Local Legend Don't Call It An S10

[the bodj]

Using a stock Pitman arm or drop pitman arm?
I’ve always heard a drop pitman arm increase bumpsteer but never cycled one myself.

Using the inner tie rod pivot I'm currently using since it was already pulled up.

Chipping away. I'm really liking this so far. Things fit nicely, very small bends, Should be pretty easy to build.



Driver frame rail swinger will have to be recessed into the frame, and unfortunately it looks like I need a raised pitman arm?


The tie rod at bump is right where the pitman arm needs to be. It looks like a lot of room in the picture below, but it's only ~3/4" where the nut will need to fit, reducing it down to quarter inch clearance.


Looking at it from the passenger side with the pass side swinger removed. I can extend the pitman arm and drop it down like a horseshoe around the tie rod, but that seems weird to me.



Full bump going straight. The only interference I see is if the driver tire is 100% bumped and turning left, which I don't ever see happening.



I'd see it happening here at the swinger and tie rod



A little more bend would probably solve it, but it's already at 15* and I don't want much more. I can move the Driver frame rail swinger rear another 1/4", which might help. Probably move the other swinger a little forward, too.

The blue circle is the path of the steering arm at full bump (not exactly, as it's shown on the flat plane, not the angled plane the beam actually makes), but it's enough to show the arm moves forward as it turns right, and rearward as it turns left. The black horizontal line represents 7" of side to side movement, or about 46* of arc.




At this point I guess I get to move the swingers forward and backward a bit to see how it all clears

 

[84Prerunner]

What diameter tie rod material are you planning?

 

[the bodj]

What diameter tie rod material are you planning?

1.25" sleeved with 1"

Edit: Shoot. I'm wrong. I have 1.5" that's being sleeved with 1.25". Gonna make things tighter.

 

[the bodj]

Changed the shape of the swingers to make clearance, dropped the crossover tube from 1.5" to 1.25", and moved it rearward a bit on the pass frame side swinger so it no longer contacts the driver tie rod.







Ride height


At this point I think this is the final iteration. I can convert the swingers from solid bodies to sheet metal, and start getting things cut on the plasma table.

 

[DialedShockPrep]

this might help you out with packaging as well, but on my truck and Marcels, and a handful of others, the link that connects the pitman arm/box to the system is tied to the centerlink between the swingers. This helps with packaging and as long as you run wobble stops over the spacers it’s fine. You can also get away with standard misalignment spacers for most of the system since yo don’t need high misalignment spacers, which also narrows everything up and tightens packaging.

 

[the bodj]

this might help you out with packaging as well, but on my truck and Marcels, and a handful of others, the link that connects the pitman arm/box to the system is tied to the centerlink between the swingers. This helps with packaging and as long as you run wobble stops over the spacers it’s fine. You can also get away with standard misalignment spacers for most of the system since yo don’t need high misalignment spacers, which also narrows everything up and tightens packaging.

I was actually going to do exactly that, but it didn't really gain me anything, since it's not the drag link that's in the way, but the cross link between the swingers. You've been reading my mind - I'll be running narrow spacers where needed.

 

[FasterNU]

yea might be able to narrow the swingers themselves using the rodends where ball has spacer built in. FK HRSMX I believe?? They seem pretty narrow.... (but shoulder isnt all that big unfortunately)

 

[the bodj]

yea might be able to narrow the swingers themselves using the rodends where ball has spacer built in. FK HRSMX I believe?? They seem pretty narrow.... (but shoulder isnt all that big unfortunately)

That's ok. I was able to get it all to clear.

 

[the bodj]

Took a break from steering stuff to prepare for our Mojave rd trip this weekend.

Moved all my tools into two tool rolls that live in the compartment under the spare tire. That left an empty void where the two craftsman toolboxes were mounted. Built a storage box and got out just about everything that was floating in the cab. It has a lid that hinges and a gas strut. Seam sealed all the seams and added foam gasket around the lip, so it should be weatherproof.



Trans cooler line cracked and was seeping, so made a new one out of ptfe hose. No pictures.

Added a storage bag chingadera to the back of the roll cage from Amazon. Seems to stay put really well and holds things I want easy access to like toilet paper, wipes, zip ties, first aid kit…


The oem filler neck was leaking, so fixed it up nice like.


Tomorrow is packing clothes, food shopping, and checking fluids.

 

[Motiracer38]

That's a nifty box. I need to make two small ones that I can't find an off the shelf solution for so need to remember to scope that out.

 

[juberafab]

Bodj,
I must have missed it, did u scan and convert the files? I went back a few pages but didnt see it. Need to get on here more. Missing all this awesome content.

