Re: Vinnie's Uplifting experience

[Vinnie Moscaritolo <vinnie@domain.elided>]

On 12/14/98, Men from Black Helicopters forced "Tom Mandera" to write :


> Vinnie Moscaritolo wrote:
>>
>> I recently got educated (or at least my wallet did) on the
>> process of lifting a Scout. So I figured I would share my
>> story with the list, lest someone else be aware of lay lay
>> in store.
>
> Ouch.. bad luck!

no tom, it's just the cost of an education


>> So a month or so ago I picked up an 80 Scout II cheap. It
>> had a 304, T19 wide and a Dana 20. Somehow I convinced
>> myself that it would be a much better deal to rebuild it
>> forbid a P**J.
>
> Good thinking!  For what it would've cost me to just touch a base Jeep
> ($3k) I have a Scout II with a V8, 4spd, locker, LS, 33s, 4" lift.. Dana
> 44s w/ 4.09s and all.

that's the point, I can't see paying some finance company thousands of 
dollars for a pile of plastic and cheap metal that I have to take to a 
dealer just to change the dammed oil filter.


>> 4" due to springs and about 1 1/2 with the mounts plus a
>> little bit more from the front shackle. So the entire op put
>> me up about 6"..
>
> You put longer shackles up front?  And the "1.5" is just from new body
> mounts, or from a body lift in combination with the new mounts?

longer shackles  + mounts

> A 1" body lift and new mounts should be "OK" on the steering joint...
> but IMO, I'd rather have the Borgeson.. or cut the firewall.

The borgey is a much better arrangement

>> And as expected, the clutch rod was too short, no problem,
>
> Sounds more like a bonafide body lift went in..
>
>> sooner than I expected). I was able to bend the brake lines
>> back a bit for now, so they wouldn't pull out on the first
>> bump. I figured that this January/Feb I would update the
>> entire brake system with Stainless steel.
>
> Jim Maulis sells new 4"+ lines for around $74.. it's easy to lengthen
> the rear using something like an 80s Ford E350 Van rear line.. but the
> fronts are a whole 'nother item.. since the ONLY THING to use 7/16"
> fittings on both ends up front was the Scout II..

Sure I'll do that, but I still plan the replace the lines all around with 
Stainless steel.

>> and got some shafts made, I did a regular one for the front,
>> and a CV setup for the rear.  Of course the rear was so big
>
> Actually, the rear would've been OK with the lift.. but, as you found
> out, the front is the one to CV..

The rear shaft was too short, so I borrowed one from Bill and went to the 
drive shaft shop for a CV unit.

>> it turns out that those wonderful lock-o-matic (or whatever
>> they were called ) hubs are continuously locking, and so my
>
> Don't chuck 'em in the trash.. rebuild parts are non-existant any more..
> so there are some (John Landry is one) folks that collect everyone
> else's "junk" and make a decent set out of three or so..


no problem, I keep most of the stuff or give it to a need binder bro.
(if anyone wants them when I am done, I'll be more than glad to give them 
to you)

>> bigger problem. The front shaft is way to steep an angle. I
>> am concerned about shimming it any more than the 3 degrees
>> rotate  and we weld the pumpkin to a better angle. It also
>> turns out that Jim (Anything Scout) happens to have a rig
>> for doing just that.
>
> FWIW, I have the 4" Skyjacker Softride springs on my '77.  I have stock
> shackles up front, and NO shims (I also do not have your +2 deg caster
> 1980 front axle, mine is 0 deg).  My front driveshaft binds
> occasionally.. not "at-rest".. I can freely spin it by hand, but by
> looking at the U-joint yolks, I noticed that it has been rubbing some..
> there are a few shiny spots.
>
> I'm near the limit, but it works.
>
> In 2wd with the front hubs locked, I do get a lot more vibration coming
> through the transfer case than I do w/ the hubs unlocked.


this is pretty close to what I was experiencing

>> good time to replace the tires..
>
> Which size did you opt for?


33" BFG M/T , they look pretty good on my 10" rims, nothing radical enough to
cause the CHP to pester me, but big enough to annoy the local liberals.


>> The moral of the story, Lifts are now way as simple as just
>> changing the springs, in fact maybe I should write a FAQ
>> entry about what's involved and what to expect.
>
> Well.. lifts over 4" are.  4" is fine with the stock driveshafts.. it's
> just when you go a little bit more that you run into trouble.

its that extra inch or two that kills you.

>  I totaled things up once.. I figured, when I'm done, I'd have roughly
> $15,000 into each of the two Scouts I'm building.. that'd $30k for TWO
> restored and built Scout IIs... vs $30k for a new stock SUV.  And the
> stock SUV would still need lift, lockers, tires, stereo, radio, lights,
> on-board air, 'cage, etc..

my point exactly. and you know where to look when it breaks.

Vinnie Moscaritolo
http://www.vmeng.com/vinnie/
Fingerprint: 3F903472C3AF622D5D918D9BD8B100090B3EF042
-------------------------------------------------------

Those who hammer their swords into plows,
will plow for those who don't."