Wyoming B.S. Thread

Thanks. So I don't stumble through like I did the rear shocks, what's the right way to approach install/length determination? And, is there a "best practice" location to attach the straps in the front on our trucks? (Full disclosure: I haven't really even started to search/my research on TW, so feel free to tell me to do that or just point me to a thread.)

Oh, yeah, that's fine with me. I'd eventually like to get to a point where everything's dialed and it's all maintenance . I think I'm close until the 35's vs Igorenstein moves start. I'm probably just kidding myself though, LOL.

 

I think that's what we all want. But the miles are hard we put on and stuff wears out fast. Seems like a loosing battle trying to stay on top of it. Then you have shit like what happened to Brett's rig with the core support or front cross member vibrating apart. Oh well. All part of the fun.

On the stock lca the sway bar mount is a perfect strap location. You'll want to use a clevis upper mount so so can adjust the strap some and hopefully take up slack as it streches a bit. You won't need a very long one. Like 5" I think. But all you need to do is measure how far your shock pushes every at full lock out. From there do 3/8 or 1/2 for your strap.

Right below the front brake line on the frame and towards the rear of the truck is a nice spot just above the rear bump point for the clevis mount. I'd plate the frame where you plan on doing the mount.then should be a pretty straight shot to the lower.

I did this on Marc's truck but haven't done it on 1st gen. Though I mounted straps to Frank they don't have the upper clevis mount. But I have them to replace the old uppers so I have adjustment.

 

Oh and..



Making slow progress. Haven't had to use a sawzall once though. Figured out a rather nice way of breaking the rust free on one I'm going to try on the other side. Hope it works

 

I second kartek straps. Been on my truck forever and after the initial stretch they haven't stretched at all.

 

No!?!?? Next you'll say you didn't need a either! Sheesh, what's the fun in that??

 

I'm using 8" straps attached to the sway bar mount. There's not much science to it aside from putting the straps in a place that they won't be in the way, and accounting for the stretch of the strap.



Next set might be 7" as I'm right at the end of my adjustable clevis. I'm a little concerned about the strap getting mangled at full compression if I go that route, but I could switch out my solid clevis setup to a spring on the bottom, or move the mount on the frame up.

@jubei just finished his setup and it's cleaner than mine. Should be in the last few pages of his build. He cut off the sway bar mount and put a double shear tab in it's place. Probably a little nicer setup that allows you to keep the strap more in line.

That what I told myself too.

Then your maintenance get's more involved, or you break something else, or your OEM LBJs last a year...

 

What kind of spindles are those? You just beef them up or is that an aftermarket dealy?

 

Factory spindle with total chaos gussets. Going strong for over 3 seasons now of me beating on them.

 

Hmm, that looks like a good idea, have to look into those or Fab something up with the scrap I have laying around.

 

Pretty sure I paid around $30 for them, might be a little more than that now.

Don't know how you value your time, but I couldn't come close to making a replacement for that price.

 

Yeah that's pretty cheap, I'm so used to things costing more than I expect so I just automatically wrote it off as probably $200 lol. $30 is a good deal and not worth the half day fab time.

 

Yeah the spindle gussets are worth the price. Plus you have to massage them anyways to get them lined up perfect anyways

 

We're all doomed. Post trip maintenance has almost become a necessity at this point.

 

So true..

Someday everything will be so welded up it'll be bullet proof right?

 

I don't mind post-trip maintenance at all - that's the tax to pay for adventure. Plus, for me it's fun since I have the time and I love learning all this new stuff.

The place I really want to get though is "everything mechanically dialed in and working harmoniously when I'm on a trip" - I feel like I've been close to that in the past...but then I figured out (from the others I was on trips with) that I liked a bit more speed and a few more bumps. I feel like I'm close to it now as well (with the speed and bumps) but still have a few things to dial.

...now, I just have to avoid the "even more speed and even more bumps" itch.

 

Haha it's that burn when you pee itch! Your stuck with it for life man!

 

So did you get your Solo's on @Blackdawg ?

 

hellssss yeaaaaahhhh





Fucking dumb weekend. Drove to Powell on Friday night. pulled into shop after dinner and catching up with Mom to start pulling the wheels off and things.....forgot the damn SCS lug nut key :facepalm.

Phone charger too! And only had like 5% left so I texted Devin a photo of what I needed praying she could find it. Then next morning with and hunted for one. But couldn't find one that fit at the parts store or tire shop. Kind of impressed really. Devin showed up after work around 5pm. So burned a lot of time. Got to work and by 1am Sunday night i had just finished welding on the cam tab gussets....fucccckk. Said screw it, shouldn't take that long to bolt everything back in. At 8:05am i put the wheels back on and drove straight to the tire shop. Then took a short nap, drove back to MT and work. hell of a day haha

Have a lot of photos to post. Plan on doing a bit of a write up as the cam tab gussets took more work than I thought they would and figured it would be good to share. LCAs are nice though. My alignment is great now. Moved the wheel 1" forward so no more rubbing either.

 

I would leave it in 1st. Allows you to rotate the input shaft when reinstalling in case it isn't lined up.

Don't think the xfer case matters, I'd just leave it in 2wd.

 

Yeah, it would help with that, but may not be necessary. I don't think you can get to all 4 bolts either without rotating it.