All in a days work...

4731 Views 23 Replies 14 Participants Last post by offroader613, Jan 16, 2009

PhilD

Discussion Starter · Jan 14, 2009

...or three days as it turned out. What started off as a planned day of work eventually turned into three days, with numerous trips to the store and a lot of cussing.

The main objectives of the "day" were:

1/ Weld sleeves inside of front axle tubes.
2/ Replace front axle shafts (and seals) with chromoly shafts.
3/ Weld gussets on axle C pieces.
4/ Replace ball joints.
5/ Replace tie rod ends.
6/ Replace steering box with one ported for hydro assist.
7/ Install Red Neck Ram hydro assist.
8/ Weld new stinger on to bumper and reinforce bumper.

I ran into quite a few parts that did not want to come apart, so the whole job took a lot longer than I expected, and a little head scratching at times, but I got it all done, eventually.

Here's a few pics of various stages of the work:

See less See more

10

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

bodybrdng

· #2 · Jan 14, 2009

Nice work

:beer:

Richie Rich

· #3 · Jan 14, 2009 (Edited)

Very nice work Phil! Can't wait to hear your feedback on the hydro assist..

Proud Rebel

· #4 · Jan 14, 2009

Looking tough! Can't wait to hear how it does for ya.:jeep2:

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 14, 2009

Richie Rich said:
Can't wait to hear your feedback on the ram assist..

I won't get to do any real wheelin' until Feb, but so far I like it. At slow speeds I can't really tell much of a difference, at highway speeds it makes the steering feel very stable. Input from the road does effect the steering at all (something I suffered from before). It's now just about only input from the steering wheel that as any effect.

I can let of go of the wheel at 70 mph on a relatively rough road surface and the steering wheel barely moves at all. On the other side of that, when you turn the wheel it requires little effort although doesn't feel loose, so you better make sure you want to turn.

Overall, I'm very happy with it and the Red Neck Ram setup, while more basic then the PSC is about a third of the cost.

WTF_LOL

· #6 · Jan 14, 2009

When you are driving down the freeway that is slightly banked and you have to hold the wheel slightly left to go straight, does the steering wheel slowly move left while the wheels stay straight??

I have heard of people putting on a disconnect steering wheel so they can recenter it in tis situation. If yours does move like that what do you do to re straighten the steeering wheel with it being fixed??

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 14, 2009

WTF_LOL said:
When you are driving down the freeway that is slightly banked and you have to hold the wheel slightly left to go straight, does the steering wheel slowly move left while the wheels stay straight??

No, the drag link is still connected, so there is still a mechanical link between the wheels and steering wheel and one will obviously do what the other does.

I have heard of people putting on a disconnect steering wheel so they can recenter it in tis situation. If yours does move like that what do you do to re straighten the steeering wheel with it being fixed??

It would only happen with full hydro, which would have no mechanical link, and as far as I know full hydro is not legal for on-road use, but I may be wrong.

WTF_LOL

· #8 · Jan 14, 2009

ahhh, I see. Hydro ASSIST! I get it. Excuse me for being slow, lol

so what would be the benifit of full hydro vs Hydr assist?

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 14, 2009

WTF_LOL said:
so what would be the benifit of full hydro vs Hydr assist?

Full hydro requires no mechanical linkage, so it will work regardless of where you place the axle and there is no mechanical linkage or steering box to break. The drag link is one less thing to worry about also when setting up for a lot of flex.

Duke

· #10 · Jan 14, 2009

Phil, once again I have to say..... I'm jealous. :thefinger:

:thefinger:

When are we wheeling?

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 14, 2009

Duke said:
When are we wheeling?

K-Rocks Feb 20/21 for definite. Got a cabin booked already, so if you need a bunk just LMK. I was hoping to get out on opening weekend, but it's the wife's birthday on Feb 8 and she kind of pulled a face when I mentioned I might be going to Katemcy, so maybe not.

RotorHead

· #12 · Jan 14, 2009

Very nice job Phil. What are you going to do with your fox stabilizer. I got dibs if your getting rid of it. :beer:

:beer:

paragon

· #13 · Jan 14, 2009

good work, Phil.

did you have your tie rod flipped before?

mcnaught6

· #14 · Jan 14, 2009

that's one big stinger! looks like it angles forward quite a bit....seems like if you had to use it, you should be worried about all that leverage being put on it, with not a lot of surface area for the welds.

Ipe

· #15 · Jan 14, 2009

Nicely done Phil! Gotta say, I wish I had your skills in the shop. Damn.... :smokin:

:smokin:

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 15, 2009

mcnaught6 said:
that's one big stinger! looks like it angles forward quite a bit....seems like if you had to use it, you should be worried about all that leverage being put on it, with not a lot of surface area for the welds.

It wasn't supposed to be that big, but the guy who bent it for me made it a little wider than I wanted. I kind of like it the way it is though.

I agree that tying it in to the frame would be better, but without steel tube fenders the only other way I could see of doing it was making some holes in the grille and going back to the frame, and I'm not quite ready to do that.

As it is it is actually pretty well supported to the bumper, and I suspect the stinger itself or the bumper will give before the welds. I also reinforced the bumper under that area with some 1/4" plate. I'm not 100% happy with it, but I'm close and it will work as intended (I think).

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 15, 2009

paragon said:
did you have your tie rod flipped before?

Tie rod is still in stock position, but I'd like to flip it over the knuckle at some point.

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 15, 2009

Ipe said:
Gotta say, I wish I had your skills in the shop.

If you looked closely at my work you wouldn't say that

PhilD

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 15, 2009

Poser shot:

See less See more

Prope

· #20 · Jan 15, 2009

Nice Job Phil! Do you sell Redneck Ram stuff? My buddy needs some repair parts for his and we can't seem to find his # anymore... also want to have him make a tie rod too as I've seen them act like bulldozers and spring right back! We'll order from you if you're a vendor of his!

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.