Is that a Canada/Oz thing specifically? Utah does have safety inspections, but they don't specifically look for original equipment items, ie sway bars. A buddy here works at a shop that does state inspections and said that in the instance of sway bars it would only fail if it was there, but broken or disconnected. If it's totally removed, no problem!

Also Red, this is for the rear. The front is still gonna be leafs, the OME rear set I got from Mark.

 

Are you keeping the 3-link or going to a 4-link in the rear?

Sent from my iPhone using YotaTech

 

3 link? Stock is a 4 link plus panhard, but the upper links are way too short and tiny, and the lowers aren't really long enough, either. If the rear links were left alone and I lifted the rear enough to match even a pretty low sas, the rear axle would end up further forward and the links wouldn't even be close to parallel with the ground, causing pretty bad handling and "flex steer" when it's all flexed out(the compressed side of the axle would end up further back than the drooped side, making it track crooked).

So this will make it a 2 link plus panhard, technically, but it will behave a little more like a radius arm(that's really more what it is). The upper link mount on the axle will be connected to the short tube that's connected to the lower "link" so there's still anti-wrap built in. It's has a few flaws, but since I'm not going for a ramp champ flex monster rig, I just need it to flex as well as my front will so it's got somewhat balanced handling. I think this will get me there easier than a leaf swap, and maybe even a little cheaper.

 

Blue Bunny (From Monty Python! Lol)

 

Haha Mark! Although, with the Edelbrock shocks on there being slightly shorter than the OME's I had, the front doesn't droop enough to bind the cv's anymore. Well, that and my homemade diff drop spacers. Hopefully this radius arm setup doesn't allow a bunch of wheel hop, but I'm thinking it won't with such separation between the upper and lower link mounts on the axle to control anti-wrap.

 

To be honest I have no clear idea but I have some educated guesses. If you notice on some websites they are very clear about NOT FOR STREET USE. Covers liability issues decide to street it anyway.

What I think the issue authorities have is backyard hack jobs ripping down the hwy over 100km an hour. Also these things are flexy and flexy is unstable. At speed paired with no sway bars and you have a dangerous road vehicle.

So, in some states you will likely go to jail after a bad road accident. I think they might be illegal in Canada also? Not sure if this is Canada wide or Provincial. I should know more about my own system........

I'm sure there is a work around. You might have to get special testing done. Checking body roll etc. They do this in Australia if you lift higher than 2 inches or increase tire size more than 2 inches or mess with track width.

Anything is possible with enough money.

 

No it's a State thing I'm pretty sure. Look at disclaimers for 3 link kits on US websites.

Crossing lines into States where it's illegal and you can have issues. You'll not need to worry though if it's for the rear. It's already linked.


Why leafs front and coil rear? I'd take the kick for the load capacity.



I wheel heavy.



EDIT///


Read your reasons, they are sound. I can see that my axle is forward and I've bent the panhard and the little links look wonky too.

 

Rules and regulations are boring.

 

So is jail.

 

I dunno Red, jail was pretty interesting and educational for me when I got to spend a night in the drunk tank...but what I learned is that I never want to go back!(Before anybody starts judging or whatever, I spent a night in the drunk tank cause I hit my brother first when he was charging at my mom. This was when I was a senior in high school, drove straight to school from jail)

As for the load carrying capacity, I'm with you on that one, but I can already load it up fairly heavy now and not bottom out, so either the spacers or the 80 series lift springs will be just as capable of carrying loads, or more.

 

Today was maintenance/repair day...got a couple r&r days off after my last assignment to Wenatchee, WA, so I made the best of a weekday off and visited the dealers in Ogden. First was the Subaru dealer for a few oil filters for engine break in and some new head alignment dowels since the machine shop mangled the originals removing them to mill the block surface. One of the salesman there about freaked out checking out the Runner, asked to see under the hood, etc, then looked at me all puzzled and said "You're not putting Subaru parts on this, are you?" So after I told him about the Forester, he said he'd like to see it when I get it running. He was pretty interested in the fact that I'm hotrodding it without using a turbo, which is the "easy" way with Subarus.

Next up, the Toyota dealer for a couple filters, a drain plug washer(I actually haven't changed mine since I bought the Runner with 186k miles on it...I know, shame on me), and finally decided I'd better get a rear wiper since I'll be dealing with more snow in the winters now. Next up will be figuring out why the rear defroster doesn't work, even though the switch lights up. The parts guy asked me if I was having my car serviced there, I told him I wouldn't put that kind of curse on them with the retrofits I've done so far. He laughed and said they got some pretty strange rigs sometimes, but stopped laughing when he saw my Runner. It's always priceless to watch the salesmen walk out when they see a car come in, then go back inside when they see I'm just there for parts!

So the chassis is now at 275k miles, the engine is only at 171k. Just getting broken in!

Here's some pics from the WA assignment to pretty up the thread

In the Wenatchee rappel base they have a little info/memorial that's pretty neat



Our helicopter on the left, the Wenatchee Rappellers ship is just landing, and you can see the smoke from the fire above the ridgeline on the right...they both got set down to clear the airspace over the fire while the DC10 dropped slurry



And one of the nights I went out to a hole in the wall sushi restaurant by myself, and it was slow. The chef must've been bored or something, but whatever the reason for the presentation it was awesome! I almost felt bad about eating the roll.



We went back as a crew a few nights later and my supervisor was pretty upset he didn't get the same presentation when he ordered the same thing

 

Thats some fancy eatin!

 

 

I know staging areas can be hard to find but that LZ is down right scary with the power lines:p
The 2nd bird set down between 2 sets of wires?


Glad the DZ's and LZ's we usually used in the Army were generally clear of hazards. We did have the random grizzly and moose periodically in Alaska

 

Haha, it just looks bad. There was actually lots of room and both ships were on my side of the power lines. Doesn't mean I wasn't nervous, though. I hate the lines that you can hear crackling 150 feet away.

 

Hey hey, hows it all going? Been away from the site forever just saying whats up!

 

I like eggs runny! Muahahahaha! Hehe

 

Loved following the journey on instagram. This is great.

 

Ski87 nice man! What's your name over there?

For anyone else that's been following my build and such, I haven't had any big updates lately. I'm gonna do a bit of a write up on all the little things, plus report in on the BFGoodrich Rocks to Riches trip, but I need a computer for that, and I'm still away from home with pretty much just my phone for the internets.

 

What kind of bumper is that? I really like it