Target carrier (4 Viewers)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

I bought some Ruff Stuff Toyota knuckle gussets and looking at my FJ 55 front end my current shock mounts occupy the same realestate as these new gussets.

I’m thinking of having some gusset/shock mount made and I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad idea, I think there has to be a reason I can’t find anyone currently making these for sale.

Can anyone see a reason these will not work?

New-shock-tab.jpg
 
I'm guessing you'll make some type of hoop for the upper mount.

If you're out boarding, have you considered lowering the lower shock mount, possibly a stud to the back side of the housing?

Ive already installed the Ford towers and I'm married to this shock tower combo now.
IMG_20131009_212031_441_zpsf52135a9.jpg




I'll call dibs on the RS gussets, before they hit classifieds, if they're for the 80 knuckle ball.

I've got a 105 housing that could benefit from.


If I get new ones made I send you the RS gussets.
 
JMack,

If you do make the new ones and would want to sell a set, I'm in. Someday, on my redo list, I'd like to move my shock mounts. Your design is perfect for that.
 
I will talk to my guy on Tuesday and if he has time to burn a set out for me I'll have him make an extra for you.
 
Setting spring perches to the factory width but I added 10° to the pinion angle.
Width.jpg




Employed some farm technology and used the tilt on my forklift to set the -2° that mirrors my front springs then set the caster for +4°


farm-technology.jpg
 
I stole my wife’s driveway drag to make a temporary housing straightener, no reason to cut up a good piece of I-beam for a one time use. I used a 10 ton porta-power with a 10,000 PSI gauge so I could monitor how much I was pushing on the housing and with a little heat the long side was easy to straighten. The short side was about 3/16” off before I started to weld the perches and probably ¼” after, it took all 10 tons and a lot of heat to straighten but both side are perfect now or at least within a 1/32”
Porta-power.jpg



Picture showing short side before welding.

short-side.jpg
 
Booger welded the knuckle gussets/shock mounts now just waiting for the rebuild kits and new steering arms.
Knuckle-gusset.jpg
 
Hey, I'd be proud to call those welds mine. I always worried about warping the housing, with too much heat. Any truth to that.
 
The housing definitely warped when it’s welded but the jig helps control it some and preheat then welding short passes helps too, I’m guessing it moved about ¼” plus.

I welded all my root passes then straighten the housing to within a couple 1/32” or close enough that the end housing spuds would slide in with little or no effort, then attached the gussets and put a second pass over my root welds and the housing only moved maybe another 1/32” so now it takes some effort to slide the spuds in. I will straighten again tomorrow and don’t expect it to take much.



This is the process an old timer taught me back when I was in high school narrowing 9” Fords and is the only way I know to do it, my buddy has a high dollar four wheel computerized alignment rack that will check every angle and let me know if its correct or not.
 
I made a little progress.

I installed the hydro boost and the ball valve parking brake.


Testing the park brake on my 100 yard berm.



ARB uses all metric pipe fittings and I wanted to run braded lines for the airlines so I converted them to #3 JIC so I could run standard brake lines.



#3 JIC bulkhead.



Pressure testing, I replaced all the ARB O-Rings with quad-rings.



Some 4X4 Labs goodness, one ton tie rod ends and 25mm chromoly pins and bearings for the knuckle pivots same size bearings as the Dana 60 pivot bearings.

 
Last edited:
J Mack,

Nice setup. I don't like the idea of the blue airlines, either. Not sure why I punted and used them anyhow. Tell me about these quad- rings. I know the o- rings can be problematic.
 
Ron,

My idea is to get rid of the all the British standard pluming the ARB uses and the bulkhead in the third member was the hard part for me to find. Now that I have standard JIC coming out of the third I will run a standard rubber or braided brake hose to a standard welded bracket on my frame then use DOT airbrake lines to some MAC valves. This should be easier for me to get repair parts for and be a more durable system.

Quad-rings from McMaster Carr, I can’t remember the third size but I’ll dig up my order if you need it.


"With four sealing surfaces, you'll get twice the sealing protection as standard O-rings. Also known as Quattro Seals and X-rings, double-seal O-rings are symmetrically designed for sealing on the ID, OD, top, and bottom. This reduces the amount of force needed to create a positive seal, increasing seal life and reducing maintenance. All meet ASTM D2000/SAE J200.

Buna-N is used in oil applications. Temperature range is -40° to +250° F. Durometer hardness is A70. Color is black."

http://www.mcmaster.com/#90025k461/=sekalz
http://www.mcmaster.com/#90025k517/=sekavi


FYI; All my stock ARB o-rings leaked.
 
I can only speak about my junk and the O-rings that were in mine looked like the cheap harbor freight rings.

On a whim I decided to pressure test my locker before I installed it and I’m glad I did, I had assumed that the factory rings would be good and for the little amount that I plan on using the lockers I would get years of reliable service, as it turns out I was wrong and now I believe I have better rings and they should be trouble free for my life time.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom