Hey all - just got back from my vacation trip to the ocean. I managed to get ALL of the parts I ordered at the last second in before we left, so I was able to spend the first day tearing apart the Flux, and installing the new parts.
I bought the FLM shock towers, the FLM LST shock adapters, Integy rear bearing carriers, a full set of the blue aluminum LST shocks.
I started on the front, and was actually suprised how much I had to take off to get the stock parts out. I found that some of the screws holding the shocks and shock towers were all bent, but the hinge pins were all straight. Other than that, it was in fairly decent condition.
The FLM's were a snug fit and required a strong arming to get them in. All fairly straight forward, except of course the left over parts. I always have this sinking feeling when I've put something together, and have this handful of leftover parts. But per the instructions....oh wait - THERE ARENT ANY!!! You can see some of them off to the side in some of the first pics - the left over's are the four spacers, and this large dia shim/washer. I assume the machined AL spacers are for mounting Savage shocks, but I have no idea what that big shim washer is for.
Unlike others, I found the Integy bearing carriers to be an easy install, and didn't require any alteration. Nice clean finished look.
I also bought a set of yellow springs, mostly 'cause I like the look of them, but in the end, I found them to be too stiff for the front, and possibly for the rear.
I have say, it
LOOKS damn good all done. Big, beefy, and bad. However, after the first run, all four upper shock attach points had bent inward - looks like first the screws bent, then the actual shock towers bent. I locktited and replaced the screws, switched the springs (backed the adjusters way back, and put silver springs on all the way around), and went for another run. This time I broke the lower diff housing where the tower attaches.
Yes, I run it hard, but the stock plastics held up since January when I first got this thing. The jumps I took with it on the beach were not anywhere near as high/long as those I put this through here at home. So there's some proof in the pudding here that plastics help absorb those impacts, and keep you from damaging the inner workings of your truck.
Now I have to figure out if there is an aluminum diff housing that I need to install, or take it all off and go back to stock.......kinda sad, but for me, this truck is my "take it all" basher.
Here's the pics of the conversion.
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