Idk, MAX just playing in the snow

[Rinkrat456]

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/Rinkrat456/IMG_0783.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/Rinkrat456/IMG_0782.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/Rinkrat456/th_MVI_0781.jpg (http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/Rinkrat456/?action=view&current=MVI_0781.flv)

[Rinkrat456]

Had a little Christmas eve fun, I'll probably get a few pics tomorrow during the day if I go out.

[steve]

Wow Max looks cold. How does he handle in the snow? I have heard that the large wide off road tired don't handle so well in snow.

[Rinkrat456]

Like a dream. I no longer have to worry about getting stuck, I just keep spinning the tires until I find solid ground and eventually I go forward. I'm just starting to get the feel of what Max is capable of come real 4x4.

We'll see what happens here while I'm on break. My tax refund check will probably be the same or a little more than last year, and if it is I'll have enough to flat out buy a new 4x4 4L60E. I have the t-case, front driveshaft, and materials to build the new crossmembers needed so all I can do right now is search and wait.

I also got a decent bonus from work which will probably go towards a new set of BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2's in the 35x12.50R17 size with beadlocks so I'll be trail ready when I transfer schools. The 35x13 Nitto AT's are nice and I would not ask for more out of a daily driver truck tire. They're just not meant to deform and grab onto an object like a sharp rock, downed tree or a lowered Ford Ranger and climb up over.

[bonecrushins10]

when is tax time ? ha i got like atleast have 1400 comeing ,

[blazinlow89]

when is tax time ? ha i got like atleast have 1400 comeing ,

Id have a really nice chunk coming but i have to see what they rape me with from when i worked for my uncle. 1099's suck. But on the good side, so far with my new company in 8 months they have takin $5500.

[mreed]

Like a dream. I no longer have to worry about getting stuck, I just keep spinning the tires until I find solid ground and eventually I go forward.


Ha ha! That's exactly what I do! I have a 2wd with 35x12.5x18 Nitto Mud Grapplers and I was afraid of the same thing (wide tires & all) but I have zero weight in the bed and haven't had an issue yet (knock on wood). Even on the ice. An automatic would be nice though. Mine's a 6 speed and gets a bit squirrelly when I'm not paying attention. My only complaint is how much it grabs the build up on the side of the road. I used to complain about how big trucks never get over but now I know.

[Rinkrat456]

Well ya, they just keep digging and digging until I'm free of whatever was blocking me. A little bit ago I was in a corn field hunting with my family and it was raining. The day before, the farmer had just spread manure over the whole field. I had my truck out there and my grandpa had his little 2wd full size truck, stock. He ended up getting stuck while trying to go up a hill, so I got in front of him with the tow straps and pulled us both up in reverse. Some times I would dig down through the sloppy manure so deep that my entire rear axle was buried, I'd dig until the tires found solid ground, and then I'd continue pulling us both up the hill. I love big tires.

Oh mreed, instead of sending a PM I figure you'll see this sooner and others may want to know as well. You and I were going back and forth about what would be an ideal pinion angle for my rear axle, taking into consideration that half of the year I have a good amount of weight in the bed for traction or if I'm on a job sight or something hauling materials. Instead of compromising for a pinion angle half way between ideal for no load and loaded, what if I were to set the pinion at the perfect unloaded angle and toss load assist bags in the rear. Any time while hauling I could air up the bags and my rear will still sit level. All I'd have to come up with is a mounting bracket for the leaf spring on the bottom cup of the bag so I could disconnect the bags from the leafs if I needed to flex the suspension. There are kits for S-trucks, but considering my lift amount and the loads I usually carry, I'd only look to 1500 GM kits by Firestone.

The bracket I had in mind would mirror that of a door hinge inside a common home. A base plate bolted to the leaf pack with door hinge style interlocking holes on the end, so that when the air bag plate is laid on top of the leaf plate, the interlocking holes match up and I'd slide a quick pin through, holding the bags to the leafs. I was thinking it'd be easier to do at the top (one pin vs 2 pins at the leafs) but that's where all the air lines are so I don't want to disconnect them if I don't have to. The only way I'd do this is if I could have on-board air shortly after or during the bag install. On-board air is something I've always wanted to look into so that when I'm on the trails I can air down my tires to 10-15psi, then once I'm done, air my tires back up just using the truck to do so. I've been doing a little side research into Cadillac Escalade truck motors and the air compressors they use to fill up the air ride in the back, since the newer motors are all LSx based. If I could find something like that compressor and bolt it to my 6.0L, that would be ideal, along with maybe a 5-7 gallon belly mounted air tank under the cab or bed.

Yay? Nay?

[daryl]

Fun stuff I wish I got snow here. When we do its only 5" of slush such a waste when you have a 4x4 :(.

