Thinking About Building Superlift-Style Brackets

[IZwack]

Explorer Pro Comp has a PDF with the specs at the very last page:

http://www.explorerprocomp.com/PDFs/06cat/066-085.pdf

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Shocks found, I think. After much research, I found some rancho shocks that fit stock applications of other vehicles that should bolt on. They are RS5000's- I can't bring myself to pony up and buy the 9000's-too expensive.

I am going to buy

RS5239 for the fronts
RS5227 for the rears

What I wonder is, the fronts allow for more compression than the stock shocks. I am not going to have bumpstops unless I make them, so could that be a problem? Could I mess up a fender or something?

 

[IZwack]

So when can't you make bump stops?

 

['97 V8]

Okay, you said you'll install them on Thirsday....its Thursday. C'mon mang, lets see the pictures. (just giving ya a hard time).

Did you order the front shocks for the truck yet? oh what are you doing for the rear?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Lift kit is on- no pics the camera battery was dead. I am going to go buy some shocks and stuff to make sway bar links- more when I return

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I worked 7 to 7 on the lift and got the whole front done short of sway bar links and shocks. The front driveshaft is way close to the cross member- its not touching but its about 1/2" to 3/4" from it. My brackets worked perfectly, no modification necessary. Everything appears to be straight and true.

I still have to do the rear lift, I will be adding shackles to the F150 leaf packs and hoping that its enough. Then I have to make some bump stop extenders, then come up with a way to make some sway bar links for the rear. I am charging the camera now and will have pics tomorrow.

I am having trouble finding shocks available locally. I hope to find some shocks for a lifted Yukon/Tahoe. I don't know what to do if I cant find any shocks. Any suggestions?

It looks mean from the front- I cant wait to get pics up

 

[IZwack]

The front driveshaft is way close to the cross member- its not touching but its about 1/2" to 3/4" from it.

I think thats how its supposed to be from what I've seen on the forum.

I am having trouble finding shocks available locally. I hope to find some shocks for a lifted Yukon/Tahoe. I don't know what to do if I cant find any shocks. Any suggestions?

Just make your own

 

['97 V8]

until tomorrow? Ahh man.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Yeah it sucks, bought a new camera battery, charged it and it didn't hold a charge. I am taking a charger tomorrow so I can take pictures. I may not be able to put them up until saturday morning, Ive got stuff to do friday night.

 

['97 V8]

Do you have a camera phone...that will do.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Yeah but I didn't drive it home, left it at work- no shocks, sway bar links or rear lift- not really safe to drive as of yet

 

[MountaineerGreen]

First thing this morning, no rear lift-

Done with rear lift

Front Shot (notice the nice flat cv's)

Rear Pas Side-

Front Crossmember

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Drivers Side Sway bar link

Passengers Side

Driveshaft Clearance looking forward

Rear Crossmember

Torsion bar drop bracket-

 

[MountaineerGreen]

All I need now are shocks front and rear (Rancho 5000's on order will be here tomorrow morning) and drop down brackets for the bump stops.

I dont know whether to put on the skid plate because I dont think I can change my oil with it on there. That would be extremely annoying to remove that every time for an oil change.

 

[FROADER]

HELL YES!! Nice work man!

Personally, I'd stay with no rear lift though.

 

['97 V8]

Nice! Turned out waaay better than i thought it would. Now have you drove around and slammed on the brakes to see if anything breaks? Also, did you use locktite on the bolts? (i know these are elemantary questions, but that is a really nice mounty)

 

[MountaineerGreen]

[QUOTE='97 V8]Nice! Turned out waaay better than i thought it would. Now have you drove around and slammed on the brakes to see if anything breaks? Also, did you use locktite on the bolts? (i know these are elemantary questions, but that is a really nice mounty)[/QUOTE]


Ye of little faith I knew I had it all along :

I haven't driven it much because I don't have shocks yet. I drove it some around in the lot at work. Inside the building I bounced everything around, slammed on the brakes, hit the gas etc. Nothing seems like it is going to give me any problems. Everything seems ok as far as I can tell. I used nylon lock nuts on every bolt I put on, and locktite in places I wanted to make double sure.

So are you saying that my brackets don't look strong enough? I spent a long time measuring, marking and drilling to make certain all the holes in the right spot. The truth will come out when I get the alignment, but I suspect that it will all come out fine.

I made the sway bar links myself for about $25. I used 3/8" all thread and an energy suspension bushing kit from auto zone. The middles are made of 3/8 galvanized pipe cut down to 9". It works as far as I can tell, if the all tread gives, I will find some grade 8 bolts to replace them.

The rear sway bar works as is, but limits travel. For the time being, I will run it stock. I have an idea to relocate the bushings that attach to the axle upward to fix the problem. I may start making the brackets fairly soon, they will be simple and straightforward.

The shocks will be there first thing Saturday morning. I am going to have to check and make sure they are going to work before I buy them. I think the front shocks will bolt in, the specs for the ends seem to be the same. The rears I think I am going to have to sleeve the lower bushings to make the bolt holes the right size. I think.

 

['97 V8]

I had faith in your work. As for nylon lock nuts they are not what i would use on this application. I would go and loctite every nut and bolt. Fourwheeler had a great section on why you shouldnt use nylon nuts as your locking method this month.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I got the shocks on today and drove it. It drives very nicely, feels about the same as before as far as steering and braking.

I do have one problem and I dont know for certain what it is yet. Everything is fine up to about 40 or 45, then it sounds like I am running a bogger on the drivers side front. There is no sound until then but when it comes, its loud. I can feel the vibration in the floorboard. I there are two things I suspect it to be- either the torsion bar is touching the lower a arm at the rear, or the front gears/bearings are bad. The sound goes away when I let off the throttle at lower speeds and comes back instantly when I hit the gas again. If I am coasting and hit the brakes, the sound goes away.

When I had the front apart, I removed the cover drained the oil. I cleaned out the inside of the housing because it had some sludge and buildup inside. I put in new gear oil after I buttoned up the cover. Did I mess up by cleaning the sludge out??

 

[MountaineerGreen]

[QUOTE='97 V8]I had faith in your work. As for nylon lock nuts they are not what i would use on this application. I would go and loctite every nut and bolt. Fourwheeler had a great section on why you shouldnt use nylon nuts as your locking method this month.[/QUOTE]

I bought some loctite today (red) and intend to back off the nuts and put on loctite. I can reach all of the bolts from the bottom side so that wont be a problem. All of the bolts have plenty of length to back the nuts off and add loctite.

I guess the heat could melt the nylon out of the nuts and they could back out eventually. I dread having to take anything apart after the red loctite.