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Project Snow Bear K20!

Overview Gallery Discussion
Weather is clearing up a little and I'm hitting brick walls. Every have so many things you want to do that you just don't know where to start so you just sort of stand there? No direction? yeah me too...
 
I really need to take apart the front clip on the truck to get access to the frame rails but I just want to build instead of tear down.
 
Vombrown said:
Weather is clearing up a little and I'm hitting brick walls. Every have so many things you want to do that you just don't know where to start so you just sort of stand there? No direction? yeah me too...
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That is exactly where I am
 
imiceman44 said:
That is exactly where I am
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Had to run and do some plowing at the bottom of my mountain but I think I'm going to setup and get some welding done. Then maybe head over to pickup my lower links and arms to get my front end under the truck for mock up. I have to run into town before I can finish the rear end setup so I might as well do something constructive.
 
PICS!

Spent some time today getting the axles stripped down to get them under the truck. Front axle I removed everything I wasn't going to use. Bundles it all up with a ratchet strap and mock up roller tires to move it under the truck. Rear axle was a little more challenging. Got all the brackets removed and cut the spring perches off the rear axle. Test fit the spring perches from OK4WD! Perfect. Dropped right on there. All I'll need to do is clean up the tube and weld them up. I'll have to get the axle up on Jack stands and level so I can set the pinion angle correctly but for Mock up I'll just set it all under there and bolt it up. That will let me get a better idea of ride height as well. Keep in mind I flipped the shackles on the rear springs so I am interested to see how much lift it's actually worth. The factory suspension was setup with 4" blocks, so If I need to I can add them.

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I was looking at resurfacing rotors and rebuilding calipers on the axles today. Going through rock auto it's actually cheaper to buy new! You can rebuilt the brakes on the front and back for under 220 bucks. That's new calipers, rotors and pads. Geez that's cheap. I'll go ahead and order Bilstein shocks for the stock f350. They will be more than enough for my application.

I am hoping to make a run into town tomorrow to get the spring hanger that I am missing. Then all of the rear will be complete and easily made into a roller again.
 
Aftermarket rotors don't do well on superduty trucks. Maybe the will be ok on a lighter truck. Cut original rotors would be better imo.
 
obijuank5 said:
Aftermarket rotors don't do well on superduty trucks. Maybe the will be ok on a lighter truck. Cut original rotors would be better imo.
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The rotors are essentially new but rusty from sitting outside in a salvage yard. I could clean them up pretty easily. I doubt they would need to be turned other than to clean them up.
 
I always like to use all OEM dealership parts for our fleet of super duty utilty trucks . The Napa fleet service or severe duty stuff does well too. I like the Napa line of calipers that come with the bracket and new pins installed. I think you can get them with pads also. I believe it's the Eclipse line.
 
I may just do that. I don't like to do things twice. I usually put it back together with new parts just because. I'm going to head in and pickup that missing spring bracket today I think. I need to go look at some NP205 transfer cases for a friend anyway.
 
Ya know often I am truly amazed at what folks who are more technologically knowledgeable than I am can accomplish. My fab guy is a master, I'll start with that but he took some pictures and dimensions that I gave him and made brackets that are essentially identical to what was in the pics from one of the major manufacturers. At 1/4 the cost no less, using heavier, better steel! he was able to get my DOM tubing and heims for cost. I went a little differently than I have seen other setups but essentially the same. I am not looking to reinvent things here just build them a little bit more heavy duty for everyday use. I'll get some pics of the Arms up shortly, I'm still ogling them myself.
 
LNielson said:
Looks pretty good to me. I'm stoked to see those axles under your truck.
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Me too! Of course I decided to stay home and take care of a few things instead of going into town. I had all this pretty steel sitting here in a pile in the shop and I wanted to burn some welds. Messed around making one bracket and ran out of shielding gas. I think my regulator needs replacing too. It was hissing at me a little bit. I knew the tank was low but I didn't think it was THAT low. Oh well, add it to the list for tomorrow I guess.
 
ONe of the advantages of being in the middle of nowhere. We have diesel delivered to the house for our equipment. The same guy also sells me shielding gas and oxygen. So I called and got him to deliver a few hundred gallons of diesel and bring me a tank exchange at the same time. I like it. So now I can finally go get some welding done after waiting all afternoon for him to get here.
 
I forgot to comment on the shocks. I was under a super duty at work the other day and noticed the rear shocks looked like they had a lot of travel. I tried back tracking them by the numbers on them but no luck. I did however look at shocks for that application and you can get up to like a 12" travel shock in a factory replacement for the rear of a super duty. Its only in certain brands though. I think I was on summit or somewhere and they listed all the shocks with the extended and collapsed lengths and a few were like 12-13" of travel.
 
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