[mreed]

I had a long reply with pics & all but when I hit preview it locked up. Must've been too long. Anyway, good idea. The Escalade deal won't work though. You'd be better off buying it piece by piece instead using just a few pieces from several different kits and the only difference between the S10 and fullsize kits is the brackets.

[Answer069]

you can also convert an A/C compressor to be your air compressor. i have heard of this being done and then you don't have to worry about adding any extra accessories to the belt drive.

[Rinkrat456]

Usually the only restriction on lengthy replies is 10,000 characters. I've hit that a few times but it usually just tells me to shorten my reply, not freeze up.

and the only difference between the S10 and fullsize kits is the brackets.
Load rating and the physical size of the bag differs, if that's what you're referring to.

Link (http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/2209C1.html) to S-truck bag kit.

Link (http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/2430.html) to full size bag kit.

you can also convert an A/C compressor to be your air compressor. i have heard of this being done and then you don't have to worry about adding any extra accessories to the belt drive. Except for that I use air conditioning in my truck. Minnesota is cold, but we do see 100 degree days during the warmer months.

[mreed]

you can also convert an A/C compressor to be your air compressor. i have heard of this being done and then you don't have to worry about adding any extra accessories to the belt drive.
They don't last long. By removing the freon you also remove the coolant for the unit. You'll have to find one that has an oil reservoirs built in...even then you'll need an oil/water separater because the oil will get in the lines. Engine driven compressors are not all their cracked up to be. They kill the HP as well since they'll no longer be regulated by the WOT relay.

[mreed]

You can get the double convoluted bag for the S10 too. That tapered sleeve bag is junk. (bring on the hate)...I never use the tapered sleeve bag unless it's a shockwave. ($800/pair). You have 2 completely different styles of kits there.

[mreed]

If I'm doing a load level kit these are the only two I'll install.

Firestone with Airlift's compressor kit
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/reactivecustoms/DSC00046-1.jpg

Airlift's full kit.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/reactivecustoms/DSC00002-2.jpg

[Answer069]

How much are each of the 2 kits? (sorry for the thread Hijack Rink)

[mreed]

Not sure of the price of the parts but I know we charge $100 to $500 for installation depending on the complexity of the system. There are several different levels. From fill it yourself at home or a filling station to completely hands free sensor controlled leveling that can use the bag as the sole rear suspension. I won't do the arm leveler anymore...they always need readjusted.

You can get them just about anywhere.

www.airliftcompany.com
www.stylintrucks.con
www.mcgaughys.com
www.jcwhitney.com

Try to stay away from the Firestone tapered sleeve. They pull apart.

[mreed]

Here's an example of the benefit. The guy that owns the business that takes care of my lawn at home had 4 trucks that kept having driveshaft/transmission issues because of how much the trucks sagged when they were loaded. He brought one of the fertilizer trucks to me for one of these kits. You can see how big his tank is in the bed. Since I put this kit on 5 years ago, I've done the rest of his trucks as well as upgrades here & there. He swears by them now. I've even done a couple of his trailers and his personal truck. He sold off his "heavy" trucks and only uses 1/2 tons now.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/reactivecustoms/DSC00044-1.jpg

[Rinkrat456]

What did that full size Chevy frame get finished into?

[mreed]

If you look past my JDM Metro (lol) you'll see the front end of that truck rockin some 22's. It's one of those deals I got where the suspension was all jacked up by some hack shop in Indianapolis and it fell in my lap because noone else would mess with it. I bought it, fixed all of the crap and put coil overs on all 4 corners.
http://www.reactivecustoms.org/pictures/albums/userpics/DSC00002.jpg

[mreed]

Good call by the way! Lol.

[97v8s10]

Looks like you had some fun!

[Rinkrat456]

Good call by the way! Lol.
The 6x5.5" rear axle and brakes gave it away. :cool:

[CHEVYFREAK1822003]

now that looks like fun :D

[axcel409]

on our tahoe it has autoride whitch is like airide bc it has bag in all four coners so y dont u go to a dealership and ask for a replacement compreser and wire it in and run lines :) it like the item mreed it showed u. when we r pullin our boat. it run and fills the back bags to level the car out. btw the boat is 27ft and dock @ erie

[mrhappy85]

Hey, Rinkrat.

What all did you have to built/mod to do the live axle swap?

I'm doing my '84 4x4 up in memory of my father (helped me do a complete ground off when I was 17/18, He passed away in June/07 of Cancer) and wanna put up to a set of 44's, possibly as low as a set of 4.10's, and 33" MTZs, I already have a built 2.8 thats pushing 155 at the crank for now.

Thanks for any advice!

[Rinkrat456]

Way too much info to type out all again.

http://www.mys10.com/showthread.php?t=8501