One Word... LEAKS

been there done that got the bill....

Doug

 

Very true. The last time I ran Laguna Seca, I warped both front rotors because one lugnut on each side wasn't as tight as the rest (one on each side). This past weekend, I checked them before every session and didn't have any problems with warping (on the other hand, I cracked them but that's besides the point).

Spike

 

I have 4 Jack stands and used them all when I did my 3/4 drop. I also jacked up the truck at teh pumpkin. Hey if it starts to leak it will give me an excuse to get the 3.73 gears :P

 

i never knew that about the pumpking, i jack the car up every other week under the pumpking when going to the track, it's quick and boom, done,

where is the best point in the rear then? i really like only having to jack the truck once, but, if it's going to cause problems

 

Come on beefcake, you got twenties.

Just grab the bumper and do a curl.

 

I've never jacked up any car I've owned anywhere EXCEPT, under the pumpkin. Never had a leak either. The main problem with using the pumpkin, is the potential for bending the wimpy axle tubes. After seeing some of the abuse that these trucks endure on the drag strip, I'm not worried about the axle tubes any more. They are not going to bend by just by using it as a jack point.

Also, the torque spec. in the Ford service manual is 150 lbs. for 14 mm studs. I have been using 110-115 ever since I have had the truck. That includes when I drag race it. I've never had a lug come loose.

Have any of you tried to remove 150 lb. lug nuts with the short jack wrench? Beefcake can probably do it, but I'm not even going to try, with my tennis elbow.

 

i too have never had a lug come loose at 110, that includes 1000 miles to florida, tried retorquing them at about 400 miles, and they didn't budge

 

As long as you don't do anything that puts a LOT of heat into the lugs, then they should stay tight.

 

Well I did my rotation yesterday and torqued them at 130 to be safe. Not really all THAT tight. As far as jacking, I put the front floor jack under the frame just to the rear of where the book says to jack it (the recommended spot was too high for my floor jack to raise the tire). After getting the front tire up, I then put the rear jack under the rear axle directly under the leaf spring. It took VERY little to raise the rear because the front jack had 99% of the weight up already! Anyway, easy job. Next time it will be even easier. Thanks for the tips guys!

 

George, I guess all that heat that you put into the aluminum wheels, will make them expand and contract a LOT. You also put tremendous lateral forces on them, which will also cause them to get loose.

After seeing your brake pad pictures, I can see why you might have a problem keeping them tight.

 

I was a little surprised to see all those pumpkin jackers coming out of the closet.