Correcting uneven suspension

[mattsk8]

Better pic, before the diff blew.

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[ChuckN]

Haha, it's actually Toyota Inferno, IIRC it was a 2016 color. My camera is terrible at catching it under my LED shop lights, in the son it's a shade more red with a good bit of metallic.

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I love that color. I had a Taco in that color and it was my favorite thing about the truck. I added gold wheels to it for a desert motif. Perfect color for a square IMHO.

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[mattsk8]

I love that color. I had a Taco in that color and it was my favorite thing about the truck. I added gold wheels to it for a desert motif. Perfect color for a square IMHO.

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That's a sharp truck, the wheels set it off well. Good pic too that shows how much the color flips depending on where the sun is.

 

[ChuckN]

That's a sharp truck, the wheels set it off well. Good pic too that shows how much the color flips depending on where the sun is.

Exactly! The gold metal flake really makes it pop.

 

[mattsk8]

Literally just finished putting the brakes on the truck, about to put the wheels on it and drive it. Saw this puddle next to my passenger rear wheel. This thing is pissing me off ‍ . It's gear oil, not brake fluid.

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[mattsk8]

Well this is a first. Somehow this made it 11k miles without leaking, but obviously that seal didn't press very tightly against the brake drum. I can only assume this is why it was leaking. Since I don't use or even have a parking brake anyway, and my rear brakes need replacing, I might take this opportunity to do the ORD rear disk conversion.

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[mattsk8]

After a LOT of reading up on them, I decided against the disc conversion. I already have the JB7 brakes, and I never really had much desire for more stopping power. And regardless, based on what I've read, most say the disc conversion (using the factory Chevy calipers) doesn't really give more stopping power anyway. I was considering it because it seems like I have to deal with one of these 14BFF seals leaking about every few years on every Chevy I've ever owned that had that rear diff. Disc brakes would just be easier and cheaper to fix whenever this happens than the drums. But it's not worth the $500+ to go that route to me, when I can fix this for the cost of new shoes and seals (all my hardware is good, looks new after I sprayed it all with brake cleaner).

I came across this explanation of "bonded vs riveted shoes" and thought it was pretty hilarious. Spot on in my opinion lol...

I don't have a preference. You'll blow an axle seal or a stupid wheel cylinder and ruin whatever is left of your brake shoes long before they wear out, since the auto adjusters never work right and they end up not doing much braking anyway.

 

[mattsk8]

Figured I'd update this. Finally got all my parts, and I have time to do it so I'm going to get this done today.

If you have a FF14B rear diff and (inevitably) it starts dripping gear oil on the inside of the tire, don't use the speedi-sleeve and factory seal, use the 2 piece seal from (I think) a 2002+ Chevy. They definitely seal better. These lasted 6 years, which is a record. It's an SKF seal, part number 28635, about $20 each.

Also they say you need a special tool to install them but I've never used one, I use a flat piece of wood on the seal and pound it into the hub.

I'm a little nervous about this because I can't see any reason why mine was leaking. Hoping it's just that the seal went bad, but I'm about to find out. Really don't want to trash $70 brake shoes again.

 

[mattsk8]

Truck is finally done, that was a journey. New front diff with a TrueTrac, new front springs, rear brake shoes and wheel seals. Drives fantastic, silky smooth.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Truck is finally done, that was a journey. New front diff with a TrueTrac, new front springs, rear brake shoes and wheel seals. Drives fantastic, silky smooth.

Pics or it didn't happen

 

[mattsk8]

Pics or it didn't happen

Maybe later today I'll get a shot of that gorgeous, freshly painted front diff, but this was after about an 80 mile drive. You can watch it sitting there, not dripping gear oil out of the inside, passenger rear wheel lol

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[1lejohn]

Maybe later today I'll get a shot of that gorgeous, freshly painted front diff, but this was after about an 80 mile drive. You can watch it sitting there, not dripping gear oil out of the inside, passenger rear wheel lol

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Awesome looking truck. Did you end up with a 4" lift? I really like the way the truck sits, and the paint color. As a side note for a truck leaning to one side, I found one of my front spring hangers worn. The bolt had worn through the poly bushing and egged out the spring hanger bracket hole. I went back with new bushings I'll fix the bracket if and when I do a lift. Removing the 6 rivet's looks like a fun job.

