ATTN Hightide: AAL before & after pics

[Spook50]

Figured I may as well just make a post so others can see the difference as well.

Before:

After:

Shackles are still stock length, as are the shocks. Only thing to make a difference in height is the AALs. I'm stitting I figure about 1" higher than factory new, and my springs were sagged about 2", so I gained about 3" (give or take) height overall. the AALs combined with poly bushings make for a pretty siff ride, but it's not uncomfortable.

And the el cheapo brush guard is long gone

 

[FJsixty2]

wow, that looks like some gain from AALs. did you go with the short AALs?

 

[Spook50]

wow, that looks like some gain from AALs. did you go with the short AALs?

Nope, went with the full length after a few guys said the shorts made for a WAY uncomfortable ride. I took the after pic just a couple days ago, and did the install back in December, so that's allowing for a few months' worth of settlage.

 

[PAFJ]

Looks good! Clean cruiser. What size tire are you going to run?

Where did you get the front seats?

 

[hightide]

Fawkin Sweet Dude!

Im definately going with AAL. That Looks like at least 3 inches.

Gracias Amigo Spook!
Stay Safe.

 

[Spook50]

Looks good! Clean cruiser. What size tire are you going to run?

Where did you get the front seats?

Right now I still have the stock sized 28" tires. I need a new set soon so I'm going to throw on a set of 31" BFG Long Trails (buddy is selling me a set for 50 bucks) just to get me by until I can afford a better set of tires (Long Trails don't like to leave the pavement from what I'm told). The seats came from an '88 Mazda MX6. $17 from the junk yard, $400 to have brackets designed and fabricated

I still paid less than I would've for just one Recarro seat though

 

[zmontgomery]

wow, thats a huge improvement. How long did the install take you?? and how hard of a job was it? I've been considering AAL's for a while now. --Oh and I have the Long Trails, and they go very well, whether they are on or off the paved road.

 

[lovetoski]

The seats came from an '88 Mazda MX6. $17 from the junk yard, $400 to have brackets designed and fabricated

I still paid less than I would've for just one Recarro seat though

Dude,

You've been cranking through the mods, for sure you can do the brackets yourself! Thanks to a tip from Doc, I was able to, and it was cheap. Check out the pics...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=35558&highlight=seat

Tools needed are a drill press, hacksaw, file, hammer, various wrenches, tape measure...profanity optional.

Lift looks awesome by the way! Nice work.

 

[High Desert]

Man, that looks great. Thanks for posting them up. I'm all over that.

JON

 

[jsimmons]

looks great!
where'd you get em and how much?

 

[baldredhead]

so Spook

did you keep the rubber isolator setup areoung the leaf packs? how far is the C part from touching the spring plate?

 

[Spook50]

so Spook

did you keep the rubber isolator setup areoung the leaf packs? how far is the C part from touching the spring plate?

I keot it until I installed the rear discs, but that quarter inch between the spring pack and axle was preventing me from being able to install the caliper pins, so I had to remove 'em. I haven't noticed any adverse side effects from removing the isolator assembly.

Doug, nice work on those brackets. I would've tried to make my own, but I didn't have any access to scrap metal or a welder at that point, so it was better for me to have mine made.

jsimmons, I got the AALs from Man A Fre for 40 bucks a pair (so 80 bucks to do all four packs).

 

[baldredhead]

ok, so the clam shell is still there just the rubber is gone? how did you fill the gap between the large hole in the spring perch on the axle and the spring center pin?

 

[Spook50]

ok, so the clam shell is still there just the rubber is gone? how did you fill the gap between the large hole in the spring perch on the axle and the spring center pin?

Nope, the clamshell is gone too. When I was reassembling my spring packs I sheared the center pin (overtorqued it) so I ended up using a long grade 5 bolt that had the same shank size, and the head of the bolt fits perfectly in the hole on the spring perch. Originally I hat to cut some of the rubber away so the isolator assembly would fit over the spring.

 

[baldredhead]

gotchya, thanks for the info