Vintage Truck MUCH NEEDED Suspension Upgrades! Offroad Expedition Camper Build (Week 16)

[@magicalvortex]

Hi guys, leave boots on the shocks and fit cable ties. It helps prevent grit getting on the seals and surface grinding the shock shaft. Also bounce the suspension when the vehicle is on the ground and do a final tightening of all your bolts/nuts, also check all your nuts/bolts to final specs after a week of driving once everything has settled in. Good job on the video. Also, its called a Bogie like a train bogie.

[@57guyro]

The rubbers around the shocks isn’t for looks its to stop stone damage but if you keep to the asphalt and just drive around in low range it will be fine but keep away from driving down dirt roads as the stones flying up from the tyres will sand blast them and decrease the life

[@JustinCaseSolarPower]

@57guyro "The rubbers around the shocks isn’t for look, It's to stop stone damage" Spot on with that answer. Put the Rubbers back on.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

The road dust and wet grime will work like grinding paste even hardened chrome will scratch in a year and then the wiper seals will get damaged and the stems score ..leading to leaks and MOT fails.. If you have gaiters fit them ..maintain them.. bare MC fork leg stanchions suffer terribly in temperate climbs.. then if they rust with road salt they are scrap PDQ.

[@barcrusher]

The whole point of the vehicle is to go off-road

[@SimonElenor]

I have been building 4x4's for over 30 years. Everytime I have removed shocks with boots the top of the shock and shaft are shot. The boot keeps the moisture and dirt in the boot and unless you pull the boot off regularly and clean inside they hurt more than they help. Just my two cents from a guy that learnt the hard way. Plus without the boot you can clean the seal area easily.

[@jamest5149]

Keep the weather boots on the shocks, the road grit, road salt used in winter, dust and cow poo all attack the shafts and seals quickly.

[@brianmac001]

I was going to mention about Trueblue Travellers 😂 Really fun & funny guys. Glad you showed their clip from last week.

[@marciacoker2968]

No way little Oakley is beginning to take baby steps 🙌 💛💛💛 hard work you both are doing 👏👏 take care!

[@TheOutFit]

He is doing so well! Thank you so much Marcia for your kind words 😊

[@andrewjohnson9896]

Boots on, will increase life between services and cut down damage.

[@mikezog1030]

While the True Blue guys are funny and very polished and I enjoy watching them for the humour and the vehicle, what they say is clearly rehearsed- your talks sound more natural and I prefer that it sounds like you are chatting to a friend.

[@nagrar]

In gas shock absorbers the oil is under pressure, this causes them to extend because there is less surface area in the side of the piston where the shaft is. In non gas shock absorbers there isn’t any pressure so they don’t extend by themselves, that doesn’t mean that they are faulty.

[@dwainedhotmandevilliers2128]

Love the reference to True Blue it’s how I found your channel so great that you reciprocated keep the banter going

[@MarcSasso]

Next time double nut and lock the nuts together on the studs you are trying to remove. It's the oil in the shocks that thins in viscosity when they heat up, reducing its ability to dampen movement when flowing through the shock valve body. Also some of your final tightening on suspension components should be done when the vehicle suspension is load bearing at ride height or you are going to create binding and tear up your new rubber bushings. Like on your shock end mounts.

[@duathlete827]

You have a tremendous amount of persistence and patience!

[@TheOutFit]

He sure does! Impressing me everyday :) thanks for watching!

[@philipmoores5202]

Surely the boots on the shocks are there for a purpose to stop road grit etc contaminating the chromium plated pistons

[@KevIsOffGrid]

LMAO @ "great bit of kit for the workshop" - top bantering with the TBT channel. It would be great to see you both do some off roading in your similar builds at some point.

[@TheOutFit]

Hopefully we can make it happen!

[@maximusreed]

real beast once the new wheels go on ...amazing amount of work u have done .. cant wait to see the finished result .

[@TheOutFit]

We cannot wait, it is going to be such a beast! Thank you so much for watching and commenting :)

[@JC-kh1ut]

I had to check twice …. That checkered shirt had me convinced it was the English fireman! Love the banter between the 2 of you guys.

[@truebluetravellers]

😂😂😂pmsl, brilliant bit of content for a Friday 😂👍💪🚒

[@brandond92]

For the U-bolts I would use lithium spray grease. I find it lasts indefinitely. It goes in thin so it will go down the holes then the solvent evaporates leaving the grease behind. I also spray my battery terminals with it before and after I put them on the battery and it lasts longer than anything else I've ever tried.

[@jmendes394]

Awsome job, priceless seeing Jon n Jess from TBT! Now, all you have need is to get in in touch with Karstan n Max, they're refurbing an Oka in Perth.

