geekhouse23's "LIFE'S WAITING TO BEGIN" Overland & Home build and all the Adventures in between!

I was just coming on here to mention that I have a date for the TC kit to be installed.

I figured that it would either be such a pain or they would pop off being in the Midwest. Going full send.

 

Mines my daily too. Like when I did the SAIS delete and ended up in limp mode I had to have my wife drive me to work that day.

 

Parts are in:

 

I think there were some complaints about the SPC cam bolts. OEM is best they're about $200

 

wondering why you didnt get the frame brace kit instead of the cam tab kit. Ive welded both and the frame brace kit is way better than the camtab kit and its less pain in the ass lol.

 

I think he has it

 

You dont need the camtab kit if you have the frame brace kit.

 

I have the frame brace kit (to be installed later) but dont want/need the cam tab part of the Marlin kit. I prefer the TC tab reinforcement.

I could also be a TC fanboy though too

 

Im not knocking im just saying its redundant since the frame brace kit already comes with a .25 brace for the cam tab. The cam tab part is what structurally ties in the cam tabs to the frame sub assembly to strengthen it. But all good i was just curious.

 

Temporary until the taco tabs can be swapped in. Got a spare set in case there's a chance they seized from August of 2021. Doubtful they are seized? Yes. Cheap insurance in a pinch? Also, yes.

I have both; in boxes. I've heard the Marlin kit is a PITA and doesn't clearance all skid plates/LCA skids.

The preference seems to be the TC kit. Plus I plan on going with the taco tabs and I don't think those work with the Marlin kit (based on interweb photos).

 

Yea the Marlin kit doesnt work with certin LCA skid/ engine skids. I gues the marlin kit would be the way to go if your intended use was rock crawling but if not im sure the total chaos one is more than fine.

 

Maybe one day. But yes, the TC kit will be more than fine.

I'm thinking I'll keep the Marlin kit anyways and not resell it after the news of Marlin passing away.

 

Forgive me if I'm wrong fellas, but couldn't you just lay a nice thick bead behind the stock tabs and call it good? Hell I'm half tempted to get an alignment to where I want it, and then just tack the damn tabs in place.
I still think I'd go JD pivots at some point, when I can afford it, so why weld on a bunch of extra stuff I'm going to cut off later?

 

I've been thinking about this route. I'm having a private party do the work and I'm concerned about the alignment afterwards until I can get it to a Firestone that following week.

 

What a weekend in general..managed to get some work done on the truck today and it's something I'm happy to have done and behind me. Got the TC gusset kit and taco tabs installed:



Neutral fronts; max caster in the rear.

The steering wheel is still just a little bit off, but I have an alignment scheduled for tomorrow early afternoon to get it just right with the lasers.

 

Can't seem to catch a break with Firestone.

I called Firestone Friday to schedule my appointment and made sure that the master tech was going to be working. Schedule confirmed. Appointment booked.

Show up today and they start working on it and low and behold, the master tech is NOT there like I was told Friday. I get a half apology from the techs that are working and I get them to at least get the steering wheel dead straight but the truck still pulls to the right when I let go.

I am going back Thursday morning and I will be sure to call ahead of time and make sure the master tech is actually there.

Below is before and after for now done by two techs that half know what they're doing.



Firestone doesn't want to work on the truck anymore and wanted to refund my lifetime warranty but that's without even having a master tech look at the truck.

 

Garbage ppl man, I was told at my local one that they couldn't do my alignment that day because their guy who does "modified vehicles" is nt there. Of course it was a dumb women that was trying to explain to me. I explained i still have stock cam hardware and nothing has been changed there from stock so its no different from doing random Joe truck. She said they couldn't do it. I called up another location on the other side of town and they had it done in 25min. It was like 30 min from me though. My local one is 5 min down road. I had to have it done that day cause i have no time during week to do it.

Edit: I have lifetime as well and have had my truck done at that same branch like 10 plus times....

 

The location I mentioned above I have been to a few times. I think the tech I was speaking with is just a snotty little shit. Most people are when you show more knowledge then them. Granted, idk how to use an alignment rack, but I know the aftermarket upper control arms that I have (SPC) allow you to adjust caster and camber.

Hell, that shop did it last time I was there.

But again, the master tech that was supposed to be there Monday, was not there Monday and I didn't know that until the day of. I need to call them tomorrow morning and make sure he will be there so I don't waste my time..again.

 

Happy birthday, Bryan! I hope you're having a good day!

 

Thanks brother.