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Can you run stock springs with the A-Bomb or do you have to use 52's?

The website it says it's modeled after the B52's and those are designed for 52" springs :dunno: I haven't seen anyone run an A-Bomp with 48's either. However I would imagine Kert would make it work for ya.
 
Can you run stock springs with the A-Bomb or do you have to use 52's?

I think the rear hole in the front hanger is the same as factory. Im pretty sure my buddy is running factory length (lifted) front springs in his.
 
We had a wedding in Sonoma over the weekend which interfered with my progress over the last week. Still no winch so I called the vendor and I'm being told the 12K's are on back order from Engo, there are some in route off the coast in a shipping container. Hopefully within the next few weeks I get the winch, in the meantime I need to paint this A-Bomb and install it with a couple bolts so I can get some weight on the springs. The way it sits now I can't remove the rear axle because it's really front heavy.

Here is a pic of the A-Bomb primed, I'll shoot the satin black over the next couple of nights so I can switch gears and work on the rear this weekend.

IMG_8360sm_zpsbnvqpcei.jpg
 
Hope you get your winch soon. I cant stand the black hole of backorder! I may have missed something but why are you taking the rear end out? How thick is the mounting surface of the A-bomb where it bolts to the frame?
 
The website it says it's modeled after the B52's and those are designed for 52" springs :dunno: I haven't seen anyone run an A-Bomp with 48's either. However I would imagine Kert would make it work for ya.

When I first put my a-bomb on, I still had 4" normal lift springs. So yes you can run stock length springs in the rear most hole on the b52's with the shackle hanger in the stock location
 
Hope you get your winch soon. I cant stand the black hole of backorder! I may have missed something but why are you taking the rear end out? How thick is the mounting surface of the A-bomb where it bolts to the frame?

I'm a little frustrated just because I need to pull it back off to install the winch. I'm removing the rear axle because I have enough work to justify taking it out and puting it on bench. The a bomb is made with 1/4". The clevis's are something thicker, like 3/4".


When I first put my a-bomb on, I still had 4" normal lift springs. So yes you can run stock length springs in the rear most hole on the b52's with the shackle hanger in the stock location

:thumb:
 
I can feel your frustration! I cant stand putting things together so I can take it off again.

Thanks just trying to figure out what ill make my 1st phase bumper out of.
 
I might be up in your neck of the woods tomorrow. I need to grab some dom tube from ruffstuff and hopefully swoop some tool boxes from a craislist ad. Was the body lift hard to put in? ive come to the conclusion I may need to do it...
 
I might be up in your neck of the woods tomorrow. I need to grab some dom tube from ruffstuff and hopefully swoop some tool boxes from a craislist ad. Was the body lift hard to put in? ive come to the conclusion I may need to do it...

I was at ruffstuff earlier today. The pucks are pretty easy to install, the only real issue you can run into is seized bolts. If your rubber mounts are worn it's a good idea to replace those with poly while your in there.

I'll be working on the rig tomorrow if you have time to swing by.
 
If your rubber mounts are worn it's a good idea to replace those with poly while your in there.

HIGHLY recommend the 1" lift. Makes getting to stuff like your gas tank MUCH easier, and your knuckles will love you for it.

Also highly recommend the poly body mounts. You're in there already, it's not that much more $$, and as a bonus my truck sat level afterwards. :haha:

-- A
 
Well I obviously didnt make it up there this weekend. The guy I was supposed to get some tool boxes from lacked enough brain cells to make the deal happen.

Anyways when you put the body lift in did you run into any issues? I can see that the fan housing would be a problem.
 
OMG Yes, When a tire blows it will rattle everything from the windows to your fillings. Sounds like he got wacked, and I would guess it put him on the floor.


I took out the back windows in 2 customers cars (and not the tire customers) and knocked the bondo off one quarter panel when my ever knowing boss insisted I mount the tires a 'favored' customer brought to his service station :waytogo: Luckily I'd just come back from smoking my lunch so I didn't have a cardiac (but the old lady almost did) and the blowout was facing away from me. Couldn't hear my boss bitching for the rest of the day which was nice. :thumb:
 
Well I obviously didnt make it up there this weekend. The guy I was supposed to get some tool boxes from lacked enough brain cells to make the deal happen.

