new project 87lux dumpdAUS

hey gang,
im from Australia I am picking up my first truck tomorrow an 88 single cab hilux whick I am going to attempt to bag...I am probablly going to need alot of help with this so I thought I would set up a project thread where I can post pictures of my progress and ask all you guys questions when I get stuck.

I am an aprentice welder so I think I should be ok with the fabrication etc..

First off I will be starting off by baging the rear from what I have read the first step is to notch the chasis...Im pretty sure on how to do this I just need some rough dimensions eg.. what size to make the notch? how thick material I need to use? and how to measure up the notches to get them aligned over the axel properly?

These may sound like stupid questions but you have to start some where any help would be great. thanks!

well you could either buy a 8 peice notch kit, or make your own out of plate or 2x2 or 2x3 boxtubing. basicly you dont want a notch with thinner material than the frame. i would suggest .25" or 1/4" plate or 1/4" wall 2x3 box tubing... thats what i use for my notches... and for the math involved you want to lay frame on the biggest tire/ rim combo you plan on using. i leave 1/2"-3/4" ontop of that to lay rollpan if you hit lift the front and air out the rear. but i believe that axle is a 3" diameter so if your running 18"s with a 35 series tire, say the tire is 3" wall on it... so you devide the total hight of the tire and rim (24") by 2 and add half the diameter of the axle )1.5") to that and add 3/4" for clearance to that and that is how high the bottom of the notch need to be to lay compleatly out. and there is also the math of getting your est. grount hight when bagging a truck cause i doubt most of us bagg our rides flat on the ground w/o jack stands...

thanks for the help that maths helps me alot prob be only running 17's...It confuses me a bit because its in imperial lol... when I come to weld my notches on how do I line tthem up over the axel...

are you 4 linking it or running a monoleaf? you could find the center of the notch and tape a string with a washer or nut on the end of it and use it like a pendulum and then make shure it points to the center of the axle and your notch is level to the truck, but you should make shure your axle dosnt walk forward when your rear suspension compresses... then tack, mesure, and weld

well picked it up today I pulled the tray off it which I will be getting rid of and quickly made some brackets for the tail lights so I can get around for the time being!....just looking at it the brake setup is mounted to the chasis right about where the notch will be does this have to be relocated? mulisharider I am going to use a three link...

thats a clean lookin runner right there man........ man what i wouldnt give to have right hand drive on mine!!!

DAMNIT...i love those parklights...i want a set of those so bad and those wheels are bad ass..what truck do those come off of...and size?

Nice.

they come off a ford territory and they are 17s....they are very common over here on luxes because you can pick them up for next to nothing!...I am getting mine powdercoated black...

I wanted to start my notch this weekend but I dont know if I am ready yet I dont want to mess it up...