The "Donkey" build/rebuild

[Roert42]

Make sure it's in one piece for the round up, that way you can will that $500 from jim.

 

[Bracket racer]

Make sure it's in one piece for the round up, that way you can will that $500 from jim.

Ummm, what?

 

[Roert42]

Sorry, $50 or $100 if there are more then 12 people. Cash prize for the person that travels the farthest to the 2021 off road roundup

 

[Bracket racer]

Ahhh, had to read it a couple times. I get it, a get together for wheelers.
Not sure where they’re held but pretty sure I can’t get into the states.
Looking at it in the shop, I’m thinking with the tires/axles on, it won’t fit out the 7’ door. Might have to wait for warm weather and build it outside.

 

[Bgunner]

Spacers may be a bad plan with your propensity to make the donkey fly. It may cause a weak spot that isn't as easy to MacGyver a fixs to get you home. Maybe a trade of rims or something along those line with the proper offset needed? I personally don't trust spacers even hub centric spacers can fail under street use so add in abuse and the likely hood of them failing increases.

Just food for thought.

 

[Roert42]

Ahhh, had to read it a couple times. I get it, a get together for wheelers.
Not sure where they’re held but pretty sure I can’t get into the states.
Looking at it in the shop, I’m thinking with the tires/axles on, it won’t fit out the 7’ door. Might have to wait for warm weather and build it outside.

It's not until September, so you never know. It's scheduled in Indianna.

Funny thing about that, normally I have a hell of a time getting mechanics into Canada for service work, but anybody could just walts into the states. Nowadays, I can get them in to Canada pretty easy, but I've had guys turned around at the border trying to get into the states, even with all the proper documentation.

 

[Bracket racer]

That’s cause they legal and are working. Tell them do sneak across the border or better yet, get them to say they’re looking for asylum from a communist country!
Tell them to say they’ll vote dem and their be put up in hotels!

Yes I’m being facetious.

 

[Bracket racer]

Spacers may be a bad plan with your propensity to make the donkey fly. It may cause a weak spot that isn't as easy to MacGyver a fixs to get you home. Maybe a trade of rims or something along those line with the proper offset needed? I personally don't trust spacers even hub centric spacers can fail under street use so add in abuse and the likely hood of them failing increases.

Just food for thought.

True enough, I was also looking at the hub which is only 1/4” through the rim as it is. If I add a spacer I think all of the weight will be on the studs instead of the hub.
So, I’m thinking of using a flapper wheel to clearance the knuckle a couple thou. Got my plate full today but maybe tomorrow I’ll go out and pull a wheel and see how much it will take. Obviously don’t want to compromise the knuckle.

 

[Shran]

So you're using 16" wheels and not 17"s? Or the other way around?

I know that 16" wheels will not fit on 05+ axles. 16's were the stock size for 99-04's and nothing else shares that bolt pattern so it's not like you're accidently using Chevy wheels or something... weird

 

[Bracket racer]

What do you mean? These are 03 axles (and I have the corresponding 16” wheels) and then I got a set of newer superduty rims which are 17” and have the same bolt pattern. The only difference I see is the backspace. I’ll put a 16” on just to see where it sits but I know it won’t be in over the knuckle like these 17’s are.

 

[Bracket racer]

I haven’t really had time to do much more, I clearances the knuckles and the tires spin freely now. But once warmer weather hits I’ll get at it. They’re supposed to lift the travel ban here in May and if so I’m going to a big run may 24 weekend. Considering the swap might take a few weeks to complete, I don’t want to start it until after that.
In the meantime we’ve been wheeling and again I’ve done something I’ve never seen before.
We were about 20 miles from home on tight trails and came across lots of water due to snow melt. The first 4 or 5 I went through slowly, they were about 4’ deep. Then I started having fun, hitting them faster and faster. In one hole I hit something quite hard/big crash and thought “oh crap, here we go” but nope, backed up and carried on. Short while later the brake pedal dropped a bit. After a bit there was loud grinding so when we hit a dry spot I took out the flashlight (it was 2am, I love being retired, lol)
No broken u joints and everything looked fine so let’s head for home.
Shortly after, brake pedal goes to the floor. Crap.

Next day took it apart, one pad missing, the other one is out of place...wtf???

The knuckle is bent!!

 

[Bracket racer]

Check this out, the part of the knuckle that holds the caliber is bent. Top is bent a bit, but the bottom is worse than what it looks in the picture.

 

[Bracket racer]

Nope don’t know how that could get bent considering it’s protected by the rim.. but anyhoo, how to fix it.
Can’t beat on it, it’s cast and would break.
Don’t have my torches running so can’t heat it to bend it.
Not replacing the knuckle as I’m replacing the axle “soon”.

Ok, look outside the box. If you can’t fix the knuckle to hold the pads, fix the pads to stay in the knuckle!
Lol, I know it’s next level hacking, but I got a welder so there’s that! Lol!

 

[Bracket racer]

I used 1” square tube about an inch and a half long and welded it to the ends of the new pad. A bit with the flapper wheel and it slides in and out like a factory pad!
Assembling it now and will report back later if it worked. (It should, don’t see any reason not to)

 

[Roert42]

That is some next level hackery. Exceptionally beautiful.