Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I went up there Thursday and the owner was "in training" on the laser with a rep. Word was he was tooling up another machine. I was told he would have me two sets of prototype to install and check out next week. Dont hold your breath. This is the best way to make large quantities and keep the price down. The guy just overloaded his ass with work. Reminds me of micro management when I "was" working for someone in a galaxy far far away thankfully that's over.:popcorn:

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Steel shipment came in. I went by today and 30 sets are cut out. They are in line for the break press and then to the welder. Anyday I will post a picture of the big pile when I actually have them and then send out info to those on my list. Its happening!!!!!

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Bring it on!

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Put me down for a set please. What do you think the ETA is?

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

As usual they will not say. I go in there and see the pallets of product so they are turning out a lot of things. Im hoping it will all get bent Wednesday and Thursday and hopefully get the welding done first part of next week. This has been a long process because of their production schedule. Im just glad he worked it in, finally. It was a little sideline product for them. I got you down. Im getting close to the number spoken for equal to the number I had made. I expect some may drop out. After all this happens I might get another small run made. I want some extra in case somebody "abuses" one ha ha

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Pssst if you read this I may have some good news tomorrow. Stay tuned

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I've heard this before. :D JK!

Cool, I'm looking forward to slapping those babies on!

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Well I actually touched them today! They said, hmmmm, they would weld them tomorrow and stamp the front ones. I will post a picture of them piled up and then get addresses from everyone. You are on the list my friend. Stay tuned.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

They say a pit-chure is worth a thousand words. Im not sure I know a thousand words anymore so here.

1secondwind@comcast.net
email your physical address to receive UPS ground
Cashier's check for $150 (I will send my address to those that reply)
I will send out to the guys that spoke up first and go till I run out.

Finally! Git-er-done slap um on. I will include some suggested procedures.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I welded my front ones on today and Im going out to test them in the outdoor lab.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

They can be welded on the outside edge and front. I will see if I can tear one off. Ok I will quietly disappear now thanks.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

THAT'S GREAT!! I will send you a check in the morning, can't wait to get these on.

:beerchug:

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

HELLZ YEA!!!!!

DO IT UP!

Thanks for the work.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I found one oddity. The frame is high strength steel, a good thing. It really needs to be TIG welded. You can use MIG but have to really crank up the heat and do it in little bursts. It's a square wave queer ion polarity gey molecules thingy and there will also be an eclipse of the moon this weekend, Im not sure what that has to do with welding but I know it is an unatural act to hold a live wire between an endless power supply and ground!! Then squirt inert gases at the same time. DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY LEAD FIRST!
I just blinged my front ones with silver paint and Im running over to Superlift to shoot some pictures and do some field testing, I love my job!!
Did I mention DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTEY LEAD FIRST??

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

See all the testing I do. I usually try to miss these lines but here I am trying to be in the wrong place! ha ha I must go back tomorrow I need to guide so maybe I can lead some Jeeps thru here and see what happens.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

PM sent!:beerchug:

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I called my service manager for suggestions when I welded up my UCP, he said to disconnect the POSITIVE battery cable & let it sit for 15 minutes so the modules do an auto shut down. Don't bake your system!!!

Nice job Hunner, can't wait to get mine on!

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

DId you get my PM?

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

You have to be careful because they make you feel bullet proof after running nekked for so long. You might do something crazy!!!!

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Yah I thought I replied but I just did again.
Im going to Sedona Thursday and maybe stop by Moab for a snow run the next weekend. I may have to take vitamins.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Probably will be best to just disconnect both have a few beers and call me in the morning. Since I was grounding the welder to the frame I did not want any juice flowin thru the system. Just my boddddyyyy does welding cause brain damage?? Make you wanna drive over rocks and in the mud, yep I got it............ddrain bamage

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Hunner, I sent you a Cashiers Check today via Priority mail. Hopefully it get there quickly.

Thanks,
Alex

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

DId you get my PM Hunner?

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I have received a LOT but I don't see one from you. Send it again there was an eclipse Saturday night and it might have warped the time melinium. ha ha

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Oh wait, I sent you and e mail.....

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

HA HA your not older than me surely? That kind of stuff is normal for me. I dont see any email either. Try again, Im telling you it was the eclipse. Are you going under a nefarious name? I will be here until 5am Thursday and Im blasting off for Sedona.
1secondwind@comcast.net

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Hunner, is there a way to make the fronts bolt on too instead of weld-ons? That big honkin' shock bolt is right there after all. Just an idear.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

There would have to be two side plates, remake the plate more narrow to have it flush with the front hanger and of course you would have to remove the gas tank and skid plate to get the bolt out because they put it in from that side. No problem if you got the time. You could cut down the plate and weld on a side piece on both sides and drill for the bolt, or five minutes of welding this design. Trust me or not. I was for the easy route.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

HOLLLLLLYYYYYY HELLLLLLLLLL!

These things are tough!!!! I expected some skids, but I got SKIDS!

:perfect10s: GREAT JOB!:perfect10s:

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

OK, so now I have the skids, have the shock skids painted and ready to install. I don;t think I can just remove the four bolts? or can I. I'm guessing that you cannot just remove them and need to get the axle jacked up to take the weight off of the springs?

