Builds Camo's build thread - 2F to 2UZ (2 Viewers)

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5/8 bore, 5/8 shank.

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Yeah, that's way too small. The only issue with 7/8 heims are that there isn't a lot of meat on the steering arms. I am using a 5/8" bolt with some sleeves i machined to make up for the bore difference, but that's just because of the heims and misalignment spacers I had at the time. Ruffstuff sells all the parts so you can have a 7/8" shank heim and 5/8" bolts without additional needed parts
 
Heims are definitely cost effective. One day the truck may go that route. Gonna see how the 80 ball joints last at first.
 
@bush and I gave the truck a good study last night and the result is that I've decided to push the truck to a longer term project and make it right again. There are too many details that need to be corrected to be able to enjoy the truck on the trail. As is, I'll forever be guessing about noises, breaking u-joints, and I don't trust the front end over 30 mph much less to the trailhead. So yeah, here goes another Mud thread on fixing a mehhhh-SOA.

Current situation:
  • Steerage: the current heims are too small, draglink-to-tie rod relative angle is bump-steer city, and the high steer arms are too short... So Marlin's high steer kit is on the way to get the show started.
  • Springs: will go the usual route - rears to the front and 63s out back. Probably going to have some frenching involved to get the weight down.
  • Front axle: C&T is happening to remedy the quick-n-cheap problems - like <8" shock travel due to unmodified OE u-bolt plates being used. One of Ruff Stuff's kits are on the way to help this.
  • Drive shafts: Front DC shaft is OE length - gonna have it lengthened. Rear axle was rolled up for pinion clearance - great idea except they didn't put in the req'd DC shaft. That'll happen this time.
  • Tires: she'll live at 35s. Easier to find cheap, and less likely to start popping the driveline fuses.
But she runs, drives-ish, shifts and stops. I'll take what I can get. Until next time...

You are making the right choice. Dont rush it, do it right the first time and you will actually be able to enjoy it. Its a solid platform and there are a lot of good parts there but it needs some love to un-sketch it.
 

Saving for future reference.
 
Steering got a nice upgrade with Marlin's high steer set-up. I opted for an 80-series pitman I had lying around rather than the arm they include to gain as much clearance as possible from the drag link while still missing the frame. The extra arm length helped steering feel considerably.

Before:
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All the lights were DOA. Got that fixed.

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Found a fair bit of burned wiring thatll need replacing to get other circuits back. 30 amp in a 7.5 radio? Thatll work... no copper left in that burned supply.
 
Thanks, @Bama4door, I might be interested. I'll see how this 8274 fits my cut up one first. I'm probably going to have to start from scratch up there, and if so, that grille may come in handy.
 
Small battles... now it has all reqd lights and a slight face-lift.

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Might get it tagged next week... we'll see. I'll need 7 smart-ass digits to put on the tag, or else its getting the el cheapo antique plate.
 
Keep the bumper. Add the 8274. Looks way cool.
 
Couldn't stand the smell of cats, rats, and God-knows-what any longer so the shop vac, drain plugs, and hose pipe came out.

So much better. Can stand to sit in it for more than a turn around the block now.

The passenger side wiper wasn't working. Turns out it wasn't secure on the stud, so that got fixed.

A few small battles need fighting before tearing into the SOA, so next up will probably be a radio. Gotta have some patience building tunes before dealing with the DMV...

The afternoon's progress:

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Flexed it out to see where everything lands as is. Pretty telling:

The fun part, sooo twisty...

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Pitman and drag link are too friendly here...an extra 2.5"of bumpstump ought to help here...

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Axle needs to move forward an inch to give 37s a fighting chance...

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Passeger side isn't floating, and the drag link is getting close. Might need to limit that a bit here...

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Keep the bumper. Add the 8274. Looks way cool.

I really like the tube bumper, and it's welded to the frame very well. But the 8274 won't fit even if the grille is removed. The notch in the grille was made to accept a Warn XD frame and to get it as far back as possible, so the depth of the 8274 is way too much to fit. Dammit. Something will be done there...but that's for later days...read on below.

More beers were had, more ideas were spit-balled, and plans have shifted again...friggin' scope creep...the 2UZ will go in this one instead of my daily/wheel-able 60.

Logic being:
  1. 1st and foremost - our group is planning a trip to run some of the bigger Cali trails in '22 (think Dusy, Rubicon, etc). This one has good bones to build on.
  2. This one already needs driveshafts to correct driveline angles, so that money was already budgeted in
  3. The A750F's deeper first gear and the oversized ATF cooler I'll be adding will let me push the 4.88s out to another day and save a little cash while this one gets beaten on and improved for #1
  4. This thing is already gutted and rough...if I mess up a hole placement, who cares
  5. Swapping the engine before the SOA correction will help get the suspension particulars correct for the SOA re-do
Gonna let a local fella listen to the engine before he buys it, then it'll come out. Here's hoping for progress there this next week. Until then... :steer: :cool:
 
Saving for VSS reference

 
Headed in tomorrow for registration and a fuel tank replacement under recall. Can't wait to see the folks in the dealership when this thing rolls in haha.
 
Had some DMV fun today.

Registration lady: What color is it?
Me: Uhhhmmmmmm. Camo?
Rego lady: *peeks around the computer and over her readers* That's not an option.
Me: Hmmm. There's a lot of tan...
Rego lady: Tan it is.

Didn't have the tag I wanted, but $31 to register a truck ain't bad. At least it's legal to drive to the dealer. Fuel tank time. Let's see how this goes.
 

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