d_bomb

Ok, so I don't want to write a long, drawn out reason as to why I need to do this, so I'll try to keep it simple.

I come home from deployment this month. I have an ass load of parts waiting for me and my '85 Pickup. However, I will be returning to Ft Drum, NY. Anybody familiar with being that far north, and that close to the great lakes will know what winter's can be like. So it will be pretty cold and most likely snowing shortly after my return. I would like to have my build pretty close to finished by Janurary, and no later than March. But I currently don't have anywhere to work on it. My only option so far is my friend's barn, but it's a tight fit to get through the door as it is. I really don't want to work on it in the snow and cold, I had no other option the winter before I deployed while working on my '92, so I already know how miserable it is, esspecially trying to get safe welds in sub-zero temps.

So, long story short, I want to drive into the barn, lift it (trail-gear 5", 3" body), but it will be too tall to drive back out. And please keep all the "that's too tall" posts out of here, save it for the build thread when I'm finished.

Anyhow, my ideas are:

1) Do as much work in the barn as I can, then put the smallest tires I can find laying around on it and ratchet strap the axles to the frame on all 4 corners, then finish what's left outside. But I'm not sure how much I can compress the suspension with ratchet straps (the springs are new, HD in front).

2) build the truck in the barn, put baby tires on, then flip the springs upside-down, roll out of the barn, then flip the springs back around outside.

3) Build the truck in the barn, leave stock spring mounts and stuff on, then put some stock springs on, roll it outside, then cut the old mounts and whatnot off.

Would any of these options work?

Anyhow, as you may be able to tell, it is frustrating being on the other side of the world while trying to plan a build. I can't even go outside and take simple measurements. Thank you to anyone who actually read this far in, any positive input will be appreciated. I'm not sure if anybody else has been in this position before.

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

air down your tires and roll outside, inflate install BL outside the barn, after you've decided you truly need it (unless you also did a 3" drive train lift while in the barn)

yota864x4

i dont see why you wouldnt be able to do all your work in the barn and then put some baby tires on, air them down some and then also ratchet strap the front and back. ive done it with a friend lol just get a couple buddies to bounce on it to make it compress and you should be good.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Put it in the barn, give the goats the parts and a welder and tell em they got a week.

:wabbit2:

d_bomb

Haha, well I was just curious if anybody else has ran into this problem and had any other solutions. I can try the air-down method too, so thanks for that.

Colemd

I have used a suck down method with my winch and aired down my tires both worked for me

d_bomb

I just stumbled across the winch suckdown thing over on Pirate the other day. Never seen it before, but it doesn't really look like something I want to try. I know it would work since I've dropped my front end while winching out a forklift (long story lol) and other times when I would have to strap to a tree to get a truck out, but it seems like it would pull the axle more horizontally unless it was mounted directly above or below (I have mine on a cradle to slide into a hich reciever I welded in front)

Colemd

I have only done it with my Jeep so I am not sure how well it works with leaf sprung trucks