Initial work should be done with the fenders on the vehicle. This will help determine possible interference points so they can be accommodated.
The motor/transmission can be left in the vehicle, but installation is much easier if they are removed.
Tack weld angle iron or tubing "spreader" pieces across the rails to keep the rails in position during the installation. These pieces should be above and below the frame so the sides stay vertical.
Position the car on jack stands with both the front and rear at ride
height The two side rails must be level when viewed from the front. Measure
from the ground to the bottom of each frame rail - these dimensions should
be the same on both sides if the ground and the frame are both level.
The basic steps to install this kit are:
- Measure front tire diameter.
- Establish spindle height.
- Block the frame at ride height and rake.
- Establish spindle centerline (front to back) location
- Box the frame.
- Locate and scribe vertical lines, on the inside and outside of the frame,
showing the spindle centerline location.
- Scribe a horizontal line, on the outside of the frame, showing the spindle
height.
- Scribe horizontal lines on the front and rear crossmember plates showing
the bottom of the frame relative to the spindle c/l.
- Scribe vertical lines on the front and rear crossmember plates showing
the inside and outside of the frame.
- Cut out the frame notches in the front & rear crossmember plates.
- Scribe horizontal lines on front and rear tower plates to indicate the
top of the frame.
- Scribe a vertical line on the front and rear tower plates to indicate
the outside of the frame.
- Cut out the farme notches in the upper towers.
- Position and install the crossmember and upper towers.
Locate the stock spindle centerline on the frame. This probably won't be the location for the new centerline because of the lower ride height, but it is a handy reference. Other builders will ask if you positioned the new crossmember ahead or back of the stock spindle centerline.
Remove the original vehicle's front suspension components and crossmember, steering components and related items.
The crossmember mounts with the steering rack on the front.
Establish the crossmember and tower location on the outside of the frame
(See Drawing 14300IN1 above).
To do this, position wheels and tires in the wheel well and fender and
roll them until the tire looks "right". The vehicle must be
at ride height and rake.
The wheel mounting surfaces should be at the appropriate distance apart
(kit WS14340: 56-1/2", kit WS14440: 58-1/2", kit WS14540: 60-1/2").
Put a piece of straight electrical conduit (or other round tube) through
both wheel centre holes to establish spindle centre line. The conduit
will roll to the bottom of the wheel centre holes.
Use a plumb line and a level to scribe a vertical line on the outside
of each frame rail. Put a straight edge across both frame rails and scribe
the spindle location on the top of each frame rail. Be sure this point
is the same distance from a common point on both rails. Centre punch this
line so it is easy to see.
The boxing plate should be about 5" ahead of and behind the spindle centerline. This will box the frame on both sides of the upper tower.
Cut out and install the frame boxing plates corner-to-corner as shown in the "Boxing" drawing. Longer plates will strengthen the frame.
Weld the boxing plates in place.
Scribe and center punch the spindle centreline on the boxing plates.
Measure from the ground to the centre of the wheel and tire combination you are going to use and subtract 1/2" as shown in drawing 14300IN2. This is the spindle centre at ride height and will be called spindle height (S) in this document.
S = ________
Note that this is the actual centre of the spindle. This point is the same for stock and dropped spindles.
With stock spindles, the bottom of the frame can be about 3/8" lower than the spindle height. With 2" dropped spindles, the frame can be about 2-3/8" lower than the spindle height. If you want the frame lower than this, use c-notches to clear the rack bellows.
With the frame at ride height and rake, scribe a horizontal line on the outside of each rail at spindle height ("S" inches from the ground). This line should be about 10" long (5" ahead and 5" back from the spindle c/l. If your spindle height is not on the frame rail, draw a horizontal line on the frame and make note of the distance from spindle height (it is easiest to use full inch dimensions). This amount will have to be taken into account when location the crossmember and tower notches.
C-notch clearance for rack bellows
If your frame requires a c-notch for rack bellows clearance, you can purchase
half round c-notch filler plates from Welder Series (part #213117). Use
the c-notch filler plate to lay out the cut needed after determining the
location and height of the c-notch needed. Scribe and centre punch the
cut lines on both sides of the frame. Cut out the marked sections and
grind smooth. Weld in the c-notch plate and grind smooth.
