The Black Hole

[gmanpaint]

I'm guessing I didn't wheel it hard enough to give you some ammo. I will try harder next time. Lol

 

[crazyflights]

I thought u wheeled it hard, and it took it like a Champ! I was impressed this thruck does extremely well.

 

[gmanpaint]

Drivers side was still leaning 1" lower than the pass side in the front. So before I went wheeling I installed a longer torsion adjusting bolt (100mm) and cranked up the dr side to even it out. I removed the entire sway bar out at the off road park, and kept it off. I was having troubles with the sway bar getting caught up on the tires when turning. I need to make a way to hold the sway bar in its stock position with the end links off.

Now this morning I went to replace the swaybar, and noticed the pass side is sitting lower than the dr side......wtf?

I am not going to lower the dr side, (that would be insane!) I have half a stock bolt still to crank on the pass side. I will level the rig by lifting the pass side. I have a feeling I am going to need an alignment after. I will measure the toe, to make sure thats ok.

If anyone has an idea how to hold the sway bar in its stock position (not using bungee cords) while it is disconnected, give me a shout.

 

[97sprt4x4]

If anyone has an idea how to hold the sway bar in its stock position (not using bungee cords) while it is disconnected, give me a shout.

You could put something along the lines of a pipe clamp on the inside of the bushings by like an 1/8th inch that would allow movement while the bar is hooked up but then when the end links are not hooked up it would only move that 1/8th inch..

Just an idea.

Justin

Edit you probably mean up and down, not left to right... sorry

 

[cybergasm]

Sway Bars Are overrated

 

[Turdle]

Sway Bars Are overrated

yup. just dead weight.

 

[gmanpaint]

I need the front sway bar in my area, tons of hills and sharp turns at high speeds to navigate around here. I love how the rig feels with out it attached but the body roll is too great, especially with the spare on the roof, makes it too much to handle with both swaybars off full time. Also the 3" body lift made the COG higher, and unstable.

I am thinking of something attached to the frame that will hold it in place in the stock position. A long bolt with a turned thread like a hook? The hook thru the swaybar end hole. Place a washer and nut to hold it in? Drill a hole thru the end of the stud, and use a hitch pin? This is about all I can think of right now.

I tried holding the sway bar at every angle forward of the stock position, it just kept hitting my 33"x12.5" tires on the inside. The stock position is the only place it will not get hung up. I looked at Dkchrist ranger, his swaybar is mounted higher than the Ex swaybar is. So, when his is disconnected, and turned upwards, it does not interfere at all. My 1st gen Ex has no problems with the swaybar disconnected either. Figures.

 

[cybergasm]

I need the front sway bar in my area, tons of hills and sharp turns at high speeds to navigate around here. I love how the rig feels with out it attached but the body roll is too great, especially with the spare on the roof, makes it too much to handle with both swaybars off full time. Also the 3" body lift made the COG higher, and unstable.

yup there is the sole reason i no longer run a rack/spare on the roof of my rig. The difference in handling was amazing.

 

[gmanpaint]

Well its been a while since I have been able to do anything to the Black Hole. Work has been non-existing, so the major mods have been put on hold. What I can do is being accomplished by barter or low cost maintenance.

Stay tuned, later in the day today, the front end is getting a temporary make over. Pics and write up to follow.

 

[cybergasm]

Well it later, Done yet?

 

[gmanpaint]

Well, its been a trying day for me. I had an idea that I thought would only take a couple hours, but as Murphy's law kicked in, it turned out a little different.

What I am after is a better approach angle when I am wheeling. My front & rear stock bumpers are hanging up on me. So, I am having a tube bumper made by a friend in the near future. So taking advantage of the nice weather we had today, I decided to get a jump on it.


I have acquired a brush guard and wanted to get it on to see how the tube bumper would work with it.

I needed to see it on and plan accordingly. This meant removing the 6 lights (4 led bolts, 2 55 watt drivers) attached to the stock bumper, and removing it. No biggie. Once off I was admiring the way it looked and was excited with the clearance it had without it.

So with the new bumper still not being on for a bit, I figured it could be driven with just the guard on it. So, it had to go on at this time. Here is where my day took a wrong turn. The brush guard I had was not for a 2nd gen, but a 1st gen.


I wanted to make it work, so a call was made for a welder. Once the welder and flat stock was acquired, it was fabricating time.

The tabs were cut off, and new mounts welded on. It was dark by 4:30 pm, so working in the dark for another 1.5 hrs was all I could stand for the day.