[@boy3127]

Those dish washes you are putting on the lower shock I’m pretty sure the dish has to be facing outwards not in wards could be wrong you should check with the manufacturer loving the content and your build keep up the great work

[@andredegoede5218]

It is amazing how used to something we get - I can remember when I changed my old suspension out for OME - the difference was awesome - would never had thought the old suspension was that worn!!! PS - very glad to be your friend, Chris - so talk all you want to!!!!!!

[@akepettersson4847]

Oh darn…what an overhauling this Tgb 13 is getting 🤩

[@TheOutFit]

She doesn't look from the 70s anymore that's for sure! Thank you so much for following along!

[@akepettersson4847]

@@TheOutFit It’s so much fun to follow you along , especially for me because I drove a Tgb 13 when I was in the army from october 1986 to may 1987 in Växjö here in Sweden. The Tgb 13 is a beast on the off road tracks and you take this to another level. Happy that you found new seats , I spend a lot of time on the original seats , and that was a pain 😩 It will be very interesting to see the new engine installed and the pop up roof. Btw : do you both see a date / month when everything is finished and ready for a new adventure ?

[@jamesmason7124]

The scratches on the shafts caused by not using the boots on the shocks will wear out the seals in the shocks. Personally I never chose form over function. God bless you and your family

[@damianorizzi1621]

Seguo da mesi (da anni il vostro canale) un lavoro veramente strepitoso esempio per tutti gli appassionati di meccanica e auto in genere. Siete una grande coppia (oggi un trio) e un giorno spero vivamente di potervi ospitare a casa mia, in Italia.

[@gold4leaf]

Those Aussie shocks are a 'brilliant bit of kit' 🤣🤣🤣 , but keep the boots on to give them extra protection from dust/water/grime ingress. As I have mentioned to the General (Jess) and Jon you guys need to meet up and compare notes on your builds, ... been following both of you guys since almost the beginning, keep up the great vids, cheers, Garry from DownUnder

[@howie_on_tour]

Getting there 👍🏻 good job. I'd keep the rubber sleeves on. Gives you some extra protection when leaving tarmac. Altough it's one point more to keep in mind of checking on a regular basis to avoid water and muck build up inside I think it's worth it

[@andrewcraggs85]

Great job on the build, really quality footage. DEFINITELY put the rubber boots on, the seals will be damaged in no time without protection from sand and dirt.

[@Chris-o4n2u]

So close now,can’t wait for the adventure to begin

[@TheOutFit]

Still a long way to go but we are getting there! Thank you for following along :)

[@MrTubeuser12]

can't wait to see some drone footage of this beast off-road. good luck with the build guys 👍

[@TheOutFit]

It will look awesome from the air! Thanks for watching :)

[@marksummerskill4073]

As dirt and grit wears away the seals we can watch another video when you replace these shocks . Goodo . Love this truck . Please white wheels ,the original Defender in this colour with white roof and steel wheels was perfect . Great project .

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

What an absolute beast.

[@TheOutFit]

@@australiantruckspotting8883 thanks for watching!

[@curley1441]

Awesome job!! It's great that nothing stops you and you keep moving forward.

[@TheOutFit]

Thank you so much for watching and the nice comment, it means a lot!

[@Grizzmakes]

Morning from Kent, UK. I discovered your channel via TrueBlue Travellers. I think you answered your own question regarding the shock boots. They keep dirt at bay. May look cool but I think function over form. Loving your build so far, even when the Volvo insists on fighting you.

[@romkasponka]

Old shock absorbers probably were not gas-filled so you do not get them extended by themselves and that is normal. Gas is to keep oil without air bubbles and prevent cavitation which decreases damping. In any case you are doing a great job!

[@davidmilledge221]

Its a bogie or tandems also called a twin axle normally , all trucker stuff , yep leave the boots on mate , love your work 👍

[@paulwinskill5810]

Keep the boots on! Already been commented on! Personally, I can't emphasise enough how important they are. They are there for a reason! Sod aesthetics & 'what looks good.' This is your home for travelling around the world! You need it to be as perfect mechanically as it can be... I speak from experience, I am an automotive master technician, although I have a different job within the industry currently...

[@VintageWanderer]

banging on that suspension is like me banging on my front doors to get the top half off! RUSTED ON! I put nice shocks on my vw bus and off roading it I lost a lower mounting bolt with all the vibration. I had to use some thread locker on the bolt threads so it would not fall off again. Great video!

[@markbergman2342]

is not to much grease! looks good! and yes there will be some pushed out.

