Alaska BS thread

Matt and I started the weekend off right!

 

Nice! I think I'm going to install my coils/struts tomorrow while I wait for my leaf spring bushings to come in the mail...Might also change out my inner/outer tie rods on my driver side.

And hopefully the bushings come in tomorrow night or Saturday, or I'll have a massive bro lean for a few days lol

 

Haha yeah with a stock rear and a 3" lift in the front you'll have some serious bro lean going on

 

Haha yeah we'll see what it looks like! Well I just got some bolts for the front spring hanger from fasteners and fire. Picking up some grease and I'll be good to go.

 

Got the fronts installed a little bit ago. Bushings for the rear should be here tomorrow. I'm not feeling confident with the rear going as smoothly as the fronts.

 

Quick tip I just received from a long time mechanic and a different family member who welds for a living; they cautioned against welding those sliders that a bunch of people ordered to the frame. Doing that will weaken the frame and make it brittle since the engineers heat treat the metal so it can flex. The mechanic said he has seen too many cracked frames at the welds when it is strained during off-roading. They suggested welding brackets to the supports to align with holes that are already in the frame and bolting it on. Just thought I'd pass that info along. I recently bought John's sliders off him and decided that's what I'm doing.

Also, just got my Duratracs in at Sam's Club. Had to buy new wheels since the new 265/70R17 tires were too narrow for the M/T 17x9 rims. Ended up getting 17x8 KMC XD Series 797 Spy's and mounted the Duratracs on them. Definitely a smaller wheel from what I had but I could already feel an improvement in acceleration over the 285's

 

Has anyone noticed that the trail near 100th ave has been blocked off. They put new rocks in we're we went before

 

I ain't been by there since the last group trip. That sucks though

 

Yeah, big ol rocks. And as far as the welding is concerned, the guys that weld on these trucks all the time know you have to go with the grain, then you wont weaken it.

 

Got my new ballasts in, will be repairing those tonight and hopefully reattaching the door panels and getting my hood struts installed.

 

I'm having a hell of a time with the leaf springs. Anybody that's done it before care to give me a hand? I've got one side out and I can't get the new spring in. I'm dropping the axle really low but I'm afraid I'm going to either rip my brake line or have my drive shaft come apart.

 

Do you have the front hangers bolted up already? Which parts are you having trouble getting to line up?

 

Make sure you bolt the new shackles to the frame first and then bolt the doing to the shackle. If you try to do it the other way it's wayyyy more difficult

 

I have the front bolt in. Shackles are on the frame already. I can't get the back of the spring or the middle bolt to like up with the axle plate. Also I can't seem to remove my brake line

 

I'm doing the passenger side btw. The axle needs to come forward to line up with the plates. I've used a ratchet strap to pull it forward but I think the straps close to its limit

 

I pay in beer btw...

 

I'm in homer or I'd be there.. I've only replaced the shackles so I'm not a bunch of help.. I know I've heard of people using a ratchet strap to get the axle plates to line up so you're on the right track there I think. Is your axle dropping far enough down to line the rear spring eye up with shackle? I remember I used a bottle jack somewhere in there to push down the spring a bit farther when I did mine..

 

Yeah it won't drop any farther. I'm sure I'm fighting the other spring. But I can't even remove the brake line so I won't be able to get the drive side spring in anyway.

 

Hmmm... Yeah I'm not sure what to do exactly. Maybe it'd be easier with both old spring out?

 

I had to take a break to get some food in me lol. But I was on the verge of getting it in the shackle. Just need to pry pretty damn hard on it to get it to fall in place. I'll still need to pull the axle an inch forward for it to line up on the axle plate. I'm going to loosen the driver side u bolts more. Hopefully that'll give it enough room to slide forward.