Anyways when you put the body lift in did you run into any issues? I can see that the fan housing would be a problem.

Fan shroud will require some adjustment or trimming, yes. Transmission shifter will require adjustment, for just a 1" lift shouldn't require lengthening (the stock rod should still fit.) Be careful of the distributor (maybe remove the cap and pull it forward just in case.) Oh, and the gas filler hose might need to be loosened and reclamped, but again, 1" lift isn't much change.

-- A
 
Well I obviously didnt make it up there this weekend. The guy I was supposed to get some tool boxes from lacked enough brain cells to make the deal happen.

Anyways when you put the body lift in did you run into any issues? I can see that the fan housing would be a problem.

That's CL for ya....

dremu pretty much pointed out the main things to look for below. I was going from a 3" body lift to a 1" so the only snag I ran into was the fact that someone had extended the shift linkage so I had to hunt down a stock one at the pick n pull. My fan shroud was never really right, so I just zip tied it up because I was going with e-fans.

Fan shroud will require some adjustment or trimming, yes. Transmission shifter will require adjustment, for just a 1" lift shouldn't require lengthening (the stock rod should still fit.) Be careful of the distributor (maybe remove the cap and pull it forward just in case.) Oh, and the gas filler hose might need to be loosened and reclamped, but again, 1" lift isn't much change.

-- A
 
After work last week I was laying down coats of paint on the A-Bomb and hardware

IMG_8375sm_zpsrjwcaiqx.jpg


IMG_8370sm_zpslmnuxxrf.jpg


Here it is mounted with a few bolts keeping it in place so I can put some weight back on the front axle

IMG_8391sm_zps9lmc9sju.jpg


IMG_8392sm_zpsgjaaookv.jpg


After looking at this more closely last night, I'm pretty sure I can slide the winch in place with the A-Bomb in bolted to the truck. So I'm going to go ahead and install the rest of the hardware and check that off the list.
 
Now that the front of the truck is supported I removed the 14 bolt, cut off the old shock mounts, wire wheeled most of the gunk off the axle and pressure washed it.

IMG_8396sm_zpsm5irgtdw.jpg


Removed the diff cover, slid both of the rear shafts out and removed the carrier.

IMG_8404sm_zps1l5flmwo.jpg


carrier out and spider gears removed for the Detroit

IMG_8407sm_zpsengkwtud.jpg


It was getting annoying taking pics (diff oil funk all over the hands) so I didn't take any with the Detroit going into to the carrier but it's as simple as dropping it in. I reassembled the carrier using loctite and dropped it back in the housing.

Now onto the backbone which has changed a bit, kert no longer provides the clamps that go around the axle tube so I'll be welding it to the axle tubes. Here's the mock up...
IMG_8409sm_zpskoqfmvr2.jpg


and the shock mounts will be welded in this area of the axle tube

IMG_8410sm_zpsl0ljpgjk.jpg


I plan on sliding the axle back under the truck, tacking the backbone tube in place along with the shock mounts. Then I can take a close look at the anti wrap, cut it to fit and tack that as well. Then remove it all again, weld, prime & paint for final install.

Need to order a longer rear brake line from WFO
 

Occurred to me I shoulda apologized for kinda derailing your thread there, but it's at least sort of on topic and less SQUIRREL than many threads here :haha:

*On* topic, whatcha gonna use those winged nuts for? They are amazing I know, I used a pair to hold down my Hi-Lift, but I can't think of any place in the front suspension where they'd be handy.

-- A
 
Occurred to me I shoulda apologized for kinda derailing your thread there, but it's at least sort of on topic and less SQUIRREL than many threads here :haha:

*On* topic, whatcha gonna use those winged nuts for? They are amazing I know, I used a pair to hold down my Hi-Lift, but I can't think of any place in the front suspension where they'd be handy.

-- A

Not a "derail" at all.... IMO it's constructive conversation :D

They're just too cool, I plan on using two for my hi lift and the other two I'm not sure about. I figured I might as well shoot some paint on them while I have the paint out.
 

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