Project Du - Deconstruction / Reconstruction (56k Beware)

[littleredrangerhood]

Go on ebay. They will run you about $40 for the pair of hangers including hardware.

 

[du510]

How much was that leaf spring hanger? My 94 needs one and I'm terrified to call Ford to hear the price LOL

I almost bought through ebay, but instead listened to the following advice:

Check out this site. They have all the brackets, bolts, and other suspensions parts you could want; and they are great on the phone re: information. www.stengelbros.com:bye: Click on SPRING ACCESSORIES to see front and rear hangers & shackles, etc.for Fords.

I ended up calling them up to talk to em about what I needed, and they were great. No problems whatsoever, and the parts are great. No complaints, at all!

 

[du510]

Today's work:

After a big ol breakfast, went to work on the passenger side front hanger. Stuffed the space on top of the gastank with old clothes soaked in water, then hosed it down for good measure. Also set up a towstrap from my truck to another truck, ready to pull me out if we got lit up!

The grinding went fine, no problems whatsoever. Popped the little suckers out, and realized how little room there is to work on the backside of the frame, between the frame & the gastank. So after much pondering and angry words, we decided to notch the bolts, and run them out from behind. Worked great! You can see it in the photo.

Put in the gussets in the rear, put it all back together. Did my best to install the Duff traction bar, but none of the brackets fit. So, thatll be going back to them.

Here are some photos:

The driver side front hanger. Note the notched grade 8 bolts.

The gussets, drivers side first, then passenger:

A few general photos:

So the bulk of my work is done. It is driveable! But the list is still there:

- 1pc drive shaft, ASAP
- Longer rear brake dropline
- SJ front drop brackts
- SJ extreme drop pitman arm
- Steering Stabilizer
- Dual shocks up front
- Swap out the shocks all around
- Get this damn duff traction bar to work!

 

[du510]

Reposting the driver side hanger, so you can see:

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7648/driverfronthangergq2.jpg




EDIT: making it just a link so it doesn't F-up my thread, the pic was too big.

 

[du510]

Just a cool pic I took tonight, of my truck next to my wife's new FJ Cruiser.

 

[zainyD]]

Looks good so far, but man, your truck has a lot of cancer.

 

[du510]

Looks good so far, but man, your truck has a lot of cancer.

Ya there is... its the product of New England winters. I have taken care of a LOT of it, but there is still so much to go.

Just FYI - behind the brackets is brownish spraypaint, not rust. I didn't have any other color, and just wanted to get it done.

 

[du510]

Got a little bit done this holiday weekend:

Swapped out a buddy's LCA's: (thats me underneath)

And I am obviously no painter:

And I ordered longer radius arm drop brackets (till I make the jump to longer arms), and the extreme drop pitman arm. Should be good to go this comin weekend!

 

[Dishtowel]

I noticed your running some very nice looking shock boots on your old shocks. I can't recommend installing them on your new Skyjackers, this is what I found in mine when I was doing some front end work. I decided that shock boots are not for offroad trucks.

If you didn't have this grossness then keep by all means keep them on!

 

[du510]

I noticed your running some very nice looking shock boots on your old shocks. I can't recommend installing them on your new Skyjackers, this is what I found in mine when I was doing some front end work. I decided that shock boots are not for offroad trucks.

If you didn't have this grossness then keep by all means keep them on!

Mmmmm, looks like youve done some good muddin! Ill keep em on, but maybe Ill wash em out after muddin.

 

[Toreadorranger]

Mmmmm, looks like youve done some good muddin! Ill keep em on, but maybe Ill wash em out after muddin.

That doenst solve the problem, the boot keeps both mud/dirt AND Water trapped in it, which is bad for the shock. Just take them off, they dont look good anyways.

 

[du510]

That doenst solve the problem, the boot keeps both mud/dirt AND Water trapped in it, which is bad for the shock. Just take them off, they dont look good anyways.

It would work, because naturally I wouldn't tighten them back on until they drain & dry out. But in that it is my truck, and I like the way they look, they will stay on.

 

[Dishtowel]

If you get your hands on a leather punch, or even a decent one-hole paper hole-punch then you could put 2-3 holes near the bottom of the shock boot, and one on the top to wash them out. I would use a pressure washer, and I would make sure to do this anytime I was in the mud.
I put mine on when I built it this spring liking the looks as well, but I've definatly grown to like the looks of shiny shock shaft as well. It has it's own bling every time I hit a bump, lol.
Good work on your build, what is a LCA ? the thing on the jeep that you helped your friend with..?

 

[du510]

If you get your hands on a leather punch, or even a decent one-hole paper hole-punch then you could put 2-3 holes near the bottom of the shock boot, and one on the top to wash them out. I would use a pressure washer, and I would make sure to do this anytime I was in the mud.
I put mine on when I built it this spring liking the looks as well, but I've definatly grown to like the looks of shiny shock shaft as well. It has it's own bling every time I hit a bump, lol.
Good work on your build, what is a LCA ? the thing on the jeep that you helped your friend with..?

Thats a decent idea...


LCA = lower control arm. No leaf springs - hes got a coil, then an upper and lower arm that connect the axle to the frame. Similar to how we have the radius arms up front... kinda.

 

[chico4554]

the only problem running bootless is then the shaft tends to get rust on it quicker. I think when i get shocks i will end up running bootless.