Build regret(s)

Worst by far is buying expensive 4Runner Limited seats that were to tall for the cab.

Thinking I could clean the oil well enough in the engine & tranny oil pans to weld a temperature probe bung. Finally had to removed the tranny pan to stop the leak. The engine oil pan just weeps a little with about 20 layers of weld.

 

So first I had to loosen the bracket that mounts the reservoir to the shock body. Then I had to spin the reservoir all the way over as much as possible to clear the Deavers.

Now what really helped out is I switched the driver side shock to the passenger and vice versa. It may not look like it in the pictures but there is just enough clearance to bottom out and have the resi not get crushed.

I did however have to raise the axel a bit to get them on the mounts.

Excuse the dark pictures and bad angles:



Probably going to be getting rid of them soon

 

That last pic looks like you might have a leaky axle seal going on, unless its from something else

 

It’s just a little brake fluid from bleeding them a week ago lol

 

Probably going to be getting rid of them soon

That's too bad... you have extra good ones with an adjuster...

I expect they have different extended lengths, and being forced to
swap sides like that I guess has the long one on the short side
and vice-versa...

I wonder how many people who have Kings on 1st gens have to
fight with the reservoir bottle on the passenger side? On my "good" pair (the custom length set)
that's on my truck now we discharged the passenger side shock to enable us to spin-the-bottle
around enough (a whole bunch) to where it needs to be and recharged it with nitrogen. It would seem
that King would have sold a bunch of these shocks to people with 1st gens
and know where to place the bottle themselves... did you have to put
the reservoir lines in a bind to get the bottles moved enough? Once charged
the stiffened reservoir lines offer very little wiggle room...

I've included this dramatic not-my-truck picture to show why I still wonder what
might happen if I ever get into some rough stuff... shocks do more than just
go up and down...



-Mike

 

Unfortunately yes but it’s okay it’s a learning experience in my book. Probably will toss out my steelies and pick up some Walker Evans when I sell the Kings.

As for the lengths they seemed pretty much the same length to me when I got them and compared them so I wouldnt be too sure about the lengths. And YES it was a bitch to move the resis around, they were fully charged so yeah those hoses were stiff as can be lol they didnt bind per se, just kind of bent over a bit but aren’t being over exerted. How much did you pay for your custom length Kings if you dont mind me asking? And what specs did you have them built to?

 

How much did you pay for your custom length Kings if you dont mind me asking? And what specs did you have them built to?

We did some measuring at full droop and went with 24 inch extended length on the left side
side and 24 1/2 on the right...

The shop where I had the work done not only ate the cost of the first set of shocks,
but didn't charge extra when the custom shocks finally came in... so... $905. I don't
have the adjustable kind.

I hung around the morning of the install until we ran into the same reservoir-in-the-way
problem as with the too-short shocks, and then went home for a few hours while they
called King to confer. When I got back, the truck was ready... I went inside to pay up...
$5 for nitrogen ...

I spent a whole bunch of money at the shop on front and rear shocks
and all new OEM steering components and bushings but after all the trouble
I doubt they made any money - they'll probably flip the sign to "closed" next
time they see me coming ... I'm proud of them for owning all the problems,
it's a nice young couple - off road enthusiasts - who own the place, and the
mechanic is a young guy too who's got a lot of wrenching experience and
is a real good welder and fabricator.

My truck drives better than a new one now ...

-Mike 'I've never driven a new one..."

 

Damn sounds like you really came up lol thats awesome dude. Most places would have made you pay the difference

 

I regret not getting a silicone wedding ring when I got married instead of making one out of 316 stainless. I've had more weld spatter stuck to it tacking things together with no glove on.

 

I have a tungsten wedding ring and I have to take it off before I do any work on my truck, going to the gym, or playing hockey. If your finger gets swollen wearing a tungsten ring you're in trouble. Fortunately hasn't happened yet but I should've gotten a silicone one too lol. Surprised I haven't lost it yet

 

too bad it's too late to buy one from Amazon

 

Not so much the too late part but convincing the wife part lol. She knows if I get a silicone one I'll probably just wear that all the time

I should just get a tattoo ring like all the cool kids are doing now

 

Barbed wire tattoo rings are all the rage these days

 

My wife was the one who suggested I get a silicone one, I jumped at that chance. Camo it is.

 

Mine is titanium. Never gotten weld splatter on it, but I also wear work gloves, even when tacking. I only take it off when riding motorcycles or mountain bikes.

I have gotten splatter on my foot though. burned right thru my shoe and my sock.

 

wedding ring tatoos are just a conspiracy started by the wife lobby.

WAKE UP SHEEPLE!

 

Yeah that hurts, I think spatter in my ear 3 times is the worst spatter burn I've gotten. You can hear it sizzling and can't do anything about it.

 

I keep telling myself I should wear a bandana or something, but do I? No.

The absolute worst is trying to weld something on the underside of the truck. Sliders, skid plates... my god that sucks. flux core doesn't make it any better, either.

 

That shit sucks ass! Totally helpless feeling

+1 for the silicone ring. I have a tantalum ring from the wedding day and for special occasions but I’ve seen and heard too many horror stories from regular rings to wear them every day

 

Problem solved.