While we was doing that, I was in the other shop setting up the frame. Everything was still in a pile in the corner.
Started by making 12 access holes in the bottom of the rails. There are 4 on each side for cab mount bolts, 2 on each side for bed mounts.
Next I set the rails right side up and bolted in the rear crossmember. I needed to build a temporary spreader bar that bolts on at the front bumper location to maintain the proper width at the very front.
Once the front and rear were tied together I found that the center needed to be spread about 2 inches to maintain proper width so all the cab and bed mounting holes. Porta-power to the rescue.
The aluminum thing is called a tram. It's used to diagonally check holes in the frame which let's you know it's square and not diamond shaped. Also note the braces I have tacked to the bottom to keep it in place once I got it where I wanted it.
Once everything was verified square and level it was time to lay the Xrails in position and trim the ends so it fit between the rails.
Final step was tacking in the front crossmember. Needed to be square, level, and tipped up exactly 1*. The old guy is my wife's grandpa, Rusty.
So, when I quit at about 9pm it'd been about 12 hours in the shop. Measure, adjust, measure, adjust, tack, measure, repeat. At this point everything is firmly tacked in place. It's absolutely square and within 1/8" of level front to rear. Not bad for an 80 year old farm truck. I have to work on Rusty's Sable in the morning but after I get done with it I'll jump back on the chassis. Updates to follow.
