need structural help...can i just cut this off?!

[shaved80]

i need to trim for the front bags, and the spot it's at is kind of tricky. as you can see, the top of the bag rubs...



here is what a guy did to prevent that, you can see he cut out a much bigger hole



i wanna know if i would be ok to cut at the red line. i don't see how it would affect anything, as there is still the upper "rounded" piece. i will only be removing the 1/4 plate from the red line and what's to the right of it

Edited by: shaved80 at: 10/3/06 1:08 pm

[roundedline]

My opinion, get rid of the cup and put a plate on it.  Then you only have to drill holes and it won't be a problem.



You can however cut the hole out larger.  It looks like you only need it on the outside though...

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[shaved80]

it won't lay with upper plates. i talked to a guy i know who works in a shop, and he said it should be fine if i reinforce it

[roundedline]

I disagree.  It will put the lower control arms on the ground like that.  Need proof?

Here is those exact brackest in a test truck, there are NO spindles on it either and tires are 28" tall..:

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[shaved80]

can you post pics of the bag when its laying out? are you running lower cups? how tall are they?

this guy had a 4" z and 3" spindles, he still didn't lay out. i layed it down without bags and measured, there's about 2" between where the plate would be and the lower cup is. the bags alone are 2.9" tall...





also here is what was done to the red rocker to lay out with plates...

Edited by: shaved80 at: 10/3/06 2:33 pm

[roundedline]

I will have to dig around and see if I have any pics with the bags.   That is a REALLY old pic.  The lower cups were "just" tall enough to not rub.  I am thinking they were 1.1/2".  I sold and sell the bag brackets, and they are ususally cut to height for whomever buys them, and I made those as low as possible.  I can't get any pics of it now since I sell the brackets and the truck is now sitting on 2x4's as you can see here:


It is about to give up its crossmember so I can drop it and put it under this truck:
http://p210.ezboard.com/f7387chevytrucks88686frm1.showMessage?topicID=2395.topic

What are you trying to accomplish?  A 4" Z should put the frame on the ground under the cab.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

Edited by: roundedline at: 10/3/06 3:03 pm

[shaved80]

i was just told from a few people that it won't lay with upper plates. that guy also had a 4" z and it didn't lay. i cut my lower cups to 1" and it doesn't look like it would lay with plates. i have the upper cups already so i'm just gonna use them. but i will be doing probably a 2" z with a 2.5" sfbd along with a 1.5" channel to lay the doors on the ground.

[roundedline]

If you want to put the rocker pinch welds on the ground, I wouldn't waste time and efforts on a body Drop.  Just Z the frame 4" and cut the lower portion of the frame off below the cab that hangs down and it will sit the rockers on the ground.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[shaved80]

pinch is for sissys  i'm already past the pinch...i'm going to the doors

[roundedline]

Well if you going to cut off the rockers, you definitly need to BD it unless you plan to do something interesting to the famerail section below the cab.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[autonuerotic]

Shaved 80:  You are absolutely right, there is no way to lay the crossmember on the ground with plates.  My truck is done with plates, 2600 lb. bags and its no where near layin' down the crossmember.  I plan to fix that by redesigning the crossmember so that the whole spring pocket is cut out except for the top.  The top has a piece of angle iron that supports the weight from the coil (stock) or bag and helps to hold the crossmember in place... Well Im going to carefully and completely trim out the whole pocket and leave just the upper piece, weld on a bag mount and reinforce it.  The lower control arms Im going to either shorten by a half inch and reweld them or move the mounting location inward so the alignment will not be off at ride height.  The crossmember is going to be redesigned so that it doesnt sit so low, Im planning on using some rectangular steel stock to accomplish this.  Oh.. yeah I have to get some new headers before I start and the time... which right now, Ive been buisy with school and work.  Anyways I have thought this thoroughly through and if you need any ideas let me know...

[shaved80]

sounds like way too much work, but good luck with that