NW WA Meet / BS Thread

This corner, way sketchier with 18" of wet snow on it.

 

I recognize it now without all the white stuff everywhere.... I bet it is....

 

Took me a few runs to get up it

 

Finished cleaning up the axle by installing the All-pro u bolt flip kit.. @northwesttaco . An extra step in preperation for the BAMF shock relocation buckets that are in the mail. I needed to adjust my bumpstop height up about a .5inch. The new top plate just filled it enough. If anyone is in the process or considering doing a Dakar or leaf pack install then spend the money on a flip kit and not respend like I just did by just getting longer u bolts. You will save yourself an easy 60 bucks and gain clearance. Buy once, cry once...

 

I've herd that before, I hope you have much better luck with them than I did.

 

How so?

 

what's your shackle angle, doesn't look like you have much droop left in them?

 

About 30-35 degrees. I'd like to get 45 but then I loose payload. I can always readjust them later after i do a camping trip with the wife and kids and the tons of shit I bring. I just don't want to drill extra holes in the frame if it's not needed yet. I talked with @ARCHIVE after I installed it. If I remember he said the angle is fine.

 

OK, it took me this long to figure who the "F" is Honeybadger and why the hell does that person have Polyalexblahblah's photo?!?!?

 

@utroda are you running Dakar or expos?

 

I waited nearly six months for mine and Jerry kept insisting that they would be shipped "soon" after six months, when I finally got him to return several phone calls, he said he shipped them several weeks ago and I must have got them. They never showed up and he refused to do anything about it. I had what I now feel is a much better relocate setup fabbed by a local guy and am happier in the end, except for the fact it took many months and I'm out a bunch of cash.
My experience with them was the worst, others here have had decent luck, the inconsistency sucks though.
On a side note, I got shafted by Glassworks too. Looks like I'm out roughly $1600 on a complete order of front fenders and rear bedsides. Lawyer looking into it and says I'll be better off eating the loss, multiple lawsuits going on right now for people trying to get refunds. I ordered in June!

 

What about putting airbags on? The trick for the Firestone ride rite is getting an aftermarket, custom piece to use for extra height to account for a lift and shackle flip. Keep at least 5psi in at all times and it also can be your bump stop. Add more weight in the bed, pump the airbag up more and level out.

 

Here's what I ended up with:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/which-rear-end-for-an-upgrade.342166/page-5

 

That's really screwed up... makes me wish now that I spent money on shipping insurance... it was only 160 shipped so I hope I get lucky....

 

I'm running expos.

It must be the picture because they look like they are almost straight and the leafs look flat.

 

My brother had bags on his Silverado and I thought the ride was shit.... cant flex with them, and they rip easy..... if I only kept it on the road they are great, but then I'd just keep my fullsize for that.

 

The Dakars are shorter then the expos.... @bobsuruncle is running the same setup as I am. I think he's mounted on the same holes as I am. I'd like to get more angle out of them but we will see. Once I install the king smoothies with the relocation, I want to see how much shock I have left anyways.

 

Unless my memory is shot or I was looking at it wrong, the Firestone bags are only attached at the top, so they stay with the frame and are not connect at the axle. This allows for full droop, but not necessarily for full stuffing. If the ride is too rough, let some air out so they are softer. I have heard of people saying they can be ripped easily, but not the story of somebody actually ripping one. On the Tacoma's, they mount in essentially the same spot at the center of the leaf springs, and slightly in to be under the frame. While it isn't fully protected, you have to be going through a pile of sticks to kick something over and punch a bag. Add more armor underneath and it's covered anyway.

 

Its understandable for the weight. My ride was way to stiff at those angles, plus i had small vibes from drive line angles. Once i adjusted it 45deg it was much better, softer ride and more flex.

 

I'll check it out... thanks for the tip