Re: Spring over questions.

[josad@domain.elided]

On Wed, 14 Apr 1999 11:22:45 -0600 Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided> writes:
>
>> ugh.  I was planning on just buying a housing from Jim Malis (sp), 
>guess
>> maybe not.
>
>A lot of people go this way.. and it can work.  Problem is, it'll 
>rarely
>be "perfect".. every truck is a little different.. what condition are
>your springs in?  How much weight up front?  How huge is that winch
>bumper?  Or maybe rust has removed most of the front sheet metal and 
>you
>have a SB Chevy instead of a heavy 392...

springs look ok, but si, can't be sure.  they are heavy duty, XLC type. 
weight, uh, probably lots.  it's the diesel, Tom. Eventually the entire
front sheet metal will be fiberglass, that'll lighten it up.  no winch
bumper or plans for one.  either i'll stay w/ the industrial grade
come-a-long I picked up or (when I get a replacement) use the hi-lift. 
If I do get a winch it'll be a hydraulic on a 2" reciver hitch w/
disconnects so it can be used front or rear.

>> what about for the axle swap, what do I need to swap the housings?
>
>Oh.. you're going to swap your guts into a new housing?
>
>Someone will need to setup the gears.. they'll need shims to adjust 
>for
>the new housing.  Probaly want to change the inner (diff area) axle
>seals, pinion seal.. 


ok, this just popped into my mind.  any reason why I can't take the new
housing, and gears down to the local tranny shop and have them put it
together before I start this project?  It's gonna be a 2wd anyhow for a
bit after the conversion while waiting for custom driveshafts.  I figure
just cut a 1/4 flat cover for the old housing to keep out dirt, it should
still work as a 2wd truck right?  and I can pull the rest of the parts in
wy and swap them in, right?  any reason why this won't work?  am I
missing something?


>Cheap n' easy.  Yep.
>
>I figure I have $1,000 into my 4" lift give or take.. and when I 
>throw
>it aside for the spring over, I may end up plunking down another
>$1,000... :-(

si.  actually a spring over is "cheap", off the top of my head, if I also
get the twisted axle and do the reverse shackle, i'm looking at ~$350

but then theres 2 new driveshafts at ~$200 each, 4 new shocks ~$100 and
tires, i'll probably get a pair of 33's used, they're everywhere here,
but thats ~$200.

my goal is to keep all the planned mods under $1200

>> I'll have to tell my hardware store to order more square tubing, I 
>was
>> there earlier, and I figure I'll need a lot of it  probably at least 
>10
>> feet after doing spring perches, new towers, drag-link, etc.
>
>Hardware Store?  how about a steel supplier?  MUCH MUCH cheaper.

yeah, forgot about those.  guess i'll be making them happy soon.

>> and then, as part of the same group of preojects, a full cage and 
>bucket
>> seats (bolted to the cage) go in the cab.  so more $$$.
>
>Good plan.  I'm heading in that direction as well.  I want to run low

i've been thinking about it, and in the long run it's the easist way,
especially if you're doing like me and going to jappenesse car seats.
(i'm still looking for a good pair from a sentra) instead of trying to
adapt them to the factory seat bases.

>door bars from the main hoop to the front hoop, low.. and run tube
>across from one door bar to the other and then tie the seats into 
>that. 
>Kind of a "side impact beam" (especially with a SO lift) *and* if you 
>do
>get hit, your seat will get pushed in right along with the side of 
>the
>cage.. you'll always be "X inches" from the impact.  Tie the seat 

hmm.  I would suggest designing "weak" spots in the middle of the cage
floor so it would brake at these points and you'd be pushed in.

>belts
>into the 'cage, too.. wouldn't want to strangle yourself.

actually, good a time as any to upgrade to shoulder belts.

Joe


>-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
>http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
>

Joe Dufresne email (normal) Josad@domain.elided email (with attachments)
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avadiable upon request

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