55.2-59 1956 Do I need to notch?

[dsraven]

I looked on the local classified site for some cheap or free tires and found some that still have decent tread (so a real idea of actual size and look can be had) and when I get the truck done I will buy some new ones. since i have been working on the current build for a few years now, between other jobs and projects, a new set of tires could be outdated by the time I am done. I have also seen builds where the owner has bought new wheels and tires in the current fad but when he was actually ready for the road, after several years in the build stage and trying not to get welding slag etc on the new wheels, the fad wheels were not in vogue anymore and a new set of the current fad wheels were ordered.
have you decided on a MII kit supplier? some are better than others and there are questions to ask about tubing wall thickness, ball joint quality (I had some that the rubber boot was simply a push on affair and when the suspension was moved the boot didn't fit the space it was intended to so the inner part of the joint was exposed, might as well not have a boot), steering rack quality, brake component quality, are the rotors a one off or what was the donor vehicle, does the crossmember have a lower control arm bushing pivot shaft fitting that goes all the way through or just enough to hold the ends of the shaft on the front and rear side of the crossmember beam, are the upper control arm brackets part of the crossmember or is it a bunch of components that need to be strategically placed in order to have the whole thing function properly, etc etc. some crossmember kits have the upper control arm pivot built into the crossmember so that takes care of a lot of measuring, fitting, figuring etc. check scotts hotrod site for a look at one of that style
https://scottshotrods.com/front-stee...d-weld-on-ifs/
others give you the parts to weld it all onto your frame along with a vague diagram of what it should all look like. no mention of the antidive angle check, exactly where the centerline of the upper part meets the centerline of the lower part, etc. some upper control arm pivot shafts are held onto the frame and adjusted with T bolts in a slot, others have an upright bracket incorporated so a shim is placed between the shaft and the bracket for camber and caster adjustment. these, in my opinion, are the better set up becasue hitting a pothole is not as likely to adjust your alignment where the t bolt style is able to move, under heavy load, in it's mounting/adjustment slot. guys with the T bolt style will , of course , disagree with that concept but why not buy the best parts you can when those parts have to be welded in. once in they are there for the duration.look at stabilizer bar sizes, how they mount and adjust, shock mounting and how they incorporte them for optimal operation, brake rotor diameter and what generation of vehicle they came from,most are from a '70's vehicle unless you purchase a larger diamer brake kit with better, dual piston calipers etc.
for the rear axle, being a ford 8.8, you may be better off just grabbing another complete axle assembly from a wrecker with the posi, axle diameter and spline count you are looking for. again, check the ranger station site for lots of info on the 8.8. a disc brake set up with the top hat park brake and stabilizer bar, with the rear section of driveshaft for future consideration (unless you plan to swap the yoke for a regular style u joint) came pretty cheap at pick n pull. the stabilizer bar was actually off a tranger not an explorer. when you're there you could also check the suspension snubbers on different vehicles to see the different configurations and materials. like siad, the stepped snubbers from an s10 work well. they actually touch and start to absorb shock before the axle comes close to the frame and are made to do that. an avalanche I had used the same theory and sat on the snubbers a little when at ride height.
on my current build I am using the frame and suspension/driveline from a gmc envoy. big brakes, discs all around, factory 4 link rear with a factory air bag option or coils, strut style front suspension with upper and lower control arms, set up for ls engine or 4.2L inline 6 atlas engine with auto and 4x4/high-low and all wheel drive option. large factory fuel tank inside the frame rails, exhaust system readily available for the aluminum block higher output LS engine, etc etc. i could go on if you want. pm me if you want some more info. a frame swap is not for the faint of heart though.