the bodj
Well-known member
I'm confused on why not burn out the old bushings and use some standard bushings? What's the purpose of the bronze bushing?
Pissnoma
- Thread starter Kellyex1450
- Start date
Kellyex1450
Well-known member
I might get around to it eventually. The plan is a bronze washer-bushing sandwiched between the crush sleeve and the mount on both sides — basically filling the gap left after grinding down the serrated ends.
The truth is, this whole thing is just the cheapest, laziest way I could come up with. I’m deliberately putting in as little effort as possible just to see what I can squeeze out of it. Yeah, there’s a tried-and-true formula for making leaf springs work — I just refuse to use it.
I don’t know why, but it entertains me to tinker, manipulate, and see what I can get away with. Definitely not something I’d recommend.
the bodj
Well-known member
I'm not against experimenting, just curious. In my mind the washer takes up too much space and doesn't let the oem bushing flex, but you're probably seeing a different vision than I am.
Kellyex1450
Well-known member
That’s a valid concern. My plan is to make the washer small enough that it’ll contact the factory rubber bushing during articulation, and I’m hoping the rubber will just compress without noticeably affecting flex. Luckily, there’s a spot right down the street from me where I can test it as soon as it’s back together. I’ll compare it to previous flex pictures and see if there are any shortcomings.
Kellyex1450
Well-known member
Got the Pissnoma back together and did some testing. Ended up ditching the overload springs and cutting up another OE main leaf to ride under the existing main spring for support. So now I’m rocking a 4-spring stack of questionable genius. Net gain was about 2" of lift—exactly what I was chasing.
Ride quality? Way better. Flex test? Passed. The bronze washer cleared the bushings without limiting articulation. In fact, I actually gained flex—probably because the overloads were holding things back.
The coolest part: when the spring inverts now, it spreads the bend across the entire leaf pack instead of folding up like a lawn chair at the front hanger. Pretty sure that’ll prolong spring life.
Game plan: if I decide this setup really is The One, I’ll buy another set of springs, do the same hackery, and stash them in the spot where the spare tire used to live. That way, if I grenade a spring on the trail, I’ll just look like the guy who planned ahead.
Oh, and in the flex pic—you might notice a rooftop tent photobombing the scene. Nothing says “serious crawler” like dragging around a mobile treehouse while testing your suspension science project.
So far? Pretty happy.
Ride quality? Way better. Flex test? Passed. The bronze washer cleared the bushings without limiting articulation. In fact, I actually gained flex—probably because the overloads were holding things back.
The coolest part: when the spring inverts now, it spreads the bend across the entire leaf pack instead of folding up like a lawn chair at the front hanger. Pretty sure that’ll prolong spring life.
Game plan: if I decide this setup really is The One, I’ll buy another set of springs, do the same hackery, and stash them in the spot where the spare tire used to live. That way, if I grenade a spring on the trail, I’ll just look like the guy who planned ahead.
Oh, and in the flex pic—you might notice a rooftop tent photobombing the scene. Nothing says “serious crawler” like dragging around a mobile treehouse while testing your suspension science project.
So far? Pretty happy.
Kellyex1450
Well-known member
I built a RTT mount and mounted a RTT on the Pissnoma today
Kellyex1450
Well-known member
Pissnoma Family Shakedown Trip
Took Monday off with the wife and kids and did a five-person trip to test out the setup. I already knew the rooftop tent wouldn’t fit all five of us, so we went three in the tent and two in the bed — worked out great. In bad weather we could probably sardine all five into the tent if we had to.
This was my first real go with a rooftop tent. I’m not sure it’s much faster to set up than my old Coleman Insta-Tent, but it’s got a built-in pad, it’s always ready to go, and it definitely makes sleeping on the ground feel like peasant behavior.
The plan was to drive from Johnson Valley to Big Rock via backroads, but the kids decided to use our water bottles to draw pictures in the dirt. After realizing we only had a few bottles left, I wasn’t about to head into the outback low on the most important supply. So we turned back but took a 10-mile dirt detour on the way home.
The dirt miles proved the truck’s in a good place — it’s actually pretty comfortable now. It’s never going to hustle like a true prerunner, but it holds its own and feels as composed as a well-tuned one at the speeds it’s meant for. Now that the suspension’s dialed, I can finally focus on the other stuff: front end R&R, brake upgrades and fixes, rock sliders, etc.
I’ve got a few more trips planned and I’m just happy using it. It’s been stress-free having a cruiser — not going to wow anyone on or off road, but it’ll do it all.
Still hate the yellow paint, though.
Took Monday off with the wife and kids and did a five-person trip to test out the setup. I already knew the rooftop tent wouldn’t fit all five of us, so we went three in the tent and two in the bed — worked out great. In bad weather we could probably sardine all five into the tent if we had to.
This was my first real go with a rooftop tent. I’m not sure it’s much faster to set up than my old Coleman Insta-Tent, but it’s got a built-in pad, it’s always ready to go, and it definitely makes sleeping on the ground feel like peasant behavior.
The plan was to drive from Johnson Valley to Big Rock via backroads, but the kids decided to use our water bottles to draw pictures in the dirt. After realizing we only had a few bottles left, I wasn’t about to head into the outback low on the most important supply. So we turned back but took a 10-mile dirt detour on the way home.
The dirt miles proved the truck’s in a good place — it’s actually pretty comfortable now. It’s never going to hustle like a true prerunner, but it holds its own and feels as composed as a well-tuned one at the speeds it’s meant for. Now that the suspension’s dialed, I can finally focus on the other stuff: front end R&R, brake upgrades and fixes, rock sliders, etc.
I’ve got a few more trips planned and I’m just happy using it. It’s been stress-free having a cruiser — not going to wow anyone on or off road, but it’ll do it all.
Still hate the yellow paint, though.
Kellyex1450
Well-known member
Also I built an adjustable bump stop strike pad for the rear bumps. Its built out of the adjustable leveling feet on a GE 64 slice VCT lightspeed CT, pn 2105871. Got them from work.
