Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

[Gary Lewis]

This thread is to document the installation of Sky's Offroad Design's 85-91 Ford F-350 4x4 2" Front Shackle Reversal (Superduty Spring) kit on Big Blue. This is being done separately from the Big Blue's Transformation thread in an effort to keep things focused.

 

That's because Erik at Sky has asked me to work with him on any issues that might arise in the installation as this is a new kit. He's installed it himself but wants feedback from people who haven't been close to its development. So this thread is specific to this kit. Having said that, I am also going to install Sky's 85-97 Ford F-350 4x4 Adjustable Panhard Trac Bar, so this thread will include that as well.

 

And, Erik wants pictures and measurements. So I've taken a few of both and include them here, but will be adding to them if he wants different measurements or pics. Here's an embedded spreadsheet with the measurements, which I'll update as the project goes on and those measurements will automagically appear here. And, for my reference, the file is "D60 Installation" and it is in Big Blue's Suspension folder.

 

 

 

Here's a pic of the left front. Note the dark spot on the fender liner. That appears to be where the tire hits at full left lock, although the right fender liner doesn't have any marks so it isn't being hit on turns. Apparently a 32.9" tire is about the max that can/should be crammed in these wheelwells with the stock suspension.

 

[salans7]

Subscribed.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Subscribed.

I subscribed via 'options' the moment I saw this thread drop.

[Gary Lewis]

I subscribed via 'options' the moment I saw this thread drop.

Thanks, guys. I've invited Erik to join the forum as I think this would be the easiest way to communicate regarding any issues that arise.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, guys. I've invited Erik to join the forum as I think this would be the easiest way to communicate regarding any issues that arise.

Ok, it is time to kick off this thread in earnest since I started on the RSK installation today.

But, before we get into that you may need some background if you haven't been following Big Blue's Transformation. That's because I discovered that the front of the frame was bent. The measurement from the outside of the frame was 41 1/8" when it is supposed to be 40".

I bring that up here because I don't think everything I am experiencing on Big Blue is normal. I'm guessing that not only was the frame bent out, it is also slightly twisted, and that is making the installation of the reverse shackle kit more difficult that it should be. However, Big Blue is almost 35 years old, so a lot can happen during that length of time.

Anyway, I did get started on installation of the RSK today. The first step is to grind flush the heads of the rivets that hold the spring shackle brackets on. With that done I tried to slip the new bracket over the frame, but it wouldn't go for several reasons.

The big reason was due to the distance between frame horns, which had crept back up to more than 40". So I put the come-along on. But everywhere I picked initially was in the way. Finally I put it between the two frame liners and that worked and was out of the way. Here's a pic of where I put the come-along, in case your frame is tweaked as well. And, you can also see a couple of other things. First, that I used c-clamps to hold the frame brackets or fillers in place as they kept falling out. Second, that I found that starting the bracket from the top worked best. Get it on and then rotate it down.

I finally got the thing almost in position, but without the engine in I can't really push up without raising the truck up. So tomorrow it'll come off and I'm going to do a better job of smoothing the heads of the rivets as I think they are causing some problems. And, I'm going to round the corners/edges of the Sky bracket's flanges as they are crisp and catch on anything and everything on the frame.

But, I also had a realization that caused a call to Erik. Their picture is on the left, below, and mine is on the right. And the obvious difference is that my frame doesn't have the holes in it that theirs does. Erik said I'll have to drill the holes, and explained how to properly situate the bracket by rotating it on the front shackle bolts and measuring back to the original rear shackles. Then I can mark the holes and drill them.

[85lebaront2]

Ok, it is time to kick off this thread in earnest since I started on the RSK installation today.

But, before we get into that you may need some background if you haven't been following Big Blue's Transformation. That's because I discovered that the front of the frame was bent. The measurement from the outside of the frame was 41 1/8" when it is supposed to be 40".

I bring that up here because I don't think everything I am experiencing on Big Blue is normal. I'm guessing that not only was the frame bent out, it is also slightly twisted, and that is making the installation of the reverse shackle kit more difficult that it should be. However, Big Blue is almost 35 years old, so a lot can happen during that length of time.

Anyway, I did get started on installation of the RSK today. The first step is to grind flush the heads of the rivets that hold the spring shackle brackets on. With that done I tried to slip the new bracket over the frame, but it wouldn't go for several reasons.

The big reason was due to the distance between frame horns, which had crept back up to more than 40". So I put the come-along on. But everywhere I picked initially was in the way. Finally I put it between the two frame liners and that worked and was out of the way. Here's a pic of where I put the come-along, in case your frame is tweaked as well. And, you can also see a couple of other things. First, that I used c-clamps to hold the frame brackets or fillers in place as they kept falling out. Second, that I found that starting the bracket from the top worked best. Get it on and then rotate it down.

I finally got the thing almost in position, but without the engine in I can't really push up without raising the truck up. So tomorrow it'll come off and I'm going to do a better job of smoothing the heads of the rivets as I think they are causing some problems. And, I'm going to round the corners/edges of the Sky bracket's flanges as they are crisp and catch on anything and everything on the frame.

But, I also had a realization that caused a call to Erik. Their picture is on the left, below, and mine is on the right. And the obvious difference is that my frame doesn't have the holes in it that theirs does. Erik said I'll have to drill the holes, and explained how to properly situate the bracket by rotating it on the front shackle bolts and measuring back to the original rear shackles. Then I can mark the holes and drill them.

[salans7]

Gary, the holes in the frame in Sky's picture are of a 1991-97 frame, those are the bumper mount holes I referred to in another thread. Obviously Sky's kit would fit between the bumper mounts and the frame on a later truck.

