Ruffian
New member
Starting this thread now whilst I can remember everything. So I went down to the Bay Area yesterday and picked up a set of 33's from a fellow friend here. Whilst I was waiting for him to get home, I was drooling and admiring his highly modified 4th Gen. I was looking at his BudBuilt skids, and then walked over to Ruffian to look under her for comparison. It was then I noticed my passenger side CV Joint boot was not looking right. A bunch of black grease had seeped out, and pretty much hidden the inside clamp. So much so, I had thought the clamp was gone. So I called and made an appointment for today with my buddy who installed those new CV Joints last January.
Which takes me to today's findings. Last summer when I went off roading with a few of you Coloradans up to Twin Cone, I hit a rock pretty good. At first view, it appears that I just bent the edge of the front diff bracket and nothing more. Well, I bent the bolt that runs down from the frame that the bracket attaches too. And, I shoved the shim of the diff drop up into the frame, causing a slight dimple, yes into the frame. (I want to say cross member..??) So, after a big off roading event coming up on Memorial Day, my buddy is going to see if we heat up that metal if we can't pull some of that dimple out. And hopefully I can replace that bolt. THAT is the cause of the added off camber to the CV Joint, causing it to wear just off of perfect. Worse case scenario, that CV Joint is going to wear much faster than the other one and just have to be extra prepared to replace it when it goes. The guys did yell at me today & I got called a Hack. :ybrick:
I'll post pics tomorrow since it rained all day here today. Looking for hope that someone else has done this and already knows I can replace that bent bolt. My Kurtfab diff bracket upgrade as well as installing those 33's are going to have to wait until I've made my best attempt to undo my damage...which means no wheeling. :wow:
If you need a visual now, this is a before shot and I highlighted the specific area I'm talking about...since I'm a HACK and could of called some parts by wrong names. lol :moping: My guess is that I just call ToyTec and pay for another diff drop bolt...right?
Which takes me to today's findings. Last summer when I went off roading with a few of you Coloradans up to Twin Cone, I hit a rock pretty good. At first view, it appears that I just bent the edge of the front diff bracket and nothing more. Well, I bent the bolt that runs down from the frame that the bracket attaches too. And, I shoved the shim of the diff drop up into the frame, causing a slight dimple, yes into the frame. (I want to say cross member..??) So, after a big off roading event coming up on Memorial Day, my buddy is going to see if we heat up that metal if we can't pull some of that dimple out. And hopefully I can replace that bolt. THAT is the cause of the added off camber to the CV Joint, causing it to wear just off of perfect. Worse case scenario, that CV Joint is going to wear much faster than the other one and just have to be extra prepared to replace it when it goes. The guys did yell at me today & I got called a Hack. :ybrick:
I'll post pics tomorrow since it rained all day here today. Looking for hope that someone else has done this and already knows I can replace that bent bolt. My Kurtfab diff bracket upgrade as well as installing those 33's are going to have to wait until I've made my best attempt to undo my damage...which means no wheeling. :wow:
If you need a visual now, this is a before shot and I highlighted the specific area I'm talking about...since I'm a HACK and could of called some parts by wrong names. lol :moping: My guess is that I just call ToyTec and pay for another diff drop bolt...right?
jk. Hope you make it out again soon :bluejump:
One day my buds will be on...