The stock spindle height will be at the horizontal part of the notch in the front and rear crossmember plates. If you are using dropped spindles, the spindle height will be 2" higher.
At a point 1-7/8” ahead of and behind the spindle location, measure from the bottom of the frame rail to the spindle height scribe line. Transfer these measurements to the front and rear crossmember plates. The notch in the plate is spindle height. Scribe a line across the front and rear plates. This is the bottom of the frame rail.
If your spindle height is below the bottom of the rail, take that into account with your layout. The front and rear might be different because of the frame profile or rake. However, both the driver and passenger sides should be the same.
Measure between the frame boxing plates, 1-7/8” ahead of and behind spindle location. Center these dimensions on the front and rear crossmember plates.
Cut out the notch for the frame rails.
The front and rear plates might need trimming to look neater in your frame. This can be done now by trial fitting and drawing cut lines. Remember that this is the front crossmember and must be strong. The crossmember should be welded on the bottom and side (usually inside) of the frame rail.
The crossmember can be welded into the frame.
Your kit has been supplied with 2 inner crossmember boxing plates that measure
3-1/2" wide. These plates have been cut extra long to allow for fitting in your application. Due to the configuration of your particular frame, the inner crossmember boxing plates may not contact the inner frame. In this case, it will be necessary to trim the inner edges of the crossmember plates to allow the boxing plate to weld onto the inside of the frame.
When trimming the edges of the crossmember plates remember to keep the edges parallel to each other, which will allow the flat boxing plate to fit without trying to curve it.
The upper towers are designed with anti-dive. There is a passenger side and a driver side tower. The high end of the tower goes to the front. The front side of the tower is installed 5/8" higher than the rear. This will produce 4 degrees of anti dive
.
The towers are 7" wide, and need to be trimmed to fit the frame. When the towers are viewed from the front, the top surface is inclined down towards the centre of the frame by 13 degrees from horizontal.
The bottom edge of the tower weldment is meant to be horizontal and the
inner edge is vertical to help in laying out cutting lines when trimming
the tower to fit the frame.
It is important to do some checking to be sure the upper control arms don't hit the frame. The stock control arms need about 1 1/4" clear below the top surface of the tower, front and rear, as shown above. Put your control arms on the tower to see how much clearance they require. Clearance can be increased, if necessary, by lowering the frame, by notching the top of the rail, or by cutting off the top of the frame and boxing it again.
Tower I.D. will be different for each of the 3 kits: 26" for kit WS14340, 28" for kit WS14440, or 30" for kit WS14540. To calculate the distance from the inside vertical surface of the tower, put your numbers in the following worksheet. Do a separate calculation for both the front and rear sides:
Frame rail outside dimension: __________
minus Tower I.D. for your kit: __________
equals: __________ Divided by 2 = __________ (Distance from inside edge)
Layout the vertical lines the distance from the inside edge. Cut out the notches in the towers.
After the towers have been notched to fit the frame, but before welding them, trial fit the coil springs. If there is interference with the frame rail, trim the rail as required.
Double check all of your measurements and dimensions before cutting the towers. If the front or rear tower plates drop below the bottom of your frame, they can be trimmed.
When trial fitting your towers, remember that the high side goes to the
front of the frame. Also, both towers should lean downwards towards the
centre of the frame. As a final check, the shock mounting holes in the
top of the tower plate should measure about 33-1/2" (kit WS14340),
35-1/2" (kit WSS14440), or 37-1/2" (kit WS14540) across hole
centres. This dimension is not critical because the slots allow some tolerance.
Your kit has been supplied with 2 extra long tower boxing plates that measure
6-13/16" wide. These plates have been cut extra long for fitting purposes in your application. Due to the configuration of your particular frame, the inner tower boxing plates may not contact the top edge of the frame. In this case, it will be necessary to trim the inner edges of the tower plates to allow the boxing plate to weld to the top of the frame, or to the edge of the crossmember boxing plate.
When trimming the edges of the tower plates remember to keep the edges parallel to each other, which will allow the flat boxing plate to fit without trying to curve it.
Weld the upper towers to the frame.