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Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

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ArdWrknTrk

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

IMNSHO, you shouldn't change a thing.

This is your garagemahal, and I'm fine with that.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

ArdWrknTrk wrote

IMNSHO, you shouldn't change a thing.

This is your garagemahal, and I'm fine with that.

Thanks, Jim.

The last page of this thread has been slightly off topic. So let me get it back on track with some plans, and then I'll come back and tell y'all what I've done in a few days - when I get to do it.

I've already used the wire wheel to take the edges off off the Sky brackets and shackles, so when I get the shop clean and organized again I'm going to blast and powder coat those parts black. (Plus, while I'm doing that I'll also blast the hideous red off of the perches and engine mount plates and then PC them black as well.) And I'll also press the bushings into the shackles. Then I'll mount the brackets and shackles, and be ready when the new front bracket comes in.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Progress is good!

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Yes it is, Jim. And, while the shop BADLY needs to be cleaned, while I was doing the cleaning I realized that there was a bolt hole open. After a bit of thinking about it I realized that it is the back bolt for the little factory crossmember that is right behind the front spring's front shackle.

The front bolt hole just holds the crossmember against the frame, and since there's no need for that crossmember with Sky's much bigger one just in front of it, that bolt hole doesn't need to be filled. But the rear bolt hole holds the frame liner to the frame as well as the crossmember on, so it is needed.

Having said that, it is just a 7/16" bolt, and the ones that came with Big Blue were G5's, which have a max torque value of 37 ft-lbs. I did a double-take on that one, but that's right. So I pulled out a 31/64" (.4843") reamer and took the holes out for a 1/2" bolt. The G8's tapped themselves in nicely and torqued down to spec, 106 ft-lbs, very nicely. I think that's an upgrade.

And, I'm thinking about tack-welding them. Thoughts?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

Bottom Line: factory is 2 1/2" & Sky is 1" . So the delta is 1 1/2" and I should be able to replace the factory DS bracket with the Sky bracket and then measure 55 1/2" minus 1 1/2" equals 54" to position the front bracket when it comes in.

The new front bracket came in today.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

I was wondering what the status was on this. Glad the new one fits just right. Any word from Eric on whether these will be the new ones sent out?

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Not "will be", but "have been". Vincent Wayne Thomason from FB has been talking with me about this in the background and had ordered the kit on a Friday when I found the problem. Luckily Sky is closed on Friday's, so it didn't go out. His is due to arrive tomorrow.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

salans7

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Good to hear.

VWThomason

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Yes mine should be here tomorrow along with the rear 08+ superduty spring conversion kit. I'll be anxiously waiting for the brown truck!

The Polar Bear - 1986 F350 Crew Cab Long Bed Dually. Starting life as a 2wd 6.9 C6 truck. Now has Cummins P-pump that is slightly turned up. Running ZF-5 transmission with BW4407 transfer case. Converting to 4wd with some help from a SKY RSK kit with SD springs on top of a 1996 Dana 60. Also using the SKY kit to convert the rear to 2008 springs. More to come.

Clifford - 1993 F250 7.3 IDI ATS 088 turbo with a ZF-5 behind it and 4.10 gears. Lifted along with solid axle D60 swap. Running Baja military 37s

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

I hope you'll post some pics.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Today I got back to work on the RSK install. The first step was to mark the spots for the holes to be drilled in the frame. But, I soon discovered that there was a minor problem on the driver's side - the top flange of the frame was bent down a bit. Apparently when I bent the frame back into alignment the top flange bent down. That caused the "box bracket" to be positioned too low, and the holes in it wouldn't line up with those of the cross member.

In the pic below I've put a red arrow where the box bracket is hitting the top flange of the frame, and yellow arrows where the interference is. So off came the cross member and I put a big Crescent wrench with a cheater on the top flange. It was all I could do, but little by little I got the top flange up where it isn't pushing the box bracket down.

Then I drilled the holes and put the cross member back in place w/o the box brackets just to check. Yep, it fits!

So now I have to figure out how I want to "finish" the various parts. I'll paint the frame with gray POR15. And I'll powder coat the cross member, the rear shackes, and the brackets. But that leaves the box brackets and the frame sleeves to finish. Sky recommends welding the box bracket in to ensure it doesn't rattle, and I'm thinking of at least tacking the frame sleeve in. So the question is what to finish them with. Perhaps weld-through primer? Is that stuff durable enough?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

With all the frame issues you'd almost think the truck had been rolled.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

I'm thinking that the upper flange bent down when I pulled that corner of the frame in 3" and then let it go back to 1" from where it was. That flange was probably stretched when the frame went out, and it had to go somewhere when the frame was bent back so it went down. And you could easily see the difference of the upper flanges between the left and right sides.

So since the right side was where it should be when I measured down the center, I'm thinking the truck was hit in the left front corner. But since the frame was bent out, not in, I'm a bit confused as to how that happened.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Today I trial-fitted the frame boxes. They fit perfectly and the bolts go right through the holes in the boxes. So I marked where they fit and I'll have to media-blast them and then paint them with weld-through primer. And, I'll clean and paint the inside of the frame with weld-through as well so I can then weld the boxes in place.

Next I figured out some things about the frame sleeves. The issues have been the way the sleeves fit and whether they need to be tacked into the frame to ensure they don't rattle. The quick answer to the latter question is NO. They are held in very tightly by the outside flange of the cross member so there's no chance of them rattling. Given that, there's no need to tack them in, and I can powder coat them.

But, that didn't answer the question of fit. Heretofore I've had to torque the left frame over to get the bolt in through the spacer. However, I finally realized that the spacer is sitting at a bit of an angle because of where the inside hole is in the frame. But, the spacer is only there to ensure that the distance between the inside and outside flanges is maintained. So there's no reason not to open up the inside hole in the frame.

Here's what that looks like - and the passenger's side spacer is shown sitting on top of the frame just so you know what I'm talking about.

That change made all the difference as I was able to put the bolts in by hand w/o torquing the frame over on the next installation of the cross member. Here's a shot of everything put together and the bolt torqued down. You can see the large head of the spacer is captured by the outer flange on the left, and the inside end of the spacer is in the hole on the inside of the frame.

So now I'm ready to start painting and powder coating.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

grumpin

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Looks good! Looks stout from here!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Thanks! With that new tubular cross member and its 1/4" inner and outer flanges I'm sure it will put lots of strength in the front.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Got some media blasting and powder coating done today. Stuck the red perch in there to show how ugly they were. Unfortunately someone used good paint on them and blasting them isn't easily done.

Anyway, I have the rear spring hangers & frame spacers to do and then the crossmember. And I have to paint the frame and frame boxes and then weld the frame boxes in. Then I can put it together!

Bill - See anything in there you recognize?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

If you are referring to me, which picture? Remember I don't have a 4WD.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

Gary Lewis

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

Yes, you WAV. The pic above, and the farthest left item. Nothing to do with 4wd, nothing to do with Sky Off Road Design, and nothing to do with Big Blue.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

85lebaront2

Re: Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

Administrator

The last picture wasn't there last night, yes, I recognize something, actually a number of things in that picture, the one you are most likely referencing would be the small two bolt access cover for the block plate with an automatic.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

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