Topic: Rexy Re-Do: SUPER SLEEPER 1ST GEN!

[helipilot77]

“ULTRA POWER”! Sounds like performance parts. I’d say at least 5 hp in the name alone.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

“ULTRA POWER”! Sounds like performance parts. I’d say at least 5 hp in the name alone.

For sure.  I'm pretty stuck on three fives brand, I typically get like a zillion miles out of them, but I needed to get this thing on the road with a minimal investment so I was happy to try them.  If I get a year out of them I figure they have done their job.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Set toe this morning using angle iron clamped to the rotors as a refference.  I was going to mount up front shocks, then reconsidered my front bump stop striker height. I had added a 1" spacer to get the bump stops working a little sooner way back when.  Went through the same tape measure/head scratching thought process I did years ago and came to the exact same conclusion.  I did decide to re-do the strikers wider but the same height.

I'll get into that tomorrow...

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

The wind was blowing too much to weld yesterday so I went back to bed.  I was able to knock off the old strikers and make new ones though.   My old bump striker extensions were some 1"x 1" square tube.  I found over the years that 1" wide was not enough surface and one of my bump stops wanted to climb to one side and eventually got blown off, damaging the shock in the process.  I must have just had the 1"x 1" laying around that day.    I re-made them in 1'X 2" wide this time.

It's odd, but with better springs and the torque rod ripped off you get pretty decent articulation out of a barely lifted, mostly stock-ish solid axle Toyota.  The re-drilled rears up front I was running necessitated a 10" stroke shock to take advantage of full travel.  Not like huge, sick flex, but pretty decent for a low ride. I have seen the OME springs I have just installed in action and they work about the same when untethered by too short of a shock, so this should still be a good fit. I found the rear shock for an early 90s Ford F150 was just over 10" of travel and was as close to the right length as I could get to fit in the spot on a set of hoops without protruding into the engine bay. 

Stock bump stops just touched with 1" of compression left in the shock, so I added 1" to the bump stop striker on the frame to avoid hard bottoming when fire roading or banzai trail maneuvers.  It doesn't take much to get 1" into the bump stops.

This ended up working quite well and as an added bonus, getting the bump stop started a little sooner seems to force articulation even more.  It's nice to have working bump stops! They keep things healthy and make stuff happen. I just welded the spacer piece on the ends and a tack or two on the sides for ease of removal later if I change things around.

Put it back on it's front wheels this morning so I can move on to the rear suspension.

[redneckcustoms13]

Am i going to have to mail you a headlight in order to see this thing have both eyes?

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Am i going to have to mail you a headlight in order to see this thing have both eyes?

I have a bunch of pieces in the shed

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Busted my old rear springs loose this morning. I love 1st gens because they have those easy to remove spring pins instead of a bolt hopelessly rusted into a sleeve.

On the list of cheap things I've tried that work well...

If you can't afford nice springs don't fret.  I made these from a few old stock packs.  6 thin leaves and a half leaf on top under the clamp and the u-bolts to eliminate axle wrap (this trick really works by the way).  I made extended shackles from some conduit hangers, pipe, bolts and the pins from my stock shackles.  This whole setup has worked well for years and the springs are still totally usable even after hauling 1,600 lb loads of water again and again.  I am replacing these with Old Man Emu but they will probably end up on the back of my son Jake's truck.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

My new "Air Suspension"...

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Pile of fun...

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

I think these springs are trying to tell me something...

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Got my rear springs pretty much on this morning except for u-bolts.  I am trying something new for u-bolts that will have to wait a couple days.

Emu springs had quite a bit more arch than the ones I took off and may even be a little bit shorter in length.  I have heard rumor the slightly shorter leaf pack is intended to help you haul a bit more weight.   If this is what they look like at full droop I may invent some kind of anti-inversion feature.  Back on the axle on jack stands they look a little better.  Hopefully I get a better shackle angle with the drivetrain back in and a little break in time.  A couple hauls of the water tank should settle them in...

[Mudder]

That's how my OME shackle angle stayed. I've heard of removing a leaf to get them to settle more.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

That's how my OME shackle angle stayed. I've heard of removing a leaf to get them to settle more.

If they stay like that I may very well do something.  Do they ride lousy like that?

