Skee's 97 Stepside SAS Thread

[hillbennerdeluxe]

when i ground my old ifs brackets off i put some plate steel over to give a cleaner look and a nice flat surface.

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[AirmanSkee]

Yeah I was going to do that but since my kit is all bolt on, I needed the stock frame holes. Once painted the frame of mine will look fine. I might still try to plate it. I have some and still need to weld the middle legs of the shock hoops anyways.

 

[thz71]

I need to SAS! Love the build man

 

[AirmanSkee]

Sorry guys, my phone crashed and I lost all the pictures from Thursday on. But I've got a few that I uploaded to PB before I lost them.

Luckily the stuff that was done is easily explainable, and don't really need pictures to show.

(BTW, now is a good time to change oil, plugs, wires, whatever. With having NOTHING to get in the way. It took like 3 minutes to pop the oil filter and plug with a bucket under it. ) And it was definitely time for mine. Glad to see it cleaned everything out like I hoped.

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--April 5

It was time to roll the axle under. I had it on roller tires, but took them off for easier handling. The easiest way is to put the axle on two jacks that can roll around to position the axle.

I left my UBolts slightly loose to the axle so that I could adjust the springs to the hangers as needed, then tighten the axle to the springs. Remember, all my stuff was used, it would be pretty easy to just bolt in and go with new springs and everything.

Front hangers first for me. Just rolled the axle back on the jacks, and using a small deadblow to knock the spring eyes into the front hangers. Then, using the jacks, lifting the axle up to the rear hangers. It was easier for me to put the shackles onto the springs before I rolled it in, then bolt the shackles into the hangers. (The bolts that hold my shackles on go all the way through the frame as well. That was a pain.)

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My springs were slightly tweaked, and my axle was shifted a bit to the passenger side. Using a ratchet strap, I pulled the springs back together to allow the center pin to fall into the slot on the axle, then tightened the UBolts and torqued to specs.

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And VOILA!

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Shackle angle isn't IDEAL but will work. They are 4" SoftRide springs so they compress very well and the shackles react well to compression and droop. The brackets are as far forward as they can be.

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Then I test fit my drag link. It was made for this kit, but using a D60 and different steering arm. So I will have to cut mine down. UNFORTUNATELY, this is a Left Hand thread rod end. And NOBODY within a 250 mile radius (shop wise) has the tap to replace the threads when cut down. So the tap is ordered for my 7/8" LH rod end.

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(And no I can't cut the RH thread side, since it is doglegged and I need to chop 6" off, which puts me right at the dogleg.)

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The tie rod will work, but this one is toast. I am going to buy a new replacement for it.

With the pass side wheel straight

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The drivers tire is this far out.

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The exhaust needed rerouted, so out it came.

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FOR THE REAR AXLE: I will have to wait to pull the Dana 70 (since the owner works the slope and will be gone for a while.) We will be stripping the entire truck so I can't pull that axle yet.

So in its place (for now) will be going this IFS 14SF with 4.10 and G80. Will put me 8 lug on all four corners and is a very simple swap to go from my 10 bolt to the 14sf, and then to the D70 when it is time.

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[AirmanSkee]

Since I'm at a standstill for the SAS til the tap comes in, I worked on some other goodies. Some Heddman Shorty Block Huggers. SUPPOSED to be stock replacements, so we will see.

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Worked on pulling the stock manifolds. 5 out of 6 YPipe flange bolts came off easily. Cut and dropped the rest of the exhaust (I wanted to save the YPipes).

Used my dremel to cut the head of the nut off, then punched out the stuck bolt.

6 bolts on the pass side and some small brackets (oil dipstick, plug wire clips, etc) and it pulled right out the top. Dropped in the header, and bolted it right in. The ARP locking hardware I bought wouldn't work, so I used the supplied hardware with the ARP locking washers to see if they will help the Heddman hardware (I always hear bad things about ALL header hardware, except Stage 8 and ARP).

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The drivers side was the one that gave me ALL the problems. After getting the stripped flange bolt out, I figured it would be a quick swap as well. NOPE. Had to pull the EGR tube from the intake since its IMPOSSIBLE to remove it from the manifold while mounted (or at least I couldn't find a way.)