[@martinj2843]

Good teacher 👍

[@TheOutFit]

He always encourages me which is nice :)

[@Pgsa79]

I have an edge on each side of the leaf landing spot. For aligning the axle.

[@Ovaworked4x4]

I'd be leaving the rubber boots on the shocks, and sort of stone damage will score the chrome and ruin the seals. Which will mean more than just a rebuild.

[@MikeBanks2003]

I have run silver solder into the threads of stripped nuts or to jam a nut onto a threaded rod. Silver brazing needs a lower temperature than silicon bronze, and has better penetration. Silicon bronze is my first choice where the required extra heat is not a problem. The good thing about silver brazing is it can often be used on the vehicle.

[@JackDeFencer]

A product called Kroil - The Oil that Creeps! might be handy for rusty parts

[@mfletch392]

In my opinion, you are doing a good job, my Internet pal; I hope you and the family are all well.

[@TheOutFit]

That is very nice of you to take the time to write this comment, thank you for watching!

[@nickrobertshaw9692]

Starting to take shape, definitely leave the shock boots on as they will provide some protection from rocks and dirt. Those original shocks may have lost their effectiveness but how you were testing them isnt correct, they are hydraulic ( oil filled ) and rely on internal valving to create the resistance. Only gas filled shocks (also oil filled) will extend under their own pressure. Best way to test hydraulic shocks is to extend one fully then rapidly push in then pull out, if it goes in or out too easily its stuffed- its not an exhaustive test but will give you a quick idea on condition.

[@cyclemoto8744]

You can use a guard instead of aboot for the shocks but in any case I'd certainly have something to protect the shock shaft on the rear of a vehicle. Cheers

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

nice upgrade to the build keep up the good vid you do on channel

[@PipeDream.Adventures]

I'd keep the shock boots on the rear axles, as the front tires will shoot stones at them and stone chips might damage the shock shaft, which in turn can damage the seals in the shock, when being compressed. It's fine to remove the boots from the shocks at the front axle though, as they won't have too many stones flung at them.

[@ShiftingAdventures]

Great video guys, it’s coming along so well… loving each update. My god, when you were installing the Dobinson shocks, you looked like one of the Mario Bros in the overalls and sporting the moustache 😂 Keep up the great work!

[@marksummerskill4073]

the boots are there for a reason obviously . especially off road !

[@seanchristie7150]

Fantastic episode as usual, love the toolbox tuesday. As per most comments, keep the boots on, much better for the life of the shock absorbers seals n prevents putting from stone impact n from salted roads

[@IanDerybshire]

Oh no, a two week wait for the next vid! Where on earth would you find compelling content, honesty and credibility like this on normal TV, (not that I'd know, I stopped watching TV well over 15 years ago precisely for that reason, contrived, ridiculous situations, usually involing annoying "celebities", with a bottomless pit of money far beyong normal peoples' resources). Great stuff, enjoy your mini break, you've definately earned it. Clearly a great deal of research and lanning went into this project, maybe you could explain the background a little? Why a Volvo, design planning, materials specs, engine and gearbox choices? All the best Ian

[@alangurman3961]

I would have put copper paste on the tips of each individual spring. It's great to see Dobinsons coming on board.

[@mazevx2451]

Usually the boots on the shocks cause more problems than they help in Europe, whatever gets in doesn't get out and water will cause problems. Good shocks have wiper seals and they are made to wear and protect the pressure seals stone chipping on the shafts is more of an issue with desert racing so not really a concern here.

[@SimonElenor]

I have been building 4x4's for over 30 years. Everytime I have removed shocks with boots the top of the shock and shaft are shot. The boot keeps the moisture and dirt in the boot and unless you pull the boot off regularly and clean inside they hurt more than they help. Just my two cents from a guy that learnt the hard way. Plus without the boot you can clean the seal area easily.

[@1sheinz]

Leave the boots on, but only put ziptie on the top. This keeps water from pooling an rusting the end of the shock. The other option is what are called ROOST GUARDS, they replace the boot with a guard that faces the front keeps stones from pitting the shock shaft. Fill the boogy completely with grease, any air bubbles will will with condensation and water so hit that zero and grease till no more air escapes. Love too see you've met the bits that are building the 6 by, so interesting to see different builds come together. You need a couple 100cm tire spoons to debead tires yourself. CHEERS Steve h.

[@Rexy888]

Good to see you using Australian made made shocks down under your truck.pun intended😂❤

[@ryanmj9]

Just an observation, it looked like the shock absorber cupped washers were installed backwards. Cup facing out is the correct way I believe? I’m sure others can confirm, as I am not a professional.

[@nicholasallez7856]

Can confirm your assessment is correct.

