Upgraded to a K100E

So sort of have the axel in and one side hung, which as expected moved the wheel forward. So a little fiber glassing is now on the agenda though I'm happy about that as I do like the wheel quite forward if only for looks. I need to repair the glass hear and there anyway so will be fun. Also means I have to adjust the bumper but its getting all the holes filled so the edges trimmed is nothing.


Passenger side (US driver) the bag mounts I had a punt on to save fabrication are a fail, well 50%. The cab mount is in the way though lucky for us is spaced 6mm out from the chassis. So that's enough for us to slip a plate under it and use the bolt hole in the process. Will need to grind/cut the lower bevel off the casting, but its hard to see how that will effect anything. There is a fuel filter that needs a new home somewhere as the rear hanger is go there. Little fiddly but non of it is a show stopper.



Happy days for the rear mounts both sides. Oldman you suggested 58” (1,470mm) from front spring eye to eye of rear hanger. How about 1,460mm?. Turns out if the OE hanger if moved forward so the rear holes mount to the front holes, you get 1,460. So not far of vertical at full droop. Think for the sake of welding and drilling holes side by side I'll be happy how it is.

 

Tell you what for right or wrong, but I'm thinking I'm getting an insight into why the US is not so great anymore. I was thinking it was just the second hand parts domain that are lousy on customer service, but no it extends to new purchases too. Must have asked 10 businesses for prices as they ALL say they ship over seas. But na get nothing, no reply even after 2 or 3 follow ups or weeks. On the other hand send an email to China and its answered within 4hrs for most part even though they say 12. Europe I get a reply in 12 hrs and freight is like 4 days. Just saying I read a lot of blaming immigrants for failing US, but not so sure its that. Anyway eventually someone will want to sell me something.

 

bloody frustrating
Tring to source an Allison transmission with all the associated paraphernalia. One with a retarder. We just don't have them in Aus. I have found all the pieces spread out across the US but no one is talking. Something all from the one truck would be best as all parts can be removed as one sale rather that ripped for multiple. But not sure how to find that. The idea regardless is to try and coordinate all or most parts somewhere to come on the one pallet by sea.

The suspension guys have been good. Finally found turbo mob on their game. Engine rebuild kits, diff gears are a waste of time. It seems sad to buy it all from the US than locally, but half the mobs down hear just take your order, mark it up and place your order with the US and have it delivered to me. I can do that my self. Globalization means we are all attracted to the biggest market, but as mentioned its easy to be attracted to China just on service alone let alone price. Borked at a $500 turbo though.

 

On a happier note, suspension on full compression. If I hit something that hard I'll pop through the roof knowing its all clear underneath. OM do you run bump stops at all?


New bag mounts fabricated. Yet to have the fun drilling the chassis and still need to cut out the shocks recess. Shocks however are due in today so be good to see them. For some reason my shock mounts didn't arrive with the springs so have reordered them. One thing with internet sales its your word against theirs as to what was or was not packed. The price to just buy them again wasn't worth the argument.

 

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Kinda thought they would be Red, but stealth it is, my fancy new oil filled 90-1490 shocks. Open 558mm, Closed 354mm, eyes are 62 x 20mm. Closest I could get to OE gas. But now they are hear we can cut the bag mounts to allow for the shocks.


The bad, though still good. Ebay seller manualbasket makes out they are OE or charges like they are. But they are all photocopied.


The ugly or really just lazy time wasters. Vander Haggs advertise its for sale. Over a week waiting on a postage price after I hitting buy on their web site. Then after a follow up say they can't work it out, but if your keen try again. So I do, then they come back with $175 US to post. A gauge...yeh na. At the same time Ebay says its sold. So who knows but but its not making its way to my dash cluster.

 

Well you can have a lot of fun till you fall off your skate board, seems to have me a little engineering issue.

The original leaf pack of 11 springs stack sits at around 5" thick. Being the back yard mechanics we are no one took a great deal of interest or measurements before the old suspension was pulled. Still the image below gives a fair indication of where it sat before it all began.


The new suspension is in just not sitting pretty. Its thickness is around 1 3/4". So to my thinking I need 3 1/4" or 80mm of spacer between the axle and spring to correct the ride height. Some of that will be caster correction but don't think 2 1/2 to 3" of block is legal. Got a couple possibilities. Monday I'll call the wheel alignment mob to see their take. And once upon a time I was going a parabolic route which was 2" thick, so the same issue arises. See what their solution is. Of course Oldman, you are welcome to add.
is.

 

Happy days, on the scab down at the wreckers today and I don't know what I was worried about.

 

Go you good thing.....matching doors, lockers, and ignition arrived today. Didn't go for the KW tax, figured a non descript key doesn't hint at what it fits. They kina look like they are for a small padlock at best.