Update:
Here is an update I've been meaning to do for ages, and now that I'm home sick, I figured this is a good 'relaxing' thing to do
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You will have seen the spacers that I have fabricated (pieces of cut metal is far more truthful
) and have finally fitted them. It is pretty much a case of jacking the chassis up as far away from the axles as possible (leaving them in full droop) and then, using a trolley jack jack one side up with blocks of wood under the diff to act as a pivot with pushes down the other side of the axle far enough to undo the shock, and then dislocate the spring but making sure we didn't damage the brake lines (I'm not going to fit extended lines as the guy before ran a 2 inch lift fine so until I go higher, these should be fine cause a $600 cert. fee is a bit much!!!!). We started with the back cause it easier.
Jacking of the chassis
Not sure if I've said, but if not, I run 30mm wheel spacers
Shock undone
Spring out (Note: Chalk marks to show us orientation)
How it all looked
Now that everything was undone it was a case of putting everything back together. After bolting up the spring spacers we used spring compressors to compress the springs (surprise surprise
) enough that they could be refitted despite the gap being 2 inches smaller. Then it was all bolted up and we left the front for another day
All done
Done for the day
and pleased
The next day we tackled the front. After battling the rusted panhard bolt out of it's home we worked just like we had done at the back (hence no pics). The only difference was the bolt for the shockies went into the spacers.
Shockie bolted in (Note: Threads fouling the spacer)
After the hacksaw
All done, but by the shape of that spring (but it is at full droop) I think some castor correction arms may be on the list
Anyway.... the best bit. Guess whose these are
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DAD'S NEW KM2'S!!!!!!!
But I'm swapping him my old ones for his old ones
They're a set of 235/85R16 BFG MTs (old pattern, which is better for riverbeds). They still have 8-10mm of tread too
. They're mounted to some old Rostyle steelies (16x6.5) which have taken a hammering (literally, trying to straighten them
). Anways, we got them mounted up and they do look a bit odd with the flares (needs more offset despite spacers!).
How it looks now
It now sits 4 inches higher than standard!
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So that's what I've wanted to post for a while
Since then we fixed the exhaust (took 4 hours because when undid the bolts to clean the soot of the gasket so it'd seal properly it sprung forwards (obviously loaded up with the new dent in it) and spent ages straightening it!) Here's a couple of piccies
The leak
Gasket cleaned up
We did use exhaust goo on the gasket to help it seal.
Here you can see how it had moved (because the hit had preloaded it)
We did finish it but it was soooo cold (highest temp was 5 degrees all day) so didn't want to roll around on the cold ground to grab another pic of it done. Anyways, we fixed (thanks Dad
) and now that it's sealed it sounds different to when it was broken and also when it was supposedly not broken. It had 2/3 bolts missing from the studs so I reckon it already had a leak.
How it sounded in the first place:
How it sounded broken:
Haven't got any video of it in tip top shape (yet) but I think my friend might (waiting to get it off him).
Anyway, final page in this chapter
, I took it offroading on 32s!!!!
What a beast!!!! It walked up climbs I couldn't get up at all on the 30s and with them being a bit narrower, they dug in nicely on the gravel track with very little hastle. I'm loving them
. I only took one photo but my friend took a few and also some video (still waiting on the vids!) but it was a great trip. I'll finish of with some photos, and then go and get a snack
Cheers guys,
Trillo
