Fitting 35’s with minimal trimming NOW ADDING LONG TRAVEL AND 934 CV’s

Fraid so. I have a 3rd gen so the oil filter was pretty damn hard to slide past, and I have the 930 (or whatever they are) CVs so the rack had to find a new home farther forward than the stock bungs will allow so the rack went in and out several times. Basically, pulling the diff was easier and faster by virtue of giving me more room to work.

 

Right on thanks

 

3 years and 600 pages of threads later I’m happy to watch this truck in action on the big screen.
https://youtu.be/nhyQagaIWQ4?si=FpXy1RuBAKpufsTQ

 

Any experience with changing from poly rack mount bushings to JDs' Nylon version? How is the feel and life cycle?
I'm not too impressed with the poly version from Energy Suspension. The HW has come loose a couple times, even after giving them my all.
I did not notice much of a difference as compared to factory. The Factory rubber was in surprisingly good shape when I swapped them out. I assumed they were shot when I went in to replace them.

 

I have a similar experience and some info to share. factory bushings weren't bad, but for several reasons I thought I needed to replace. Put energy in, hated it. I couldn't get the rack to say put, it would shift side to side causing steering wheel to suddenly re-clock at some other angle to go straight (alignment didn't actually change). Close investigation showed the rack bolts are 12mm thread but 11mm shank. Not a problem with factory bushings, the 12mm part engages the bushing and the frame. Not so on Energy, the 11mm shank part is what is engaged with the bushing sleeve or the sleeve in frame, allowing movement of the rack and only the stack pressure of the bolt (not shear pressure) to hold rack in place. This is partly due to the 2 piece sleeve of energy bushings, and the 11mm shank of bolt, especially if you put one bolt in upside down from factory orientation (to clear AC compressor). Tightening the bolts did nothing, I could shift the rack side to side at will just by going to the steering stop and then a little further. Was especially bad in reverse.

Solution: Whiteline bushings. Way better bushing, is meant to hold grease in the mesh type surface against the sleeve, which is one piece. Also, I drilled out the bushing and the frame for 1/2" grade 8 shanked bolts, fine thread. super lube in all the right spots, std grease on bolt threads and all the right spots, and dry metal on the parts I don't want to shift, tightened to 100lbs + (I don't recall exactly the amount, consulted some torque tables at the time) with torque wrench. The rack couldn't go anywhere with the bolts hand tight, but I'm sure it is good to go now with the bolts stretched properly.

I highly recommend it. Still have soft steering, no feedback in the wheel at highway speed, and can give it some abuse without fear of it moving. IMO, all the benefits of stock while being much much stronger.

 

I've recently done the JD nylon bushings on my 3rd gen. I jumped from the OE bushings though, it definitively feels tighter, although the only reason i did the upgrade was due to upgrading to the clevis/billet tie rod kit since my OE were toasted. Figured it was going to be easy access to pull everything out & upgrade while i'm in that area. It's been a few months now, new alignment and it's been driving perfectly. In dirt trails FSR, there's no bump steer/tracks straight over potholes between 50-70mph and couldn't be happier.

My only "issue" is that i get a clunking/popping sound every now and then while turning lock to lock; still investigating but no luck yet. I had found that one of the clevis bolt back off a slight bit, resulting in hitting the heim ever so slightly when i turned the wheel. Fixed it but still there, found out the driver side heim has slight movement, as it should but i believe it may hit the back side of the clevis every now and then, maybe its the steering column shaft that's fading away in the U-joint above the rack itself with the 35s now, who knows... Otherwise the install was straight forward, steering rack went out & in without much hassle. City & hwy driving feels firm and predictable.

 

This might sound dumb
But
Do you have skid plates?
Take them off for a few days and see if you can still recreate the popping noise


Might check the condition of CV’s if you have them too
I had a mystery popping on my Silverado that sounds super similar and it was the result of my passenger side CV pulling itself out of the diff

 

I only have the skid plate from the JD lca pivot kit & Kalil fab prerunner bumper so everything is somewhat tied in together to a certain degree. I could take the plates & bumper off for a day and see, i'm wondering if it isnt my left inner CV at times, havent done the ECGS bushing yet, maybe the OE needle is on its way out but not fully deteriorated to become a steady issue.

Thanks for the insight!

 

For the people with JD inner fender kit & rear LT...if you had to redo it again, wich one would you do first?
All will be done in time, but as i'm not made of money, i can't do it all at once .

Pros to inner fender kit - no more rubbing on compression. Sealed engine bay (w/ump canister) so no chance to re-hydro lock ever.

As for the rear, i currently have MT Archvie package w/Icon RXT & 12x2.5 kings.
Waiting to go in are Dirt King frame plates, cut off spare tire crossmember & tube/triangulate it, notch frame w/Dirt King bump stop mounts...wich will eventually snowball to simple bedcage & prerunner style tailgate swing out.

If i were to tackle the rear first, pros to it, tires wouldnt be rubbing on shock bodies while articulating, + all other LT benefits.
Main question though, would it be worthwhile to go with relocation mounts only or add the frame brace & have extra bracing with the DK frame plates?

Interested to hear any insights or feedback, slowly gearing up for JD LT kit but trying to tackle the next step strategically.

 

Do the fenders up front first
And buy wheel spacers in the meantime to get your tires away from your shocks

 

Currently running on 16x8 +0 w/1-1/4" spacers and still rub. May eventually go with a lower offset wheel but that's minimal issue for the time being.

 

darn was gonna say if you want a wilco style tire carrier i have one i built for way cheaper but im not sure if how it needs to mount is a little different between 2nd and 3rd gen trucks.

 

I was looking into them as well, but holy pricing! + shipping to Canada would be horrible. Got some tubing and will eventually fab it with the help of a friend. Should be a cool fun project with a lot to learn. Slowly & consistently.

 

@Marcgb91 if you ever want anything from @tacotunner06 we can always link up or he can drop it at our shop and you can grab it next time you're in town

 

@WormSquirts that's great to know! Thanks man

 

If your rear is working for you now. Then do the front first. Remember too, all the other extra parts to do the inners adds up as well. Wiring, the UMP, tubing and the MAF adapter.

 

Start with the rear. Rear is the single biggest issue with these trucks. It’s also the cheapest to make work well.

So many variables in the front to consider. And is far more likely to spiral out of control on you. Many great options available for SUA and all are affordable.

 

These are BEEFY.

 

Shocks arrived today. And was told the 2.25 kit is a 6-8 week wait ;(
Edit: added picture of said shocks. Found out I need a taller spring plate…ffs ;(

 

The Frame Brace Kit is no joke!! It's all beef..