FWIW, my 86 frame has holes in that location, but they are smaller and circular, not oval like the 87-91 trucks.

[85lebaront2]

FWIW, my 86 frame has holes in that location, but they are smaller and circular, not oval like the 87-91 trucks.

Darth had none, but like BB is the HD frame.

[Gary Lewis]

Darth had none, but like BB is the HD frame.

Ok guys, I guess there is a lot of variability in the frames.

Which is a perfect lead in to the problems I had today. But first, what went well, sorta. And that was to drill the bolt holes for the shackle bolts out to 7/8" to take the "frame sleeve" from Sky. Here's a pic of the frame sleeve sitting on top of the frame, and the holes that I drilled out below it and to the right a bit.

I say "holes" because I drilled both the inside and outside holes on each side of the truck. In other words, the frame and the riveted-on hanger. But, when I got to thinking about what the instructions say I wasn't sure I'd done it right, so called Erik and confirmed that both were to have been drilled.

Here's a shot with the sleeve installed in the hole. Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of the inside where the sleeve goes into the riveted-on hanger. But the sleeve only engages about 1/3 of the thickness of the hanger. I spent some time cleaning up and radiusing the holes on the outside of the frame to accept the radius where the narrow part of the sleeve hits the "knob", but even then I couldn't get much more engagement. That's a problem because the sleeve falls out of the hanger and you have to reach up inside to put it back in. Plus, as you'll see, the inside holes for the bracket don't line up and while you are trying to line them up the sleeve keeps falling out.

Erik agreed that they should make the sleeve longer as he had the same problem on the one "early truck", as he calls ours, on which he installed this kit. But for me, I'm seriously considering tack welding it in place. However, that means I have to paint it with weld-through primer before I install it.

But, with smoothing the rivets more and rounding the edges of the plates on Sky's bracket I was able to get the bracket on today. Here's a shot of it in about the right location, save for the problem described below. And, you can see the 5/8" shackle bolt is started through the sleeve and the frame.

And, now for the real problem. In the pics below, which are left/driver's side and right/passenger's side, the bracket is in place and the 5/8" shackle bolts have been inserted through the hole in the outside plate of the bracket, through the sleeve described above, and up against the inside plate on the bracket. But the holes don't line up! However, they do line up when the bracket is not on the truck.

And that's the point at which I called Erik at Sky. He remembered having the same battles on the one "early truck" he put this kit on, both the battle of the sleeve falling out and the holes not lining up. And then he asked "Was this originally a TTB truck?" At which point I think it dawned on me what the problem is - the frame horns are twisted. I can't say for sure why they are twisted, but I'm guessing that the rotation of the TTB twisting the springs also twisted the frame over time.

As for what to do about it, I'm thinking of bolting a piece of channel to the bumper holes and using a come-along from the top of it to the frame on the other side. That should bring the inside end of the bolt down and let it come through the hole. Then I'll move the channel to the other side and do the same thing.

Thoughts?

[85lebaront2]

Ok guys, I guess there is a lot of variability in the frames.

Which is a perfect lead in to the problems I had today. But first, what went well, sorta. And that was to drill the bolt holes for the shackle bolts out to 7/8" to take the "frame sleeve" from Sky. Here's a pic of the frame sleeve sitting on top of the frame, and the holes that I drilled out below it and to the right a bit.

I say "holes" because I drilled both the inside and outside holes on each side of the truck. In other words, the frame and the riveted-on hanger. But, when I got to thinking about what the instructions say I wasn't sure I'd done it right, so called Erik and confirmed that both were to have been drilled.

Here's a shot with the sleeve installed in the hole. Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of the inside where the sleeve goes into the riveted-on hanger. But the sleeve only engages about 1/3 of the thickness of the hanger. I spent some time cleaning up and radiusing the holes on the outside of the frame to accept the radius where the narrow part of the sleeve hits the "knob", but even then I couldn't get much more engagement. That's a problem because the sleeve falls out of the hanger and you have to reach up inside to put it back in. Plus, as you'll see, the inside holes for the bracket don't line up and while you are trying to line them up the sleeve keeps falling out.

Erik agreed that they should make the sleeve longer as he had the same problem on the one "early truck", as he calls ours, on which he installed this kit. But for me, I'm seriously considering tack welding it in place. However, that means I have to paint it with weld-through primer before I install it.

But, with smoothing the rivets more and rounding the edges of the plates on Sky's bracket I was able to get the bracket on today. Here's a shot of it in about the right location, save for the problem described below. And, you can see the 5/8" shackle bolt is started through the sleeve and the frame.

And, now for the real problem. In the pics below, which are left/driver's side and right/passenger's side, the bracket is in place and the 5/8" shackle bolts have been inserted through the hole in the outside plate of the bracket, through the sleeve described above, and up against the inside plate on the bracket. But the holes don't line up! However, they do line up when the bracket is not on the truck.

And that's the point at which I called Erik at Sky. He remembered having the same battles on the one "early truck" he put this kit on, both the battle of the sleeve falling out and the holes not lining up. And then he asked "Was this originally a TTB truck?" At which point I think it dawned on me what the problem is - the frame horns are twisted. I can't say for sure why they are twisted, but I'm guessing that the rotation of the TTB twisting the springs also twisted the frame over time.

As for what to do about it, I'm thinking of bolting a piece of channel to the bumper holes and using a come-along from the top of it to the frame on the other side. That should bring the inside end of the bolt down and let it come through the hole. Then I'll move the channel to the other side and do the same thing.

Thoughts?

Thought for you, bolt a hunk of angle to the radiator support mounts on each side, even if you end up doing one side at a time you will have the leverage to twist the top in and may be able to do both sides at once with a single come along.