Spring Swap (1 Viewer)

[Beowulf]

The complete 4" Slee lift isn't finished. I still have some adjustable panhards and control arms and a few other bits. I will be using some special caster plates that I got from Landtank. It drives pretty crappy right now with no caster correction.

Panhards are in, HD relay rod is in, HD tie rod is in but I think it has to come back out.

Landtank caster plates are in and one control arm is hooked up. Left control arm hits the HD tie rod so it has to come out or I need to grind off 1/8" or so to increase clearance. Caster changed by 7* and front pinion angle will be close to 0*, maybe 1-2* at the most. DC front shaft is in.

-Mike-

 

[alia176]

Congrats Mike! Sorry I couldn't show up, Easter shin dig lasted until 7:30 pm on Sunday!

Couple of things of note:
-If you caster changed by 7*, then that may be too much rotation of the axle housing. I have somewhere around 3* and that's plenty. Anything more than that leads to a "heavy" steering and the rubbing of the front arm as you noted.

-with this much caster, see if you're "bowing" the front springs. If you have too much bow then you'll also end up rubbing the leading edge of the front bump stop lip. In any case, bowing the springs too much isn't a good thing in the long term.

- Since you're using a DC front DS, you don't want a 0* front pinion angle. That defeats the purpose of using a DC driveshaft. The front pinion needs to be angled so that it is directly pointing at the front T case output shaft flange.

Ali

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Stumbled on this-Your truck is looking good, both of you!

 

[Beowulf]

Congrats Mike! Sorry I couldn't show up, Easter shin dig lasted until 7:30 pm on Sunday!

Couple of things of note:
-If you caster changed by 7*, then that may be too much rotation of the axle housing. I have somewhere around 3* and that's plenty. Anything more than that leads to a "heavy" steering and the rubbing of the front arm as you noted.

-with this much caster, see if you're "bowing" the front springs. If you have too much bow then you'll also end up rubbing the leading edge of the front bump stop lip. In any case, bowing the springs too much isn't a good thing in the long term.

- Since you're using a DC front DS, you don't want a 0* front pinion angle. That defeats the purpose of using a DC driveshaft. The front pinion needs to be angled so that it is directly pointing at the front T case output shaft flange.

Ali

The front pinion is pointing directly at the front T-case. I think proper terminology that I should have used is a 0* drive angle. Basically, there is no "angle" at the front uni to pinion. Before the plates, we measured 8* at the front uni to pinion angle. The 7* caster change is correct. The final caster should be right in factory specs. I'll do a sweep later this week.

The caster plates straighted out the springs quite a bit. With no correction at the axle they were bowing.

I think the tie rod may be OK. The axle needs to pivot a little more on the rear bolt so that should give me enough clearance for the TR. If not, then I think a little grinding will take care of any rubbing.

-Mike-

 

[Beowulf]

Stumbled on this-Your truck is looking good, both of you!

Thanks Andy! I hope to spend a little more time with you and the Norcal guys than last year. It seemed like there was just too much going on and we kept missing each other. Are you guys staying at Slick Rock CG?

-Mike-

 

[Beowulf]

Well, the Slee 4" lift is now in and the truck drives very good. We ended up grinding a little off the top of the left arm. I will be surprised if the caster is not well within specs. No vibrations, no drive train noises. Gutless but smooth.

A great big thanks to Onur for responding to my distress call this evening. Wrestling with that front axle and those 95# control arms is not a job that I would choose to do again.

-Mike-

 

[OGBeno]

Well, the Slee 4" lift is now in and the truck drives very good. We ended up grinding a little off the top of the left arm. I will be surprised if the caster is not well within specs. No vibrations, no drive train noises. Gutless but smooth.

A great big thanks to Onur for responding to my distress call this evening. Wrestling with that front axle and those 95# control arms is not a job that I would choose to do again.

-Mike-

Mike's rig is indeed the smoothest big 80 series I've ridden in.

It drives like a Caddy!!

 

[Beowulf]

I don't want to clutter the registry thread so I'll say here that you could install those caster plates a lot easier in this pic than flat-backing it on the concrete floor in my garage.

-B-

 

[OGBeno]

Very True.

Very True.

Unfortuantely, I don't want to incur much more body damage--even to put some plates in....

;p

-o-

 

[Beowulf]

For Sale:

Toyo Open Country MT's. 35" (315/75R16). Used twice. Never off-road. Low, low miles.

Wanted to buy:

Michelin XML 325/85R16.
Normally used on the Stryker LAV below:

Will 38.7" tires fit on an 80 ? ? ?

Its a 38.7 x 13 x 16.
Striving for this result:

-Mike-

 

[OGBeno]

For Sale:

Toyo Open Country MT's. 35" (315/75R16). Used twice. Never off-road. Low, low miles.

Wanted to buy:

Michelin XML 325/85R16.
Normally used on the Stryker LAV below:

Its a 38.7 x 13 x 16.
Striving for this result:

-Mike-

And what did Connie have to say about this?

I can just hear it now.....





Do you know how high you are going to be with those tires? You will not be able to get that in your garage....then you'll really hear it....

 

[SteveLCetc]

Hey, those kind of look like Krawlers...

 

[Ruadhrigh]

I shouldn't be asking this...


how much?


I can feel the death rays from Molly already!


To make this more like 80's tech "will these rub?" or how about "will these look cool?"


but seriously Mike, I will talk to you about them tonight

 

[pappy]

how much?

Psssst. Rory. I think Mike's kidding. Really.

 

[cruiserdan]

Psssst. Rory. I think Mike's kidding. Really.

Fact. Connie would tan his hide............

 

[OGBeno]

Fact. Connie would tan his hide............

Yessir...that is correct sir!

[ in my best Ed McMahon voice ]

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Psssst. Rory. I think Mike's kidding. Really.

So was I...








unless he wasn't

 

[alia176]

Hide tanning is a great spectator sport...

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Hide tanning is a great spectator sport...

Speaking of which....



how was yours?



;p