Topic: 84 reg cab CO: HALT! Now an 85 Runner

[Jakesteads]

your woman has your parts... sir i gave her some dom shocks and the mounts have fun

[wakkjobb [OP]]

 
Thanks Matt, I owe you a small Frosty! 

I just finished stitching the 2x3 to the frame; now I'm wondering about a bumper or at least a receiver tube for recovery (mainly for Jeeps). I may use what came with the truck and modify it to fit back there. Still waiting on myplasma to come in... sigh.

>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

got my starter the place is trying to FK me charged me 260 for a starter from checkers... im going back in tomorrow and flip out at them and get my money back

[wakkjobb [OP]]

That does sound like 150% BS... a starter shouldn't be more than $50-$60:

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductList.aspx?PartType=123&PTSet=A

and I can get them for way less than that. Maybe they charge a butt-load for labor? But even then it should be around $70-$90/hour so... what did they do to justify $260?


Some sweet H-J action out back?
>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

1.5hrs labor ... $141 starter 209.99 Plus $55 core i took part number off the starter its 60 bones from checkers... im bringing in paper and flipping out at them

how did the parts look for you???

[wakkjobb [OP]]

$141 is waaaaaaaa-ay too much for a starter. What, was it made out of gold and platimun? I can almost understand 1.5 hours if they had to tap the block but still... rip-off!

The parts look great; thanks a ton! I should have the rear hangers on tonight. I'm figuring out how to stretch the wheelbase; as in: should I mount the front hangers first or rears first? Also what the shackle angle should be since it's all unloaded and apart.

>>Dan

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Since I'm tired and aggrivated with the springs/hangers, this will be short:

Which mounting location should I use?

A:


B:


Rear stuff:


"Making it fit":


ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............
>>Dan

[Quick Draw]

Looks like it should be great on the bottom of the frame where you have it in the second picture, but without the double shackle.  If you use the double shackle, then you need to move it up the frame about 4 inches because it's supposed to rest up against the frame.  Generally people use that when they keep the original shackle mount, as I understand it.  However, I would personally ditch the smaller shackle, and weld the hanger up at the end of the frame.  The extra droop that it provides is essentially useless.  It's unsprung, so therefore it doesn't really put any pressure on that tire that might as well be in the air.  I don't know...I just never really liked the idea of a it.  Your axle basically falls off with only the shock to hold it when you go to full droop.  Sure, the droop looks cool...but it does very little for you.  And can you imagine what would happen if you ever caught air!? 

[Jakesteads]

dont use a double shackle u will regret it i used that on 2 of my old trucks not worth it.... i would mount it on the very end of the frame not up in down horizontal..

are u moving the front hanger too?....

those mounts are blinging

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Okay then, I'm going with picture B and one shackle. I also realized I'd lose a little lift if I went with A and we all know that's  . Ultimately I want tons of flex; someone said 63s aren't worth it for tires under 39" since they're so long they drag over everything... but that was only one person. I've never heard that anywhere else so far; we'll see.

To the bar! Er, shop!
>>Dan

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Dropped the hammer today and got the springs hung; had to re-do the front hangers twice since someone can't drill holes evenly. Plus my new Unibit bit the dust so it was air-Dremel to the rescue!













I'm going to chop off the front half of the overload... that, or just remove it completely. Tomorrow I'll clean up the front hangers; maybe add a plate between the sides for stiffness... if it's needed? If the weather's decent I want to undercoat the frame and make it all prety-looking too. I think I may have lost an inch or two with this project... crap.

Neatness counts!!
>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

when i ran chevys i chopped the overload into a block.. worked well and didnt have an anchor...

that looks really good dude...

is the front hanger plate? or box tubing?

[wakkjobb [OP]]

The front hangers are 3/16" plate... "cut-to-fit"/some assembly required. I had some 2x3 box left over from doing the rear deal but it wasn't tall enough for the spring eyes to hook to. For the overloads I was thinking if I leave the rear half on it would help keep the springs from going past flat? That's another thing... bumpstops.

Today is trimming, grinding, and undercoating the rear of the frame. Next is a battery tray that doesn't allow the negative terminal to almost touch the fender  ; the blue top is going in there. Then I have to measure for the CV for the rear d-shaft and get that back together. I want to get a GM 1-wire alternator but after talking to the local alternator rebuild shop I can use a Saturn alt from 97-01 (?) from the 1.9 engines... and it's a direct bolt-in-according to the shop. In the pictures the mounting tabs sure looked the same... I'm going to give it a try next month.

