3-link, Airride Gen2 Lightning build.
 

Well here is the progress so far on my life wrecking, psychosis inducing buildup of my 2002 SVT Lightning.


Bed off and all the hangers cut off, shocks and leafs removed....what a PITA

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3107.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3109.JPG

Ahh fabrication fuel....

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3117.JPG

leftovers anyone?

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3121.JPG

Temporary home for the bed.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3123.JPG

Starting to clean up some of the rear frame.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3125.JPG

The start of the plates for the 2 lower arm frame mounts.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3133.JPG

Lower arm axle mounts coming together

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3137.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3138.JPG

Frame mounts mocked up, these will get fully boxed and bolted down with 5 5/8" grade 8 bolts.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3139.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3140.JPG

Made a plate which bolts to the front hitch holes to hold the 5 gallon airtank and the pair of compressors. And if I ever need to I can still mount up the trailer hitch.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3143.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3144.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3145.JPG

To the right are the rear upper shock mounts I made, next to the ones my buddies in Canada sent me.


http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3148.JPG


Talk about A damm complicated bracket to build, this is the thrid link bracket, which will bolt to the crossmember over the gas tanks on the passenger side.


http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3159.JPG


http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3160.JPG


Started stripping and prepping the rear axel.


http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3166.JPG

The crossmember for the watts link coming together, it was rather tricky because the framerails get closer to eachother the farther back you go on the frame.


http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3169.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3170.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3171.JPG

The rest of the watts link buildup.


http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3172.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3173.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3176.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3178.JPG

The watts link cross member and the two from lower arm mounts all painted up.



http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3182.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3193.JPG



Lower and upper link mounts are on the rear axle!!

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3199.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3200.JPG

Little hackery on the frame for the teenie tiny notches I will be making.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3209.JPG

Front frame mounts bolted on, and with 5/8" grade 8 all the way...and they tie into my Kenny Brown X-factor.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3203.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3204.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3211.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...d/CIMG3212.JPG

Tube for one of the link bars, cut to length and drilled for plug welds, threaded inserts moked up, and a finished and painted link bar.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3linkbuild/2/008.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3linkbuild/2/011.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3linkbuild/2/012.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...2/CIMG3221.JPG


The watts linkage, just need to build the clamp on axle tube mounts next week.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3linkbuild/2/021.JPG

Some of the prep done to the airlines to armour them up, all airlines covered in techflex braided sleeve and fully wrapped in 3M super 88 electrical tape.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...2/CIMG3229.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...2/CIMG3230.JPG


Gave a little love to the axles with some paint.

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...2/CIMG3234.JPG

http://www.lightningmod.com/images/3...2/CIMG3236.JPG