Tuesday evening got the new front axle delivered
Here some pictures to show the difference between the 2 axles - the one with the narrow centre is the new one.
Finally I can get rid of the little tub I used to support the truck
Previous I had added the spacer blocks for the front suspension. I found out that that way the truck was too high at the front when using the air suspension. So took it back out and re-installed the shorter screws. This leaves not much play on the front suspension, but it is still doable. Differential is not hitting the gearbox under compression.
Axle installed, next the front Trilex rims.
Here are the parts. I had to ream out the paint in the centre of the red front piece with a 10mm drill so it would fit over the centre nub. You can see the raised bit on the inside of the rim that will be clamped between the 2 pieces.
First the black part goes on.
Followed by the rim
And then the outside bit gets bolted on and the tire installed.
To tell the truth, this is easier said than done - therefor the lack of pictures
. To line everything was a tedious job because the red part is really a very tight fit. I solved that by using two small pins that I inserted in the holes marked with the red arrows. This really made it a straightforward job.
Next the connecting rod for the 2 front wheels
And finally the truck stands on its own wheels
I did not insert the hubcaps of the rear wheels. They are a real pain to insert and an even bigger pain to get back out.