1st Gen 2WD DC

A little update for my two friends. The front end feels new with limited wheel time. It needs a double check of torque and an alignment. That can wait, because I can drive the boy's truck. The rear end has the long-awaited shock relocation coming. As noted before,I made the frame weak by removing the OEM hitch, the spare tire, and stressed it more with longer shackles. It's complaining now. Like a bitch. I really like Archive Garage (10%) off now although not on the homepage - I got it, try adding something to the cart to check. I was on the phone. Or email Eric. Anyway, the bed is coming off after the weekend. Time for shock relocation, finish hitch and support bumper welds, assess frame bracing needs. I have AG hammer hangers in route and the bed brace DIY plates. I may fab a brace in addition. Skid plates are here, but they can wait as well, first things first. Other things that can wait are new lic plate bulbs, updated stereo, back up cam, compressor mount, lights.....geez, I'll stop.

 

Do you need to put in the hammer hangers before you set up the rear shocks? Not sure if they affect travel or not. Maybe?

Maybe they don't as long as you keep the shackles you have.

 

I think definitely. Even if not, the lower shock mount locations are critical and I don't want to set those and then change droop or anything after. Thank you @Darkness. And thanks again for your generous offer. I think that stuff worked out. I have a surf contest to watch (both kids) on my next day off, and am waiting on parts and probably will be taking a trip to the metal supply. So, I'll just have to be patient, and the bed will likely sit next to the truck for a while. I think in the end, I will add limit straps back there. The best ones are relatively cheap, but they take thought and math and time as well. This should be the "slow is pro" part. Measure twice and all of that. And I can always move to electrical if I'm at a stand still...

 

Plenty going on here.

 

Dang I wanted those archive springs but I don’t need that much lift in the rear, probably be alright for the few months my camper top is on in the winter time. I’ve got the hammer hangers & cross bar, archive shackles, and the shock relocation in my parts pile for the truck. I may need to go back to looking at the deavers.

 

Reconsider. I had stock, Deaver and these. I did tame the lift of MD Archive springs by just under an inch with TC lowering shackles, but the springs are awesome. Hold a heavy load and run great empty. I wish I started with Eric.

 

You think those archive springs will settle any more? I hate I’ll have to buy another set of shackles with them but that’s life I guess. The archive shackles are pretty awesome

I agree Eric’s awesome, his cx service is top notch. I’ve spoken to him a couple times about different combos for the rear and squeezing a set of ads 12 inches remote reservoirs on the rear of my truck. He suggested the medium duties for my truck.

 

im really debating the medium duty springs.. but i dont know how well they'll handle towing vs my AAL and stock leafs... they've been able to support a damn taco without much squat

 

I have his hammer hangers on order, but my shackles are TC and the hangers are currently OEM. These MD Archives could settle like any I guess. And then I could put OEM length shackles back on. But the build of them is really good, and I anticipate keeping it as is - except for the hammer hangers, which don't add or lose lift.

 

Dry fit of the rear shock relocation.

 

Place holder.

 

I’m not at full droop yet, but clearly limit straps are in order.

 

From the first pic it looks like you have limit bolts not a wear item like those pesky straps! Now im curious if my leaf springs hit that way, maybe not since I have stock shackles still.

Second pic is just telling you to chop the last foot of tailpipe off like I did.

 

Lol, those are wannabe limit bolts, that would just bang and cry! I’m not going to worry about those until the new hangers are here. But, this is needed….

 

Full droop. More available if I push down on the tides. But a good limit point.

yup on the tailpipe. Just waiting to look at shock clearance so I make an informed cut.

 

Super weird observation, but the 1st time I looked at this picture, I saw hearts in these two spots while zoomed out. When I zoom in, clearly it's a round void. Optical illusion? Or maybe I'm just projecting how much I'm loving this build!

 

I keep dreaming of an option for 8' of this. It would be insane.

 

I see them too, now that you drew them on there...:0

 

Interesting morning. Drive the kids to practice at 0530. It’s a couple of miles. Cross PCH on the way home and head to a merge. There is a guy on my tail, so close I can’t see his lights. I know I have a problem, we are about to merge and there’s traffic. I cover the brake and coast, traffic slows, even before I start braking, I start moving toward a hole. Doesn’t matter, dipshit rear ends me. Fuck. I pull into the right and go slow to the first turn out. He follows but as soon as I turn right he runs off.
Now, flame away but don’t do what I did. That’s my advice.
Fuck that I say to myself. Pursuit mode in the boy’s V8 4R. Catch him, steer him to a stop and tell him to follow me or he’s screwed.
The rest is a lot of I’m sorry, let’s get cash, I (the girlfriend) have to get to work.

The only funny part was when I’m out of the car and the girlfriend is out and I see her in a t-shirt and underwear. It’s not pretty. At all. I don’t think she was going to work, however. I doubt he’s insured. I got his info and 100 bucks he’s not if anyone likes to wager. Unless that’s against the rules here then no bet.
Back to regular programming.

Centering punches are great.

 

On that subject, I was at Costco recently and what I think was a kid driving a nissan with both his parents accelerates strongly and slams a camry hybrid into the pillar next to the tank, trashing both wheels and the whole rear end. Then he throws it into reverse and smashes the car which used to be right behind him. I was 2 cars back and happy for the cover. I went wide to a different aisle for gas.

Then, walking back to the van yesterday (windshield crack which safelite took all day to replace and still couldn't get the electronics calibrated so now I have no safety anything) someone slams into a parked truck, all side curtain airbags deploy, not sure if it was medical or just looking at a phone or something dumb like that, seemed like she was having some trouble in the car, people talking to her through the windows around the airbags.

Something is definitely going on these days, it's loco.

 

Oh man sorry to hear about the accident. Hopefully no real damage.

That center punch looks like it did work well, I need to pick one up. Are you using step bits from here or something better?

 

I love step bits but for this I buy the cheap Costco titanium bits. Run a 5/32 or close backwards to clean the punch, then forward to drill the pilot. Then straight to 1/2. Oil on the bigger bits. I toss the small bits, sharpen the bigger. If I was on a press, good bits.

 

These are Amazon/Chinese. No way precision but good enough for who they are for. Served me well in many applications.

 

It’s getting exciting.

 

Looks like a bit more than a foot was cut off of that tailpipe! Coming along nicely.

 

Yeah, there was no where else to cut it that wasn’t up. Shock interference…

 

Shock mounts lower than I would like, but I spread them out as far as I could. At first I was thinking about maximizing droop, but this spring setup will go forever. So I decided, hopefully rightly, to focus on compression and ensure they can’t top out. Straps for droop. The only thing that would turn up the mounts, would be shorter shocks. That would raise the low points 1-1.5 inches. Going from a 12" to a 10" shock would probably defeat some of what we are doing here.

 

Might be time to join the Spintech club

Is that with 12" 2.0 shocks?

Did you measure right to the bump stop, or did you allow room for squish?

 

I looked at where the bump stop would squash down to the hardware and explode. That’s what I was going for anyway. Yes, 12” thanks @Darkness insert fist bump

 

I might be walking the line on compression. I think I'm still in the green, but I'll have to see when it's all loaded up and big dips. You definitely know those shocks are back there...

Ignore the zip ties and temp bolts. :0