Final Update
Since my original install I have been still working with my plates. A while back someone suggested an update so here it is.
First, I wasn't entirely happy with the out come from Slee's 4" springs and from Grrr posts that seem to point to a need to incorporate front pinion angle into the caster equation to help avoid this.
The Slee front springs basically raised the truck 3", if they were the same length as the 850Js I think they would be ideal.
After measuring my pinion angle it was slightly higher than what the specs call for and more caster correction would help this.
My caster was read at about 2.4* so at the present height there wasn't enough room in the caster range to really get the pinion angle to where it should be. SO I decided to install the 30mm spacers that MAF sells and then add an additional 2* of correction to get everything in sync.
Not wanting to pull the knuckles again to drill the plates I investigated using a Milwaukee right angle drill. As it turns out this was an acceptable idea provided I had the correct length drill bits to allow the drill to be put in place and still have enough throw to drill the plates. What was needed was a set of drills 5" long to drill the outside plates and another set 7.5" long to pass through the outside plate and then drill the inner one.
The last issue was what to do with the already drilled plates that was on the truck. I had originally thought that they would be a 1 time use item. As they say "necessity is the mother of invention" and I finally realised that I could mimic what I had already done. I found some 5/8" round stock at Home Depot and had plugs welded into the plates so that they protruded in the same way as the original plugs. Even though the holes in the axle bracket were in a figure 8, these plates had the same plug shape.
So I put in the spacers and drill another set of holes at 7* of correction. The results seem great. The pinion angle is near perfect and there is about 5/16" of clearance between the tie-rod and the front arm.
Attached is a couple of pictures showing this.
From taking some clearance measurements I think that 8* would be the upper limit that these plates can offer then some light grinding would be needed. So since I'm at the practical limits for my truck I'll be having the plates permanently welded in place onto the axle.
Lastly I have upgraded the hardware to frame bolts. These had a washer style head on the bolt as well as the nut and are very corrosion resistant.