[@TheOutFit]

Thanks for the tip!

[@papaschmu]

Lets go! It becomes a BEAST! Nice suspension :)

[@TheOutFit]

Wait until we put the new tyres on and then it will be a BEAST! Thanks a lot for watching :)

[@LazL-d6i]

Yes leave boots on . Stops the chrome from scratching and damage

[@marcoslopo7139]

You need to make o trip together!

[@User13986en]

The build is coming along with great speed, great progress, True Blue Travelers volvo Fire truck has 6 leaf springs on each side of the rear, yours only 4, it seems like you could add 1-2 more leaf springs on each side if you need to.

[@TheOutFit]

Ours are parabolic at the rear. They are very different from the front which have 8 leaf springs. Thanks a lot for watching :)

[@craigtuck1741]

great job on the suspension Chris, those damn pesky bolts that dont want to move . my mate has a solary magnetic induction eater bolt removal tool, and its amazing . he bought it on amazon uk

[@Danger_Mouse_00]

You're apprentice is now starting to walk. Now he can go get the tools for you. 😜😉

[@boonacka]

At 33:00 you may have put that washer on the lower shock mount on backwards. I think the curved side faces outward…

[@TheOutFit]

Thanks for the tip!

[@King_of_the_End]

I would recommend using a "Stratos film" on any and all windows

[@lucysoutdoors]

Keep the boots on, they are there to protect that shaft from damage eg rocks and other things you run over.

[@muamadhamuslimu4995]

You may change the bracket of the shock absorber with the screw to the inside, so that you can reach it when the wheels mounted

[@TheOutFit]

Good tip thanks!

[@evanselaban7058]

Yeah you should put the boots back on the shocks just think of all that dirt and rocks covering and hitting the shaft which will go into the shocks then your right back in the shop.

[@Bratfalken]

Just in case you find some trouble at some border with the Swedish registry plates, the 00 are numbers, not letters. Sweden used XXX123 before, but changed to a letter instead of the last digit to get more possible combinations when we almost ran out of combos.

[@KevIsOffGrid]

On the boots - I can argue both ways. Boots on protect the shaft from rock chips and dirt, and means the main seal doesnt have to work so will last longer. However any muck does get in, in stays in, you cant clean it easily, big water crossing and they can fill up and hold muck and water. Boots off - the main seal will clean the shaft, and you can easily keep it clean as you can see it. Its a 50:50 choice really, I'd probably do boots on, and see if they trap muck or keep muck out after the first 10,000 miles or something when you do a full check after the first big trip and check the rebuild is all working well.

[@patrickmawson1142]

Great job. Will you give us a total cost please? Thanks.

[@bumonthemove]

Nice that John stayed dressed🤣

[@TheOutFit]

It's a bit cooler in Sweden 🤣

[@philpoole5670]

Looking forward to see which wheels you’ve picked

[@Mister510]

Shock boots will reduce wear on the shafts and seals while driving on roads. Off road they trap water and mud inside and wear the shock shafts much more rapidly. With heavy forest use no shock boot will last more than a month anyway before it's shredded garbage. I don't run shock boots on my Unimogs and my shocks have lasted decades.

[@andicog]

No rebound on the old dampers? They won't 'self extend' if they're a normal non gas damper, only gas dampers extend without being pulled out from fully compressed. Oh, and the springs absorb the shocks, the dampers dampen the spring.... 👍👍

[@Allthingsdefender]

Nice work. It’s a bit bigger than my defender but maybe one day I’ll upgrade to a 6x6

[@nicholasallez7856]

Those shock washers are fitted backwards mate. Cup goes away from the rubber to allow the shock to articulate without hitting the eyelet of the shock on the edge of the washers. Those shocks are a good bit of gear but suck to fit. Truck is coming along nicely bud.

[@TheOutFit]

Thanks for the tip and for watching!

[@jaredtrenholme9884]

I believe boots off , unless driving on salted roads. Boots are good for dust and salt protection. If you going through water crossing etc moderns boots have drain holes and are not fully sealed, in water crossing the shock fills with water and fine gravel. Modern shocks have dual wiper seals and are clean themselves. With your servicing you can easily clean and lubricant the shafts, with boots this is a challenge. Like chassis, frame rails and panels you want the water, gravel and gunk to drain away. If your going to avoid water then your best with the boots on

[@Wrong-Way-Round]

Hi Chris and Ange and Oakley, great vid again. I will say tho' Chris that all that shines is not gold, put the damper boots back on mate they're there for a purpose and anyway you've got the wrong vehicle for "Pimp My Ride" . Have a lovely break guys, missing you already 🤔 probably watch that gendupt mechanic on the other channel 😉

