Are you going to run a mis match of lug nuts or switch one of the axles to match the other?
CK5
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The BluJay
- Thread starter AugustDiesel
- Start date
I’ll swap out the rear to match the front eventually, for now just gonna throw a couple M14 lug nuts on to get the wheels on.
The 14 bolt is “in” … for now. A few hiccups along the way:
1. One of the Barnes perches wasn’t square. Called out to them and they’ll have a new one out to me Friday free of charge.
2. I had planned on using some scrap lift blocks to lift the rear, but failed to account for that additional height when I ordered my u-bolts. So the 14 is in without a lift and the gangsta lean lives on lol.
3. The cheap front Rough Country 2” springs still have a negative arch in them. Haven’t been able to get that out. Seems they’re just not rated enough for the weight of the truck.
Chances are high that I’m going to pull the trigger on a set of fresh ORD springs front and rear. It’ll solve all these spring problems and is my endgame anyways. Gonna sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
We all know how monstrous the 14bolt is. I just thought it was neat to show a side by side comparison against the 2wd rear 10bolt.
Andy
1. One of the Barnes perches wasn’t square. Called out to them and they’ll have a new one out to me Friday free of charge.
2. I had planned on using some scrap lift blocks to lift the rear, but failed to account for that additional height when I ordered my u-bolts. So the 14 is in without a lift and the gangsta lean lives on lol.
3. The cheap front Rough Country 2” springs still have a negative arch in them. Haven’t been able to get that out. Seems they’re just not rated enough for the weight of the truck.
Chances are high that I’m going to pull the trigger on a set of fresh ORD springs front and rear. It’ll solve all these spring problems and is my endgame anyways. Gonna sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
We all know how monstrous the 14bolt is. I just thought it was neat to show a side by side comparison against the 2wd rear 10bolt.
Andy
The negative arch isn't really that odd. If it's 2" higher I'd say that's fine.
Also, measure to the pinch at the bottom of your rockers front and back. I bet it's actually sitting level, not really gangsta leaning.
Nice truck.
Also, measure to the pinch at the bottom of your rockers front and back. I bet it's actually sitting level, not really gangsta leaning.
Nice truck.
The negative arch isn't really that odd. If it's 2" higher I'd say that's fine.
Also, measure to the pinch at the bottom of your rockers front and back. I bet it's actually sitting level, not really gangsta leaning.
Nice truck.
Thank you!
It definitely squats in the rear. That photo just doesn’t show it well. The measurements of the rocker front to back come to 21.75” vs 20.5” so there is for sure a difference.
I spoke with Rough Country yesterday and they said the front springs should not have a negative arch. They offered me a return and refund, but I’m going to keep trying to sort this out first. Worst case, I should be able to add a leaf to the packs and get it to sit flatter.
For the rear, we opted for a set of 4” 56s from Rough Country. They’ll be here Saturday. One of the challenges with this 2wd to 4wd conversion is the fact that the rear main eye and shackle hangers are “about” 2” shorter than a 4wd. This results in equally lifted front and rear springs not sitting level requiring a 2” taller lifted spring to compensate. I could also swap out the 2wd hangers for 4wd hangers. I have them. But the bolt pattern on the frame for the main eye hangers do not line up and I don’t want to mess with that crossmember. Nor do I want to drop the tank to swap the shackle hangers. ORD has confirmed that there’s not really a strength difference between the 2wd and 4wd hangers, so it’s an easy decision to compensate with taller springs. But, it’s also an easier investment to snag a set of $450 springs from RC to do this experiment vs $2,000 for the ORD springs (front and rear). They’re also adjustable with additional leafs where as the ORD springs are not. I’m fine riding on the RCs for a while as I finish the RedBurb.
In the meantime, I’m taking a 24 hour break.
Andy.
Turns out the issue with the front springs was all in my head. Looking at them from an angle appears to arch, but looking at them from the side they are rather flat which is how 2” springs are suppose to work.
The new rear springs don’t arrive until Monday, so I’ll spend my time finishing up the transmission and tcase installs now that the front end swap is done.
Andy
The new rear springs don’t arrive until Monday, so I’ll spend my time finishing up the transmission and tcase installs now that the front end swap is done.
