I guess it is only fair I post a few pictures from this past weekend. I know I love seeing everyone elses build up pics, so I might as well share mine. My main problem is once I start working I never feel like stoping to take pictures .
Here is the before with stock mounts and regular rancho 5000 ( These things where so toasted - I can not beleive I drove around with em

Now you have to use your imagination here, but basically I just cut the old bracket off. Unfortunatly my actyline ran out and I had to use the cut off wheel alot more than I wanted to. It was also about 100degrees out, so I opted not to have my protective shirt on and now have hundreds of little scabs that look like freckles on my arms :pat:
Anyway, a few hours of grinding and I am ready to stick the Ford bronco shock towers on. This gives the advantage of more travel and the bolt through style shocks.



As you can see I had to cut out a pretty big chunk of the inner fender, which I am going to build a little tunnel for because I hate getting mud and crap up in the engine compartment.
These are nitrogen shocks with 12inchs of travel, I got them from Cage Offroad. They are owned by the drumer from the band LIVE who was cool enough to send a few Autographed pictures of the band.


I have also been playing around with a few other things too.
I installed some reverse/camp/work lights as I was cutting the roll pan out to make room for the new rear bumper.





Oh yeah, I guess you can see I have painted the thing since my last major update post when I bobbed my Bed. (that is not overspray on the tail lights- just where some cleaner solvent I used to brighten them up accidently tried to eat them) The paint job was a complete tear down job and a monumental waste of time because I went out and stratched the heck out of it within the week wheeling it.

I guess I have also regeared with a rear locker since then too. Sorry no pics of that. I also changed a plugged up heater core and fixed/cleaned the AC and heater Vents - Here is the newly dyed and clean dash with a bonus 5 month 80 pound puppy trying to climb in.



here he was just 3 months ago when he was only 2 months old.

He is an English Mastiff and it is kinda hard taking him out because he is allready bigger than your average dog but is only 5 months old and acts very much like the puppy he is. He can drink out of the kitchen sink if he wants to, and his tail will clear the coffee and end tables of drinks with a single pass.

 

Looks good dude!

 

That's the next thing I will be doing to my truck as well. Also a square tube D/S as well.

 

How do you like those shocks? I've been eyeing them for a while now.
Did you get extension on the slip part of the drive shaft? the stock one might be too short now.

 

So far I am really happy with them, better than the old rancho shocks. I have never used Blisteins or other super high end shocks so I can not compare them.

I have not extendend the drive shaft. I am working out how I am going to go about it now, but I want to do something with the springs. The truck isnt level and I think I have more lift than I need. Once I get that settled, and get the duel t case in I will work out the front d shaft.

 

wow. it looks liek with any travel you would max out the flex of the shock! not bottom it out but overcompress it... those are long!

 

Looks real good. Nice lookin pup.

 

Huh?

you mean the stock ones? Yeah, they only had about three inches of upward travel in them. I do not have to worry about overcompressing them, I took the time to set the bump stops up. I think I might put in some limiting straps just incase, but as far as I can tell the springs I have will not drop enough to overexstend the shocks

 

Hey that thing is almost as pretty as mine!
It is higher.

B

 

i hope you braced the frame, if not you better run a support from the back of the tower to the frame, or this could happen

 

Almost????

I never actually got to see your truck, you where driving an acura or something.

It is kind of funny, leaving that 4runner out there with you is the best thing to happen to me. This truck is not only better, it re-inspired me to actually build it up and wheel again. The extra time I spent in denver trying to fix that thing allowed more time with my new girlfriend and her family - who has since moved to Iowa with me and is going to marry me now. We have a house, two car garage, and a puppy. Durring my time with that 4runner I had my heart crushed by a cruel bitc---exgirlfriend of 5 years, I failed a few classes, cut my finger off, and numerous other problems.

.... Come to think of it, you might wana get rid of that 4runner or have someone preform an exorsism.

 

So that is what is to blame for my past year of HE!!? I think that i am giving up on the bed idea seeing as in a month or 2 i may be living out of my truck or 4runner. It will be going to the junk yard next week. My son will have to wait to get the dream bed.

Glade to hear all is well with you and congrats.

B

 

I spent some time thinking about that. I was considering this. At the moment I have neither. From the picture it looks like I have twice as much surface area actually welded between the frame and tower.
It was the general opinion that it would only tear off the frame if the shock was acting as the bumpstop and or limiting strap.

 

Brace it homey!

Better safe than

 

I've been running my long travel front shock setup for about 6 years now:
http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/4R_suspe...ngTravelShocks

Still have not maxed them out yet, but getting closer all the time:

 

Yeah, your set up is really sweet. You have no idea how many times I have read your web site, I can not remember when I first found your website, but I had to be years ago because for the longest time I thought the bananna rating was an SI measurement.

 

Not SI, but LS (as in Larry Soo - TLC owner from Canada/BC):

http://www.4crawler.com/Banana.shtml