1/4 from center to center (distance between leafs)

Hoping others who have swapped axles remember that measurement.

@cbechtold @Speedytech7 @Robmonster117

 

I dont recall the exact measurement for that but that sounds about right. As long as leaf perches are parallel to each other and the frame.
idk if its the most correct way, but I used a 4 foot contractors square to find perpendicularity to the frame under the cab and lined my front perches up to that

 

Same boat as Rob. Don't know the exact measurement. I ended up measuring from from WMS to center leaf spring pin and got my measurements from there.

 

Right on guys, thank you for the responses.

I measured every way I could. I think I measured 10 different times.

The center of the leafs at the shackles, at the front perches, at the front of the perch on the axle, at the back of the perch on the axle, at the bolt for the base of the bump stop.

All of them came back to 39 1/4. I think I'm going to roll with it.

 

Just dinking around, made some progress on the axle today. It's cut to length. The trusses are cut to length and fitted as well. Notched the trusses for the Ubolt eliminator perches they will need to be fine tuned when I get the perches set at the angle I want them at.

The neighbor beveled the inside and out side of the flanges for me on his lathe, so the root weld can get in deeper and not build up so much (especially important on the outside where the spindle needs to nest in to the flange).

 

Some good stuff arrived

 

Daily driver mod

 

The deed is done

 

Daily driver mod #1: Better cupholders.

 

Saving this here, for later.

 

You end up getting them in? I was able to get them in, past the shoulder with a deadblow, no problem. Getting the last 1/8” or so, for them to seat, has been a royal pain in the ass

 

I have not tried... they are still in the freezer.

 

Why didn't I do this years ago?

(Fill up Monday morning) I would have put 60 bucks in the tank today (Wednesday) with the truck. The car still has a half a tank.

 

Made some progress on the diff skid.

 

That rear end is coming out real fucking beefy ; glad I can be a part of it and get this cut out for ya.

Your template -



Quick drawing -



Test piece, cut in 16 gauge -



Actual piece will be in 1/4".

You forget how heavy it is until you're lifting a 4' plate -



Second try, first try failed cutting fully on the bottom part.

Unfortunately I'll have to square up my table again but that's for later.



Since I had *mostly* cut that first one, got it cut in half since that's the plan anyway -

 

Oil change ✔️
Fuel filter replacement ✔️
Spark plug replacement ✔️
Replace (cracked) intake air ✔️
Tighten as many of the valve cover bolts I could get a wrench on ✔️