Progress!!! 
>>Dan

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Well exactly none of that got done today; I got the cleaning bug and proceeded to clean the shop like a mutha. Got rid of a lot a junk and moved stuff around a bunch. I'm impressed... now to get my pile mobile this week and OUT to go WHEEILNG!!! 

>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

this weekend im suppose to be going storm chasing... if i dont go(because there is no storms) we should go wheeling

[Quick Draw]

Springs look good!

[Volcom]

You planning on cutting those ninja throwing star sharp spring hangers down from a round point to a curve?  Just curious?

Rear springs look good.  Did you set the shackle angle on them with the weight of the truck on the springs?  I'd also suggest cutting that overload down to a block or just running a 1" block if you need the height out of the rear end.  My buddy Jeff has the Chevy 63's in the rear of his 96 4Runner.  They flex like crazy.

[wakkjobb [OP]]

I'm going to grind them into points to catch dinner on the trail... 
Nah, they'll be rounded off this week and I may stick some plate on the bottom/front to cover part of the spring eye. The circle was a template to drill the bolt holes.

Here's the shackle angle with weight on it:


The wheelbase is about the same; I was hoping for a little longer but what can you do. How bad would it be if I redrilled the spring perch holes another inch forward or drilled the springs themselves? I may move the front axle up later on if this doesn't work out too well. Starting to wish this was a longbed frame...

>>Dan

[dezrik]

don't drill the spring, two things will happen... you'll go through drill bits like butter and when wheeling its possible they will break right at the old hole. ask me how i know

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Noted; no new holes in the springs. Today I cleaned the frame and undercoated it; also trimmed the front hangers but forgot to weld on that plate I was yakking about. Almost hung the fuel tank with new hoses but ran out of time... even though it was still nice and sunny out at 7. Yay, time change! What else... took off the overload springs, planned out lowering the bed, the super-sweet under bed storage area, thought about the shock mounts and almost put on the front tires. Almost.

>>Dan

[wakkjobb [OP]]

I got it all back together today; still have a few loose ends to tie up, like fuel in the tank. It sits pretty level and the springs are super-flexy, I can't wait to get out and twist it up some!

And I almost dropped the truck on myself, more on that later. Bed-time now.

>>Dan

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Quick pic update, then it's back to work 

CarQuest undercoated:


Hangers trimmed:


Slick vent tube routing:


I forgot what an axle looks like:


Whoops...


Future bed rails:


Flip kit, shocks from Matt, funny looking diff breather and the biggest dang shackle bolts I ever seen!

Where miracles happen:


>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

how did u do the upper hanger with bolts... take a pic!!!

old sliders make good bed rails 

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Upper hangers with bolts? Please elaborate... Those weren't really sliders at all... just some steel the kid welded on the frame.

It's all back together minus the rear d-shaft. Took it out for a little flexing (no camera) and leak-test. So far so good; had to work some air out of the hydro but it's 100% now. Going to the bar, that is all.

 
>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

how did u mount the bar and bolt your shocks to it... the upper shock bolts dont drive with no body on the car

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Uh, for now I mounted the top shock bolts where they were before; haven't made a new x-member for them yet. I'll do that when I chop off the bed so I can have a lot of room to move stuff around.

It flexes fine; should pick up the rear d-shaft tomorrow... but for now it feels fine except the steering is goofy... it wanders like crazy.

>>Dan

[wakkjobb [OP]]

Scored a HAC from the yard along with a spring for the clutch pedal, gasket for the overflow tank siphon dealie, a few intake plugs, some fuses and other bits-n-pieces. Now to put it all together...

>>Dan

[Quick Draw]

Can't wait to see some flex pics.  That looks like its going to flex like crazy.

[wakkjobb [OP]]

I'd get some snowy flex pics but since the driveshaft isn't done yet...  maybe next week. I have some spares I may be able to make work though; today I'm working on the air cleaner modification to get cold air from the right rear corner of the engine bay/fenderwell area. Before I put the axle back on I used my floor jack to see just how much flex these springs have, it seems like a decent amount since it topped out the 21" lift limit of the jack.

>>Dan

[Jakesteads]

we need to get some flex pics tuesday mine should be 100% done tomorrow... in the evening