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Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:28 pm

^^ Like.

Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:56 am

That is bitchen man. I don't think there is anything more attractive than a slammed bay.
Slammed>Stock

Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:55 pm

Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

Myfresh70 - I checked your bus out, and man, sick as eff. Love the color combo and interior. I agree nothing like a slammed Bay or Split!

Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:49 pm

Boomjaggle wrote: Myfresh70 - I checked your bus out, and man, sick as eff. Love the color combo and interior. I agree nothing like a slammed Bay or Split!

No problem! Thank you! I just wish I could figure out the electrical issues so I can get it back on the road.

Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:51 am

Boomjaggle wrote: Alright, so I finally got my bus back!

Looks awesome. How many clicks down on the front beam is that? That's about the exact stance I'm going for.

Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:29 am

Just because its winter, changes for this year are a 5" narrowed beam and gloss black cookie cutters. I might drop another inch, we will see how it goes.

Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:14 pm

Boomjaggle wrote:

It looks SOOOOOOOOO much better! Nice bus! I have a similar bus that needs the same treatment.

Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:24 pm

From here...

To here...

Front beam was modified for 2 positions instead of using some cheapo adjusters, or the overpriced options. I figured that I want it Low or I want it stock. Why screw around with a bunch of "teeth". :lol:

2 teeth down on the rear spring plates for now until I weld up some plates. I hate the negative camber look. :cry:

Overall I am happy with the new ride height and the lower tire combo. :D

Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:44 pm

[quote="odecom5"] Boomjaggle wrote:
Looks awesome. How many clicks down on the front beam is that? That's about the exact stance I'm going for.

Thanks for the props odecom5! I looked underneath my bus and there are eight notches, mine is set on the 4th one down from the top. Here is a pic for your ref,top notch is a bit dark from flash/shadow, but you should be able to make it out:

It was nerve-racking prior to getting the bus back because I wanted the stance to be just right, asthetically and mechanically so there was no parts hitting the frame, tubs, etc. that would require a later adjustment. Plus, stance is so key in the over all look of these beauts!

Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:59 pm

[quote="ratherb-buggin"] Boomjaggle wrote:
It looks SOOOOOOOOO much better! Nice bus! I have a similar bus that needs the same treatment.

Right on ratherb-buggin, thanks!! It was KILLING me with the previous stance it had. Especially since the rear was sagging. And then prior to it being lowered it I threw on those 185-60's, and was just a hot mess with it's booty sagging and riding high in the front. So seeing her down low, with about an inch or so to spare between top tire and front wheel well is niiiiiiiiiiice!

Good luck with your bus keep us posted on progress!

Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:28 am

[quote="ratherb-buggin"] Boomjaggle wrote:

Looks good, thats about the same stance I have. My favorite year for the bay is '72, still lowlight with type 4 power and disc brakes. Mine appears to be a little lower in the rear(down 2 splines) and I have clearance issues with the axles and trailing arms hitting the frame, so I should raise it back up a spline or do some c-notching. I've been running it like that for about 2 years now and haven't had any problems it's just noisey, and I still use mine like it was intended. I load it down with parts and sell at swap meets, take the kids camping, have taken it on multiple 1500-2500 mile road trips,I've even hauled about a half ton of popcorn. These old things are tough and alot more reliable than they get credit for.

Most of those boxes were unpopped popcorn, so each one was about like a brick.

My biggest issue seems to be dragging the pitman arm. Anyone else have this problem?

Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:38 am

When my bus was really low the draglink seemed to take the most abuse:

Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:59 pm

Shaun Murray wrote:

Looks good, thats about the same stance I have. My favorite year for the bay is '72, still lowlight with type 4 power and disc brakes. Mine appears to be a little lower in the rear(down 2 splines) and I have clearance issues with the axles and trailing arms hitting the frame, so I should raise it back up a spline or do some c-notching. I've been running it like that for about 2 years now and haven't had any problems it's just noisey, and I still use mine like it was intended. I load it down with parts and sell at swap meets, take the kids camping, have taken it on multiple 1500-2500 mile road trips,I've even hauled about a half ton of popcorn. These old things are tough and alot more reliable than they get credit for.

Most of those boxes were unpopped popcorn, so each one was about like a brick.

My biggest issue seems to be dragging the pitman arm. Anyone else have this problem?

Thanks Shaun! Epic shot with popcorn in your bus! And the fact that you're using it as intended is that much sweeter, especially with 1500-2500 mile road trips. I hope to take ours on roads trips one day with the fams, but honestly the time I took it on the highway it was a pain driving it cause of potholes, etc. I worry that it might take a hole to hard to fast and do some damage. Then again like you say, these buses don't get enough credit with what they can do.