 

[WW_RANGER_X]

Wish i could go! I hope to see a full trail report when you get back!

 

[the bodj]

That's a nifty box. I need to make two small ones that I can't find an off the shelf solution for so need to remember to scope that out.

I couldn’t find an off the shelf box, either. Plasma table makes it easy to build. Finger pan brake would be raven easier.

Bodj,
I must have missed it, did u scan and convert the files? I went back a few pages but didnt see it. Need to get on here more. Missing all this awesome content.

Yeah I did the scanning and modeling. Scanned and processed in ExStar, which is Einstar’s software. Then brought in Fusion360 for reverse engineering and modeling.

 

[the bodj]

What a weekend. I started planning this Mojave Rd. trip a few months ago, and was supposed to leave Thursday around midday to get to the first campsite before beginning the trip. I had noticed a leaking trans cooler line, so I rebuilt it during the week leading up, but found it leaking again as I was letting it warm up before taking off. Spent some time making a new one and decided to leave early in the morning and meet up with everyone at the gas station.

Got there early and waited for the gang. @Exploder_M was the first to show up


We waited a while for the rest of the group. @SByota popped a main fuse leading to now power. They got it figured out and we left the gas station a bit later than planned. Noooo big deallllllll.

First stop was the buried house, where I got stuck three times (I think I've been stuck maybe three times in all the years I've been doing this...)




Continued on and entered Afton Canyon



This absolute unit graced us with its presence just before we entered Spooky Slot Canyon



The weather was impeccable. Plenty of fluffy cloud cover, slight breeze, and vivid colors.


Stopped at the trestle for a quick picture and then headed east on the south side of the train tracks. I've never been that way, and the trail is really fun, fast, and flowy!

 

[the bodj]

The truck was working great, until it wasn't. In a long sandy section I saw temps starting to climb. Not terrible, but I wanted to be cautious. As I slowed to a stop I heard clunking coming from the rear. Smoked a wheel bearing, thanks to a lock ring screw backing out. Pulled my jack off the truck to assess the damage to find the piston seized and wouldn't return. Borrowed Brad's floor jack, and then found I forgot my impact gun to remove the wheel, so I borrowed Brad's. Thanks Brad!

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I collected the rollers and reassembled the bearing, bending the cage back into place, while @84projectFORD called around and found a bearing at O'reilly's in Barstow. The plan was to get it back together, drive 23 miles south to Ludlow, and @Motiracer38 and I would drive in his Sequoia to get the part (absolutely in debt to this guy). On the way down to Ludlow, @Exploder_M shredded a tire. He threw his spare on, which was a REALLY old tire, and he didn't want to chance the rest of the 150+ miles we had left, so he called it a trip and took highway home.


While we were out, the others had a DairyQueen parking lot bon fire and grilled burgers. Here's the bearing after reassembling and driving on it


New bearing installed, gear oil added (seal was destroyed), and we soldiered on 30 miles to Kelso Sand Dunes. We were all a bit bummed because we were hoping to camp in Caruther's Canyon, but it just wasn't meant to be this trip. (PS: I got stuck two or three more times getting to the campsite).

Although we didn't get to Caruther's, the morning views were incredible




@Turboyota and I donned our attire for the day...


We packed up and made our way to the Lava Tubes. Always a cool sight.


And then stopped at the nearby Aiken Pumice mine




Followed by the Mailbox and Frog City

 

[the bodj]

After smashing through the Joshua Tree forest and big whoop section (insanely fun!) I heard a familiar clunking from the driver rear. Stopped to assess and found two of the 5 lug nuts were missing, and three were hanging on by a few threads.



The wheel floppage caused the lug stud knurling to no longer hold in the hub. James' onboard welder to the rescue! Welded them onto the backside, swapped out for the spare tire since the holes were smoked, and we were back in biznus




Rock Cabin was a cool, quick stop, followed by Balancing Rock


The sight of Laughlin had never looked so sweet!



Dipped our toes in the river before heading to a well-earned sushi dinner.



The group split off with some continuing to Arizona, some camping on the river, and some staying at the oh-so luxurious Tropicana.



Hit the pike in the morning and made it home at 2:45pm, bruised and battered, but not defeated!


710 miles total, 227 of which were dirt. It's time to park the truck for some much needed prep and updates.

 

[Cleandezert]

did you just say in my thread that you havent ever really needed 4x4? ate those words huh? lol

 

[Dirt Yota]

Looks like a an epic trip with cool people and sweet rides!

 

[84projectFORD]

did you just say in my thread that you havent ever really needed 4x4? ate those words huh? lol

 

[the bodj]

did you just say in my thread that you havent ever really needed 4x4? ate those words huh? lol

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Hey... screw you guys haha