Who would be interested in seeing a M715 dovetailed in the front bed is bobbed already but i amgoing to narrow the whole bed by a foot. im placing 16in coilovers on it front and rear with fourlinks massive joints and links. im just gauging the interest on this thread. it is already a hardcore trail rig but im just wanting to up the ability to take it on tighter trails by doing this. let me know if you all would like to see a fullbodied m715 that is a really a rock buggy with full sheetmetal.

Thats pretty much what mine would look like if I still had it.....but i don't so lets see yours! :bounce:

If you build it they will come......

Been there, seen it, truly a work of art! Wicked truck 4 linked would be the extreme beast man!!!!!!!!

Well, quit bragging about it and let us see it.:D

[IMG]http://picasaweb.google.com/ashleyfmcdonald/2008Pictures#[/IMG
dont think my links are posting right. can post them on here if i email them to you

[IMG]http://picasaweb.google.com/ashleyfmcdonald/2008Pictures#[/IMG
dont think my links are posting right. can post them on here if i email them to you

You have to do each individual picture not the whole album. Truck looks great!

Here you go

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TE18GmX4gAU/SalZ0u5op8I/AAAAAAAAABY/i1qxmWPV8KI/s640/2008%20Pictures%20326.jpg


http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TE18GmX4gAU/SalZ4f0LB_I/AAAAAAAAABk/e3dDzQGpbYk/s640/2008%20Pictures%20327.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TE18GmX4gAU/SalZ9_IxHfI/AAAAAAAAABs/Q5Jy4ZNj1XY/s512/2008%20Pictures%20328.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_TE18GmX4gAU/SalaBGAQs4I/AAAAAAAAAB0/ZFWRdNLPQyY/s640/2008%20Pictures%20329.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TE18GmX4gAU/SalaFzs3p4I/AAAAAAAAAB8/Vvq7JF6xEZY/s512/2008%20Pictures%20331.jpg

i think me and the plasma cutter have a date for next weekend for some fun times trimming the m715. ill post some pics as it goes along. any suggestion on how best to dovetail front should i was thinking of moving headlights to inner spot instead of where they are now. and taking the rest out. that sould be around 8 to 10 ins per side what do you guys think

does anyone know the formula for the proper link setup. ive seen it somewhere but can't remember where. im trying to make sure it works properly and doesn't bind for maximum articulation and ride comfort.

does anyone know the formula for the proper link setup. ive seen it somewhere but can't remember where. im trying to make sure it works properly and doesn't bind for maximum articulation and ride comfort.


uhh....well there are kinda alot of variables involved with that. 4 or 3 link? Alot of it comes down to clearance and what you can make fit given other constraints. A triangulated/reverse triangulated 4 link would be ideal, but you need to make sure you can make it work in your front end depending on your ride height. Search around for other rockwell link builds and you can pick up a good bit of info.

does anyone know the formula for the proper link setup. ive seen it somewhere but can't remember where. im trying to make sure it works properly and doesn't bind for maximum articulation and ride comfort.


Lucky you, I see a lot of reading in your near future. I would suggest searching "4-link calculator" on this site. Use that to set up your links.


http://mysite.verizon.net/triaged/fi...rLinkV3.1d.zip <----EDIT added that for you, which is what I assume you were looking for.


I dont think you should make that date with your plasma cutter so soon, give yourself at least a week or two to research the proper set-up including, but not limited to:

-link material
-joint selection
-3 or 4-link
-anti-squat
-anti-dive
-roll axis
-center of gravity
-spring rates
-shock valving
-triangulation
-vertical seperation
-link length

and so much more.

Good luck, love the truck, cant wait to see it on coilovers!

working on dovetailing it over the next week or two ill keep posting pics as it goes on. also narrowing the bed at least a foot. the bed with end up the same width as the frame.:beer::beer:

macm715 are you located in watuaga

located in tennessee.

Your bed looks to be in good shape. Why not sell it on the M715 zone and get a bed that already trashed?

thats the reason im narrowing it to keep it in better shape. the fenders are already dented i just starighten them out after the rides. and it is already bobbed as well so i wouldnt really gain anything by doing that. but thanks for the input.

I'm down and subscribed. I've gotta a '69 M715 that I'm about ready to dig back into and finish all the newby mistakes I made. Love the idea and look forward to your progress... You're gonna be my guinea pig...:p

i always ready to see another one cut up. mine is no where near that serious of a wheeler, but i have done a few mods to it.

i am interested in seeing the dovetail.

Ryan

What motor are you running? Is that a fuel cell in the bed? Any thought about propane?

i ran propane for a while and didnt really like it. i have more power on gas and its i can fill up anywhere. i ride lots of places that dont have propane avalible. i had to carry three tanks and thats just to much extra crap to deal with. thats a 22gallon fuel cell

i ran propane for a while and didnt really like it. i have more power on gas and its i can fill up anywhere. i ride lots of places that dont have propane avalible. i had to carry three tanks and thats just to much extra crap to deal with. thats a 22gallon fuel cell

My fear with propane too...availability.

I have a bobbed '67 M715 that I am getting ready to put a AMC 360 into. Will be watching this.

Will be nice with a dovetail ..... Keep posting pictures. I loved those trucks ... since i'm in canada, and they are rare, mine just keep all his sheetmetal around ... but running on rockwell and street legal. Can't wait to see your progress. It should make a nice buidlup to follow.

had to do some farming over the weekend so still working on the sheetmetal work. try to keep people posted on the progress.

should i just use a custom leaf spring from deaver, national or alcan. what is everyones thought. it would be alot cheaper and simpler. does anyone run them on here and if you do how well do they flex and how strong are they. i am bending springs every once and a while. what would benefit me more. i like the simplicity of the leafs but want more flex.