As of now I dont' hear any scraping, etc. on my setup, but like you pointed out you might be a bit lower in the rear. As the shop told me they threw on the horseshoe plates only and didn't make any other adjustments down.

Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:10 pm

steering box raise solves all sorts of issues 8)

Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:24 pm

Never seen a steering box raise on a bay window. Have more detailed pics?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:44 pm

srfndoc wrote: Never seen a steering box raise on a bay window. Have more detailed pics?

yeah one hardcore baywindow guy said he thinks i'm the first person that did it :lol: i just wanted more ground clearance, i really didn't care about being first :D

it wasn't as easy as a split raised box. you have to clearance above the frame rail for the box to come on and off once you raise it. if you look at the front inside nose sheet metal at the stock location of the steering box you'll see what i'm talking about. you basically have to transfer the recessed pattern up about an inch or so...otherwise you won't be able to remove the box once you complete the raise.

here's a shot of the box mounting point i cut off and modified:

i went ahead and boxed it all up to increase the strength as i wouldn't be able to add gussets to the top of it like the split window guys. likewise the top seam isn't fully welded, just welded in spots, so i completely welded it up then ground it smooth. i also put some heavy tacks on the inside of that seam upper for strength.

here's a shot of her welded back on:

you have to clearance the brake pedal some and the housing on the steering box where the shaft comes out....but it's not too hateful.

the best part of this raise is you only need a inch and a half to be tucking up above the frame rails and out of harms way. the second best part of this mod is the housing for the steering wheel assembly is pretty much exactly an inch and a half thick. so that means you simply cut and reweld the tabs like so:

the bracket that goes in and attaches at the third point under the dash just requires some rebending to line it all up.

and voila no more fearing road debris and sudden left hand turns :lol:

Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:44 am

^^^damn man you aren't messing around!!

That is some bitchin' work you got going on there! I love it. 8)

Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:53 am

Nice photos on the steering box raise. I've seen that done on splitty's but that's the first bay I've seen, looks good. Another issue I'm having is dragging the front beam, especially the center pin. At first I was mostly dragging the factory (stock beam) end plates, so I cut them off flush with the tube. Now the center pin is the lowest point on the beam. I'm currently doing a '66 bus with almost exactly the same bumper height as my bay. I used flipped spindles on it and the link pin beam has about 2.5-3 inches more clearance from the ground to the center pin. It must be tube spacing on the link pin beam. Anyone else dragging their center pin?

Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:20 pm

Shaun Murray wrote: Nice photos on the steering box raise. I've seen that done on splittty's but that's the first bay I've seen, looks good. Another issue I'm having is dragging the front beam, especially the center pin. At first I was mostly dragging the factory (stock beam) end plates, so I cut them off flush with the tube. Now the center pin is the lowest point on the beam. I'm currently doing a '66 bus with almost exactly the same bumper height as my bay. I used flipped spindles on it and the link pin beam has about 2.5-3 inches more clearance from the ground to the center pin. It must be tube spacing on the link pin beam. Anyone else dragging their center pin?

Link pin is shorter and gives more ground clearance. To solve the problem you can convert to link or do a beam raise.

Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:50 pm

drumming123 wrote: ^^^damn man you aren't messing around!!

That is some bitchin' work you got going on there! I love it. 8)

thanks! i've been following the build thread on your splitty. that thing is coming along nicely...whenever you want to trade i'm game :lol:

darn shame i didn't score your highroof bay as she would be getting this treatment right about now 8)

Shaun Murray wrote: Nice photos on the steering box raise. I've seen that done on splittty's but that's the first bay I've seen, looks good. Another issue I'm having is dragging the front beam, especially the center pin. At first I was mostly dragging the factory (stock beam) end plates, so I cut them off flush with the tube. Now the center pin is the lowest point on the beam. I'm currently doing a '66 bus with almost exactly the same bumper height as my bay. I used flipped spindles on it and the link pin beam has about 2.5-3 inches more clearance from the ground to the center pin. It must be tube spacing on the link pin beam. Anyone else dragging their center pin?

thanks!

one thing you might be able to do is cut off your center pin housing, flip it, weld it upside down to your upper beam tube, and then reverse taper your steering arm hole on the pitman arm so you can run it flipped. it would get that off the bottom of your beam....but it would be quite a bit of work to accomplish and i'm not 100% sure if it would all work with the beam spacing. i'm running a raised beam setup on my bus and i had to do something similar to make my steering linkages work.

or mild ball joint beam raise as turbo stated. there's approx a 2in difference in beam tube spacing between a ball joint and link pin beam iirc.