Ocell

The bug continues to bite. I just ordered a new passenger side half axle, brake shoes, wheel cylinders, and the brake drum spring kit to rebuild the rear brakes. I also put my money in for a WabFab bikini top.

I'm going to take the Zuk mod coils out this week and see how low the rear sits to see if I can figure out how I want to progress.

Ocell

I know I was talking about re-gearing with autolockers and all that down the road, but vasinvictor posted a deal for 4.88 third members that I couldn't pass up. Ended up getting both the front and rear... they're out of a V6 so they'll be beefier too. I think I'll leave the diffs open for a while and focus on getting my suspension set up to keep my wheels on the ground.

I'm looking forward to keeping up with traffic on hills, getting better fuel mileage, and crawling slower. And now when I get new tires I can consider 33".

Ocell

Tonight I grabbed some coil spring compressors from AutoZone and worked on getting the coils out of the rear.

You're exactly right. Once I got them out I found a tag with a Chrysler logo that says 128AB. They are front springs from a Wrangler with a larger engine. I've spent a little time trying to find their spring rate, but no luck so far.

Here's the truck with the coils in:




Here it is after the coils came out and I took it for a spin around the block:





I forgot to measure rim to fender before I removed the coils, but the measurement afterward is 11.5". I've got 16" wheels, and I'm measuring from the top lip of the rim.

The measurement from the top of the front 16" rim to the fender is 13.5". It got dark before I got a chance to mess with the torsion bars. I know there's a thread here with people listing their stock measurements. Time to find that so I can lower the front end back to stock height. Then I'll see how much I need to lift the rear and look at options.

daved5150

iTrader: (1)

From the pics eyeballing it, it only looks like you lost no more than a total of 2" I would say. Good job on picking up the 4.88's.

Outsane

Stand on the coil, take a measurement
measure with out standing on the coil..
stand on scale

then its just lbs/in a little conversion factor and you can find out..

note this does not work with progressive springs.. the black magic springs do not looks progressive..

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Hey man..... RIGHT ON! Lots of nice work! Keep it up, and I'll read through more thoroughly as I find time, as well

Outsane

what size are your tires?

Ocell

265/75/16

A tire calculator I used said that works out to 31.6".

I'm trying to modify things with the goal of getting 33" tires eventually.

Ocell

I'm tentatively putting these OME CS009R rear leafs on the shopping list: http://www.trdparts4u.com/scripts/pr...dproduct=-8690

It wouldn't be for a month or two. Re-gearing this month drained the toy budget faster than I planned on.


Can this thread only be renamed/moved by a MOD? I think it has become less of an intro thread and more of a small build thread.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Wow, ... 195$ or so? Doesn't seem too bad for a pair of leaf packs! Can't remember what Toyo Paid.... Have to look back. I've been entertaining slapping some packs in.... BUT, I want more travel(droop and stuff)... sooooooooooooo, .... not sure what I'll do just yet.. But getting close to biting the bullet one way or the other.

Luvmeye22re

I'm the same way but laying under a cold wet truck in 10F weather is probably the ONE thing I can't stand about winter. I like working on my rig in a pair of shorts lol. When I worked in an auto shop for a short time we did work on a plow company's fleet and needless to say, lot's of clutches, brakes, and other odds and ends laying under a dripping wet frozen truck We had a heater but it didn't work very well....

Ocell, your springs aren't too bad but you'll be really happy with those OMEs if you go that route. I had the full 2" kit on my 84 4runner and it yielded me close to a 3 solid inches over stock in the rear, and my springs weren't too bad. I was able to run 35" MTR's on the rig with extended shackles front and rear (but it was a rust bucket and I was very very liberal with the cut off wheel, sawzall and hammer). I think total the rig lifted about 5" with the combo.

Again I have to say, nice truck. Makes me miss my 1st gens. I do love the coils in the rear of my 2nd gen though It cuts down on Kidney damage to some extent lol

Ocell

Yeah, seems like a great price. I think taking those coils out and putting in the OME leaf packs will get you more travel. To get more droop you'd need longer springs, right?

Ocell

Yeah, they're not too saggy, but I wonder how much of that is from them not settling yet. They've probably had those Wrangler coils in there for a while.

The thing I'm trying to be careful about is I don't want to raise the rear too much since I'm IFS in the front, and it doesn't seem like lifting the front is very easy/affordable. I've already got BJ spacers, so I'm really trying to level the rear out. If you got 3" of lift, the OMEs may do the trick.

