Talk me into, or out of, it...

[someotherguy]

What a friggin' mess. Had to pick up some more death wheels and get busy on the other side. Swapped out the 4x4 blocks for my big rubber heavy duty tire chocks at all 4 corners of the bed to get a little more clearance..

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Got the long bead cut pretty easily as it had some slight overhang at the frame rail, no real worry about biting into the frame - but where the bead went across the top of the rail, I opted to cut just slightly above it. I was worried about cutting the frame itself so I figured I'd give myself some margin. It means I'll have more to clean up off the frame afterwards but I'm OK with that.

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FINALLY. Took some persuading in a few areas with the air hammer, but it's OUT. I'm starting to feel like ol boy had an endless supply of metal and welding rods.

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Got some extra to clean up later, couldn't get the used-up wheel off the grinder. The locknut is stuck. I think these Diablo blades where the integral washer is on the opposite side isn't doing me any favors. And the holes in the locknut for the removal tool are pretty worn out. The bungee strap was to help hold the plate in as I slid it across so it wouldn't fall down and mess anything else up.

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What's that? It's dinnertime again? Yeah, and I gotta go back to work tomorrow. So tires back on, truck outside, floor swept and blown out.. car back inside. Truck can move under its own power but not really driveable as I left the bed up on the wheel chocks so I can tear back into it on my next off days. Looks like I just began the most ridiculous hillbilly body lift. Anybody sees it now gonna be really surprised the next time it rolls out of the garage a WHOLE bunch lower.

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Richard

 

[SentandBent4x4]

I’d leave it lifted like that instead of lowering it if it were me!

 

[fancyTBI]

I’d leave it lifted like that instead of lowering it if it were me!

You’re never gonna win that argument. Especially in this thread!

 

[fancyTBI]

I'm starting to feel like ol boy had an endless supply of metal and welding rods.

Better call him! He could probably weld in the notch for you.

I hear you about moving it back and forth to work on it. That’s what I do at my parents. Show up, push the truck out, get the engine under the light, move my bench closer. At the end of the day, do the reverse and sweep.

 

[SentandBent4x4]

Same here, except in usually working outside, so it's haul all the tools outside into the yard, make five million trips for things you forgot, spend hours searching the grass for that stupid screw you dropped, and then lug every thing back inside. Yup, that's the life of a wanna be mechanic.

 

[Caman96]

I’m a have to be mechanic.

 

[someotherguy]

Grinding the old welds from the gooseneck plate mostly done. There's still some slight bumps of extra metal there but I don't want to grind down into the frame if I can avoid it. IIRC the notch braces don't fit snug against the frame, there's some gap, so it shouldn't be an issue.

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Springs out! Had to heat a couple of the U-bolt nuts and really go after them with the breaker bar and impact. Amazingly they were REALLY solid, no pencil-thin rusty messes like we've seen on many trucks. I was surprised.

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Driver side spring pack clamped and ready to remove the center bolt, ditch the overload leaf and spacer, then replace with the Belltech-supplied bolt. I've posted in the "Stupid lowered questions" thread asking y'all about that whole topic before I continue, though..

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Richard

 

[618 Syndicate]

Grinding the old welds from the gooseneck plate mostly done. There's still some slight bumps of extra metal there but I don't want to grind down into the frame if I can avoid it. IIRC the notch braces don't fit snug against the frame, there's some gap, so it shouldn't be an issue.

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Springs out! Had to heat a couple of the U-bolt nuts and really go after them with the breaker bar and impact. Amazingly they were REALLY solid, no pencil-thin rusty messes like we've seen on many trucks. I was surprised.

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Driver side spring pack clamped and ready to remove the center bolt, ditch the overload leaf and spacer, then replace with the Belltech-supplied bolt. I've posted in the "Stupid lowered questions" thread asking y'all about that whole topic before I continue, though..

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Richard

Pro-ceed!

 

[Orpedcrow]

no pencil-thin rusty messes like we've seen on many trucks.

makes my heart drop everytime I see a picture of one. There’s got to be so many on the road that are hidden by dirt a grime. :shudder:

 

[Stumpy]

I've been spraying the suspension bolts on mine every month or two, with PB Blaster since I bought it. Knowing one of these days, I'm going to take it apart. That's 4 years of lubrication, and hopefully has done some good.