Then had to remove 3 plugs to get it to pull out of the top. No biggie, except two plug wires got caught when I pulled it up and pulled the boots off. DAMMIT.

And also snapped off the little end of the coolant temp sensor. So picking one of those up with the new tie rod.

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Then I installed it all back in, EGR tube and male adapter to the header, header to the block with new gaskets. All the little clips and gizmos, then the EGR tube should go right into the intake, right?! NOPE.

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Fought with that for almost 4 hrs, bending the tube and removing the Upper radiator hose, oil filler neck, all that. Before I just removed the header and everything AGAIN, and got it installed on that end first. Finally I got it all back in after wrestling it in.

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Working in my engine bay made me realize how bad this winter was for grime, and I can't wait to be finished to clean and repaint everything for show season.

 

[AirmanSkee]

Changing directions on the tie rod. Got my hands on some HMMWV steering linkage, which just so happen to have the same 3/4ton GM taper, and are also 7/8" 18tpi just like my drag link ends. PERFECT.

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Also, just a little comparison of my drag link ends (heavy duty 3/4 ton GM TREs) and the HMMWV TREs. Can you guess which is which?!

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Should work out pretty good. Figured up to be ~55.5" from center taper to taper for alignment with the wheels straight, and with the link ends in, puts the center of the adjusting threads right around 49" for the length of the DOM I will need. Picking up more DOM and tapping it all tomorrow. Will be updated as that comes along.

 

[AirmanSkee]

As of last night this is the progress that was made over the weekend.

While waiting on the drag link to get done, I started on the brakes. The 6" IFS lift I had provided long enough extended brake lines and the banjo bolts were the same. Unfortunately the end of the line was square and the hold for the caliper was round. So I ground off the ridges to fit. DO NOT get into the mating surface, of you WILL have leaking problems.

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**On the old caliper**

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Going to tack weld the old brackets that hold the hard lines there next to the shock hoop on the frame.

With the dog leg of the drag link, it would not allow it to go into a lathe. So even after getting the right LH tap, it didn't work.

So we go some solid stock, cut and sectioned the drag link, and inserted the stock into the drag link. It had to be pressed in, then welded, and then sleeved with the threaded end that was cut. Then all welded together. It will be cleaned up and painted.

It weighs like 12lbs more than it did, but it is not going ANYWHERE. It is solid and built well.

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Then I went to Home Depot and bought some Schedule 80 black iron to make my tie rod out of. It has a wall thickness of right around .25" so would put me where I needed for a DD. I would not wheel it like that. I also picked up a set of 7/8"x18tpi LH and RH weld in bungs locally from a club member. So am going to cut the tubing shorter by 2" and use those.

But after tack welding on the bungs, I had clearance issues with the springs due to the taller HMMWV tie rod ends.

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Luckily I picked up a set of zero rates from a buddy, and gave me the clearance I needed. They are easy to install, but a pain in the fact that I had to drop the whole axle again.

Clamp the spring pack, loosen and remove the stock center pin, and then insert the longer center pin and zero rate and tighten it all back up. Adds and inch, and gives the option to move the axle an inch forward or back to recenter in the wheel well if needed.

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Then I found a stick of leftover 1.5"ODx.25" DOM leftover from the white SAS Burb, and am making the new correct tie rod tonight and getting it all welded up. Should be steerable tonight!

 

[AirmanSkee]

Quick update. Monday night we brought the parts over and built the tie rod. Its burned in clean and looks awesome. I will break a knuckle before this goes anywhere.

I used 1.5"ODx.25 wall DOM with a set of weld in bungs. The DOM was cut to 47.5" with an inch on each end for the bungs to equal 49.5" long on the tie rod. The HMMWV tie rod ends put me right at the 55.5" taper to taper measurement, and will let me adjust for alignment.

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Then went to put on the drag link, and turns out my steering arm is tapered for 1 ton GM taper, not 3/4 ton like the rest of my setup. So I snagged the 1 ton drag link end from the white Burb, but had to crank it way down on adjustment to accommodate the longer rod end.

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(Note: This is before any adjustment for steering wheel position and alignment have been made.)

 

[thz71]

Lookin good man!!

sent from my outdated S3

 

[highspeed]

That tie rod looks nice and beefy. keeps us informed on how this steering system works out...........I have access to some Hummmer H1 parts myself.