Finishing my Beater-to-Badass Build

So, after a Long awaited "END" to my hiatus... I have decided to start-to-finish- my 96-2wd-wanabe- Yoda. (yoda bc its part puke green and small and wide lol)
I bought the truck for 2500 a year or so ago and bought a used TC LT kit which my buddy and myself installed i have been easy on it up until this point and i NOW want to build it from Beater-to-Badass...lol any help would be greatly appreciated and i hope to be able to attemp to keep up with the big boy builders soon. lol Now for some pics....lol

 

Badass! congrats dude

 

^thankyou! now i just need to know a few things like 1- are spindles really worth having? 2- what direction i should go for my rear end..? maybe linked or cantilever? or just deaver with shackles and smoothies and save the money?

 

UP-DATE: so i ordered 16" 2 tube bypass piggyback fox shocks for the rear and i plan on ordering all pro springs for the rear as well (unless some one on here can change my mind) also doing a SUA setup and i will be in need of some SHACKLES for that... i can gusset them myself. ALSO- will the AP springs bolt right up to factory spots? or will i need to fab those up when i put in the rear shackles? any thoughts? p.s about to do a rattle-can paint job to those ugly green fenders....

 

UPDATED ONCE AGAIN! (p.s I cant find my Build on the Build threads... how come?) New paint on the fenders... a rattle can job... but better than what I had before! haha

 

Looks like your running the older TC kit with the stock lower ball joint brackets. Trade in those lowers and get the newer solid one piece. I've seen plenty of guys snap those lower brackets.

 

Trade in??? Or is it even possible to gusset the lower brackets?

 

Under 1st gen builds

Which AP springs?
And if you're going to get LT leafs then you'll have to weld on new hangers.

 

Now ive hEard that the OLDER style TC LT kit comes with a weak Lower arm connection from the arm to the spindle... is there anyway i can gusset or strengthen it w/o having to order new lowers?

 

bump on the front LCA question? and also, UPDATE: I am purchasing Deaver f55's and shackles. to start the "REAR LONG TRAVEL" portion of my project.... I am begining to see the benefits of BUYING a previously done toyo truck, vs. building my own... lol

 

I am to the point where i want to either borrow a tube bender... or just buy one... havent looked into prices thought

 

Yes, I thought that after I finished my truck. But I like the fact I made it, makes me proud to drive it.

I just bought a draw-through tube bender. $450 for the bender and $400 for the die set. I'm pretty sure it would be cheaper down there, since I bought mine up in Canada but its a ballpark.

 

I've seen a few guys mill out a block of 4130 and created a replacement bracket. Other than that no other options. Hit up Total Chaos and see how much new lowers cost.

 

hmmm very interesting! ok new question... anyone know of anyone who has put an LCE engine, into a 96-newer? same engine mounts? Smog legal? in Ca? i am reaching over 240k on my motor and im ready to start thinking about a conversion/ rebuild. but i would like to get little more power (maybe High performance motor.) but im not sure rules about smog ect... anyone have experience with california dummy green thumb laws?

 

SO.. as a temporary ride-softening technique i want to install the rancho 9000x shocks in the back with my stock springs for now... any one have any experience with these? or has a RECOMMENDATION on what shocks to install on my truck?

 

^scratch that idea. im gunna stick with billstiens for the rear... just for a little while. lol I see DTF does great work for fabbin me a bumper.... DTF bumper in the future for me? that is... is he'll make me one that will bolt up