Red Rocket

[bmikes]

From what I under and it's the same cross member and arms, it's just the height of how you mount the cross member that differentiates between the ax15 and aw4. I'll measure the arms tomorrow before work and give them a call. Thanks for the quick replies all

 

[rookies]

I have Clayton long arms on my 91 with a ax15 the difference is in the cross member drop ax15 has a 1" drop my arm length is 37" center to center. As the axle drops it is going to pull back. Hook up your shocks and see were it is at.

 

[bmikes]

I understand it comes back as it drops down, but I feel like it shouldn't be that far.. How long is your upper link? My bottoms are at 36" right now which is basically all the way tucked in and my upper is more that halfway threaded out on each en and the pinion angle is horrible.

 

[rookies]

I do not have a 3 link.. Mine have the short links on both sides to the lower arm. Jack the axle up to ride hight and see if it is centered or a little bit forward on the center of the bump stops. That what matters. I don't think your axle will ever drop that far with the shocks on. There are working limits to all suspensions.

 

[Bronzewyrm]

something is not right. GL!

Bronze.

 

[TORX]

Where's the update yo?

 

[Luke95]

Talk to Clayton yet?

 

[bmikes]

Talk to Clayton yet?

I talked to him on Friday while I was at work on lunch, but but 3pm our time they were already closed...

So you could say I took matters in to my own hands.

Dustin heres your update

I'll finish the build and post the rest tomorrow.

Sittin on top of a 35" tire

 

[bmikes]

Okay, time to update to where I am currently. Last post was about the suspension not looking correct. Well I called Clayton on Friday during my lunch at work and explained what was going on, and he gave me the measurements for what the arms are supposed to be (just the arms themselves, no joints). When I got home I measured them and found the problem. The upper arm is supposed to be about an inch and 3/4 longer than the lowers which would put it at 31.25". Well..... Mine was sittin at 28! Found why my pinion angle looked so jacked up. But by the time I was able to get home and measure them because of the time zone difference Clayton was already closed.

I had two options: 1) wait til Monday to call Clayton and see if they would send me a new arm, and then wait another 4 days or so for it to arrive. Or 2) make the length correct on the arm that I had.

I chose option 2... I've waited long enough to drive this dam thing!

So I found some material that would slip over the Clayton arm and went to town, ended up lengthening it to end up being 31.25" end to end.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/
14/04/15/emuhevyn.jpg

Here's what is left of the Clayton kit

So now I had all three links, and I just needed to instal the rest of the front suspension. The Clayton directions say adjust the lowers to 36" eye to eye on the joints, so that's where I lined them up. Put everything back together and finally got it sitting on all 4 tires in the garage. With it sitting on all 4s it still looked like the axle was too far back so I measured wheel base and I was only at ~98". Thanks Dustin for helpin me out there! I wouldn't have thought to measure wheel base to see where I was.

I ended up lengthening the lowers out another 2 inches or so, and adjusted the upper to get a decent looking pinion angle. Then it was just double checking everything was torqued down and bleeding brakes and putting shocks on and it was time to rock and roll!


This is the 30's I had on it in the garage to roll it around on.

Out in the driveway for the first time on 33's

Flexin off a 35"

My grandpa seeing it for the first time lifted

That night I went on a little shake down run, this is the only picture I took.
I took my mom and dad on a ride up to wildcat mtn road to watch the sunset last night, they enjoyed the trip

 

[bmikes]

think I might get some limiting straps...

Gotta love that sunset

 

[muddytrck18]

looks good. glad to see it on the road

 

[rabitz]

awesome that you took your folks to see the sunset!

 

[mudderx]

Re: Re: Red Rocket

Thanks for the comments guys. I really do enjoy all of the work, even though sometimes I get frustrated.

Dustin, no I didint weld the upper lip. I was going to, but with it touching the bottom of the frame rail there was like a 1/4"~.300" gap, do I decided screw it. I did weld about 75% of lower lip to the inside of the frame rail though, so I think that will help a lot. Either way, there's no way those are coming off

One thing I noticed last night while taking the rear axle out, is that the parking brake cables are different length on the '99 axle. The drivers side is short, and the passenger side extends all the way over to meet the box that is mounted on the drivers side inner frame rail. On the '93 axle both parking brake cables are the same length because the joining box is in the middle in the transmission tunnel. I didn't get a chance to look, but does anybody know if you can take the cables from the '99 axle and instal them into the '93? Both axles are the c8.25 FYI.

I used my 98s d35 e brake cables on my 94 8.25 when I swapped it into my 98 and it worked fine so you should be fine with two 8.25s.

 

[bmikes]

Looks like shit but I have a tube bumper for the front for a temporary bumper, so at least I have a tow point

 

[bmikes]

Yea in sure it will, I just don't want to do it lately. Thanks for the info though!

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Please tell me Claytons made right of the situation..

 

[bmikes]

Please tell me Claytons made right of the situation..

Yes they have. Clayton is confirmed from the measurement of my upper control arm that it was a rear upper control arm I believe they said. At any rate, he is sending me a new upper control arm and said keep the other one. They've had great customer service through out this whole ordeal.

Their product is awesome, definitely got a work out today at Kingsley!

 

[bmikes]

Little update on some things I forgot before. When I swapped transfer cases I also put in my new speedo gear. The stock one is 29 teeth I believe, and the new one I put in is 41 teeth. I had to order it off eBay from a dodge company, but it works perfect.

In preparation for the trip to Kingsley I wanted to have at least one pull point on my rig so I threw together this tube bumper.

It's hard to see in those pictures..

That's the brackets.

And here is where the upper control arm self clearanced itself on my floorboard...

This is how I adjusted my pinion angle. I used a come along on the truss and hooked it to the shackles on my bumper.

I just kept tightening it until it looked good

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Why a 41 tooth? Aren't you 4.56 s and 35" tires?

If so, You need a 37tooth

 

[bmikes]

Nope, 4.88's and 33's