Well the front axle is finaly mounted after what seems like forever. The only place I can work on my rig is 1.5 hours away at my uncles, and the only day I can work on it is Saturdays. But since I really don't have the money to be feeding into on a constant basis, I probably would still be moving as slowly as I am now even if I did have more time!

Anyway I went from this:

then cut it down to this:

then even farther to this: (this is when I realized how much in over my head I was)

And finally to the point of putting back together. This is the front axle/bumper mount I made to mount a GM Dana 44 from an old 3/4-ton K20. Everything looks a little fuzzy because it was dusk and my camera battery was low, so it wouldn't let me use flash. I torch cut most of the brackets from 3/8"" plate, and welded everything together with 7018AC. The bumber is 2x4x1/4", and I have it cut out behind the shackle mount, so that when the shackle folds all the way forward it is tucked inside the bumper. I made the shackle by shortening a GM front shackle that was 4" eye to eye to 3", and welding the old rear shackle mount tube from the rear of the Isuzu frame to the top.

the bumber mount is form 1x2 tube (3"8 wall if IRC, but maybe 1/4") that is slid into the original bumber brackets. I also added some 3/8" angle iron ot he opposite side to put the bolts in double shear. I drilled out the holes to accept 1/2" grade 8 bolts. The bracket tubes are intentionly long so that I can adjust the shackle angle by sliding the bumper in and out. Right now it is set that when the spring have absolutly no weight on them the shackle are straight up and down. I tend to build everything heavy, and with the 350 that is replacing the 4-banger, I am hoping that my angle will come out close to 45 degrees without having to slide the front any further.

Heres the rear spring mount: The bracket is cut from 3" square tube with 1/8" wall. Since I could only find 1/8" wall I doubled the wall near the bolts holes, so they are at 1/4". The gussets are cut from 3/8" plate, since the bracket is almost entirely beside the frame-rail, with only the corners actually touching.

Here is a pic of the other side's shackle mount:

I used the rear springs up front, but reversed them so that the short end is forward. The axle is mounted so that the u-bolts are directly below the old steering box mounts. I couldn't tell for sure from the pictures, but is this where some of the other SAS have came out to?

This is the first time I have done anything like this to a vehicle, and I wasn't sure which is the best approach from here, so I was hoping those with experience could help me decide:

1. Mount the steering box and draglink and then mount the motor to avoid clearance issues.

2. Mount the motor and drivetrain, and then setup steering and steering box to avoid clearance issues.

I plan to use 1/2 ton chevy springs for the rear FF 14 bolt. Which I have already converted to disc, replaced wheel bearings and seals, and welded the spider gears. I jut need to buy the springs before I can start on that.

then cut it down to this:

That's about what my frame looks like................. gotta love the rust belt :shaking: Project looks really cool so far. You seem to be taking a very unique route with your front bumper/shackle mount moveable design. Can't wait to see the finished pics.

[edit]Forget the pics. If you are in Ohio, maybe you could make it out to the Badlands sometime to one of our (mostly) Isuzu runs.
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LovelyWendie (http://www.lovelywendie99.com/)

Looks like a good start, but...

you need to do something about what you have done. The entire front end of your rig is being held on by 4 1/2" bolts and two 12" runs of 1x2 in an unknown thickness (I would guess 3/6" or even 1/8")? Not good. I would suspect that the tube you did use was not sleeved for the bolts. Again, not good. Your concept of bracket design seems to be strong, but your mounting and attachment to the frame leaves something to be desired.

You really should build a frame extension and mount the shackels to that. Then build a bumper to attach to the newly extended frame. Especially since you seem to be planning on adding a winch. The way you have it now is not very safe and it would buckle under any sideways force, and also under the general upward force it will see in everyday use.

