First of all, I don't care to hear anything negative.... Just advice and constructive criticism please.

Well, Cut out my axle brackets on the CNC outta 1/2in plate.... Found some square tubing in the shop to make me mount for the upper part of the bars where the shackle goes... 1/4in shackels, I think they're 3in eye to eye...

Only problem I had with the whole thing today was... When I tacked the lower bar to the upper bar to take off and TIG the whole thing.... I didn't put on a plate of something to keep the bars from wanting to shrink towards each other.... So it all went well until I was fighting the bars at the axle... Only to realize they shrunk up some... So my instructor is bringing in his Porta-power from work to pull them apart so they'll mount right.

Here's what I've got done so far.... The actual bar is going to be sanded and cleared, to look like the bilsteins.... Keeps it shiny back there!

Pics:

 

WOW!! Those look really good Trevor.

 

2 things I noticed:

1. Why didn't you go directly to the mount with the heim on the front mount?

2. I would gusset that front mount also on top & bottom, just suggestion......

Again, NICE work!

 

Because thats not the correct way to build this style anti wrap bar.

 

dont really know much about this, so i dunno, but it seems like that square tube mount would be the weak link in the setup? And is the 'y' bar gonna replace the single you had mounted in the first pictures? Other than that it all looks pretty sweet. do you just do that to one side or both? and will this restrict you flex at all? it seems like it might if you use that y mount bar, but like I said I dont know much about any of this so Id like to learn.

 

The front mount may get gusseted down the road... Right now, I'm gonna let that slide for the time being.

Andrew, wanna school them on how it works?

 

looks good but...

you need to sleeve that shackle.

also i wish you would have used some misalignments on the heim.

actually all these threads about them inquired me to make my own, tonight it maybe done so we will see how that goes. its a bit different than all the designs i have seen.

 

Yeah the bottom of the shackle where it mounts to the mount will get a sleeve. I relized that last night. We'll see how it comes out

 

looks realy good nice job

 

Looks good, keep up the good work

 

Nice! those are shiny, looks great. we will need to make a vid or something comparing your axle wrap to mine kinda like a before and after. maybe that will convince me to make something like this after i see how bad mine is compared to yours. Work looks top notch!

 

Got it all re aligned tonight... The bar gets a clear coat and then gets put on tomorrow! Pics to come!

It's sweet lookin... Matches the bilsteins with the brushed steel look!

 

i guess i don't understand why they don't slide in and out of each other i always thought if you didn't do that it would bind up and limit your flex.


So school me on this i want to learn

 

like Beard said, that heim could use some misalignment spacers.

and isn't the shackle supposed to be ~as long as the shackles on the leaf springs? idk if thats true or not.


either way, looks good.

 

here is a horrible pic of mine.

 

slip and twist or shackle?
are those the ruff stuff brackets?

 

slip and twist.

that is the ruff stuff axle bracket, bushings, and bolts. They had these other brackets that came with it but i dont know how those are supposed to work so i didnt use them.

 

Hey if anyone is interested... I can cut the brackets I have to fit your axle tubing... I have some 1/4in brackets all polished up sitting in my truck right now, for any f-150 8.8 or ranger 8.8 or expo 8.8... Just let me know and i'll name a price.

Anyways, looks good zach! What made you want to do the slip and twist?

 

I had most of the parts and it was cheaper. made it all out of scrap i had laying around.

i dont want to jack your thread tho.

i would have done heims too if i had some laying around.

 

Well I was told those aren't "heims" but... They'll do the job... Pivoting ball joints... Or as andrew calls them tractor joints lol...

Well... I got it on today... Drove it around the block to see if there was an immediate difference or not even at slow speeds... HOLY CRAP! You can feel the back end want to lift up when taking off! So far so good, it works! Did it all for less than.... $80!

Went with the brushed raw steel look and cleared them to look like bilsteins... Just more shiny stuff under the truck!






(Those brackets that are on there are for sale if anyone wants them... 1/4in steel all cleaned up ready for any 8.8 31 spline axle... Again, I can cut ones for a 28 spline if anyone is interested)

Here's the shackles:





And here they are installed!:









I kinda flexed it on the curb to figure out if the shackle was going to work, and so far so good! Pivots like it should, and keeps the axle in the up and down axis. I can tell these are really goin to help on rainy wet days and in the snow! Can't wait! The front mount is lined up with the bolt on the static rear hangar, as I was told to do by Andrew. Thanks again for all your help man... Really learned alot when making these!

What do you guys think?

 

Looks good!

 

i'll let ya know what i think when you get it really twisted up a curb doesn't count. haha

 

looks sexy! This weekend when you get back to school we need to do a comparison between our trucks comparing axle wrap and flex to show your improvements. bet that will sell a lot of people on making/buying some, myself included.

 

when ever i mash the gas i can feel the axle wrap up
and a few weekends ago i got some nasty hop from the front end :(

 

HOLY *****!! I just drove it. The *** end lifts up what feels like 2". Downshift it, it squats down. Looks up like no other. REALLLLY wanna feel it on a properly geared rig though....Trevor.....can I be the guinea pig??? Holy crap...I love it. Props and Kudos to Tre!


I'm seriously considering this now. Holy crap...it's awesome.