project family wheeler. chop top 1 ton explorer.

[86 slo-vo]

im getting tired of waiting on my steel guy to bend up my tubs, not sure what the deal is he usually has my stuff done while im standing there.

since i cant do much out back i headed up front and started on the crossmember for my spring hangers. i couldnt just do a plain ole square tube so i did some playing around with it.

looks to be about 4-4.5 inch stretch, ill know once i get a positive mark of where the stock centerline was.

looks like to use the expo springs ill be doing some work on the body mount, but since im going to be using solid body mounts it will be pretty easy to fix.

then decided i didnt have enough rom for a winch so i barrowed an idea from bray's new bumper and added the tube to give me enough room to weld a plate in across the top.

ill be back up at 5am to start again.

 

[Bray D]

Having the rectangular tube under the winch plate isn't going to cause any issues when you go to bolt it down, right? Looks pretty close, like it'd be hard to get a nut on the mounting bolt.

 

[86 slo-vo]

i may have to cut some notches in the rec. tube to make it work but i dont think it will be too bad. im hoping to find an 8274 and i wont have to worry about it lol

 

[SAY789]

Awesome thats def a diff way of going spring hanger, looks cool

 

[86 slo-vo]

i figured the wrap around spring plate would be a nice touch and make it plenty strong once welded and plated.

still have a long ways to go, just sorta getting an idea in my head and running with it

 

[4.0B2]

here's one down in MS
http://midsouthjeeps.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=18261

 

[97TrailRigDD]

If you get bored you could make those front hangers look like these http://pitstopusa.com/i-5066905-all...af-spring-mounting-bracket-six-5-8-holes.html

 

[86 slo-vo]

was actually thinking about that, its not too late yet. they are only tacked on.

only thing i would worry about is having enough meat around the hole.

 

[86 slo-vo]

got some good time in today, didnt get as much as i should have done but there's still so many questions on the table still that its hard to do too much.

looking like 4.5 inch stretch.

also put in my battery cut off switch and wired it in.

 

[Josh40601]

looking great buddy

 

[Robert_1967]

How come on Extreme 4X4, they say to put the shackle in the front of the leaf, but in real world every one puts it in the back ?!?!?



Robert

 

[Josh40601]

not everyone.... Kage put his in the front.

 

[Kyle M.]

Keep it up!

 

[86 slo-vo]

How come on Extreme 4X4, they say to put the shackle in the front of the leaf, but in real world every one puts it in the back ?!?!?



Robert

it works both ways, im not really a fan of a long ass shackle hanging up front. i seem to be good at bashing the front up up against stuff which will result in a bent or broke spring and shackle.

thanks guys

 

[Bray D]

How come on Extreme 4X4, they say to put the shackle in the front of the leaf, but in real world every one puts it in the back ?!?!?



Robert

With the shackle in the front, as the axle droops, it will push the axle back - resulting is less slip in the driveshaft.

Rear shackle is the way to go though, for clearance reasons like slo-vo said. As long as your driveshaft has enough slip to work over the full range of motion of your axle, you're good to go.

Lookin good mang. Good progress today.