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I'm quitting for the.night. it's so cold out there and it's dark.
I know the truck is going to settle down some but darn the wheel well looks huge. I didn't get to get the tires on today. Going to have to Jack the axle way up to be able to. We Jacked the truck up 6 in and the axle is still that low to the ground. Got the track bar mount installed. I might get a local gear for now. Or use a torch and bend my 2wd pitman arm to the right shape to clear the track bar mount.....
Settle down and relax in the warm house. Great progress today Tristan.
I am sure the springs will adjust themselves once the full weight is the wheels and tires.
Good idea on forging your 2wd pitman arm. LOL
Will do and have been now! Thanks!
I'm sure they'll settle down a bit. It looks scary on how tall it would be if they didn't!
I just might try 'forging' it! It would probably work! Worst case I get a new steering gear though! It sure would be a waste of a reseal except for the fact that I got to make a write-up on it!
Those springs are way drooped with no weight on them. You’ll probably be able to jacking the axle enough to put tires on.
Great! That makes it easy! Is it safe to Jack on the bottom of the axle pumpkin? Or is there a spot where I could jack the whole front of the truck up at once and put both tires on? Probably best to do one at a time I would assume. Just not sure the best spots to jack on each side!
The truck was way too low. I jacked it up to take the 2WD off until the tires were just off the ground but, had to jack it up an additional 6 in just to fit the axle underneath and even then we had to jack up the leaf springs individually to get the alignment pins in their hole. They are way drooped as you said! My dad helped me raise the truck up that extra bit and align the leaf spring pins. I wanted somebody to watch while I was lifting the jack stands. I'll be done minus the steering gear tomorrow! And of course I can't put the track bar on without the steering gear hooked up. I should have listened to you about the steering gear!
I was thinking you were saying that by heating up and forging the cast iron something would go wrong or weaken the metal. I don't know too much about cast iron, as you can tell. That means the forging idea is still on the table!
Jason would be more capable of answering the Forge trivia questions.
Extra expense to get correct gear box but it would definitely be right and safe.
You can probably change it in under an hour with your experience.
I know it. I plan on buying a blue top gearbox as soon as I can. Along with a new 4x4 pitman arm. Just need to wait a bit. As you may remember work has been really slow. My weekly funds have been pretty much cut in half. Basically, my income is significantly reduced at the moment and there's always bills to pay. Just the way it goes. It is what it is. Just trying to get by till work picks back up.
you can get the jack close to center of the axle, may lean slight to driver side. be slow and careful, keep an eye on jack stands as you move the truck.
I would highly recommend not heating and bending steering components that will see highway use.
you can get the jack close to center of the axle, may lean slight to driver side. be slow and careful, keep an eye on jack stands as you move the truck.
I would highly recommend not heating and bending steering components that will see highway use.
Great! I wasn't sure where it was safe to jack on these front ends.
I don't like the idea either. It seems sketchy. I wouldn't do that anyway. I don't like doing things like that! I'm probably just going to get a Auto parts gear for now.
I was thinking you were saying that by heating up and forging the cast iron something would go wrong or weaken the metal. I don't know too much about cast iron, as you can tell. That means the forging idea is still on the table!
It bodes well for you that you don’t watch enough TV to know what Cody and I were referring to. It’s from a show called Forged In Fire where bladesmiths from around this great country compete for a prize of $10,000 and the title of Forged In Fire Champion (sic).
I should have listened to you about the steering gear!
