ion
1/2 ton status
Hey guys,
I got my truck in May of 2011. I picked it up with a 6" lift on it, and some well worn 35" tsl's on it.
This is what it looked like when I got it. It had no power steering, and a rancho 6" lift with dual shocks and dual steering stabilizers.
I then found some 37x13x16.5 boggers for sale on our reno craigslist for 500 bucks, about 70% tread.
Then it was time for the first wheeling trip i had ever done in my own vehicle, normally i would just grab a seat with my freind dan.
The truck then stalled and overheated at the same time in this next spot.
Got it cooled down, and we made camp for the evening.
The next morning we got up, and one of the runners wouldn't keep running, so i got nominated for being the one to tow him out, no biggie,
so we ended the first ever wheeling trip i did on my own
I got the truck back to pavement and realized well crap, i had no 2nd or 3rd gear in the transmission. Hopped out and crawled under the truck to check on the TH350 and it was so hot you couldn't put your hand withing two feet of it. Pulled the dip stick out and it had fluid, but was a merky brown/black. well my 1 wheeling trip, one transmission and i also cracked the frame at the steering box as well.
So i did as any 21 year old kid would do, i jumped in feet first without a plan and got way in over my head.
I got an sm465 and a 205 swapped in place of the TH350 and the 203. Only reason for the 465 was I wanted a TH400, and I got one, but got scammed along the way on the ever so stupid side of my brain when i found an ad for a th400 fresh rebuild for 300 bucks. Yeah right.
So the truck sat for about two months like this:
Until i finally got my head together of what i was going to do with it.
Started by reading and reading with a little bit of reading along the way of other people's build threads on here and on pirate4x4.
So i ordered some b52 brackets from kert, 7.25" shackles, and i got a set of 56" springs from big dan on here for 75 bucks worth of shipping.
Started to grind everything off of the frame that i needed to for the b52 brackets to be put on, and with the help of an 8lb sledge i had a cclean frame to get everything mounted on.
so over the past two weekends i have gotten off of my ass and gotten back to work.
and that work has left me with a truck finally sitting on all four wheels after 7 months.
with the 56" springs in the front, it is a soft suspension, im hoping to have the rear 64" springs i have put in in the next week or two, i really only have saturdays free and i need to order my shackle flip, but first I need to figure out if i want the WFO one, or the DIY4X one.
Any input is always appreciated.
JJ
I got my truck in May of 2011. I picked it up with a 6" lift on it, and some well worn 35" tsl's on it.
This is what it looked like when I got it. It had no power steering, and a rancho 6" lift with dual shocks and dual steering stabilizers.
I then found some 37x13x16.5 boggers for sale on our reno craigslist for 500 bucks, about 70% tread.
Then it was time for the first wheeling trip i had ever done in my own vehicle, normally i would just grab a seat with my freind dan.
The truck then stalled and overheated at the same time in this next spot.
Got it cooled down, and we made camp for the evening.
The next morning we got up, and one of the runners wouldn't keep running, so i got nominated for being the one to tow him out, no biggie,
so we ended the first ever wheeling trip i did on my own
I got the truck back to pavement and realized well crap, i had no 2nd or 3rd gear in the transmission. Hopped out and crawled under the truck to check on the TH350 and it was so hot you couldn't put your hand withing two feet of it. Pulled the dip stick out and it had fluid, but was a merky brown/black. well my 1 wheeling trip, one transmission and i also cracked the frame at the steering box as well.
So i did as any 21 year old kid would do, i jumped in feet first without a plan and got way in over my head.
I got an sm465 and a 205 swapped in place of the TH350 and the 203. Only reason for the 465 was I wanted a TH400, and I got one, but got scammed along the way on the ever so stupid side of my brain when i found an ad for a th400 fresh rebuild for 300 bucks. Yeah right.
So the truck sat for about two months like this:
Until i finally got my head together of what i was going to do with it.
Started by reading and reading with a little bit of reading along the way of other people's build threads on here and on pirate4x4.
So i ordered some b52 brackets from kert, 7.25" shackles, and i got a set of 56" springs from big dan on here for 75 bucks worth of shipping.
Started to grind everything off of the frame that i needed to for the b52 brackets to be put on, and with the help of an 8lb sledge i had a cclean frame to get everything mounted on.
so over the past two weekends i have gotten off of my ass and gotten back to work.
and that work has left me with a truck finally sitting on all four wheels after 7 months.
with the 56" springs in the front, it is a soft suspension, im hoping to have the rear 64" springs i have put in in the next week or two, i really only have saturdays free and i need to order my shackle flip, but first I need to figure out if i want the WFO one, or the DIY4X one.
Any input is always appreciated.
JJ
