Because We're Not North Enough To Be NOVA, We're Just Stuck Between the North and the True South

I could make them out of steel. Aluminum is easier for me to work with here at the house, and the 1/8"x2" aluminum bar is what was readily available at the local hardware store. The hardware had steel bar, but I wanted 2" or better and they didn't have anything that wide. The steel was also thicker, so it would be harder to bend/cut. I do bends by clamping it in my vise and wailing on it with my mini sledge. Cutting is with a hacksaw or my oscillating tool.

I need an inch to get enough standoff from the rail to clear the cap overhang, so I'm pretty much stuck laminating pieces together.

 

Oh hell your just down the road. what were the "spline bolts" you said were stripped?

 

they're the type of bolt that I believe are in rough country and ready lift spacers. hard to explain google it and a picture will come up

 

The aluminum like you get is probably what we call sign metal. It doesn't work well with a sharp 90 break it usually cracks or breaks. You can break the 1/8" steel the same way and it tends to be much more maliable. Hell the Hilift mounts I have will probably work for that as well you can make them out of steel pretty easy.

 

OK I know which ones your talking about I had a Rough country lift at first on the other truck. Just cut it off with a die grinder and roll on unless you don't have access to air tools. What all do you have done?

 

I could fit any of my tools back to it. It was the forest bolt back

 

Well of course it is they never screw up where they're easy to get to. May be able to reach it with an air chissel and pop it if you have one. What have you been able to do with the lift so far? How far have you progressed into this? Is it torn down except for the stripped bolt or still driveable?

 

I was able to install the passenger side with a lot work. but we never could get the bolts off the drivers side. I worked on it at the garage in WV, but had to patched it together and left it at the shop for a pro to look at. we had to head back it was getting late. should be heading back Wednesday to get it.

 

The 90 degree bend wasn't the issue. It bent pretty well. There's some stress marks like stretch marks but the bend feels solid. The problem is the stack of 1/8" thick pieces that I had to JB Weld together to get a 1" thick piece. The downward force drilling through the stack caused JB Weld to fail, and the pieces came apart.

 

I thought you had it at home. I was going to say swing up here and I'd pop it off for you but it sounds like you have it under control

 

no unfortunately I have to go home to work on it, I live in a apartment in in Charlottesville. they frown upon tear stuff up in the parking lot.

 

Drill and then glue. If your going to cut the pieces with a cut off wheel spray the wheel periodically with wd40 and it'll keep it cutting faster, it doesn't let the aluminum gum up the wheel. Maybe scuff and clean the pieces well before glueing also if you didn't already do that.

 

You at UVA? Daughter is at VT GO Hokies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

ha I work for UVA

 

I thought about applying there and still may 29 going that way is just a pain in the ass though. I work at Dulles airport and as much as that sucks god forbid if theres a wreck in the morning on the way to C'ville. So is dude finishing installing the suspension or are you? Is he just getting out the broken bolt?

 

he's going to finished it up change my brakes and rotate the tires. its a shame I didn't want to spend the money need to find some used bed bars.

 

All the cutting is done. I don't have an angle grinder. I used a hacksaw and my oscillating cutter/sander tool. I drilled some holes in all the pieces that became the 1" spacers in hopes that the holes would help the pieces stay together. I didn't really ruff the pieces up. I just knocked off the burrs from drilling with a file. If I salvage what I've been working on, I'll try to cut some small grooves in the pieces that came apart to get better adhesion.

It just sorta killed my motivation when it broke, so I haven't messed with it since Monday last week.

 

I've got a set I'll sell you when you want them you can come up and check them out. I already have bolts welded to them for mounting a Hilift jack. Don't forget to get an alignment after he does the lift.

 

what bars are they and how much

 

Bring them over here to the house and I'll go ver them with an abrasive disc. Then we can clean them really well and bond them. Some clamps would help. I would say put a bolt and nut through them and tighten it until they set but your liable to glue the bolt in there also.