New life for an old pig...

[Lucy_FJ55]

Did a bit of running around today. Purchased a chunk of new 3/8" steel plate. Purchased a 23/32" bit, which was the closest (slightly larger by a smidge) I could find in town to an 18mm drill bit. Purchased a couple standard size bolts for the shackles as well. Brought the material to my local 4 wheeler/fab shop and the owner hooked me up. I came back in a couple hours and the plates were finished along with a couple spacers for my custom shackles. I'll spray bomb them black, bolt them up tomorrow and they should work well.

Pic of the fabbed shackles, plates, spacers, and hardware. Original shakle palte at bottom left used as a template.

Also purchased a small, plug-in garage heater. Its cheap, but I hope it helps...

Now, I'm hoping I can get the driveshafts sorted out. May have to swap 'em. Worse case; would mean shortening or lengthening the rear driveshaft. We'll see.

 

[PabloCruise]

Cool!

If no one is selling 55 shackles, maybe you could market your design?

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Cool!

If no one is selling 55 shackles, maybe you could market your design?

Hee, hee. On it... Coming soon, along with some other interesting developments...

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Got a little more done on the swap today. I was finally able to remove the last stubborn shock on the front end of the Princess. I also removed the two front shocks from the Trail Pig. I ended up installing the relocated rear shock mounts and then installed the rear shocks on the Princess Pig. I loosened all the nuts on both front driveshafts in order to swap the long travel front drivesahft into the Princess Pig. I am still not sure if I will be able to reuse the rear driveshaft as is. Still trying to figure that out...

Also installed the front springs after I spent the day prepping/painting the new shackles.



Took the time to slap some primer and a couple coats of paint on the shackles I had made locally.

Here are the extended anti-inversion shackles installed on the front end of my rig. They look great and should work well too.

Glam, close-up pic...

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Last pic of the day. I was about to finish the u-bolt flip on the driverside front spring, but realized the top half of the perch on the axle had to go! I get to grind it off tomorrow. Yay.

The flip kit won't work with this in the way...

 

[FJ40Jim]

The pictured welded piece is not part of the spring perch.
It is a bumpstop extension that is tacked onto FJ55 frt axles.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

The pictured welded piece is not part of the spring perch.
It is a bumpstop extension that is tacked onto FJ55 frt axles.

Thanks for the clarification Jim! I appreciate it. Obviously, there is no worry if I remove it then, correct? The other rig had it removed as well. I will double-check bump stops after the lift is all set up and ready to flex. Cheers.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Gettin' there...

Started the morning grinding away on the axle. Removed the bump stop brace. Ground it all down, primered it, and then shot some black paint to finish it all. Then I finished up a few more things...

Piece that had been removed...

Front end buttoned up...

About done!

I have a couple tasks left to finish. I need to reinstall the rear driveshaft, swap long travel front driveshaft in, and then bleed the brakes. Oh, and I have one last stubborn bolt to remove from one of the short ends of the sway bar left on the rear axle.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Looks like your u-bolt flipper makes up for the missing bump stop, FTW.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Looks like your u-bolt flipper makes up for the missing bump stop, FTW.

Exactly what I noticed too! Pretty simple/slick design actually. I really like the u-bolt flip kit. Makes wheelin' that much easier. I will still eventually flex it all out in the garage and take some measurements, etc.

 

[PabloCruise]

Looks like it will be close clearance getting her out of the garage!

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Looks like it will be close clearance getting her out of the garage!

I KNOW! I have been laughing about that for the past few days. I was not sure if it was going to be able to make it easily out of the garage. Now that its back on its own wheels, it looks like I'll be able to eek in and out of the garage.

My wife, of course, openly wishes that it won't fit in/out of the garage, so that she can finally park in it.

I'm eating a bit 'o lunch, then I'll bleed the brakes. Should be ready to roll soon! Can't wait.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Brakes are done!

Barely eeked it out of the garage. Just fits.

I still need to remove the short section of the pesky rear sway bar. And I need to install the steering stabilzer. Unfortunately, the steering stabilzer does not want to come off the other pig. Its half off, but the other half won't come loose. I've been wailing on it with the small sledge and pickle fork to no avail...



She drives... like a lifted Land Cruiser.

Sways a little- catches ruts in the road, the mudders hum a tune, the steering moans a bit more... I'll keep an eye on everything for awhile.

I'll need to upgrade the steering real soon. I plan to install new tie rod ends and rebuild the center arm. Eventually I'll get to rebuilding the front axle too.