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I replied in your pm but I guess I should throw out something here. Jack up the frame and let the suspension droop. I placed a second jack under the spring leaving enough room for the new plate so when I removed the nuts I could control the spring from dropping too much and be able to jack it back up. Make sure the locator pin lines up on the axle tube. It has everytime I have done it. I used a bottle hydraulic jack to push the shock back up and then knocked it over to the plate. You will have a new respect for so called "stock shocks" if you try to push it up by hand. Ask for help and borrow enough jacks. Use jack stands. Retorque nuts. I put loc-tite on mine. I can do it pretty easy but I have had practice. Plenty

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Thanks for both replies. I'll make sure to take pics and do a write up as i go..

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Hunner is THE MAN!

I got 'em yesterday and have the big ones at the powdercoating shop. THey should be done on Friday for an install on Sat.

Thanks for taking action on this! We love ya!

Now,,lets get the beefed up rear bumper going.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Hunner did an outstanding job with those skids. I don't think he made enough of them.

Something tells me you better place another order with the machine shop Hunner. These skids are well made and priced better than anything similar out there. They cover the part of the truck that is the lowest point for clearance.

Great product for the money, and good thinking and initiative on your part.

Between these skids, and the winch mount by Burkhalter that I bought, Elcova forums has really come through with some killer shiat! :cool:

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

I see your point on the gas tank Hunner. What a pain. This stuff should be on there from the factory, good job Hunner and shame on Amstar for trying to screw Hummer owners to the wall. I'm serious, all that bullsheot talk about going through engineering, then letting the dealer step on it for yet another markup. A big company running around in circles now for TWO YEARS and Hunner gitserdone in a month.:beerchug: They should look in the mirror and laugh at themselves.

I'm laid up with a surgery so I'm not ordering anything for any reason, but once I get back on my feet, I will Hunner. I just wanted to say "Job well done" and thanks for showing self important do nothings that want to screw Hummer owners like Amstar how it's done.

What's next? Roof racks for $400 that make Gobi look silly?:giggling:

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Keep one thing in mind with this stuff.. Large corporations at make safety/protective gear or anything that changes major parts of a vehicle are going to be subject to a LOT of scrutiny from the public and the DOT.. They have to keep unreal amounts of liability insurance, because if it's proven that even ONE of those skids fails in some way and causes an accident.. Look out.. Ambulance chasers are going to be dug in on AmStar and GM like an Alabama tick on a coon dog..

With the buddy system that Hunner's provided, good luck chasing down who did what.. All he's gotta do is shrug and say, "Man the guy that made those did it in his back yard shop and he died 2 years ago, wish I could recall his name.. I think it was Ed.."

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

Liability is real.

Amstar could get sued and does require the insurance. That doesn't mean their product is built better or has superior engineering, it just means their insurance company lawyers will step in to defend the product in court before paying out any claims.

I'm not concerned about the quality of these skids, they are obviously built well. The plate on the spring that holds the u-bolts, is still in place, torqued to spec.

My friends Jeeps are sometimes welded back together on the trail. They have numerous parts on them that could not be "tracked down", or are "purpose built". They take those rigs on stuff I would not attempt.

It's too bad we live in such a litigious society. Any product can break, especially when we subject those products to the abuses of off roading.

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

You're talking about a skid plate for a shock absorber.

I completely understand the liability thing, believe me. This isn't a torsion bar or steering component, it's a chunk of metal for rocks to bang off of.

In today's world of the internet, there's absolutely no reason to make us pay almost double for anything for distributor agreements. The US is getting it's arse handed to it in trade deficit and this whacky krap is just one of the reasons. Competitiveness doesn't only come from getting labor down. We need torte reform and we need to get rid of middlemen.

Again, good job Hunner!

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

This is a part sandwiched below the existing plate, on purpose. It's like a washer in a way between the nut and ubolt. I believe they "suggested" you could get new u-bolts and nuts. Of course the dealer would love that. Our local spring shop laughed when I said that. They dont stock many but have a machine that makes them. It's like $4 for a pair. Im betting they are $40 at a dealer, think I will ask. Im also going to guess they dont have any. If anyone is paranoid get new u-bolts and nuts. Then of course you should have them xrayed and magna fluxed and ultra sounded for integrity and test the stock they use on a torque bench to test the breaking strength of that batch of material. There is a theory that the threads were stretched when they were originally torqued. In all the years of owning cars how many people have regularly re-torqued their spring shackle plate nuts??
On another sore subject,
I have two complete tie rods assemblies but I found pieces at several dealers to make them up. I ordered some from GM parts direct at a low price but now they are on national backorder? Im seeing a pattern here. Someone responsible for carrying parts, that I would think will be in high demand, just blew it or something. I would have thought dealers would be required to carry a certain amount of inventory but apparently not. If you bust a tierod you will wait a long time I guess.
Im going to wheel at Superlift this weekend and ponder all this...................

Re: Spring hanger/shock mount skid plate
 

No long explanation needed. Just take off the U-bolt nuts and the shock bolt and put on the skid. You can get it all back up and then compress the shock to get it in. My friend and I did these yesterday in 45 min. I reccommend powdercoating! That was the first time that I had parts coated. DO IT!! It was 40 bills to do both plates. BEAUTIFUL!!! :beerchug:

I am glad I had my air system finally hooked up to rip the nuts off. Previous wheeling and abuse made them a bit tough to get off. Thank goodness I wasn't using a wrench. :fdance: