Z-ing frame

yeah seth i meant to put 1.5 inch z maybe bad or maybe my maths just that fucked up today

so that pic. shows it level with the rest of the frame or level for the bd?

Originally posted by andyb2600i



so that pic. shows it level with the rest of the frame or level for the bd?

Level? What? Its just a dropped frame horn on a Nissan.

The front crossmember doesn't need to be level with the frame, its just the crossmember under the oil pan that needs to be lifted to the same plain as the bottom of the frame rails. The front crossmembers on most trucks tend to sit higher than the bottom of the rails. As long as you use the calculation Seth provided you will be fine doing your z.

If you're z-ing a mazda you can move the bottom of the front x member an inch above the bottom of the rails to get the front laying on 18's without adding drop spindles. If you do this you will have to modify the centre link for your steering and rework the steering shaft from the column to the box a bit. You will also need to fab up a new under engine x member that drops down an inch to clear the oil pan. You can still lower the motor 3/4 of an inch to clear the hood with a bd to the rockers doing your z as I've outlined.

It sounds like alot of work but it really isn't. Its deffinitly worth it in the end because it saves buying drop spindles and the trouble that they cause(they push your track width out in the front 1/2 inch or so which can be the differance between a set of wheels fitting or not in some cases. We are preping my friends mazda for this surgery right now so I'll try and get some pix up when I can.

we just cut the horns with the bumper still on, then bodied the truck, then put the fenders on and bolted the core support back up to the fenders, then lined it up and welded it back up. I wanna say it was about 1 3/4" Z, dont quote me on that

Ya, cut the horns off, reweld and gusset them. I wouldn't cut the whole front of the frame off, didn't look structurally sound at all...no offense.

Originally posted by ascension11



Ya, cut the horns off, reweld and gusset them. I wouldn't cut the whole front of the frame off, didn't look structurally sound at all...no offense.

Most trucks need the entire front frame to be cut off and dropped down. Mazdas are the only ones I know that don't really need it. On most trucks your radiator will end up stuff into that crossmember. Theres nothing wrong with cutting it off.