'options', T-all lifts

["J. Grammer" <jkdaley@domain.elided>]

>My definition of an "option" would not include parts IH sold through the
>parts system as IH didn't install these, they just sold the pieces and
>perhaps your dealer would install them.  The Necessories catalog was just
>a catalog of fast-moving accessories.

I think a lot of folks consider dealer installed accessories to be
'options' when they are installed before delivery of a new vehicle. Heck,
for a long time all Honda Civic A/C's were dealer installed. In the case of
something like a back seat heater, cowl mounted spotlight, etc., I'd wager
that very few were owner installed due to the level of fabrication involved. 
	
>If we call these an option, I guess you could say a 5 bottom plow was
>also an IH option for your Scout since IH would sell you both.  :-)

I'd be surprised if you could get enough traction to pull a 5 bottom, but I
bet you could pull a 2 bottom with an 80/800 and the Utemco 3-point setup :)


>Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 22:29:36 -0700
>From: Mark Navarre <P.C.Pred@domain.elided>
>Subject: Spring Bushings
>
>  Does anyone have the part # for spring bushings on a 71 1110 series
>Travelall 4x4, I went to Napa and they told me it was a 6 bushing per
>spring set at $10.90 per bushing 

Ouch! And that's for stock type rubber I assume....last time I researched
this, it looked like Dodge 4x4 bushings were dimensionally the same and
readily available in urethane(Rancho, Daystar, etc). Even JCW lists those
for cheap. Caveat - this is for the spring end bushings, the shackle to
frame bushings are not included in the urethane kits, and I didn't get that
far in my research(that truck's waiting for a motor)

>Also I would like
>to gain a couple inches in tire clearance to run 32 or 33 inch tires
>could I gain that by using longer shackles or would I have to go with a
>conventional lift, this vehicle is used mostly for towing a boat to the
>lake but sees its share of off-roading so I would not want to chance
>safety or the ruggedness IHs are known for , If the lift is the way to
>go , which one for a travelall ? 

My '70 1210 T-all sits very close to stock height AFAIK(slightly sagged
stock springs with some extra leaves bringing it back up) and runs
265/75-16's, essentially 31's. I do not see enough room in back for a 32",
much less a 33", if any real off road action is in the plan. The 'wheel
house' and fender lip are just too close for comfort at 'full stuff'. The
front would take a 32", but a 33" would probably be too much. As for lift,
it's body lift that's not really recommended if you use the common spacer
block stlye, due to the weight of the body ass'y and the shear loads on the
mounting bolts. You can possibly get some body lift by using a set of
urethane mounts('72-ish Chevy Blazer mounts on my '64 T-all) that are
taller than the IH mounts by design and that still index in the frame
mounting brackets using cast-in steel inserts. You will need to modify the
main front mounts(urethane parts), and likely alter the indexing hole size
on the frame brackets, but it's not drastic. I estimate my '64 has about 1"
of body lift w/Blazer mounts.

As for suspension lift, custom springs are an option but I assume we're not
being that spendy;). Add-a-leafs work pretty well IMHO for about 1" of
actual lift. 4x4 T-all's ride kinda stiff to start with, and by the time
you add bigger tires w/ more weight and air volume you've mostly mitigated
the common rap against increasing your spring rate. 2 approaches to
add-a-leafs...1.Buy aftermarket units - I would try to get dimensional and
spring rate data before blindly accepting the spring co's IH
recommendation. For example, I have a Rancho data sheet for their
add-a-leafs, and there are a couple or part #'s that I'd use before I'd use
their IH recommendation. 2.'Stack-a-leaf' - The PO of my '70 just stacked
up some extra stock leaves into the spring packs...looks like 2 in the
front and 3 in the rear...kinda low tech, but it seems to be working fine.
You'd prob. need to experiment a bit to get the lift you want, and I'd make
sure the leaves still have staggered ends...some trimming would likely be
in order ;).

I assume that your truck already has the factory 3"-ish spring block lift
in the back(haven't seen one yet that didn't). You could always change out
to taller aftermarket blocks, but this sstrikes me as pretty mickey-mouse
and then you have axle wrap issues galore...

You could do a shackle flip in the back as 'discovered' lately by the 4x4
mags...I'm leery of this on a vehicle as heavy as a T-all, though the mags
show it being done on 3/4 and 1 ton Fords...seems like you could end up
with a significant amount of lateral play back there.

In the front, another possibility I'm researching(long term project with a
spare 1110 demo chassis) is moving the rear spring shackle mounts back to
the set of holes that's already drilled in the frame(for 2WD app's) and
running the 46" long 2WD springs. Looks like that should give 2"-ish of
lift at a stock spring rate, but there are caster and pinion angle
issues(that's the research part that's not done yet).

Hope this blather helps some....;)

Jim