Crusty's 75th Annv PW #1590 build/mods adventure

[Megalodon]

Yes. I cut out the front half of the heat shield.
Then I started cranking it up. When the front of the tire got close to the track bar, I tilted the rear down, front up, on the tire till it cleared the track bar. Then i let it go and continued cranking, making minor adjustments until it was full seated.

Does the track bar clear the tire when the suspension is compressed? I have a 2021 PW, and the distance between the track bar and the trailer hitch is 34 inches. The KO2s I put on measure 34.5 if not a smidge more. Won't the track bar catch the spare if the suspension articulates upwards? Or does the track bar not move that much? BTW, love your truck! Thank you for your postings!!!

 

[Crusty old shellback]

So far, it seems to clear just fine. The BFG are actually more like 33s.

 

[Megalodon]

Yes. I cut out the front half of the heat shield.
Then I started cranking it up. When the front of the tire got close to the track bar, I tilted the rear down, front up, on the tire till it cleared the track bar. Then i let it go and continued cranking, making minor adjustments until it was full seated.

Hello, would you be able to take picture looking straight up at the forward edge of the spare and the trailing edge of the track bar? Mine looks like it will hit the spare if I put it up there. Thank you.

 

[Crusty old shellback]

Hope this helps.

 

[Brewbud]

San Diego has a ton of micro breweries.
Up here in the Ventura area, they are growing.

San Diego is huge for brewing. There are over 150 breweries within 40 miles of me.

I wish I could fit a 37" spare under my truck. It would make life much easier.

 

[Megalodon]

Hope this helps.View attachment 22049

Yes it does, thank you!!!!!

 

[Crusty old shellback]

San Diego is huge for brewing. There are over 150 breweries within 40 miles of me.

I wish I could fit a 37" spare under my truck. It would make life much easier.

Yep, probably 300 plus down there.
We have maybe 100 now.

 

[narrow gauge 804]

Took her in for some new shoes. BFG KO2 35x12.50R17.
Tried putting the spare in but I'm going to have to pull the heat shield to get it to fit. No big deal I think since I dont have the resonator there anymore.

Up on the lift waiting. I'm surprised a bit by how much drop there is, even with the sway bar connected.

View attachment 18395

Side by side comparison between the Goodyear and BFG.

View attachment 18396
View attachment 18397

First tire mounted.

View attachment 18398

All ready for the road. Just need to clean the tires now. I do notice the height difference when climbing in the truck.

View attachment 18399


View attachment 18400

How have the mods progressed?
Like what you have done so far!
The tire photos sure demonstrated height difference in tire size!
Have you noticed any difference in ride quality?

 

[Megalodon]

How have the mods progressed?
Like what you have done so far!
The tire photos sure demonstrated height difference in tire size!
Have you noticed any difference in ride quality?

Good Morning. I did most of the same things Crusty did, BF Goodrich 35 x 12.50. x 17 KO2s. Holy Cow! the ride is 100 times better. And I also am getting 17.5 miles per gallon highway, and that is in Northern Wisconsin, lots of hills. I also put the 4 inch Magna Flow cat back exhaust. If accelerating I can hear a slight rumble, but once at highway speed, there is no exhaust sound inside the cab. And Crusty has great photos on trimming the heat shield to allow for the 35 spare to fit. Thanks Crusty!!!!

 

[Crusty old shellback]

Thanks Guys.

No new mods to date. Just driving her and enjoying her. Got 3200 miles on her now. And I only drive 10 miles round trip for work.

I need to get the truck in to my shop and have the alignment checked/set to the Thuren specs. I have a vibration between 65 and 70 MPH.

As far as ride quality, hard to say as I swapped out the tires at 250 miles. But I can say she rides nice. Rides more like a luxury car than a 2500 truck.
And I'm comparing that to a '01 F250, '73 K5 built for off road, '15 Hyundai Genesis sedan.

Gas mileage is OK. May have something to do with my lead foot. 9 MPG combined. 14 highway.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Thanks Guys.

