The axle showed up yesterday and I managed to get free after spending the morning stripping, grinding and cleaning the front hitch mount on the Avion trailer that we're restoring (you know, because restoring a house, three motorcycles and this van wasn't enough on my plate). My timing was perfect because Josh was still watching his kid and so the only thing to do was prep the axle.
Which meant I'd escaped stripping, grinding and cleaning only to do more of the same...
I was surprised to learn that the knuckle castings aren't even painted from Ford. I was also surprised to learn that the axle weighs about 700lbs. Man, trucks and truck parts are heavy! After several hours of work with a wire brush the axle was clean enough to paint.
Satin black is the best color. Flat enough to hide bad prep and shiny enough to make you feel like a painting hero. That axle looks pretty great.
While I was toiling away on the axle MG was prepping another control arm since the other was suspect after discovering the bent axle. With the control arms in place and the axle prepped and painted it was time.
And off it goes into the shop to be united with it's destiny. It will be much happier in it's new life.
Self portrait - because as a photographer I don't get "selfies". Selfie is short for I-have-an-arm-but-no-imagination. Sorry, I digress.
Before the axle can go in the springs need to be installed...
These springs are supposedly taller and softer than in previous kits so we'll see how they work. In order to attach the spring to the lower mount you have to stack all your socket extensions to reach all the way down the spring and tighten the bolt. MG's spring perch is pretty smart and has a cutout to capture the nut so you only need two hands instead of 3... or 4.
Then the completed axle is rolled under the truck to consummate the marriage.
Josh hooks things up on the front so that the van can be lowered enough to put weight on the axles so that the drive shaft angles can be set.
Since this is the first 7.3 MG has done he want's to be sure to get the measurements right so the driveshaft shop can build the driveshaft right the first time.
And the van is now tall enough to serve as a comfortable work space to calculate the angles and lengths needed.
With that the lift was lowered but the van continued to hang in the air. I was sure that it was still suspended by something, that there was a jack under it or something. It took several moments for it to sink in that the van was sitting, very high up, all on it's own new suspenders. Holy ****.
Much like having sex for the first time no amount of stories, pictures or thought will prepare you for the experience. If you've never seen one of these vans in person you simply cannot grasp the size, the height and the sheer presence. I showed my son this photo and he stared at it for a long time, studying all the differences and finally came to the same conclusion that I did, slowly drawing out the words, "It's awesome!"
And I haven't even driven it yet.
Gregor
