Grizzly Trucks

[diamondtguy]

Had the truck out today doing more testing...I mounted the go pro on the dash and took a bunch of video's.I kept them all kinda short.I will mount the camera somewhere else for some different views next time...Here is one little video.If you have good sound you will here the exhaust brake being used.

 

[diamondtguy]

Another short one.

 

[Hank R]

Looks like all your hard work worked out I hope there were no problems must feel nice going for a drive.

 

[diamondtguy]

No problems....Just sorting things out.As it going to be my daily driver I am being picky.

 

[diamondtguy]

More adjustments today.Steering box was badly in need of adjustment and I found the source of all the steering play.Seems I had not torqued up the pitman arm and even tho I only got half a turn on the nut it was not yet seated on the taper.It was enough to remove all the free play.

Steering is way better but still suffering from errant air in the system.Doesnt help that the hydro boost is the highest point and the vented pump filler cap is the lowest.I may have to put a remote reservoir on the truck with a vented lid as high up as possible.

Turns out rear shocks are running almost bottomed out at ride height.These are actually 2" shorter than the shocks that were in it.I am going to redo the mounts next week and lower the mount 3".This should run the shock around midstroke at ride height.If this doesn't calm the problem down I will buy the better shocks for the rear.I can only assume I had the truck too high when I measured the shocks.A moot point tho as shorter shocks are not available.

I did another 10 mile road test and all things are moving in the right direction.

 

[Hallback]

Can you raise the upper mount or angle the mount so you don't lose clearance?

 

[diamondtguy]

The upper mount is a tower type and it is welded to a crossmember.Lower mount is on my spring plate.Problem is the sway bar is in the way to just drop the mount down.I have a solution and I will get the water jet to cut the pcs next week..I will do the load leveling valve while I am under there.

 

[Hallback]

Nice. If you look up the part number for a 67 to 69 Camaro and 68-72 Nova Rancho rs9000 shock you will get a short 9 way adjustable shock that will work well.

 

[diamondtguy]

Had another look on Rancho's site but they only list trucks no cars.A little more searching and I found the lengths of the Camaro rear shocks.They are 1" longer than what I have but they mount the same way.This gives me some options if my shocks don't perform after I lower the mounts...Thanks..

 

[diamondtguy]

Here are the plates to relocate my shocks on the spring plates.They will make sense when I weld them on.They are 3/8 304 stainless.
Ten years I have been making parts on our water jet and I am still impressed at its ability and we don't even have a state of the art 5 axis machine.We do have a rather large OMAX machine tho...

 

[Hallback]

Oh the things I could do & fun I could have with a water jet.

 

[diamondtguy]

Had the day off today and had plans to fix my shocks but the interior guy showed up and decided to finish my interior..OK with me.The firewall wasn't fun as its littered with parts and the heater box is in the way but he worked around it...I am happy with the end results..

 

[diamondtguy]

Tore the rear apart today and welded on the relocation plates on my spring plates.Everything went fine and the shock is now sitting roughly in its midstroke.I will roadtest it tomorrow.If it doesn't solve the problem I will just order the RS 9000 shocks for it.At least I have resolved the stroke issue on them..
Sorry about the blurry pics but you will get the idea.

 

[diamondtguy]

I pushed on (I had a headache today) and worked on the rear auto leveling valve.I got the valve and the linkage sorted out.I will hose it tomorrow and remove the bracket and trim it.I will do the front later as it doesn't seem to leak and I have a few other things to fiddle with....
The other holes in the bracket are my fault.I had the orientation wrong on the fill/exhaust direction and had to flip the valve.

 

[diamondtguy]

I have it hooked up now and I trimmed the bracket.I also had to shorten my link rod by 3/4 of a inch.Took more than a few attempts to get the ride height right but it seems to work good and is fairly responsive...Not a fan of the rubber rod ends but I wont have to worry about them seizing up.I may put stainless ones on later.....Time for lunch

The errant rubber hose in the bottom pic is my rear axel vent line.

 

[diamondtguy]

Took the truck out again.Getting better all the time.Ride is tolerable but I may try the 9000's in the back anyways.
Gave the truck its first bath since I bought it....Looks good..
Need to work on the air in the power steering now..

 

[075]

Have you tried to pressurize the power steering reservoir with low air pressure to help purge the system?

 

[diamondtguy]

No..I haven't tried that but it is a interesting thought...

 

[diamondtguy]

Had the truck out again today to give a friend a ride..He was pretty impressed with it.I have about 100 miles on the truck and am still tinkering with some stuff.I pulled the balancer off of it and will get 4 grooves machined in it in hopes that this will solve the crank trigger tach not reading correct.Balancer comes off very easy.
I have also ordered a remote power steering tank to try and solve my air lock issues in the power steering and hydro boost.You can here the pump complain when you step on the brakes.There is still air in the system...I have some Rancho RS 9000's coming for the rear as well.
This will be the final attempt on the rear suspension.I have to consider it is a 3x5x.250 tube frame with probably zero flex.My 95 Ford 4x4 is a reg cab 8' box and the Grizzly wheelbase is 12" shorter.That short wheelbase and rigid frame certainly doesn't help..Lessons I learned from the years when I built 427 Cobra replicars.I did rectangular tube frames and round tube frames...The ride difference was huge...

 

[diamondtguy]

Something a little different.This is a picture Marylee had hand painted for me.It is about 4'x5'.Currently not mounted in the bathroom.I have always had a deep interest in Brown Bears and bears in general.
Also in the pic is my counter top which is a 2 1/2 slab of maple,sink that is carved out of a rock and all tounge and groove cedar walls and ceiling.Wood was cut and milled on the Island...
As far as my truck goes...One of the machinist at work is doing my balancer for me at home.Should have it back tomorrow.