Arjan Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 I can only take my hat off in awe.... Very, very nice done and the hard work shows. How difficult was it to get the vehicle legally on the road again after your mods ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 5 hours ago, Arjan said: I can only take my hat off in awe.... Very, very nice done and the hard work shows. How difficult was it to get the vehicle legally on the road again after your mods ? Thanks, just need an inspection here… we don’t have annual MOT’s or anything like that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 much easier then France... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 Picked up some 1.5” x 1/4” wall DOM and made up the panhard & drag links. Got them mocked up to work on the axle end mounting bracket. The relationship between them is best I can get so we’ll just have to see how the bump steer works out. Once the mount is made we can cycle the suspension to see if we have any binding, lots of parts wanting to live in the same space. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 The modified pitman arm has worked out really well, also took the opportunity to put in new seals on both the input & output shafts as they were original and starting to leak. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 Got the truck sitting on the front axle under it’s own weight. Really happy how flat the lower links are, should give a nice ride for a flex rock crawler. Got a few things to change… need a lower profile sump than the stock ‘truck’ one, frame side panhard bracket needs a redesign. Need to look at the front drive shaft, currently it’ll bind if I droop out at about 3/4 of the old setup. This is mostly due to the lower position of the pinion on the 9” diffs and I messed up on the axle build. Someone forgot to reverse the measurement of the pinion centre line from the back axle drawing so it now sits ~2” to the driver’s side and not inline with the t’case output flange. Way too late to fix that now, so we’ll make the best of it. Thinking it’ll need some of the Tom Woods extra wide angle 1310 U joints to fix it & we’ll hopefully get the extra droop back, time will tell. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnoK Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 On 5/9/2022 at 4:05 PM, Arjan said: much easier then France... As is almost everything else automotive, mon ami....😖 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 Time to get stuffed… literally… checking the clearance for my 35’s at full articulation & stuff. Full left is good, full right is getting into the front out riggers & sliders. Will this be an issue… maybe or not, how often are you at full stuff & hard over… just something to remember when we’re finally out in her. Gotta admit the 16” of x-axle articulation is impressive 👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Have you got quite a large scrub radius? I’m on 14” travel shocks (and seemingly more axle travel than your picture) with 36.25” (37” quoted) treps. The clear at full articulation and full standard steering lock for a 265/75R16. Biggest issue was how much the tyre swung back/forth when I mocked it up on spacers. With the swivel spaced 60mm instead of at the wheel face, it removed 18mm of swing rear wards to the outrigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 1 hour ago, landroversforever said: Have you got quite a large scrub radius? I’m on 14” travel shocks (and seemingly more axle travel than your picture) with 36.25” (37” quoted) treps. The clear at full articulation and full standard steering lock for a 265/75R16. Biggest issue was how much the tyre swung back/forth when I mocked it up on spacers. With the swivel spaced 60mm instead of at the wheel face, it removed 18mm of swing rear wards to the outrigger. Yup, the Stazworks rims are heavily offset so that doesn’t help either along with the extra 3” of wheel track on these axles. Ideally I’d like to get the rims recentered but that’d probably cost more than a set of new Trail Ready alloy beadlocks. As you can imagine, the bank manager would not be impressed if I scrapped the rims…. Down the road I may have to anyway as finding 15” tires is getting harder without having to pay for shipping out the US. I have not maxed out the shocks this time, keeping things flexy but at 80-90% for reliability out in the bush. Would suck to bust something 50 miles from the nearest real road… it’s way to heavy to have it heli-recovered like we do with sleds in winter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 Redesigned the frame side track bar mount, increased the material thickness to 5/16” due to the offset mounting position of the heim. Also added a back brace for additional stiffness & a tie in to the steering box. Drawings sent out & should see the cut parts in a couple of weeks 👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 Redesigned the bracket in 1/4” as water jet shop doesn’t stock 5/16” plate. Hopefully it’ll be stiff enough with the two back braces and extending the heim tabs. Doubled up on the thickness of the lower tie in for the steering box. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 Frame side track bar mount finished & ready for some paint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 Next job is to section the LS truck sump and loose ~1.5” out of it for better clearance to the front axle like the example. Swapped the stock dip stick for a Corvette one, full will now be just below the windage tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 After a couple of hours work we have a nicely sectioned sump pan. Taking it off just below the old oil level sensor boss leaves just a small gap in places to be filled. Next a quick media blast & then off the neighbour for welding up. Oil pickup to section now and it’ll soon be back on. Definitely not worth spending $400 on a custom sump ! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 What a useful neighbour! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 10 hours ago, cackshifter said: What a useful neighbour! Lots of owner operated mobile service trucks here that support the logging & other industries. Having certified welders living a block away & home shops is not uncommon here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted June 30, 2022 Author Share Posted June 30, 2022 Sump back from the welder, fresh lick of paint & back on after I shortened the pick by 1.5”, new track bar bracket on as well. Next to get the axle under it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted July 2, 2022 Author Share Posted July 2, 2022 Front axle is all squared up at close to ride height. Next to do a final cycle to check clearance and then get the springs & 3rd member in. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted July 3, 2022 Author Share Posted July 3, 2022 Checking clearances at full flex, I doubt it’ll get to this point as the spring will be past being coil bound. Just got to check with the springs now & adjust the lower bump stop pad for up travel. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 Trimmed a bit off the lower spring locator & added the new larger pads. Leaves me with about an inch of shock shaft at full bump for good measure. Maybe down the road we’ll get some adjustable dampers & can then shorten the body up a bit more. Just not have to be jumping it in the meantime. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 Is that an inch of shaft showing with the axle level against the bumpstop pads? As you’ll use a bit more shaft with articulation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 3 hours ago, landroversforever said: Is that an inch of shaft showing with the axle level against the bumpstop pads? As you’ll use a bit more shaft with articulation? Yup, that’s why I want to swap out the dampers for some slightly shorter stroke ones. Although if you look at the picture above at full flex I’m beyond coil bound with the damper fully stroked out so it’ll be close. Will be fine for the time being, just have to bear it in mind when I finally get it out on the trails. Some nice remote res. dampers with adjustable bump would be ideal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted July 10, 2022 Author Share Posted July 10, 2022 After some research have decided to get a couple of the 12” stroke Billy’s for the front. This should give the extra clearance on full stuff and be more than enough droop to have the springs almost off the lower relocation cone. In addition will be adding some limit straps front & rear to protect the shocks at maximum articulation. Lower cones need a remake as they snag the spring but that can wait until I swap the shocks out. Extended brake lines measured & ordered as they’ll run down the links to prevent snagging on brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted July 14, 2022 Author Share Posted July 14, 2022 Front 3rd member assembled & setup. Was a bit of a pain getting the air fitting in as it landed right in the reinforced interior web. Just waiting for the paint to harden & in it’ll go. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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