I've got an 88 that just passed safety and emissions. I love the damn thing. But it needs new springs and a shocks and front end, plus I want the capability of a solid front axle. I picked one up off of an 84 pickup for $100. It's all cleaned and painted, but needs to be rebuilt obviously.

I want to go with the trailgear kit due to its completeness. But I hear it sits high, and have read guys on here talking about removing leafs to lower center of gravity.

Also, my 88 has some minor frame damage on the front.

This all leads me to two questions.

What order should I do things in? Grab the kit and get to work? Rebuild front first? Get it rolling then regear and ect.?

Second, I'm thinking of ways to work around this, as the front spring mount welds over this section. Any thoughts? It's bent in from a front end collision.

That picture is a little to close. Is the front crossmember bent or are you talking about the skid plate dingleberry there? If it is the crossmember, you can cut it out and weld in a new piece of metal, assuming the frame rails are straight.

Yes cross member. Not the thin piece left on there. I'll strip it down some more and take better pictures.

I played that game a little bit ago: Fixing a frame

If the core support is intact and the crossmember isn't too tweaked, it might be worth putting a portapower between the frame rails and just stretching it back out, vs cutting out and replacing it which turned out to be more work than I reckoned. On the other hand, if it's not too tweaked, just leave it be.

If you're going to fix the frame, do it before you SAS because you're going to brace the crossmember for a winch plate and weld a spring hanger underneath it, and it'll be much harder to get back in there to fix it once you do those things.

Yeah I need to take a better picture. Because this will have to be fixed before the SAS or the front hanger would be crooked.

Here is a better look at what I'm dealing with

So I need input on springs from you experts? For those who have lowered their runner after going too high, should I go 3 or 4 inch HD springs with the trail gear kit? I want to run 35s, and I'm not against cutting fender or other things to fit them.

Next, when it comes to removing the ifs, I'm finding that things are rusty and I'm not willing to waste a ton of time trying to keep everything intact.

So for those with experience, is the ifs worth anything fully intact? Should I bother or just start cutting?

There's really no value to the a-arms and mounts, so start hacking. You might find a buyer for the CV shafts if they're in good shape, and the hubs will fetch some money.

I don't see any damage to the crossmember? I see some buckling on the frame rail, which is a different thing entirely. I don't know the best way to fix that, beyond cutting and patching and plating the hell out of it?

Samesies as kid v. Frame looks ok. Just looks like the tow hooks bent up into the frame a bit.

It shouldnt give you that much trouble. You can always plate over it or bring it to a frame shop to have them pull it (maybe)

Yeah the frame rail is what I'm talking about. But there is a bulge in line with he cross member. I have a plasma, I could cut sections out and plate with 3/16 I guess. Or heat and pound back in?

We need to be friends .

I think I would probably pound that thing into a semblance of shape and run with it. You'll have to compensate a bit with the rest of your fab, but for a trail truck, who cares? It won't affect your alignment.

Haha. Done.

Any steering stuff to be carefully with or just cut?

I sold my IFS to a local member for $100 or less, can't remember.

Agree with all other comments.

Just start cutting off everything to do with the IFS and steering. You will pretty much start from scratch. You will want to push the steering box forward.

I have 4" TG springs under my 22re and I may take out a leaf or 2. You only need the HD springs if you have a heavier motor. RUF springs is cheapest method and very effective. I would do RUF if I could do it again.

I have the 3.0, and if it does I'll go 3.4. So it looks like I'll go 3" HD springs unless anyone has a different opinion. I want to be all big and intimidating, but after reading from guys that wheel wanting to be lower, I gotta go with what will get me through trails better. That's why I want this beast in the first place.

Cutting had already commenced. Pics to follow. I may just start cutting mounts off so I don't have to dink with rusted to hell components.

I wouldnt get the hd springs. They will be very stiff. Go with the regular 3"