[bowmans_army]

well made it through airborne school now i can jump out of airplanes for the army im about 30 days out from moving to North Carolina for the rest of my training so im trying to get the 55 completely mounted to the frame need to do the front core support and the bed but first it needs 4 linked so i started that last weekend and here are the pics.

frame after i took the leafs out and the leaf spring brackets







then i cut the frame off for my first idea of what i wanted to do with the back half of the frame only to conclude that im just going to keep it the same so i didnt have to cut it in the first place but cant change it now just drive on



i then started the c notch it looks big but the bottom of it is one inch off the original frame rail all the notch material is 1/4 i got for free from work gotta love my work









here it is with the bed on since the 90 frame goes up in the back and the original does not i am going to have to raise the floor in the bed now by a foot but that will give it a lot more room for a fuel tank and air tanks



you cant really tell in this picture but the pinion is pointing right at a spot about 3 inches up the front bed plate because of the raised motor and tranny so that trans tunnel i built will come into play for the drive shaft



here is were i shortened the bed at turned out great



here are the pics of the truck with the bed on its right at ride hight about 6 inches off the ground









that was all i got done last weekend my wife was sick and i had to watch the baby

so far this week end i built the 4 link that is going in it and man i have to tell you i wonder why i just don't buy things sometimes what a pain it took me a good half a day worth of fabrication to build this thing but it turned out nice everything is 1/4 have it all set up to get installed tomorrow axle frame and brackets all ground and ready to weld thats all my progress as of now need to get this on it own 4 feet so i can move.



the links are 1.5 inch DOM 1/4 inch with cromolly hiems the pan hard is going to be 2 inch DOM 1/4 inch with polyurethane bushings.





all bolts are 5/8 GRADE 8



it is getting welded in not bolted the holes are for extra welds im also going to brace it with some DOM





there will also be a bottom part to the cross member that i will have to measure for when once i have it in



and in case you are wondering the rear end is a simi float 14 bolt 3/4 ton axle it is a C clipped 9.75 i think ring gear 6 lug rated for the light duty 3/4 tons they also come with 8 lugs its a strong axle