IMO - I really wish I would not have spent the coin on my National Springs. Well made springs - multiple thin leaves, but...

The M715 was my first real truck that I worked on and I made a lot of mistakes and spent a lot of money I wish I had not. This was the wrong vehicle to pick as my first wheeling project:(. I am now WAY more competent as a fabricator and builder and my knowledge base has been expanded...

If I were to do it over (I will use the National's for now) I'd have selected some Chevy/Ford/Dodge leafs that were longer and flatter. I'd have made a custom spring perch in front and redone the hangers in the back. The front M715 springs are pretty short in length and I could have gotten a WHOLE lot better performing spring from doing something else.

However, if you want to keep the stock hangers, etc. - the custom springs will do a pretty decent job. The rear Nationals flex so well (I'm still using the "inverted" rear hanger - sorry the correct name escapes me now) I had to install limit straps from the rear frame side to the shackle to keep them from overextending and flipping the shackles into a "locked" position (that only a crow bar can remedy)...

In the rear, I wish I'd have done a shackle flip and added a boxed spring hanger (instead of the stock single shear spring mounting bolt).

ive already modified my spring mounts to acomidate longer springs. the front is still shorter but im bending my spring that i made for it. just lookin for a flexy solution to the bending problem. my front springs dont have much travel and would like to get more travel out of the rear. has anyone here used alcan or deaver. i would like to get some oppinions before i drop the coin for them or coilovers.

ive already modified my spring mounts to acomidate longer springs. the front is still shorter but im bending my spring that i made for it. just lookin for a flexy solution to the bending problem. my front springs dont have much travel and would like to get more travel out of the rear. has anyone here used alcan or deaver. i would like to get some oppinions before i drop the coin for them or coilovers.

I'd post up in the General or Toyota (beware I'd search first) as a lot of Toyota guys run Alcans. Heard great things about them. Did some business with the Deaver guys - great company, pricey, but good. No personal experience though with thier springs - just related parts. Last I heard when I was living in So. Cal 3 years ago is that National Spring in San Diego had gone out of business (?).

All these guys can build you a spring to meet any criteria you've got. But a flexy spring from them will typically consist of many thin leaves - maybe not the best since you're bending springs.

Question is - why are you bending springs? Some more information and pics will help us diagnose the problem. Being you want flex you will compromise to some degree of strength. If you're bending springs I'd first guess set up or use issue.

Bumpstops properly set up, jumping/hard use? Pics of how your existing spring mounts and shackles are mounted... Details on the springs your made/are using? You mentioned you have already modified your front hanger - maybe pics...

i ride hard core rock crawling. i hit stuff pretty hard sometimes. im lookin to find someone that can military rap 2 or three main leafs. my issue is when im hit it hard it stesses my main leaf and bends it a little it may just be a soft metal that was used in these springs. also i know i need to upgrade my shocks cause right now i have el-cheap-oos. that would help when im bouncing around and running it hard with a little more control over my springs.

we use deaver, and have great results.

how do you like the ride. does it have good flex and how strong are they. can they hold up to some abuse. how much are they for a good set. im trying to price things. have they been good as far as durability goes.

we use them on customer rides. i personally have not had a set of them on my vehicle. My buddy Drew had them on all four corners of his Burb (cover of petersons oct 05 i think) and they flexed extremely well and the ride was great. he also used them in the rear of his f-150 pre runner.

my M715 has rancho 2.5 inch lift springs for an 85 k30 in the front and the rear are stock kaiser issue. i am too cheap for the deavers. i plan on redoing the rear suspension in the future and at that time i will likely use deavers.

deaver has always been good to work with anytime we have got springs from them. i am sure the price will depend on how much spring there is in the pack. i think the set of 4 we used on an m715 for a customer (not stock 715 length) was around 1400 for the 4, but i can't remember that far back, it could have been more. if you want to go that route, give them a call and have some specs on hand when you do along with the use of the truck, and some weights front and rear, etc. they will help you out deciding what you need for how you want the truck to perform
Ryan

thanks for the info on them.

how long are the 2.5 in ranchos you used. do they ride well. are they military wrapped on both ends or just the fixed end

the ranchos are 46 3/4" with the weight of the truck on them. my truck also has a 454 and nv4500/205 so there is a little more weight than a stock m715, but pretty much the same as the chevy they were made for. i like them because they can be replaced with off the shelf parts and the springs are nicely built. they do not have the military wrap. another nice thing is the price. i paid like 215 for the pair plus freight. considerably cheaper than custom springs

i havent driven the truck yet, so i can't report on the ride, but they are considerably more flexable than the stock 715 springs

Ryan

will try to have pics posted by end of week or weekend on the dovetail frontend and narrowed bed. :D

you always have fun with a plasma cutter:D

almost done with the frontend. try to post pics as soon as possible. still have to finish hood. the hood will be on hood pins when done. took almost a foot out of each front corner and tappered it back to firewall.

almost done with the frontend. try to post pics as soon as possible. still have to finish hood. the hood will be on hood pins when done. took almost a foot out of each front corner and tappered it back to firewall.

Let see some pics. :)

just about everyday i can work on it its raining and this is an outside project try to keep you posted. looks like sunday will be a dry day and should have most of it complete. ill get some pics and post. im trying to get it ready for trailfest.

Where are the pics?????

IiI was thinking of dong the same with my frontend (moving the headlights inboard and dovetailing the fender/hoon in)
How did this build turn out??
Please post pics