2 SASes 1 garage... Summer 2009

[rstoner1026]

Both Mike2002K1500 and I's trucks are going under the knife this summer. Mike is coming across the country from Ohio out to Washington for his summer internship, but while he's out here, we both are SASing our trucks.
Here's the scoop:
Mike has a 2002 Chevy currently with a superlift fit kit

Mike should hop on here and give you his status, but his is getting a dana 44 an 14SF.

Mine is a 99 GMC Sierra.
Currently, I have a 6" ProComp, 3" BL, Offroad Design Shackle Flip and Super Shackles, and 2 pair of AAL. Wheels are 20x10 MotoMetal 954 with 36x15.5 Mickey Thompson MTZs. Fender measurement are 48.5" front and 51" rear.



I first found a 14SF that I rebuilt. Has all new bearings and seals with a lockright locker and yukon 5.13s. I changed my mind and I'm going with a 14FF. So, I bought some 6 lug axles, and Mike and I will change out the 5.13s to 4.56s and put it under his truck.

Next, I found a dana 60 from a 78 F250 Sno-fighter.


The rebuild has been a slow and time consuming process (no time and all extra money goes into house), but I stripped it down to nothing, degreased, primed and painted it.


Since Mike is getting the 14SF, I'm not restrained to the 5.13s I put in the 14SF. So, I bought some 5.38s for the dana 60. Plans include a locker, but for the time being, its staying open. After 8 attempts this afternoon, I got the pinion in, correctly preloaded and at correct depth.

I highly recommend making rolling stands for anyone working on an axle. Mine are at the perfect height to roll it under the truck when the time comes, and I lined it with carpet to protect the paint and the ease of rotating it when needed.

Other things in the works:
Since Mike has the autotrac transfer case, he is going to get my NP261 when I replace it with a NP241. Mike will not need a SYE kit, so the NP261 should work, while I will have a SYE and driveline brake on my NP241. I still need to get my SYE.


My other parts include my brackets, front and rear springs, 14B disk brakes...

[rstoner1026]

My final plans are to be around 17" of lift. My brackets add 3" of lift, 12" superlift springs, and maybe a zero rate on the front. So, going up 8-9" in the front. Rear already has the shackle flip, but will get 14" lift springs. With the current setup, I have 3" from the aals, 2" blocks, and about 4" from the shackle flip. Rear will net 12-13". I will see what my final stance is, and determine if anything else needs to be done. For the time being, I will probably keep my 36" mtzs until I can buy either M16s, Iroks, SXs, or pitbulls. I am also keeping my eyes open for some 39.5x18x16.5 boggers. Every once in a while, there will be some cheap used ones on craigslist.
Mike and I will keep everyone up on whats going on.

[Big~Kenny]

It, has, Begun!!!

[rstoner1026]

I also forgot to mention the "other" wheels and tires... stock 16" wheels with old 225/50/16. Not having my shop in Ohio to park in (50' X 35' with a 22' wide 16' tall overhead door), I should be able to still fit in the garage/actually work under the hood with 25" tires.

[Savedbythrottle]

Nice projects. Looks like some fun. Good luck with them. I'll keep a watch for some updates. Is that a weim in that picture? The picture makes her look all grey, but I do see some color in the feet. Maybe a GSP like mine?

[rebelbowtie]

another one. lol right on

[skidmarx15]

Awesome.

[rstoner1026]

Originally Posted by Savedbythrottle

Is that a weim in that picture? The picture makes her look all grey, but I do see some color in the feet. Maybe a GSP like mine?

Yeah that's our weim, Ruger. He is only 9 months old.

[rstoner1026]

Finished gear install before lunch.

And all back together (except brakes and steering) this afternoon.



Working on painting the calipers now.

[Mike2002K1500]

Well I finally got a chance to post here, had a busy weekend as usual. I've got a '79 Dana 44 HP from a Ford F-250 sitting in the barn, all taken apart and it's going to be making the trip across the country with me. I also got a 10 bolt from an '86 pickup/blazer to get the caliper mounting brackets, stub shafts, and calipers from. I plan on turning the old calipers in for the core on a new set. I plan to keep this lift smaller and more practical, likened to sort of how 88GMCTruck did his. I am keeping the same wheels and tires, and using the dimensions from Ryan's ORD brackets to make my own. I plan on having them made from 1/4" thick plate, some sent out to have fabricated, and some I will do myself. The gears will be 4.56 just like I have now. So far so good. I leave Alliance, OH bound for Seattle on June 11, so not too long after that we will be tearing into both trucks.

I got a picture of the D44 axle, as exciting as it may be, and I'll post some designs of the shackle brackets up as soon as I get them made up in Inventor. Also, I'm going to mock them up with that 1/4" project board stuff, and test fit them on the truck prior to having them made. The Dana 44 is going to get sand blasted and primed over Memorial Day weekend.

Pic:

[rstoner1026]

Mike! I was waiting to see some pics. Glad to here things are coming together on your end. Only about 4 weeks or so now.

[rstoner1026]

Brakes are done and on. Now, which 14FF to buy around here...

[Mike2002K1500]

After spending a while on the computer this evening, I have come up with an initial design for the top part of the front mounting brackets, I'm not entirely happy with it, but its a good start. Within this part will be another made out of rectangular tube, with holes in it for a piece of DOM tube cross-member. These are going to be welded together, then welded onto the frame. I have a mock-up of the frame made in Inventor finally as well. Hopefully if I get some time away from work and school for a little while I can get the design for the front finalized, then to move on to the back. The frame model is only for clearance of the factory and to locate the holes. The prototype model will be a better representation of it when it is put up on the truck frame.

Front Top Bracket:



Frame Model:

[rstoner1026]

Just scored another NP241 with a SYE kit. SYE kit coming off and going into my other NP241, and going to see if I can swap the front output from the "new" NP241 into the NP261 that under my truck now, but going to Mike's.

[rstoner1026]

I love getting off work early and actually having time to do something. I spent the afternoon pulling a 14FF out of a 77 K20 suburban. Started taking it apart this evening.



Guess what I'm working on this weekend if my wife and I don't go wheeling and camping in eastern washington.

[rstoner1026]

Oh, yeah, learned something the hard way today. 3 guys can easily load an axle in the back of a truck, but its best to have some help unloading it. I rolled 1 wheel out to the edge of the tailgate and went to flip it off the truck and... I broke 1 of my tailgate cables, enlongated the other clip so bad that I couldn't get it slippped over the bolt head, and bent the hinge pin thing on the base of the tailgate. So, after getting the axle out of the bed, I spent the next hour removing my tailgate and trying to straighten sh1t back up. Lesson learned: A tailgate cannot hold a 14ff.

[skidmarx15]

[rstoner1026]

Got it all stripped and degreased. Next, remove the shock mounts and spring perches.

[RnuovZ71]

you going to change that steering arm? other than that it looks good... oddly something about those red calipers look very fimilar!

[rstoner1026]

Yeah steering is getting changed. Its only on there to keep the king pins together until I buy my crossover stuff.
I like the red under my truck now, and I trying to figure out what I want to paint red this time around. So far, its only the calipers, but will probably include the panhard bar and steering.