[Mudder]

It did until I started to add more permanent weight in the rear.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Really bright moon this morning.  Almost didn't need a head lamp.  It's supposed to snow again.  Tonight and tomorrow we are supposed to get 65-85 mph winds!  I am waiting on payday to get some hardware and brake lines so I just kind of picked up this morning and made sure everything wouldn't disappear in the snow again or blow way.  I did slap the wheels back on the rear end and set the truck down on them.  The shackle angle looks a little more reasonable sitting on the wheels.  About 90 degrees unloaded.  Still not the slack I like but I think there is hope, especially since I am nearly always loaded with something when I drive this truck.

[THK Matt]

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

This is something I have wanted to try ever since I saw it on my buddy Ray's contraption  http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=102431.0 .  This is on the list of "why didn't I think of that" things some old timer did.  You use the early 2WD spring under style u-bolt plate to do a u-bolt flip and relocate the shock mounts.  This raises the shock mount nearly 6" vs. the stock lower plate.  I realize it's been done before but I had never seen it until working on Ray's truck.

Stock shock length doesn't have enough compression but we only need about a 6" stroke so I think I can find a shock that will fit...

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

I dug around I'm my brake boosters and master cylinders.  As reported the big booster hits the steering u-joint.  This one had shorts studs so the spacer wouldn't work.  I could fab something but I kind of want to stay as bolt on as possible.  Ended up with a 1" master on the 1st gen booster.  We will see how that works.  Should have a firmer, quicker pedal.

 

[redneckcustoms13]

I'm running 2wd plates flipped on my 83. Running stock 2wd shocks not relocated it flexes like a mo fo.

[kneedownnate]

Ended up with a 1" master on the 1st gen booster.  We will see how that works.  Should have a firmer, quicker pedal.

I did this and utterly regretted it.  Pedal is super firm and the travel is very short.  No brake feedback at all.  Probably better if you have larger calipers, but mine was all stock except for the master

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

I did this and utterly regretted it.  Pedal is super firm and the travel is very short.  No brake feedback at all.  Probably better if you have larger calipers, but mine was all stock except for the master

Thanks.  That makes sense.  I think I'll switch back to the 13/16" master then.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

I'm running 2wd plates flipped on my 83. Running stock 2wd shocks not relocated it flexes like a mo fo.

Your right that is flexing exactly like a mo fo.   

[redneckcustoms13]

Those are even the original shocks from 1983

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Those are even the original shocks from 1983

I have an original set off an '81 4x4 and they are still really good.  Unfortunately they will be a bit too long for this setup.  I don't know what they did back then but they did it right.

[Gnarly4X]

I'm running 2wd plates flipped on my 83. Running stock 2wd shocks not relocated it flexes like a mo fo.

Flipped plates?  No shocks? 

Gnarls. 

[redneckcustoms13]

2wd u bolt plates on top of the springs. Stock 2wd shocks in factory location.

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

Got my front brake lies in today.  These are the Nissan brake line part number touted on the pirate 4x4 FAQ.  Napa PN 38688.  They are supposed to have the same ends but be 23" long instead of that factory 18" front solid axle truck lines.  This would be perfect as I have grown to hate the phony braided stainless lines over the years and I only need another couple inches of line.

The threads look fine but the way the fitting attachment is looks all wrong.  There is no way these are going to work in the factory brackets with the spring clips.  They don't have any flats where the end sticks into the bracket and the clip slot is about 3 times too big.  If I wanted a zip tie arrangement I could have done that with junk I have laying around. 

I will take them home and see but at this point I have to call BS on whoever put that information up.

[Lewis Hein]

I don't have the factory stuff in front of me, but I bet those flats could be added with a file...

[H8PVMNT [OP]]

I don't have the factory stuff in front of me, but I bet those flats could be added with a file...

I've done that before but the clips not fitting in the slot might kill the deal.  I may be able to put a washer in there to take up space but I'd rather find a way to make it clean.

[Gnarly4X]

Got my front brake lies in today. ... touted on the pirate 4x4 FAQ. ...at this point I have to call BS on whoever put that information up. 

H,

If I had a dime for every time I have read a Bravo Sierra post on a forum, I could take a nice 10-day All-Inclusive vacation to Cabo!! 

I once got banned from a forum because I called BS on a female moderator.  She posted some idiotic misinformation.  I clearly demonstrated WHY she was wrong, but I don' t think she liked me... especially after I posted something like ....

"You are sucking sewer water through your [orifice]"   

In those days my lack of forum decorum and diplomacy was a tad too light. 

Gnarls.