WabFab Off-Road - Tuscaloosa, AL - Pure Pandemonium
09-02-2009, 01:03 PM
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WabFab Off-Road - Tuscaloosa, AL - Pure Pandemonium
"It's pandemonium!"
Projects completed:
New WabFab/Trail-Gear front spring hanger - WabFab Off-Road
New OME front leaf springs - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New OME front shocks - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New OME steering dampener - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New OME rear leaf springs - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New lower rear shock mounts - Custom (Thanks Joey!)
New OME rear shocks - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
Front and rear u-bolt flip kits - WabFab Off-Road
Axle truss/gusset - Low Range Off-Road
Extended front and rear brake lines - WabFab Off-Road
Optima battery mount/bracket - WabFab Off-Road
Fixed factory steering linkage
We didn't have time to finish the rear fender tub due to some bootyfab we ran into along the way but I'm already coming up with a list for the next trip.
As of right now she isn't sitting perfectly level - according to OME and others who have used this setup the springs will settle quite a bit so I will take new measurements soon.
When the stock suspension was removed it was even more evident just how old and worn every piece was, but none more than the stock shocks.
When we removed the driver side shock by loosening the top nut, the shock literally compressed itself under it's own weight.
The passenger side put up a little bit more of a fight, but not much.
Overall, the suspension went fairly smooth.
As soon as we got it out of the shop we realized something wasn't right with the steering - at full lock to the right I was only getting about 35% of the full range.
After looking at it Brian noticed that the pitman arm looked to be off-center - we tried for a good 45mins to get the pitman arm off to try and center it with no luck.
Thanks to Joey, we realized that due to the axle being moved forward and the linkage being cut ~2in that it wasn't the pitman arm that was causing the problem.
So after fixing some more bootyfab on the linkage she was back in business and I cannot believe how much better the steering is - it was a problem since the day I bought it.
This thing will turn on a dime and not miss a beat - it's amazing.
Somewhere in the middle of the suspension install I mentioned that I wanted to try and do something about how the battery was sitting/mounted.
Brian just to happened to have a battery tray laying around, so being the lucky
that he is, he threw it in his handy powder-coating booth and after 20mins in the oven it was ready to go.
All I need now is an Optima to go in it and I'll be set.
We did a few other small things here and there, finished the brake line install, bled the brakes and got the axle gusset welded up (awesome btw).
All in all, it was 100% worth the 10+hrs it took to get down there and I definitely plan on making that trip again - maybe to do some wheeling next time.
But who cares about all that?
Here are the pics...
Before
During
The Wabbit is everywhere!
Powder coated u-bolt hardware
Rear done
The front
Bling bling
Joey just liked the sparks
Front done - installing brake lines
Post-test drive - steering linkage bootyfab
Fixed
After - DONE
With just a few minor things left to do she is just about ready to be my dedicated daily driver.
Still to-do:
-Water pump
-Optima Red Top
-Pressure wash engine bay and undercarriage
-Clean up undercarriage/fender wells with undercoating
-HI-STEER!
-Finish tub on rear fenders
-New stereo
-more...
A HUGE thanks to Joey, Shane, Jack, Walt and of course Brian and his family for letting me take over their entire weekend.
Like the slogan says...
Fink
Projects completed:
New WabFab/Trail-Gear front spring hanger - WabFab Off-Road
New OME front leaf springs - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New OME front shocks - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New OME steering dampener - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New OME rear leaf springs - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
New lower rear shock mounts - Custom (Thanks Joey!)
New OME rear shocks - TRDparts4u.com, Old Man Emu
Front and rear u-bolt flip kits - WabFab Off-Road
Axle truss/gusset - Low Range Off-Road
Extended front and rear brake lines - WabFab Off-Road
Optima battery mount/bracket - WabFab Off-Road
Fixed factory steering linkage
We didn't have time to finish the rear fender tub due to some bootyfab we ran into along the way but I'm already coming up with a list for the next trip.
As of right now she isn't sitting perfectly level - according to OME and others who have used this setup the springs will settle quite a bit so I will take new measurements soon.
When the stock suspension was removed it was even more evident just how old and worn every piece was, but none more than the stock shocks.
When we removed the driver side shock by loosening the top nut, the shock literally compressed itself under it's own weight.