Andy
My Skyjacker 2" Springs ride at very similar arch. I thought it may of been the weight of the 6.2 plus dual batteries.
Rough Country's 4" springs have a crazy amount of arch. I just installed a set on my BIL's K10.
Rough Country's 4" springs have a crazy amount of arch. I just installed a set on my BIL's K10.
My neighbors are going to think I don’t know how to set up rear suspension 
Andy
Andy
The math is correct … 2” taller rear springs level out the truck. It’s exactly 22 1/4” under the front and rear of the rockers.
Andy
Andy
Robbed the trans cooler off the RedBurb, since it doesn’t need it anymore. Fan was dead, so I trashed it. Figured it didn’t need one really anyways since it’s in the core support. One less thing for me to wire up.
The trans oil will travel from the trans to the radiator cooler then under the core support to the auxiliary cooler and back to the trans. This was the same setup as I had in my last burb, and it seemed to work really well.
Got my temp sensors for the trans installed and built my first PTFE oil hose.
The coating on these Fragola hoses make it impossible to fit the ferrel between the inner liner and the stainless braids, so I trimmed just enough of the outer coating off to allow the braids to flex and fit the ferrel. Seems to be okay.
Working on all this while I bide my time waiting for my driveshaft guy to build my rear driveshaft. Then it’ll be time to get that 14 bolt finished off.
Andy
The trans oil will travel from the trans to the radiator cooler then under the core support to the auxiliary cooler and back to the trans. This was the same setup as I had in my last burb, and it seemed to work really well.
Got my temp sensors for the trans installed and built my first PTFE oil hose.
The coating on these Fragola hoses make it impossible to fit the ferrel between the inner liner and the stainless braids, so I trimmed just enough of the outer coating off to allow the braids to flex and fit the ferrel. Seems to be okay.
Working on all this while I bide my time waiting for my driveshaft guy to build my rear driveshaft. Then it’ll be time to get that 14 bolt finished off.
Andy
Trans cooler lines are done. These double swivel hose ends from Fragola make the install a lot easier. Hopefully they don’t leak.
Tomorrow I’ll get the deep dish oil pan installed on the trans and that will finish off the transmission installation.
Monday I’ll be working on everything the front axle needs: ball joints, flat top knuckle, new wheel studs, maybe even brakes.
Andy
Tomorrow I’ll get the deep dish oil pan installed on the trans and that will finish off the transmission installation.
Monday I’ll be working on everything the front axle needs: ball joints, flat top knuckle, new wheel studs, maybe even brakes.
Andy
Shiny
Andy
Andy
Robbed the pinion guard off RedBurb’s 14 bolt. It’ll eventually get one that incorporates into a truss. In the meantime, this guard gets moved to its new home.
Andy
Andy
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Always wanted to run an opinion guard on a a street truck. Don’t need no one else’s opinions taking out my u-joints.
Dadgum Siri. She thinks she knows what I’m tryna say better than I do. That spelling error’s been corrected for the record keeping.
I knew I should have quoted it haha.
I’ve opened up more and more to people helping me with projects over the last couple years, but some things should still be done alone, like getting this bleeping carrier bearing crossmember out of the BluBurb. It fought hard. It lost. No fuel or brake lines were damaged in the massacre of this crossmember. I had hoped to be able to save it and sell it. That’s not going to happen.
I did have my oldest son help me assemble this level up for the shop though.
I figured since there were lots of wheel stud replacements in my future, it was time to add a 20-ton press to the shop. Still gotta whip up an adapter plate for the pneumatic ram though.
Andy
I did have my oldest son help me assemble this level up for the shop though.
I figured since there were lots of wheel stud replacements in my future, it was time to add a 20-ton press to the shop. Still gotta whip up an adapter plate for the pneumatic ram though.
Andy
Was gonna get out and do some work during lunch, but sometimes you just gotta step back and appreciate how far you’ve come before moving forward.
Andy
Andy
100% pure American angus beef.
Andy
Andy
That’s one fat rearend, and she don’t me sayin so!
On to the next thing.
Andy
On to the next thing.
Andy
