Virginia Prelander Build

[iheartponies]

In the process of building a 1996 F-150 for camping and romping around the East Coast. Threat motorsports is doing the kit - cut and turned beams, radius arms, deavers in the back with 5100's (for now). Doing a refresh of the steering as well, knocking off all the surface rust and, and putting in a set of cheap corbeaus I found on marketplace. Once I sort the suspension out I'll be building a little pop up camper out of extrusion. Probably will keep the stock wheels and bump up to 33's and if I find I need more travel/shock adjustment, I'll step to kings and the threat coilover bucket with the under the bed shock hoop for the back and maybe 35's. Still waiting on parts right now, but I'll keep this thread updated as I finish work on it!

 

[iheartponies]

Forgot to mention some background on the truck - its a 4x4 supercab short bed that I got for less than $3500. It was a one owner and has 271,000 on it, but was really really sound and had almost NO rust for the east coast. Bought it from an old guy in Baltimore. There is an issue with the rear tank sending unit (not reading correctly, so I'll be testing and replacing that). I haven't tested yet the front tank yet, but if I go to an under the bed shock hoop I'll have to pull it out anyway, so I'm thinking that's going to stay as is for now, good or bad. This is my second 1996 F-150 so I'm fairly familiar with these trucks.

 

[badlinesgoodtimes]

right on dude...You guys have much wheeling out that way? I'd imagine more of the 4wheeling than the go fast.

 

[iheartponies]

right on dude...You guys have much wheeling out that way? I'd imagine more of the 4wheeling than the go fast.

Way more of the 4wheeling, but there is some go fast stuff if you know where to look/if you have access to some private land - the idea is to treat this like a rally car that I can put a dirtbike in. No need for gigantic travel numbers - shock tuning comes way more into play (hence the likely switch to kings down the line).

 

[iheartponies]

Taking a couple days to prep and paint all the big stuff - got everything but the beams done today, which I will hit tomorrow. Using seymor stainless, which I saw someone here call seemore butts (the name I'm using now). Bolts are in as well, so hoping I can have the front end back together before July 3rd.

 

[iheartponies]

Made some more progress on setting bearings/seals/ball joints, test fitting and generally getting things back together. I may have spoke too soon about the lack of rust on the truck as the coil buckets had their coating peeling off. I checked the frame behind them and everything is solid so I just wire wheeled them and hit them with rustolem rust reformer. Gives me an excuse to step to big boy coil buckets later on.

If anyone on this site has a threat kit or might know anyone who does, can you let me know how the new radius arms bolt onto the ttbs? I have pinged Dave but no response yet. I'm not sure if there are any spacers, or if I need to bend/reuse the stock brackets that are co-mounted with the stock radius arms. I did have to drill out some holes on the radius arm mounts to a 1/2in as they were just a little bit small.

 

[LoganB]

Shouldn’t be any spacers (throw the stock stuff away) The new radius arm should “saddle” the I beam, and you can use the factory bolts to secure them to the beam.

 

[iheartponies]

Shouldn’t be any spacers (throw the stock stuff away) The new radius arm should “saddle” the I beam, and you can use the factory bolts to secure them to the beam.

Thank you! As the new radius arms don't fit perfectly I'm assuming there is some compliance (the mounting ears of the beam will flex to fit the ttb)?

 

[iheartponies]

Need to turn down the bushings for the TTBs....

Took some measurements today with calipers and will be going to my godfathers tomorrow to throw them on his lathe. Tried to take a grinder to them but they need to be knocked down quite a bit. My measurement for the pumpkin ttb was 146.5mm and 148mm for the other. Probably will go .5mm under for both sets just for the sake of assembly (unless there is a reason not to).