No new mods to date. Just driving her and enjoying her. Got 3200 miles on her now. And I only drive 10 miles round trip for work.

I need to get the truck in to my shop and have the alignment checked/set to the Thuren specs. I have a vibration between 65 and 70 MPH.

As far as ride quality, hard to say as I swapped out the tires at 250 miles. But I can say she rides nice. Rides more like a luxury car than a 2500 truck.
And I'm comparing that to a '01 F250, '73 K5 built for off road, '15 Hyundai Genesis sedan.

Gas mileage is OK. May have something to do with my lead foot. 9 MPG combined. 14 highway.

In my experience, a vibration in a certain speed range is always wheel/tire (or d/s u-joint, but I’m assuming it’s not a u-joint) do you feel it in the seat or in the wheel?

iirc, you run balance beads. But they can’t balance out of round, out of spec, damaged etc. also could need more weight

I had a smidge of vibration around 55 and it was due to the star/push washers on the studs, the tire shop didn’t remove them when they put my new wheels on despite me asking them to. Easy fix though

 

[Crusty old shellback]

I feel it in the wheel only.

I'm running the factory wheels. Just different tires.

I remember feeling it a little when I bought the truck and drove it home, Then I didn't notice it till I took my long trip, 1K miles. I don't usually drive at that speed unless in traffic.

 

[Fishnerd]

I need to get the truck in to my shop and have the alignment checked/set to the Thuren specs.

Hey Crusty, can you please expand more on this “Thuren specs”? I dont recall seeing you post anything about suspension upgrades or is it because you went up in tire size? Its been a while since i had a solid front axle (had a JKU quite a few years ago) but i dont recall having to get alignments done with my shock changes (no lift) and larger tires. My IFS rigs on the other hand if i even look at one of the components the wrong way…straight to the alignment shop..haha

 

[MtnRider]

Hey Crusty, can you please expand more on this “Thuren specs”? I dont recall seeing you post anything about suspension upgrades or is it because you went up in tire size? Its been a while since i had a solid front axle (had a JKU quite a few years ago) but i dont recall having to get alignments done with my shock changes (no lift) and larger tires. My IFS rigs on the other hand if i even look at one of the components the wrong way…straight to the alignment shop..haha

Alignment & Handling

Shop High Performance Suspension Lift Kits for Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Toyota. Professionally Engineered Shocks, Struts & Springs for the Best Ride Quality. Available in 1 inch, 2 inch, 3 inch Configurations With Multiple Valving Options For Moderate To Extreme Applications. Owned...

www.thurenfabrication.com

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[Fishnerd]

Alignment & Handling

Shop High Performance Suspension Lift Kits for Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Toyota. Professionally Engineered Shocks, Struts & Springs for the Best Ride Quality. Available in 1 inch, 2 inch, 3 inch Configurations With Multiple Valving Options For Moderate To Extreme Applications. Owned...

www.thurenfabrication.com

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Thanks for that! So it looks like he recommends getting an alignment regardless of mods.

 

[Crusty old shellback]

Yea, only change is the bigger tires which dont require a alingment.
Reading several different post, I've decided to go with their alignment specs. That's all.

 

[Fishnerd]

Yea, only change is the bigger tires which dont require a alingment.
Reading several different post, I've decided to go with their alignment specs. That's all.

Good to know, Im glad you mentioned it (i had no clue) I have a few suspension upgrades in the works and will follow your lead after everything is complete.

 

[Crusty old shellback]

So I now have 3200 miles on the new tires. And I'm seeing some excessive wear on the outer edge of the tires with cupping/feathering.
That indicates a toe setting is out of spec
Going this moring and have my guy rotate tires and do an alignment using the Thuren specs. I'll see where they factory set it before we start adjusting anything.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Well that and BFG AT are junk

And I’m a BFG fan boi, they make some of the best tires on the planet but the AT ain’t one of them

Tape measure works well for setting toe

 

[Crusty old shellback]

So castor was above Thuren spec. By a little. Toe was way out, even on factory spec.
Got toe down to .01. So almost perfect.