[@stephenfrench4417]

I'll add my thoughts which replicate many others shock absorbers have a job not bling as do the hoses supporting the the external gas/oil reserves. Keep their boots on and wrap those hoses with coiled flexible wire even more so in harsh off road use. I'd also consider a Teflon spray between the individual spring leaves to protect from binding. Theoretically Teflon sheet between each leaf would be better, but getting the right spec sheet is not easy nor cheap. Id seal the boots with cable ties but do not add grease to the internal space, no matter how the boots are tied the dust will get in the grease just converts it to abrasive paste. Simply keep the external assembly wiped down and clean and inspect everything after aggressive use. Lanolin is a passive lubricant not a frictional heat dispensing one sealing against grit and dust is the important thing in this application

[@TheOutFit]

Chris put some graphite powder between the spring leaves but forgot to show it on camera.

[@ПавелКолтынюк-е9ч]

Надо при сборке стремянок (U образных болтов) смазывать их водоотталкивающей графитной смазкой , что бы потом не иметь проблем при демонтаже. Так же при сборке смазывать графитом или медной смазкой все резьбы на трансмиссии и шасси! .

[@Flaggyt]

You and jon could be brothers!!! 😂

[@SimonElenor]

Shock washers go cup outwards to allow for misalignment.

[@TheOutFit]

Thanks for the tip!

[@johnsweeney4257]

It would be nice if you could fit some UHMW (or similar) pads to those spring pads.

[@Vince1266]

The boots work great at keeping crap out but make it hard to see how much shock travel is being used. Do the testing with them off and add them after you see how much travel you have. Add a cable tie to the shaft to see how much travel is being used. The best comfort comes from using all the travel except a tiny bit being used on rough ground. Dirt bike experience.

[@petefranghis738]

Chris, you will regret not using the rubber boots on the shocks , your seals will not last long in rough terain.

[@shaunmount130]

Some rust converters and rust primers aren't waterproof.So if you don't seal them,water will get through and you will have new rust.

[@thedevilstears1]

I may be wrong, but I believe you should be using something like graphite powder for lubricating the leaf springs. If any dirt gets caught in the grease/copper anti-seize, it will just turn into a grinding paste unless you can regularly replace it during a service.

[@TheOutFit]

Chris used the graphite powder between the leaf but forgot to show it! Good spotting :)

[@simmapallen]

I am from Sweden and wonder why you chose this particular location and how do you make the project financially viable?

[@TheOutFit]

We have a workshop here and KZbin/content creation is our full-time job :)

[@philw4625]

Boots on for sure. Boots off is for the 'hangar queen' look. Looks cool but impractical for intended usage.

[@steinarbrevikknudsen1546]

What and where will this be used? E6? In Scandinavia, it's not just driving in the countryside...off public roads.

[@danleone]

Do an all day workshop livestream if you're lonely 🙏😁

[@rhyswilliams695]

I see you got yourself some overalls ;) Not so common in Oz anymore but almost ubiquitous in Scandi workshops!

[@TheOutFit]

Chris actually bought them in Aus 😄

[@brianehly1954]

KZbin ColtBuilds has a recent video on dismounting tires from rims on the trail. You may find the info you are looking for there.

[@roguetrail]

Hi Ange, I noticed last week, but wasn't sure, this week I paid attention. There were no YT-Ads during the video - not that I like or want them, but I understand it's required for me to continue to be entertained. Just letting you know in case you guys are forgetting something..

[@TheOutFit]

Thanks for letting me know! Where are you watching from? This would impact the ads.

[@roguetrail]

@@TheOutFit Melbs, AUS

[@TheOutFit]

@@roguetrail interesting! We definitely got some ad revenue from Australia lately so I'm not too sure why. Maybe because it's almost the end of the financial year!

[@ThePatricHalldin]

​@@TheOutFit I got an ad watching it now here in Sweden.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Looks like it’s gonna be a fantastic off-roader, wouldn’t fancy doing much distance in it overlanding though, what speed can you do with those portals?

[@King_of_the_End]

Rubber boot is there to protect the seals and make the shock last put it back on m8

[@King_of_the_End]

also once the wheel is back on you'll never see the "Bling" Again

[@mikaelljungberg1019]

Did you know that you can heat the leafsprings and press them to thear original chape

[@TheOutFit]

Probably not worth it, they were not in good condition. We got the "new" ones for 100 euros.

[@bumonthemove]

Keep the boots on or you have to clean them every time you had a drive. Race team can leave them off as the have a team to look after them ( or a good sponsor)

[@robertjohansson6381]

Keep the rubber