The passenger side put up a little bit more of a fight, but not much.
Overall, the suspension went fairly smooth.
As soon as we got it out of the shop we realized something wasn't right with the steering - at full lock to the right I was only getting about 35% of the full range.
After looking at it Brian noticed that the pitman arm looked to be off-center - we tried for a good 45mins to get the pitman arm off to try and center it with no luck.
Thanks to Joey, we realized that due to the axle being moved forward and the linkage being cut ~2in that it wasn't the pitman arm that was causing the problem.
So after fixing some more bootyfab on the linkage she was back in business and I cannot believe how much better the steering is - it was a problem since the day I bought it.
This thing will turn on a dime and not miss a beat - it's amazing.
Somewhere in the middle of the suspension install I mentioned that I wanted to try and do something about how the battery was sitting/mounted.
Brian just to happened to have a battery tray laying around, so being the lucky
that he is, he threw it in his handy powder-coating booth and after 20mins in the oven it was ready to go.All I need now is an Optima to go in it and I'll be set.
We did a few other small things here and there, finished the brake line install, bled the brakes and got the axle gusset welded up (awesome btw).
All in all, it was 100% worth the 10+hrs it took to get down there and I definitely plan on making that trip again - maybe to do some wheeling next time.
But who cares about all that?
Here are the pics...
Before
During
The Wabbit is everywhere!
Powder coated u-bolt hardware
Rear done
The front
Bling bling
Joey just liked the sparks
Front done - installing brake lines
Post-test drive - steering linkage bootyfab
Fixed
After - DONE
With just a few minor things left to do she is just about ready to be my dedicated daily driver.
Still to-do:
-Water pump
-Optima Red Top
-Pressure wash engine bay and undercarriage
-Clean up undercarriage/fender wells with undercoating
-HI-STEER!
-Finish tub on rear fenders
-New stereo
-more...
A HUGE thanks to Joey, Shane, Jack, Walt and of course Brian and his family for letting me take over their entire weekend.
Like the slogan says...
Fink
Last edited by Fink; 09-02-2009 at 01:14 PM.
09-02-2009, 01:17 PM
#2
Weasel was asking about "ratfink" yesterday and if you made it back to Arkansas. I'll have to show him the pictures. 
It was our pleasure to have you Chris. Come back anytime and next time we WILL go do some wheeling cause with high steer you'll definitely be ready for some more "pandalerium"!
Thanks Fink!
PS I wish YT wasn't so family friendly so you could post the "you're number 1" picture.
It was our pleasure to have you Chris. Come back anytime and next time we WILL go do some wheeling cause with high steer you'll definitely be ready for some more "pandalerium"!
Thanks Fink!
PS I wish YT wasn't so family friendly so you could post the "you're number 1" picture.
Last edited by waskillywabbit; 09-02-2009 at 01:20 PM.
09-02-2009, 01:20 PM
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Weasel was asking about "ratfink" yesterday and if you made it back to Arkansas. I'll have to show him the pictures.
It was our pleasure to have you Chris. Come back anytime and next time we WILL go do some wheeling cause with high steer you'll definitely be ready.
Thanks Fink!
PS I wish YT wasn't so family friendly so you could post the "you're number 1" picture.
It was our pleasure to have you Chris. Come back anytime and next time we WILL go do some wheeling cause with high steer you'll definitely be ready.
Thanks Fink!
PS I wish YT wasn't so family friendly so you could post the "you're number 1" picture.
Yes, that picture is by far the best of the group - I even tried to Photoshop it and blur it out a little but still a no-go.
Fink
09-03-2009, 03:38 PM
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Thanks again for all the help on the trip - I'm sure I'll be back down again before too long.
Trying to figure out the brake/pull problem now - Toyota is convinced the axle is crooked but we all saw it and it measured out pretty straight so IDK what they're smokin.
It's going to Midas in the morning to see what they say.
Thanks again,
Fink
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09-12-2009, 12:18 PM
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10-12-2009, 08:52 PM
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My first pass through the photos I thought it was "How to SAS in 8 hours".
I had to scroll back up to top to see that it started out as solid-axle front.
Looked like a good time.
I had to scroll back up to top to see that it started out as solid-axle front.
Looked like a good time.
10-28-2009, 10:37 AM
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