Ocell

Thanks to Ruined Adventures' build thread over at Expedition Portal [thread link] I think I found out where my tires came from.

https://www.treadwright.com/p-61-265...dog-m-t-e.aspx

Two of the tires on my truck are very low on tread and VERY loud on the road. Two are in fine condition, and I have a spare in brand new condition. I'm thinking of grabbing one new tire from this site and swap one of the worn out tires with my spare. That would be a fairly cheap way to get a few more thousand miles out of these tires.

I was pricing 33" tires, I think I'll be waiting a long while before that happens. Unless I go with 33" Treadwrights...

snowshredder555

Scribed...I do have some input on the springs, lockers and tires. Just read the whole story but will wait to post a full reply till I get my computer back up and running. Looks like you're doing things right though...

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Hey mang...

Yeah, I'm sure it would to some degree.... But my travel isn't bad on uptravel.... Just maybe a couple more inches max on that end, 2-3 more droop.... But hey, who's trying to limit things, within reason, right? lol....

Actually, yeah, you can get more travel with longer leaf packs like 63 Chevy's... BUT, you can increase it just by getting longer hangers. I don't wanna go crazy... but I know doing hangers and this pack would be VERY nice on the increased travel and MOST DEFINITELY on the ride being softer. Again though... I'm not dogging the Zuk mod... it's done me well so far/..but I never stated it was for good, ya know? I believe the Rancho's I have on now might be limiting me to some degree as well... I have to FINALLY look that up and see what they're for exactly/what the dimensions of 'extended/compressed' are, ya know? Plus, they're not the softest shock around... They do last though, i'll give them that much for the money type props, ya know? haha.

Yeah, I thought you knew the Guard Dawgs were Treadwright stuff.... I must have missed you asking/looking into what they were, sorry. And yeah.... 'Good reviews' and seemingly decent life/longevity... And they work off road ....... And for like 500-something$ to the door for 5 31GD/MT's.... not bad

Best wishes, man.... watching and excited for ya.... it's coming together nicely!

Ocell

I got the front jacked up a few minutes ago with the intentions of checking the torsion bars. Unfortunately, I don't have two open ended wrenches large enough to break the lock nut free, the whole thing would just spin. I'm also a little perplexed by how things are looking... the adjustment bolts for each side have a VERY different length of thread poking out the top. (Even though the truck seems to sit level left to right. Maybe the torsion bar is compensating?)

Right side:


Left side:



So I put everything away until I do some more research and make sure I do things correctly. My floor jack also can't quite pick up the entire front and get the tires to clear, so this will be easier if I grab a taller jack anyway.

Ocell

Thanks! I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

Thanks a lot. I appreciate all your feedback and experience.


My new half axle already came in from RockAuto, and my new diff thirds with the 4.88 gearing should be here Tuesday. Unfortunately it's supposed to rain next weekend. It may be Sunday until I tackle getting the thirds in. I've also got rear drum brake parts to swap out.

snowshredder555

NP brother...
As to the torsion bars...on my 90' they were different lengths as well. I counted threads when I thought I was close and then just measured from there...outside lip on front quarter panel wheel well to the rim..keep your measuring method consistent from side to side and turn to turn till you achieve the desired ride height. Also, my initial break loose was with a 1/2" impact and a wrench on the top bolt and soaked with PBblaster everyday for about a week. Once i had the bolts out, I cleaned em up with a wire wheel and put molylube to keep em free for future adjustments. Oh yeah...try a block on your floor jack to get it up in the air...I had 35's with the 2" BJ spacers and was barely able to get day lite when jacking...just 411 for what it's worth...

As to the springs...if you know what your weight is loaded for trail duty and unloaded for DD purposes you should be able to call Deaver springs and they'll put a pack together for you...might even get you in the ballpark for when you do the SFA. (Solid Front Axle). And the computer is still down...typing on the phone SUCKS!

One more thing...brakes first...gotta stop ya know.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

22mm, btw... the nuts/wrenches needed. Wish you were a neighbor... I'd be right over! hahaha...

YES, SOAK THEM^^^^ !!!!!!!! I'm in SoCal, no rust, ...STILL pretty frozen, Ocell..... First I got my 26"-1/2" drive Breaker and an Impact Socket onto the bolt head on bottom......... Then put a rubber band, double twist, onto the bottom of the top Nut.. This kept my top 22MM Wrench up there so I could work my MADNESS, Muahahahaha! LOL... jk... I then made sure the breaker was as close to the frame(whatever it was) as possible, jacked up my jack with a 4x4 on top of the cup against the breaker bar/socket, to hold it on... I then took my 3# Sledge, cuz it doesn't take much leverage/momentum, to start breaking the top nut loose. Once I got it to TURN, and I KNOW it was turning, not stripped, lol.... I soaked it a lil more, then went up or down depending on what I wanted. I also went back and forth, side to side til I had it just right... Didn't take long,... You figure it out quick.

Checkin in