Sky's Offroad Design Super Duty RSK Install

[Gary Lewis]

I hope you'll post some pics.

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?

 

[85lebaront2]

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?

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

[Gary Lewis]

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

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 Lewis]

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.

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.

 

[grumpin]

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.

Looks good! Looks stout from here!

[Gary Lewis]

Looks good! Looks stout from here!

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 Lewis]

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.

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?

[85lebaront2]

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?

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

[Gary Lewis]

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

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.

[85lebaront2]

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.

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.