Started work on the Beast!

[Roadkill]

Well guys, I'm home. Been back from Iraq about 48 hours and I just couldn't wait any longer to start hanging all the parts I've been ordering over the last few months. Got the rear suspension work done today. Soaked all the front bolts in PB Blaster and I'll start on the front tomorrow. Probably would have got a little more done, but my neighbors kept coming over to "help". Unfortunatly, their idea of helping was handing me beers and asking questions. I'm not complaining, they mean well and are probably more excited than me to see the final product.





Smile pretty for the camera...



Old parts from day one...

 

[n2spd]

Well guys, I'm home. Been back from Iraq about 48 hours and I just couldn't wait any longer to start hanging all the parts I've been ordering over the last few months. Got the rear suspension work done today. Soaked all the front bolts in PB Blaster and I'll start on the front tomorrow. Probably would have got a little more done, but my neighbors kept coming over to "help". Unfortunatly, their idea of helping was handing me beers and asking questions. I'm not complaining, they mean well and are probably more excited than me to see the final product.




Smile pretty for the camera...



Old parts from day one...

Cool I cant wait to start on mine!

 

[Broncobill78]

Well guys, I'm home. Been back from Iraq about 48 hours and I just couldn't wait any longer to start hanging all the parts I've been ordering over the last few months. Got the rear suspension work done today. Soaked all the front bolts in PB Blaster and I'll start on the front tomorrow. Probably would have got a little more done, but my neighbors kept coming over to "help". Unfortunatly, their idea of helping was handing me beers and asking questions. I'm not complaining, they mean well and are probably more excited than me to see the final product.

Hey, great. Now it sits like my old 68" charger. You're done man. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> You got some dice for that rear-view mirrow ?

 

[green streak]

looking good so far. have you got a pitman arm puller for the front? it's a little more complicated than just leaf springs, but not too bad. it's looking better already. good luck

 

[Seabronc]

Lookin good /

>-

 

[mbtech2003]

how much u want for those rear leaf springs!!! let me know ok i'll pm u with my cell phone number. ford doesnt make them anymore so i got sum aftermarket ones and now my truck sits and inch and a half too high for stock even though it says their the stock springs!!!

let me know thanks

josh

btw what year is your truck??

 

[Tennessee Jed]

Welcome home! Nice work! I can't wait to see more of the project.

Sooo what happens to the stock wheels and tires you are taking off?

 

[Roadkill]

Got the front suspension hung. Still have to do the steering parts. I ordered all new parts from drop pitman arm to the wheels. It was getting late and the pitman shows no signs that it's going to come off without a fight even with a puller. Amazingly, with the exception of the pitman arm, everything else was a piece of cake to disassemble. (probably due to copius amounts of PB Blaster).

The re-assemble was not so smooth. Nothing major, but little setbacks kept putting me farther and farther behind my planned schedule. Here are the things that slowed me up:

1) Very thick powder coating on the Superlift extended radius arms. Caused parts not to line up and bolts not to fit through holes. Problem solved with a grinder and round file.

2) Front shock/swaybar mount bracket interfered with part of radius arm causing bolts not to line up with shock bracket, radius arm, and bottom hole in axle housing. Modified shock bracket with grinder for more clearance.

3) Cross threaded bottom bolt before discovering problem number 2 :angry: . Had to pull hub, spindle, and axle half to gain access to the other side of hole. Ran good bolt from other side through from top to straighten threads then used a small triangle file to repair threads on both bolts.

4) Two holes on drives axle drop bracket did not line up with factory holes. Easily fixed with a drill.

5) One radius arm bracket was bolted on and a piece of cake to relocate. The other was riveted on and a pain in the ass to get off. (relocation was as easy as the first one)

Mbtech, I'll get in touch with you about the springs (truck in a 1996).

Tennessee Jed, I got a local guy interested tires and wheels, but I'll let you know if he flakes out. They've only got about 3000 miles on them, I put them on after I chewed the old ones up on some rocks in New Mexico while I was on R&R leave. Hated to spend the loot when I knew they would be coming back off, but I didn't want my wife driving around on unsafe tires while I was in Iraq.

Here are a couple of pictures of how it sits right now.







