Project 80: Codename Grey Ghost

[Garfieldus]

Well yes, I knew you wanted to make it longer. I was trying to determine (in a round about way I admit) if the new piece was bored all the through or was there a solid piece in the middle. To accommodate that you would have had to cut a piece off one end or the other.

If your answer was "Yes", I was going to ask how much you cut off.

If I did another, I'd cut it, add 20 mm and weld it back up. Adjustable PH rods are a con.

I'm doing this soon but now you have me stopped in my tracks. How do I determine how much to add in?

 

[Chris]

Second bit first. About 20 mm. Because of the way it works, the difference between standard and a 2 " lift is undetectable. It's within the limits of the suspenders going up and down. When you go to a 4 " lift it's about 20 mm. When you go to a 6 " lift it's about 20.5 mm Honestly, it's not directly proportional. Because it is so little, if you added 30 mm to a 4" lift you'd probably not notice it being out. These super expensive adjustable rods are a rip off. Add 20 mm.

The front and back are different so I don't know which one you are talking about. The back one is hollow so I made a bottle screw to go inside but you have to have somewhere to put the spanner to adjust it. I had to grip the thing in the lathe to machine it so I ended up with a boss in the middle that was about 20mm. it's in the thread I posted. So I had to cut about 20 mm out of the rear one to allow for the un-threaded section. If I'd made the spanner bit 10 mm then I'd have cut 10 mm out. But I'd have had to hold it in the lathe on the threads. On the front one, I cut it, threaded one end and sleeved the other. I didn't shorten the front one at all I don't think. I didn't need to.

I can measure the bolt centres and so can you. Then you can add the difference. I'd do it now but can't. Not because it's late and I can't be arsed, but because the truck is 9 miles away in bed. What threading each end does for you is make it staggeringly easy to adjust. You lie there and someone who isn't on drugs looks and say bit more, bit more, bit more stop. But the front one is differnet. You have to have a guess, put it in, then look, then take one end out, give it a turn, put i back in yadda yadda. My front one isn't quite right and I just can't work up the energy to take it off and wind one turn on. I will. Probably. In fact I am almost very certainly sure to think about doing it at some point.

 

[Garfieldus]

Thanks very much for all that advice Chris. I very much appreciate it.

 

[Chris]

Not at all. It's why we're all here. I think I might have a pair of old PH rods somewhere so I could offer them up and see how much I added. But like I said it's surprisingly little.

 

[Garfieldus]

I think I might have a pair of old PH rods somewhere so I could offer them up and see how much I added.

That would be great Chris, thank you. I've decided to go with your recommendation and not bother with it being adjustable.

What I'm thinking of doing is to make a tube about 220mm long with a 20mm solid piece in the middle (I have thought of boring it all the way through and putting different size spacers in it) put it on and see how it is. The centre cones in my springs are visibly off centre and if I can get them centred with 20mm that'll be job done. Take it off and weld it up.

 

[Chris]

Shimming it's a really clever idea. You could just stick 10p coins in there. You don't have to bore all the way through though. Just stick them in one end to get it exact. Then weld it up.

 

[Chris]

Been a day Ben would be proud of today. Got all sorts done.

Started with 5 litres of goo in the tyres.



Reversed the spare and found that the washing up bowl fitted in there nicely. Great as long as some thieving scumbag doesn't nick it. It's fine here, but one we get out and about. I might need a big BBQ grille to go over it.



Then I did this to the wheel winder. I put it back when I installed the sub tank, just in case.



So it's now it's clip-able on and offable

So that I can put these up here. I am made up with this idea. I hate not having the waffles. They are so multi functional but do get in the way all of the time. Under here they are doing no harm.





After a cuppa, I set to on the speedo adjustment gizzmo. Very easy to install. Pull back carpet, drill on hole, slice finger right through, put wires in, connect, ignition on dial in speed correction. Sorted! You can do it on the move. Set cruise and just dial in the speedo til it reads what you want against sat nav. I calibrated that against a modern car first. I wouldn't expect a GPS to be bang on, but across a range of cars it seemed very consistent.





Then I decided I was missing out with all the pull out table action I was seeing in other builds. So I made some feet, raised the fridge slide and installed the table under there. It is a perfect fit. Very pleased with that and it gives me more room down the side for when we get the gull wings in.

 

[Chas]

Great idea with the waffles Chris, I think I'll have to look into putting my MaxTracs under there.

 

[Gary820]

Great idea for the waffles. Knowing my luck I'd need them but be buried to the axles I keep them up top, waffles won't help me if they're buried then!!

 

[Chas]

Great idea for the waffles. Knowing my luck I'd need them but be buried to the axles I keep them up top, waffles won't help me if they're buried then!!

Obviously that's just for storage, if there's any danger of being needed, off they come first.

 

[clivehorridge]

Good progress there Chris, hope the finger gets better soon. What happened?

Missed a para of the H&S manual by the sound of it

 

[Chris]

Yes obviously if you look like you'll need them you get them out first. I have to say after years of off road stuff, I never drive into anything unprepared. I have the sand things on the roof, easy to get to. But the waffles have many uses.

Great to stand on when showering. Good as duck boards at the back of the tailgate when it's wet. Handy to level the vehicle. Good to put under the High Lift. Useful to make ramps from if you need to work under the truck. And all of that is before you actually get stuck and need them to get yourself out. I have some 50mm ones better suited maybe to such a heavy vehicle but these 30's are just fine I think.

Not sure how you'd do the Max Trax. But it wouldn't take much chin scratching before a solution was evident Chas.

Oh I was stupid enough to poke my pinkie into the hole to check for burrs Clive. Guess what. There was one.

 

[clivehorridge]

Oh I was stupid enough to poke my pinkie into the hole to check for burrs Clive. Guess what. There was one.

Ouch! I can't believe you did that Cris....

 

[Blown80]

Oh I was stupid enough to poke my pinkie into the hole to check for burrs Clive. Guess what. There was one.

Hmmm.... Chris there's a guy I know who's into Risk Management or Risk Identification or such stuff. I can give you his details if you like.....

 

[Chris]

I'm sorry I can't understand you. La lah lah lah lah lah

 

[Chris]

Not so much done today. Been bitting and bobbing. First job was to have a look at the tailgate. Hadn't realised just how big the gap was between the carpet and rubber seal. You could see the ground when the tailgate was shut! So, I put some 8mm bolts up through the panel, used some cargo rail and basically pulled it flush. It's weakened of course so standing on it will soon undo that effort. I could put some blocks inside, but the plan is to put a deck on there I guess.



See, it's pretty flat again.


The double bonus is that it's made a massive difference in noise levels when driving. I couldn't believe it.

Then I did some other stuff. And went for a spin

 

[Chas]

Not so much done today. Been bitting and bobbing. First job was to have a look at the tailgate. Hadn't realised just how big the gap was between the carpet and rubber seal. You could see the ground when the tailgate was shut!

Cut down on the pies Chris.

 

[Chris]

Cheeky ****er. It's not me who's been standing on it!

That's why I have a steel rear bumper. Ooooh wait til you next need some help Charles.

 

[Chas]

Cheeky ****er. It's not me who's been standing on it!

That's why I have a steel rear bumper. Ooooh wait til you next need some help Charles.

I'll bring some pies, would that be OK?

 

[Chris]

Yes please. I like the lard ones best. Mmnnn Lard pie. And a diet coke.