LogCabins, Build and BS

So pretty...

 

Finally! How's it ride?

 

Ummmm didn't even get to test it out...was out of town all week for work just got home yesterday evening. Knocked this out then had to slap the wheels on and head to the hospital, my bro-in-law and his wife just had a baby........will test it out tomorrow when I drive down to my friends to get the rear all put in ..........pray it goes smooth so I can post the progress

 

Rear relocate happening today?!

 

X2 haha

 

It happened.....and holy what a PITA......I don't even want to look at my truck right now....didn't get a whole lot of pics but will post up the ones I have tomorrow. Gonna need to get some new shackles to give a bit more lift so I can get my shocks more vertical...right now they are /\ it's the only way without bottoming out....don't even think I took pics of the shocks fully installed......will get it all posted up for you guys tomorrow

 

Ok guys I still owe you installed pics...but for now. So the process went like step one we welded the lower mounts together to get the spacing of shock plus misalignment spacers *tip* when welding the lower tab add a washer.....so it should be washer, misalignment spacer,shock, misalignment spacer inside the tabs and tack it...then remove shock and blast the weld.....makes it so much easier to put the shocks in after its all welded up...figured this out after the first one





Next step was to remove shocks and you will have to cut and grind down the stock upper shock mount on the drivers side to fit the frame plate that the cross bar gets welded to.....sorry no pics. Next thing we did was install my U-Bolt flip kit......BTW we did not remove the bed...my friend said no need sooooo he was welding not gonna argue with him


The next thing we did was weld the lower shock mounts to the axle.....and yes I know you see them in the above pics but I didn't take pics of the u bolt flip until after.....*tip* we used the raised ring/line on the axle to align the inside edge of the shock mount this way they are symmetrical and also needed to do this to clear the brake lines that run along the axle

Next up was to figure out the angle of the shock in relation to upper and lower mount....once that was done we knew where the frame plates needed to be and welded

Now this is where shit started to get not so fun......once we got the frame plate placed in the frame and before tacking we held the crossbar up and realized there was a 1/2" gap so a 1/4" on each side....no matter how we would of put the frame plates....sooooo we now had to weld a 1/4" "cap" on each side of the crossbar.....luckily my friend had some old leafs laying around, so we cut the ends off and the width and the angled cuts on the end of the leafs matched up perfectly

Once we got through all that crap we figured out shock angle one more time and tacked in the crossbar. All welded we then finalized travel of the shock and this is where I owe you pics
But as of right now my shocks are /\ .....I have no idea how someone could run a 12 under there without some expo leafs and a lift shackle.....I am going to get a shackle to put me up a little bit so I can move my shocks outboard one mounting location

 

This is why I went with 10" stroke shocks with that kit. It isn't super clear, but I think it's implied that in order to use a 12" with the BAMF X-member kit, you have to run /\. Otherwise, you'd have to clearance the bed to get the crossmember high enough to utilize the travel in a || configuration. Or mount the lower mounts below the axle tube, limiting clearance.

For me, since I believe (I could be wrong) that your basic MT travel up front is around 8" of shock stroke and not wheel travel, I decided that 10" of stroke in a || configuration out back would be fine for me, especially since the vertical orientation helps with tuning the shock.

Since crawling is only a very small part of what I do, I'd rather have a well-tuned and limited travel (straps and bumps) in the rear at 10" than a 12" configuration that *might* get me more flex.

 

I hope that didn't come across as armchair quarterbacking, Robert!

 

Not at all and I have 10" shocks....I have the 2.0s and you have an inch more travel with your 2.5s IIRC

 

Looks good! How does it ride?

 

Like butter until I get up to around 60mph......need an alignment bad since the front I changed tire rods and LBJs......gonna let it settle a bit, probably take it in Thursday for alignment

 

That's awesome, Robert!

Can't wait to see the rest of the install!

 

@BYJOSHCOOK addiction is growing

 

Fronts

Gap between upper crossmember and bed

And the rears...

 

Also need a longer extended rear brake line and will eventually need to limit strap as these springs have a ridiculous amount of droop

 

Secksheeee

 

Bro...I'm speechless......

 

Amazing! much jealous
I keep going back and forth between a longer shock body and going through the bed or possibly a shorter shock and some slight /\.

 

Mahalo'z!!! Was not a fun task to say the least....but it's done...well once I get different shackles from AllPro it will be done to where I can dial it in