Crazy thought!

Fitting oversize tires, raising and lowering, suspension modifications...

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s10 again
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Crazy thought!

Post by s10 again »

I was off on one of my crazy brain run amuck sessions last night and started thinking and asking myself. Why could we not make tapered shims for ball joints? It seems to me a good way to elevate some of the stress and binding that a lift creates. Would that work or is it something that I should erase from my memory banks?


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Post by F9K9 »

Not all that crazy. They make offset ball joints for heeps. They're used to help with caster on solid axles.
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Post by s10 again »

f9k9 wrote:Not all that crazy. They make offset ball joints for heeps. They're used to help with caster on solid axles.
Yep, I think thats what got me to thinking about shims. I would like to see ways to do a 2-3 inch suspension lift without having the problems that come with it. I was under my crew looking at things and I think one could make a front diff drop easily enough. I have read plenty on here about 2-3 inch kits being problems. I still don't understand about the lifted control arms available for s10s. All I see is that they won't hold an alignment but why? Do they use a diffent alignment method or do they bend or something. I know it sounds like a lot of trouble over a simple body lift I know. But I am hoping for something that would improve wheel travel as well as provide lift. I don't want to look at any of the kits because I have read about all of them from 2-5 inches becoming nightmares.

My oldest daughter has gone back to collage and is driving a wrecked 4x4 blazer that is killing her on gas. We are trying to sell a house we own down in SC. Once we get it sold I'm going to buy her a subbie and trade it to her for the blazer. So then I'll have something to experiment on. So we will see what I can come up with. Of course I don't know it's the greatest idea being I have a heep in my back yard with what seems to be an unfixable case of death wobble. :D

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Post by F9K9 »

Ain't DW wonderful ? I thought I had my DW dialed out until I hit a rr xing the other day at the dreaded 45-50 mph window and bam, it was back. :lol: I'm gonna drop my tire pressure down some and try it again.
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Post by s10 again »

I took my lift off another XJ to put on mine and all was good for about a year. Then out of nowhere death wobble started. So 2 first things to check the track bar and alignment. Well track bar was fine but I replaced the bushings in it just encase. Then had it aligned and wobble was still there. I took it a 4X4 shop where they said what I already knew that my 35s where killing my steering linkages. They showed me that my tie rod was bowing in every direction when I turned the steering wheel. Well ORO u-turn to the rescue right. Nope it helped but wobble is still present. So far we have replaced all front end bushings, PSC steering box,shocks, and well you name it. I have come to beleive something is tweaked just enough to make the 7.5" lift and short arms not get along. So I can make her a trailer queen or maybe tear the whole thing down and long arm it.

This nightmare has me rethinking messing with the crew cab suspension too much and just go body lift as much as I hate body lifts. But all the reading here is paying off. Does not seem to be as many problems with body lifts on these trucks as others I have seen. I have 2 trucks and Harley for sale right now. Some of that money has to go towards a loan we got for the crew cab. Then I think I'm going to put some 30x9.5s on the ZR5 rims and see what I need to do to gain clearance needed and where. This seem the best plan being all these trucks are different as to what clears and what does not.

My truck shows 235-75 15 as stock tires on the door and that is what is on it. The kuhmo kr-21 show as being 28.8" tall and the BFG ko 30x9.5 15 shows that it is 29.5 I think. The kuhmos have plenty of room around them now and I know my truck is sitting low because I'm on the drivers bump stop and the passengers side bump stop is gone. So just adjusting the TB's up to stock then add 3/4 to one inch more seems like it should clear the less than one inch more tire. We will see if not then I think I'll add the BL heck might add a BL just to gain a 4x4 look. I can't believe there can be such differences between other wise identical trucks.

From my reading some have bolted on 30x9.5 15s and they cleared but others have had to do 2"BL or TB cranks and shackles. Some need wheel spacers and others have not. Some need fender trimming or a hammer job. Whats up with all theses different combos to put the same tire on the same truck? I wonder is something was changed between trucks with 235 70 15s and ones with 235-75 15s. Sorry for the long post been a boring day. But my daughter and son in law just showed up needing my help with their 96 blazer. So off I go.


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Post by F9K9 »

Every S-10 is different. I think a lot of it is the cab placement on the frame. I once read a TSB on ZR2s to loosen the cab up and move it to correct a rubbing issue. Most rigs are different from one to another. Why do identically lifted TJs differ? One needs a double cardon DS to escape drive line vibes and the other doesn't. :?:

Here was mine with a minor TB crank and Daystar shackles with the stock 235/75s on there.

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30/9.50 Yokohama tires and trimming was required at the rear bottom lip of the front fenders.

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2" BL with the same 30/9.50 Yokos.

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Post SkidZ flare instal and 33/10.50 BFG AT/KOs

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Post by F9K9 »

s10 again wrote:............I have come to believe something is tweaked just enough to make the 7.5" lift and short arms not get along......................
Please excuse my usual non tactful bluntness but,
WTF were you thinking? 7.5" SL on an XJ with SAs for 35s?

You are the poster child for DW.

Low COG is the trend nowadays. I am going to split this thread since you and I hijacked it. :lol: Might take me a little time but look for it under NOS.
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Post by s10 again »

I know I know I kinda jacked my tread but I was also explaining why I did not want or need to put a 5-6 inch lift on my s10. But from what I have read on here most all the suspension lift kits save the SFA swap cause all kind of problems on these little trucks.

That is a sweet ZR5 you have there!!! When you put the 30s on there did you have to trim just the fenders or the flares as well? If you would have had the BL on there first would you still have had to trim the fender? Sorry for all the questions just trying to do some figuring.

Since you have torn into yours do you think it would be possible to install a tapered shim between the ball joints and the control arm to help with the binding?

( I'll post more on my Heep in NOS later)

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Post by paintballrocker »

f9k9, why didnt your 30's fit with ur tb crank and shackles? m 30" MT's fit fine and have plenty of room
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Post by F9K9 »

s10 again wrote:........When you put the 30s on there did you have to trim just the fenders or the flares as well? .........
THe lesser BS Daytonas required the bottom lip of the front fender's sheet metal portion to be trimmed. I used a Dremel tool and dabbed a little paint on the raw metal that was exposed.

paintballrocker wrote:f9k9, why didnt your 30's fit with ur tb crank and shackles? m 30" MT's fit fine and have plenty of room
I dunno. bro! There is no "cook book" here that gives 100% "cure all" directions. I do remember that I have always expected the worst scenarios after. Barch changed bs on new wheels with oem sized tires and had rubbage issues.

I was probably as hard headed, or more so. than the majority of members on this issue of front end tire clearance. I know that I came close to some serious confrontations with HJ but, he gave me enough rope to hang myself with the slack. :lol:

It all boils down to hitting an incline at an angle. To most, it really is not an issue.
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