Squeaky Penguin's (Trip Reports) Build Thread

Yep. I learned my lesson.

Yessir. Sway bar has been permanently removed. The 500lb 882 coils help me out too. They like to compress easier than any other option I'm aware of for first gens.

This is how I'm going to picture you from now on.

 

Pretty much me...except blonde...and a beard




Cause I'm a fucking man

Otherwise....yea...okay haha

 

Swapped cam bolts back to OEM this weekend as well as the passenger side spindle and a CV thanks to @teamhypoxia . Old spindle was obviously bent with the top being >90°. Have Total Chaos spindle guessets sitting on the work bench, just not in a great position right now to get them on. Yesterday welded up the cam tabs, and fixed the fog light mounts thanks to @Wishbone Runner . PIAA 510 Ions will be replacing the pods soon thanks to @09blacktaco

Getting an alignment tonight with the help of @thefatkid , hoping to have some positive caster for the first time in years.

Super thankful for all the help I've received from fellow TW members!

 

cool. i went oem cams too. did the others give you any trouble?

 

No problem, tighten those wheels!

 

Yes. They were junk. Lots of play between the eccentric and the bolt. Wouldn't have taken much to round out. Crappy plastic sleeve that got in the way. One of them wouldn't clamp down right and was prone to shifting. OEM is a much, much better design. I had two left over and got two more at a local junk yard for $10 a pop. Should've done that in the first place.

Trying to finally get to a place where I hold an alignment and don't destroy tires.

I will not be forgetting to do that again, ever, period. Learned my lesson.

 

Did you get them at Jims?

 

Yes. And the spindle, and the CV.

 

yeah i almost went ebay cams but they looked so sketch

 

Truck is driving great after an alignment, still didn't manage even 1 degree of caster though. Oh well, Feels better than it has in a long time.

Also got a really good deal on a set of 265/75 Dynapro ATMs to run this winter, and tested them out a bit today. Look a little small and goofy, but not bad.

 

That's to be expected with stock UCAs though right?
It doesn't mean anything is still bent?

 

There is a slight possibility of another bent part, though, with control arms the alignment could be much better/stock. I never checked the ride height this time. Last time she was a leaner.

 

Seems people with my amount of lift and stock UCAs are getting around 1 to as much as 1.5 degrees of cater. Don't know what's up, but at this point not too concerned about it. Alignment cams don't match side to side, which is odd, but could be because of a driver's side lean like Brian was saying. Need some UCAs and I'd be fine.

Or my frame is bent, and the truck is destroyed!

 

If it makes you feel any better my frame is probably bent too...
Installing my driver side LCA it wouldn't fit for the life of me. Had to BFH the hell out of the cam mounts and barely wedged it in there. Now I have one bushing that doesn't even touch and another one that is getting destroyed...

 

Are those 295/75's in the first pic of your OP?

 

This picture?



Yes, those are my 295/75s

 

Yeah, that one. I was thinking they looked skinnier then 295, but that's a big 'ol tire indeed! Have you done a shock relocation in the rear?

 

It's all custom and badass looking under there haha. I got to sit under it quite comfortably the way he parked on Posion Spider

 

295/75s are really not the much wider than 285/75s, but a decent amount taller. Really a nice size, and I don't rub at all except for a little bit in the front of the wheel well. Needs a minute or so more with a BFH.

And yes, shocks are 10" 7100 short bodies on a custom crossmember. Here's the first picture I found:

 

Oooh nice! That's exactly what I want to do to mine. How do you like the 7100 series shocks? I have 5100 right now and once I relocate, I was thinking about upgrading to 5125's or the 7100 short bodies. I assume they are a lot more expensive than the 5125's though... Also, it looks like you installed the cross member a little aft of where the stock upper mount is, or no? I've been having trouble thinking over if I want 10" or 12" shock, but I figured I won't know for sure until I can take measurements with where I put my new shock mounts. I've got time though. I'm not planning on tackling this until I'm done with next semester, and even then I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford it yet