Update on the front end of my '88.
Well, After Mike and I eyeballed the toe; I loaded the Dak directly onto the
trailer with no test drive. We didn't even tighten the tie rod clamps.
Yesterday, I strapped a couple of straight edges (8’ of 1½” aluminum square
tube) to the front wheels and set a tape measure on them to see how far we were
off. The wheels are toed in very slightly, ¼” over 8’. So I tightened down
the clamps and took it for a test drive. Truck goes straighter now than before
I took it to the BBQ. :b A very slight drift to the right when running down the
road. The steering wheel is off by about a fifth of a turn though, but I’m
going to live with it for now. I don’t drive the truck enough to warrant fixing
it at this point.
I also noticed the right CV axle seems to be angled oddly. Looks like I
shifted the right front wheel back about an inch or two. Not exactly sure
what’s bent yet, but there is definitely some minor damage under there. All I
can see at this point is the front lift bracket for the lower control arm bent
back and possibly out some, but it doesn’t look like anything else is damaged
beside the optional Trailmaster skid plate. The rear lift bracket for the lower
control arm has no visible damage. The driver’s side front bracket also has
some minor damage but not as severe as the passenger’s side. All in all, the
truck held together fairly well.
I’ve started compiling my list of needed parts for a Straight Axle conversion.
I don’t want to put any more cash into the IFS.
Walt
http://WWW.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
In article <ce62ie$mld$1@bent.twistedbits.net>, Walt@Walt-n-Ingrid.Com ("Walt
Felix") writes:
>
>
> Unfortunately, it won't be quite that simple, he swapped the fronts to
> another set for the trails and swapped back before leaving. He probably
> knocked something in the front end out of whack. The ruts are getting pretty
> deep and he managed to pop a bead with 20psi. Even with my 33x13.50 Baja
> Claws, I was having a hard time with a few of them on the last day. It was
> like riding the kiddy car ride at an amusement park, let go of the wheel and
> the truck would steer itself through the trees. The steering wheel, like the
> goggles, "Does Nothing!" (inside joke) I really tweaked something in the
> front end of the truck after going down mud lane. Knocked the front end so
> far out that when we went out for ice cream that night, I turned around
> about two miles down the road and swapped to my tow Dak. The '88 wanted to
> go either left or right (no center) and the left front wheel was squealing
> the whole time. Left a mark on Jon's road from the driveway to where I
> turned around and back. Mike and I had to eyeball the toe before I could
> put the truck back on the trailer. I only have a inch of clearance between
> the trailer's wheel wells when the toe is set correctly. I don't think I
> could have gotten it on the trailer easily the way it was.
>
> On another note, I'm definitely considering a set of Dynatrac Pro Rock 60s
> as a future upgrade. I feel my Dak was very capable, and seemed to pull
> like a tank. But, I've been unhappy with the less than sturdy Trailmaster
> IFS lift. I bend something out of shape every I take the truck off-road.
> Everything I fabed up myself, didn't budge any, but I mangled the
> Trailmaster front skidplate and lower control arm lift brackets. The
> Trailmaster parts are all fabricated out of 1/8" steel and are just not
> strong enough for that level of abuse. The main skidplate and crossmember I
> made are fabbed out of 1/4" and didn't budge any. Even the torque bars held
> the weight of the truck while I attempted to climb the upper falls. If it
> wasn't for the rear axle truss getting hung up under the lip of the rock, I
> would have had that. It just needed to be an inch or two higher and it
> would have cleared. I'm now regretting not making a try at the lower falls.
> I still feel I would have been able to do that and it would have been a
> blast to put it to the "Creeeeeeeeepy" SCORE folks (another inside joke). It
> would have been great to ask, "What was that Jeep thing I didn't
> understand?" Anyhow, it'll be a little while before I can start swapping
> axles on my Dak. Ingrid and I are moving in Sept and I suspect I will have
> allot of other things going on until late fall. Since the new house doesn't
> have a garage, any work will most likely have to wait until spring. I'll
> have to see how the credit cards are then. 3 bedroom house and only a small
> apartment's worth of furniture, I suspect they may be up there. Odds are
> Mike will be done before me ;)
>
> Walt
> http://WWW.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
>
> P.S. I finished uploading all my photos to my gallery.
> http://www.walt-n-ingrid.com/images/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=34&thumb=1
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