Jump to content

My new 2001 LE 4x4


Recommended Posts

I had to remove the preload washers with a hanmer and punch. Ive never seen anything like this, especially out of a shop. If the bearings failed while i was towing I could been hurt or hurt/killed someone else

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It took all afternoon to get up, digging out the truck each time, laying down branches and rocks to try and make it further etc. So once we were out it was a big relief, especially since the sun was disappearing fast

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Love this truck. The video was great. What have you done to your exhaust? No cats?

 

How much spring/spacer lift did you have that caused you the CV trouble? I'd like a set of flurry style spacers for 2inch all around but will just drop the sub frame from day 1 if it will save me the trouble.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. Its a cat-back setup. Most of my exhaust had started to develop rattles and moderate rust so it needed to be replaced.

 

I had Fluerys 2" w stock everything on 33x12.5. Others seem to have no problems with 2" of lift but I was going thru CVs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

First run with the Lokka was a success. Went up north to a Cow Mountain again and finally got deep into the trail section. While its designated as a jeep/truck friendly place I have to say...if you care about your paint, its not for you. Trails were extremely tight and overgrown. Spent all day wheeling and only got through 3 of many trails they had. Only used 1/4 tank too since the lokka enabled me to idle or creep through everything.

 

The added traction of the Lokka made the truck far more capable than I imagined. Steep, deeply rutted hills were a breeze. The main thing I noticed was that the engine did very little work. I never had the engine above 1500RPM and it seemed to chug along very happily without breaking a sweat where I would normally have to get a running start or rev the motor due to spinning tires to make it up and through difficult obstacles. The truck received less abuse in general. I would say none at all really, except for the brakes. They got a massive workout on extremely steep descents. While i did manage to unseat my passenger side front coil from the shock, a quick blow with a mallet put in back in place. Dont really understand how though. I really took it easy and never had to get on the accelerator at any point. It might be due to excessive flex from worn bushings but after a quick inspection they seem to check out. I'll finally be making a missing link and stiffening up the rest of the SF to try and prevent this from leaving me stranded in the future.

20161112_133313_zps2dkqyq3l.jpg

 

20161112_154745_zps0mebgmzn.jpg

 

20161112_141844_zpsonugzlwa.jpg

 

 

 

20161112_162522_zpsf431fdlh.jpg

 

20161112_162502_zpsud0ivils.jpg

 

20161112_170120_zps5ddey598.jpg

 

20161112_174002_zpsldk9xkjn.jpg

 

The spring, hanging on for dear life...

20161113_193355_zpsib0t9xgx.jpg

 

20161113_193404_zpsmewefhpi.jpg

 

back in place

20161113_195358_zpsdd6oxoga.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, we were chatting about the popped spring offline, and it had me stumped too. At this point, I can only wonder if the spring is permanently weakened from being run without a strut bearing for a while...thanks to the "reputable" idiots who did the work beforehand.

 

Just had another thought, though...do you have the bumpstops installed on the strut? Unlike ones that bolt to the chassis, these install over the strut rod and the strut boot attaches to them. If they're missing, and you go full flex, the (over) compressed spring would want to twist, perhaps causing it to dislodge. Maybe?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had started hearing a clicking sound coming from the passenger suspension area and did a quick once over to find it unseated. I was already back home though so it is anybodys guess when it happened. The clicking appeared to be dirt or debris caught in the suspension sonwhere. I had assumed the trip caused a stress fracture somewhere in the frame or sub frame and was prepared to weld it up and add supports. After pressure washing the underside of the truck to cleanit for welding the clicking went away. Frustrating but overall good news. Still welding supports in and adding a missing link.

 

And yes, there is a potential for my springs to be weakend from twisting due to the

 

TOTAL IDIOTS AT CHAFFERS OFF ROAD IN ALAMEDA CALIFORNIA

 

I believe the bump stops are installed but Im not 100% sure. I didnt do the installation....Chaffers did.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't believe they are bumpstops. Just dust covers to keep dirt out of strut seal. Mine were totally rotten (I was the first person to break down the struts at 115k). I just taped mine back up and slipped em on for looks.

 

Is it possible your strut is going down and let it over compress too rapidly? It seems odd the way it popped out, people run spring packers and it doesn't cause over spring compression wheeling that I've seen.

 

The bearing lets the strut twist but it shouldn't have unloaded the spring unless the shop waaaay over compressed it with a hydraulic press.

 

When I did my springs I wished it had more of a lip on the bottom but I didn't weld or bolt in a hold strap. I just put heat wrap on the spring for a little less slippery surface.

 

Hope you figure it out, maybe subframe connectors/stiffeners will do the trick.

Edited by LittleFR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, there are bumpstops. You're thinking about the dust cover (aka bellow), but I'm talking about a bumpstop (aka jounce bumper). It's the yellow thing in the pic, included in the bellows kit:

 

63633.jpg

 

If you're missing that, you're allowing more up-travel, and consequently more spring compression (than expected).

 

As for the strut bearing...in Towndawg's case, those clowns didn't even install them. It was metal-metal contact. The upper coil bucket stayed stationary until the coil's resistance forced the bucket to move when he turned the wheel...and it only moved slightly at the very end of the turn. That means the spring was twisting when/how it shouldn't, which could ultimately weaken it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So i had a quick moment to make a Missing Link and the results are good so far. Massive improvement in positive braking and steering. Very solid. Why i waited to make this is beyond me...

 

Used 1.5" .125 wall square tube and milled the top off for access and used an annular cutter to make room for the washer and a 22mm impact socket. Of course one of the bolts was fubar'd, yet another casualty of the fantastic work at Shaffers Off Road of Alameda Ca ( Dont ever go there)

Luckily I was able to run a tap through the subframe threads and snag a new bolt from the shop so it all worked out.

 

20161119_104931_zpsvtscplxb.jpg

 

20161119_113627_zpspytavdo2.jpg

 

20161119_122036_zpspf0vwije.jpg

 

20161119_134759_zpsgfmqqh9g.jpg

 

20161119_140059_zpswh2a2and.jpg

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

hahaha.. good...! Mine will have a plate welded under it for skidplate bolting... so It will be a little different, but I like the ends that you did... simple and no need to weld an additional plate (like I did in the past)...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...