shizzl

Got home from Low Key Nats to find a nice package had arrived.

Picked up a pair of trailer guards, aka wheel tubs from a solid GC today. 
 

just sat them in place where I think they’ll end up, or there abouts.

stood back and admired the look, quite like it. 
still need to trim to fit snug once it’s all decided.

Got back from Japan with my little UP Garage purchase.

fitted it as soon as I got to the shop this morning.

Dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyymmmmmmmm

Not much of an update really.

i ended up ordering a set of air ride nz’s notch kit that he had in stock. Listed as an 8” notch.

i roughly sat one side in place, I figure it allows for a 70/80mm bump stop on the diff in this position.

Had a play around with the air system layout on the other ute. It will all sit below the deck floor. And each compressor will have a water trap before the tank.

the valve block can mount to the factory spare wheel mount. Looks quite good like that

however, a deal came up on marketplace that I thought was pretty good. A “showtime” bag fitting kit for $250.

this included everything in the photo below. Chrome 9 port tank, pressure switch, compressor, 2 gauges, solenoid, 10 switch controller, 3/8” and 1/4” air line, 8 x 3/8” bag solenoids, a bunch of air line fittings and a full set of bag mounts (cup type).

I will use these solenoids, fittings, airline and tank.

i won’t use the switch block and compressor, gauges and upper bag cups.

this means my valve block, switch panel will be redundant ( this is a full kit minus bags). 
I can potentially buy 4 more bags to make another full kit (single pump). 
 

the air management system I will use is an air command air8000 system that has 8 presets with a digital display.

i only need to figure out a way to lock out the system while it’s driving. 
maybe a wheel speed sensor somehow, this will be wired through the air8000 alarm circuit which locks the system when set/armed. 
I’m sure that will work.

i slapped the tail lights in the tray for max visual, so stoked. Just need to finalise that concave line now.

i fly out to Japan in 4 days, so nothing else will happen until after nats.

i would like to hunt down a nice steering wheel while im over there.

Tailgate 99% done.

only have some minor fiddling to do on the concave fold line. Might need to make a shaped sanding block for it.

then sand out the 80g scratches ready for a filler primer.

i also played with spacing the balljoint to achieve a better angle.

tried a 9 degree wedge (achieved by washers).

this got the crossmember to 20mm clearance.

id be happy with that, but still don’t like the idea of the bj being close to maxed out.

so I decided to pie cut a set of arms (I have a spare set on the parts ute). 
cut it to gain a 10 degree change.

balljoint sits neutral at ride height and very nice at full lift and full slam.

crossmember is on its tits. 
 

Now it’s time for some c notch action.

with the frame currently sitting at 90mm with the diff on the frame, a 6” notch should be sweet. 
 

I will set bumpstops to max out to the legal scrub line or whatever it’s called. 
think it still equates to 50mm clearance “legally”. 
 

doesn’t need to be smashing the frame into the ground. 
 

I needed to get the body into final prep before I head to Japan next week. So pretty stoked so far. 

Well well well, another day of progress, well , a couple hours anyway.

knocked the nubs off the welds, etched, then set about throwing mud at it.

actually hasn’t taken much except where the previous body guy has just filled instead of pulling the corner out to align with the other side.

not much left to finish the filler off, used about 400gm of filler with most of it going the floor after sanding. 
 

almost ready for paint. Just need to see if I can “delete” the inner guards before I lay colour. No pint going back and doing it after paint.