The Lone Ranger – Kage’s ’94 X-Cab Leaf SAS and Bed Bob

[n_bannerman]

Thanks for the input on front/rear shackles, looks like I will for sure be doing front with explorer springs and a short shackle. Your truck has been a big influence on how I plan to build this one(my dd) and when I finally get a wheeler and build it.

 

[Kage]

Thanks for the input on front/rear shackles, looks like I will for sure be doing front with explorer springs and a short shackle. Your truck has been a big influence on how I plan to build this one(my dd) and when I finally get a wheeler and build it.

Glad to hear it's helped you out! Hopefully you'll learn from my foul ups along the way

 

[Kage]

Reid Knuckle Upgrade:

After doing this to the stock Ford Knuckle:

So I pulled this off:

Slapped it next to the new knuckles (quite a bit more beefy):

I wound up having to grind on my new knuckle to make the brake bracket fit correctly. Kind of disappointed that I had to do that, but not a big deal to get it done:

One side done:

Now everything is much happier! The Reid knuckles use a lower point for where the tie rod sits (stock Chevy location) which will make it much easier to get the hydro assist done now (once I have the cash to do so).

Its hard to tell, but I think the Reid's also correct the camber issue that the Ford knuckles had. I haven't measured it, but by the eye, it looks like it might have corrected the 2° camber I had with the stock knuckles. All and all, I'm happy with them and expect them to last a long time.

 

[Kage]

Trans mount v3.0:

On the last trip out, I managed to kill another transmission mount. This mount was a hacked up stock mount with poly bushing in place of the stock rubber. Since I might have been a wee bit drunk when I made this mount died, it help up for quite a long time, so in keeping with the theme....

Dead mount:

Version 3.0:

I've got a feeling this one will hold up a bit longer

 

[Kage]

In other news, I got the front bushing swapped out for new Poly bushings:

The rubber bushings were so shot that I was able to push the rubber bits out with my fingers. There is a definitely improvement in ride and steering feel now. I am bummed that the new bushings started squeaking on day 2 of driving on them, even though I greased the crap out of them.

The doubler is holding up well, but it has sprung a leak or two in the crawl box. When I get a little more motivated, I'll pull it apart reseals/swap out the leaking seal.

 

[RangerSVT]

I guess the trans I got you is holding up, huh? Knuckles look great, what they run you?

SVT

 

[Kage]

I guess the trans I got you is holding up, huh? Knuckles look great, what they run you?

SVT

Its a bit crunchy, but its still rocking along! The knuckles were $630 shipped to my door.

 

[RangerSVT]

Not bad, I doubt I will need to swap them out, but if the 37's prove to be too much, then I'll grab a pair...


SVT

 

[Kage]

Not bad, I doubt I will need to swap them out, but if the 37's prove to be too much, then I'll grab a pair...


SVT

I'm still surprised that I managed to kill that knuckle without running hydro. I wouldn't be surprised to find out it had a small crack in it when I first got it. And that I just didn't catch it.

 

[RangerSVT]

Agreed, that is possible that it had a hairline crack previously...


SVT

 

[Kage]

16th Offroad Trip - Interlake 4/6/13

It looks like we traveled about 10 miles wandering around the park:

Some of the group meeting up in IL:

Heading East:

And meeting up with the rest of the group:

We started wandering our way through the park:

Playing on the steep hills:

Killing one of my mirrors, please excuse the wife trying to fall down the hill:




Lifting a wheel on the way down:




We continued plodding along:

Until we got to one of the rock gardens:

I did a decent job of slicking up the rocks for everyone following me:














Stopping for lunch:

After lunch I jumped on a neat hill climb which caused this:

Bent it back and was good to go again. While I was repairing the bent rim, a few others were playing on the climb:

And we kept on wandering:

And one stuck and broke XJ:

“Whoops”

All fixed and heading out:

Back into the sunset:

Damage:
- Two dead mirrors (and very tweaked doors)
- Leaking Doubler setup (Front seat apparently let go)
- Rear wheel seal on the 14 bolt
- Water in at least one front hub

Edit: Here are some Go-Pro vids from the white XJ

















Link to photo album

 

[railman]

ya coulda posted up you were goin.....I woulda liked to have rode around with y'all.....

l8r, John

 

[bobbywalter]

she is a beauty....



i really dig the xj,s, especially the white one.



with no lockers my ol fatty truck would not have even made it to the line you made and slicked up for the rest of the gang. that thing moves good on those tires. the difference between my iroks and the good years is unreal.

 

[Josh40601]

Looked like a good time!

 

[Kage]

ya coulda posted up you were goin.....I woulda liked to have rode around with y'all.....

l8r, John

I thought you were one of the ones that didn't like that park? I'm kind of bummed now.

I'll poke you next time we head out that way as we didn't get to run Trail 19 and some of the harder ones due to the mixture of the group. So we'll be making another trip out that way at some point later in the year.

she is a beauty....

i really dig the xj,s, especially the white one.

with no lockers my ol fatty truck would not have even made it to the line you made and slicked up for the rest of the gang. that thing moves good on those tires. the difference between my iroks and the good years is unreal.

Its always easy to find slick stuff out in that park, even with its 'dry'. Those GY's don't really like to clean out so once they get loaded up a little bit they're done for.

Looked like a good time!

Yup!