Tomorrow, if all goes well, I'll get the steering put back together and see how she rolls down the road. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Justshootme84]

Way to go, and a big welcome home!!!Should've holler'd at me, I was up in Georgeotwn this weekend and would have been glad to help (or drink beer). Some of the Austin Bronco guys are planning a M&G on Dec 8, let me know if you'd like to show up with the newly lifted Bronco, JSM84

 

[deputy dog]

Way to go, and a big welcome home!!!Should've holler'd at me, I was up in Georgeotwn this weekend and would have been glad to help (or drink beer). Some of the Austin Bronco guys are planning a M&G on Dec 8, let me know if you'd like to show up with the newly lifted Bronco, JSM84

 

[Roadkill]

Way to go, and a big welcome home!!!Should've holler'd at me, I was up in Georgeotwn this weekend and would have been glad to help (or drink beer). Some of the Austin Bronco guys are planning a M&G on Dec 8, let me know if you'd like to show up with the newly lifted Bronco, JSM84

Sounds great, I sent you a PM with my phone number so you can give me details.

 

[Roadkill]

UPDATE:

The Beast is mobile again! Finally got the pitman arm off so that I could complete the steering part of the work. After several hours of beating with a hammer, lots of PB Blaster, some heat, and a lot of cussing, I was about to give up (yes, I was using a pitman arm puller) when I tried one last time before calling other people for ideas. I put the puller back on, gave it a twist with the wrench, and it just popped off. No struggle or anything, it just popped off. I couldn't believe after all that frustration it just popped off like it was put on yesterday. Anyway, with the steering components installed, I was able to finnish reasembly and get it back on the ground. I still need to take it to an alignment shop, (I set the toe by eyeball and it actually tracks fairly straight right now) to get a profesional alignment done. I also have several smaller projects to complete (steering stabilizer, new brake lines, extend the vent hoses, recalibrate speedo, etc.) but it is drivable now so I can give the wifes car back to her.

I only got a couple of photos today, it was getting dark and I still need to clean the old girl up and get the blue stuff off the tires, but here they are:

 

[Tennessee Jed]

Well done, it looks great! I bet you are one sore bodied hombre after all that wrench wrestling and ground hugging. You have truly got something to be proud of.

 

[Roadkill]

I bet you are one sore bodied hombre after all that wrench wrestling and ground hugging.

You don't know how true that is!! Everything is sore. Puting 340 ft lbs of torqe (bottom bolt on radius arm to axle) on something is difficult when standing up, doing it 5 inches off the ground is just plain abusive to 40 year old back muscles. Also getting to all those bracket bolts under the crossmember required some contorsionist skills that I haven't used since my days as a tank mechanic back in the 80's and 90's.

The job would have been much easier on lift but I don't think my better half would have approved that purchase. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[mbtech2003]

looks awsome man!!! now all u need is a step lader for the wifey to get into it lol. :lol:

 

[green streak]

man, that looks sharp!

 

[2NDTOUR89]

Looks great, let me know how your wife likes it though... Mine thinks that my ride is too high for her to get in but she likes the look. I keep trying to remind her of my past trucks and how tall they were and how this one is nowhere near as tall but you know how wives are...

Looks great, nice job and by the way, welcome home...

 

[Broncobill78]

The job would have been much easier on lift but I don't think my better half would have approved that purchase. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Tell me about it. I got all pumped up a couple weeks back when I spotted a Craigslist ad for a 4500lbs hydraulic scissor lift for $500. The add was less than 90min old so I was stoked & had to dial twice because I was trying to dial so fast the first time I got the # wrong. The guys wife picked up on the 2nd ring and told me "He's out there now helping the guy who bought it strap it onto the trailer". Grrrrr

 

[Roadkill]

looks awsome man!!! now all u need is a step lader for the wifey to get into it lol. :lol:

She is only 5'3" so the hood line is even with her forehead now. She mentioned a need for a grab handle, but hopefully she doesn't press to hard for it right away. I'll eventually put a roll cage in it and I would much rather incorporate a handle or strap into the tube above the door as oposed to drilling holes in the sheetmetal for one of the ones you see mounted vertically on the "B" pillar behind the door. Of course she is the boss around here so if she insists, I will definately give her what she wants.

Lucky for me, she enjoys wheeling as much as I do. She is with me on every trip and doesn't complain about all the money I dump into my hobby. I wouldn't trade her for anything.