I was not able to finish up my little project. I will resume at some point in the week ahead.

Once its finished I will post up all the info on it with pictures. Dang it, I really wanted this wrapped up today. Oh well, that's life in the slow lane for ya.

Sorry folk's, parks closed for the day.

 

[CDW6212R]

You should try to move the bumper back as much as possible. I did that for my 99 mail truck for my turning clearance. I pushed it to the left and back.

FYI, I found that I could gain some movement back by swapping the brackets from the backside. It's been three years, but I recall taking them apart and flipping them to work on opposite sides. The bolts and/or nut clips had to be on a different edge or side. In the end I ended up with it back about 3/8" more I think.

 

[gmanpaint]

The bumpers have been raised 3" with brackets for the body lift. I have been hanging and banging with them. I have been doing some more difficult trails and am taking more aggressive lines lately. I need better approach & decent angles. I will never achieve what I want with the stock bumpers. They are just to big. If I had a SAS and it was pushed forwards a few inches, that would help a ton as well. But that is for a future that is not so near. I am doing what I can with what I have. The rear bumper will done by spring hopefully.

 

[CDW6212R]

I see, then you will likely trim the frame horns back a hair to let your built bumper set in more than the stock one. Night,

 

[gmanpaint]

Had to work in the dark again I really dislike these short days this time of year.

Anyways, I was able to get the modified brush guard on, but it still needs some work. I still have to add a 3rd cross bar to attach the plate tag on it, and the pass side headlight section looks like it was stomped on by Thors hammer. I am not sure if I will keep the headlight guards on or not. I will get it straightened up soon enough. When the tube bumper goes on, it will look a ton better, this is only temporary.

Figured I would clean up the front area and paint it up a bit again. I found some old wheeling mud here & there, still need to clean that up a bit. I also moved the PIAA lights that were behind the grill to the guard. These pictures are in the dark with a flash, so ....

 

[gmanpaint]

I figured I would post a couple of things that have been in the truck for some time, but never thought to share.

Don't mind the dirty interior, the maid didn't show this week

Here is my CB mounting location. If you look back towards the dr door you can see the external speaker (seatbelt is covering it)mounted next to the seat on the "B" pillar.


Mic mounted.
CB Ant mounted.

For safety, the cargo area is filled with stuff.
Mag Lite mount.

Fire Extinguisher.

Wheeling gear...tow strap, first aid kit, Hi-Lift mate, 2x12 wood base for Hi-Lift jack, wheel chock, leather gloves, 150 lb torque wrench for checking the wheel lugs after wheeling, and a nice 12 v air pump. This all goes in a box and strapped down when wheeling. I have it laid out to show what I bring. I also bring a 4 ft crow bar to help with moving rocks and tree limbs. A 6 ton jackstand gets strapped in as well.

I have to have tunes, so my ported sub box is in the back as well, amp is under dr side rear seat

 

[gmanpaint]

A little more done with the front end today. I managed to add 2 length's of pipe to the front. 1 to the guard, 1 to the frame. This frame pipe is also bolted to the brushguard mounts. For a total of 4 bolts holding it on. The headlight guards came off, the one side is to bent up, and needs some tuff love.

The pipe to the guard is for a front tag holder plus in with conjunction with the lower pipe, I can now add a skid plate. That is the next step planned.

I made my own threaded bushings and ran a 1/2" all thread rod through the pipes, so I could bolt them on. The bushings were a proud design for me. I used long all thread connector nuts, rubber heater hose, and tapped them in the ends of the pipe. They had to be installed with care because how tight it was. Once they were in, & flush, I simply ran the all thread rod through the entire length of pipe with enough sticking out the ends for washers & nuts. Pretty sweet if I do say so myself

I got my drivers lights back on and wired up. touched it all up with some paint, and called it a day.

 

[Benji-Man]

Nice Ride!!!!!

 

[gmanpaint]

Ok, I finally got the skid plate finished & installed. It is 1/4" plate and heavy. A little textured Powder coated Silvervein, mounted to the crossmember & to the frame rail bar I attached. I am on the hunt for some big panhead bolts to countersink into the plate, for a flush mount surface.

Off:

Backside of plate

ON:

I really like how it ties into the front end. The tube bumper will incorporate it all together nicely I think.

 

[gmanpaint]

This is why the front skid plate was done in Silvervein, to match these:

15"x10" 8 spoke Alum wheels Powder coated by Turdle.