 

[mattsk8]

Awesome looking truck. Did you end up with a 4" lift? I really like the way the truck sits, and the paint color. As a side note for a truck leaning to one side, I found one of my front spring hangers worn. The bolt had worn through the poly bushing and egged out the spring hanger bracket hole. I went back with new bushings I'll fix the bracket if and when I do a lift. Removing the 6 rivet's looks like a fun job.

Which hanger is it? The rivets aren't fun, but not impossible either, make sure to use good, grade 8 bolts that are exactly the same diameter as the hole left from the rivets (I don't recall the size). I did the ORD HD front upper shackle hangers on mine, also put 56" leaf springs on the rear because the new frame I used had 52", and I had 56" springs, so I had to grind those rivets too. You'll want a good grinder and a blow torch to get them out cleanly.

On the plus side, mine was definitely just the driver spring sagging, the new springs made it almost perfect. With it on the ground, sitting on its tires the driver and passenger sides are within 1/8" of each other now, before it was sagging 13/16" on the driver's side.

And thank you! It is a 4" Skyjacker Softride lift, using Rancho RS5000 shocks. It's still not exactly a cushy ride, but it's immensely better than any of the other leaf spring lifts I've used (mainly Rough Country). The color is 2016 Toyota Inferno. Ironically, I was going to wet sand and buff the whole truck once I got back from the dunes on the 4th of July. Instead I grenaded the front diff at the dunes on the 4th, and spent the next 6 weeks funneling money and swearing at it lol. Still needs buffed

 

[1lejohn]

Which hanger is it? The rivets aren't fun, but not impossible either, make sure to use good, grade 8 bolts that are exactly the same diameter as the hole left from the rivets (I don't recall the size). I did the ORD HD front upper shackle hangers on mine, also put 56" leaf springs on the rear because the new frame I used had 52", and I had 56" springs, so I had to grind those rivets too. You'll want a good grinder and a blow torch to get them out cleanly.

On the plus side, mine was definitely just the driver spring sagging, the new springs made it almost perfect. With it on the ground, sitting on its tires the driver and passenger sides are within 1/8" of each other now, before it was sagging 13/16" on the driver's side.

And thank you! It is a 4" Skyjacker Softride lift, using Rancho RS5000 shocks. It's still not exactly a cushy ride, but it's immensely better than any of the other leaf spring lifts I've used (mainly Rough Country). The color is 2016 Toyota Inferno. Ironically, I was going to wet sand and buff the whole truck once I got back from the dunes on the 4th of July. Instead I grenaded the front diff at the dunes on the 4th, and spent the next 6 weeks funneling money and swearing at it lol. Still needs buffed

It's the front- front driver side. Does that even make sense?  Yes, I was looking at the ORD's to go back with. I have their front rear spring hangers already installed. I removed a couple off of the back frame using an air hammer, it sucked. There was a broken bracket just on the frame. It was in my way for installing the ORD rear shock brackets.

 

[mattsk8]

It's the front- front driver side. Does that even make sense?  Yes, I was looking at the ORD's to go back with. I have their front rear spring hangers already installed. I removed a couple off of the back frame using an air hammer, it sucked. There was a broken bracket just on the frame. It was in my way for installing the ORD rear shock brackets.

Definitely makes sense. As far as the ORD front upper shackle hangers go... I honestly didn't notice any difference at all. Mine weren't necessarily bad, I just did it while I was already in there. Not saying I regret it, now they're greaseable and easier to service (hopefully I'll never need to), and I also did the HD shackle plates. But if you're getting tapped out on your spending, that might be a spot I'd save some money. Hope that helps.