Pics to follow!

 

[PabloCruise]

I KNOW! I have been laughing about that for the past few days. I was not sure if it was going to be able to make it easily out of the garage. Now that its back on its own wheels, it looks like I'll be able to eek in and out of the garage.

My wife, of course, openly wishes that it won't fit in/out of the garage, so that she can finally park in it.

I'm eating a bit 'o lunch, then I'll bleed the brakes. Should be ready to roll soon! Can't wait.

I was laughing b/c that is something I would do - lift a Pig in the garage, only to be stuck in there!!!

That is funny about your wife openly wishing it will not fit...

 

[PabloCruise]

Brakes are done!

Barely eeked it out of the garage. Just fits.

I still need to remove the short section of the pesky rear sway bar. And I need to install the steering stabilzer. Unfortunately, the steering stabilzer does not want to come off the other pig. Its half off, but the other half won't come loose. I've been wailing on it with the small sledge and pickle fork to no avail...



She drives... like a lifted Land Cruiser.

Sways a little- catches ruts in the road, the mudders hum a tune, the steering moans a bit more... I'll keep an eye on everything for awhile.

I'll need to upgrade the steering real soon. I plan to install new tie rod ends and rebuild the center arm. Eventually I'll get to rebuilding the front axle too.

Pics to follow!

Congrats!

When you say it drives like a lifted Cruiser, does that mean you are not crazy about the ride?

Go 60 series PS!!!

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

I was laughing b/c that is something I would do - lift a Pig in the garage, only to be stuck in there!!!

That is funny about your wife openly wishing it will not fit...

She likes to give me crap about the Cruisers, but she is really quite tolerant.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Congrats!

When you say it drives like a lifted Cruiser, does that mean you are not crazy about the ride?

Go 60 series PS!!!

Well, I have been planning to say something about the lift/performance after I had more time to drive it, etc., but how about some first impressions...

I think I need to address some of the issues I've noticed before I blame the lift. I really dig the lift and all the benefits that come along with it. The lift has just highlighted some of the weak links...

The steering is a bit wonky. I have to really pay attention or it will wander all over the road. I'm sure the lack of a steering stabilizer and big 'ol tires has a bit to do with this. I still need to remove the steering stabilzer (its being stubborn) from my other pig to install on this one. I also plan to sell these tires and install some 33x10.5's which should help. I should also rebuild the center arm and replace the tie rod ends soon to help address all the steering issues.

Yes, I have thought about the FJ60 upgrade, hope to be able to upgrade to it on this pig someday.

The brakes work well after the extended SS braided lines and bleed. The pedal feel is more firm, but now it makes my clutch seem even more mushy... I'll deal with that some day soon also. I was worried that trying to stop the bigger tires and lift would suck. Brakes actually seem to work well, but I'll eventually replace pads, etc.

The stance/height is great. The shackles are just beyond vertical and will most likely settle slightly with weight, etc. which should be about perfect. I hope to take a trip out to nearby dunes this weekend to play some and that should give me a much better feel for how everythiing is working out.

Do I like the lift? Hell yeah. I have had this lift on my old Trail Pig for years and I've always liked it. It works well, but I have a couple other issues to deal with in order for the overall ride to be improved on this pig. Basically, all standard stuff that one should address when doing a lift like this.

 

[tucker74]

I went from 33x12.50 MTs to 33x10.50 BFG ATs on my 40 and it made a night and day difference on the on-road manors you're talking about. You might consider them if this is going to be a DD/Expedition rig, the steering stabilizer will help some as well.

Looks great man!

Tucker

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

I went from 33x12.50 MTs to 33x10.50 BFG ATs on my 40 and it made a night and day difference on the on-road manors you're talking about. You might consider them if this is going to be a DD/Expedition rig, the steering stabilizer will help some as well.

Looks great man!

Tucker

Thanks for the advice Tucker! I am definitely selling the 33x12.5's and going to a 33x10.5 tire. I have not quite figured out which tire yet to go with. Of course I dig the newer BFG mud terrains and they make them in the size I want, but I am not convinced its the right tire for me or this rig yet... I would love a tire that is slightly more aggressive than BFG's AT tire. We'll see.

 

[Lucy_FJ55]

Couple poser pics of the lift and tires. I finally was able to install the steering stabilizer after removing it from the Trail Pig. The steering is a bit better, but I decided to take advantage of SOR's sale and order new TRE's and a center arm rebuild kit. I'll let folks know how that all goes...