Good Luck,
Michael

Looks like a good start, but...

you need to do something about what you have done. The entire front end of your rig is being held on by 4 1/2" bolts and two 12" runs of 1x2 in an unknown thickness (I would guess 3/6" or even 1/8")? Not good. I would suspect that the tube you did use was not sleeved for the bolts. Again, not good. Your concept of bracket design seems to be strong, but your mounting and attachment to the frame leaves something to be desired.

You really should build a frame extension and mount the shackels to that. Then build a bumper to attach to the newly extended frame. Especially since you seem to be planning on adding a winch. The way you have it now is not very safe and it would buckle under any sideways force, and also under the general upward force it will see in everyday use.

Good Luck,
Michael

Thanks for the honest feedback. I think you are right in that a frame extension would be stronger, but I think this setup is actually stronger than it appears. Here is why:

The bumber (with Warn 8000 lb. winch) I made and installed long before I began the SAS (visible in first pic.). At that time it was only installed in single shear, with the 4 bolts running through the outside OEM bumber brackets (I believe 3/16" thick). It was installed with the same square tube (which I am think is at least 1/4" thick if not 3/8", it was the largest thickness 1x2 avail. in any case). I had ran it this way for a long time in ignorence of how weak the single shear setup was. During this time I fully stalled the 8000 lb Warn in both straight pull as well as nearly completely sideway pulls. I have also slammed the front of rig down very hard (teeth jarring hard) multiple times on rock waterfall ledges. The mounts didn't show any sign of fatigue. Now that I am doing the SAS and the bumber is now also holding the front side of the springs, I added a 3/8" thick angle iron bracket to the inside of the joint to put the bolts into double-shear. I estimate that with the old mount the weak point was definately the thinner OEM bumper brackets, esp since they were single shear. I believe that with the double shear setup now, and using much thicker brackets, that the joint strength is probably at least tripled. Also the bolts are grade 8 and the joint is held by their clamping force.

The long extension would give the appearance of a lot of leverage from the suspension on the joint. I thought about this for a while, but then I realized that the actual force (from the axle) is actually behind the joint, and the length of the springs leverage is counteracting the leverage of the square tube. The spring and shocks will also absorb the energy as the vehicle bounces, and the instantaneus stress should be much less then what I had previously experienced with the bumper slamming down onto solid rock (with a weaker setup as well).

I also should add this this truck will never be driven on the street. I have no intention of making it street legal, nor driving it on any roadways were someone elses life is relying upon my work. I do plan to fully test everything in as safe as a manner as I can. If the joint does fail, the axle will still be constrained be the rear spring mounts as well as the shocks, and the suspension would simply collapse down until it hits the bumpstops. I can' see it failing in any way that would actually be dangerous to the dirver or others in the area.

If I am overlooking something, please let me know. I appreciate all feedback, both good and bad, thats how I learn.

Mark

That's about what my frame looks like................. gotta love the rust belt :shaking: Project looks really cool so far. You seem to be taking a very unique route with your front bumper/shackle mount moveable design. Can't wait to see the finished pics.

[edit]Forget the pics. If you are in Ohio, maybe you could make it out to the Badlands sometime to one of our (mostly) Isuzu runs.

Thanks!

Sounds like it would be fun trip, and I would be all for it whenever this thing is done and I get all the bugs worked out.

I couldn't find any pics of the ledges it had been slammed down onto, but here is a pic showing some of the forces it has seen in lateral direction. I simply un-tweaked the bumper tubes by chaining it to a tree strap and surging into it in reverse until the bumber was sort of straight again. This was all with the OEM bracket and single shear mount.

i dont kno man, dosent look all that safe to me.. Its one thing to have a bumper that can withstand holding up the truck, and its another to expect it to always have the weight of the vehicle on it and always taking the force of your truck when your wheelin.. I know it sucks man, but i where you i would cut all that crap off and start over... also i would reverse the shackles and put them in the rear of the front spring.. Search Shackle reversal on the web and youll find alot of info.. i dont mean to be the bringer of bad news, but ist better to fix in now then once the whole thing is back together..

Isotel