In the last issue (of FSJ magazine, January, 2001) we left Biff, 
Sally Sue and Billy Bob heading for breakfast with
Billy Bob designated to pick up the tab.   Billy Bob's 1966 
Wagoneer sat quietly in the garage patiently waiting
for the merry band to return from nourishment and some 
badly needed rest.

The team worked through the Wagoneer replacing each wire with 
new ones, carefully tracing each one from the switch to the 
source and the switch to the load.  After each wire was carefully 
cut to length and run through the rig they gathered them up with 
tie wraps and then ran tape around their new wiring harness.  They 
replaced old switches that showed signs of excessive heat, and 
made sure that each line had a fuse close to the power source.  
They added relays for all the lights on the front and used a 
commercial H4 Replacement loom for the headlights.  

After a week of working together the three of them looked under 
the hood at how clean the wiring was.

Billy Bob was the first to speak, "Wow.  I can see the engine, 
the vacuum lines, and hey, isn't
that a fuel line down there?"

Biff and Sally Sue looked at each other and grinned.  Sally 
Sue said, "It's time to take this thing on the road.  The 
wiring is safe now."

Billy Bob hopped into the Wagoneer, it creaked and groaned 
and listed to port.  He put the key into the ignition, he 
paused and looked over at Biff.  Biff had a large grin on 
his wide face and Billy Bob could see the garden hose held 
partially behind his back.  Billy Bob rolled up the window
and grinned back.

He turned the key.  

The Wagoneer rumbled to life. 

No smoke. 

They all grinned. 

Biff put the garden hose down.  Billy Bob rolled the window down 
and motioned for them to get in.  The merry band of FSJrs backed 
cautiously out of the garage.

Billy Bob aimed the lifted Wagoneer for the field across the 
street from the house.  He reached over and tossed the Dana 20 
into low range and got on the go pedal.  The Wagoneer went down 
into the drainage ditch with the right front tire first, the large 
beast bowed down and groaned and then beached itself on the other 
side of the ditch.

Billy Bob gripped the wheel, staring straight ahead.  He could 
feel his sister's gaze boring a hole through his head.  

He knew that she knew that he had screwed up again.

"Billy Bob, tell me you didn't use blocks on the front axle to 
lift this thing."

Biff knew better to say anything at all, but he did anyway, 
"Well, thankfully this happened across the street and at slow 
speeds.  Had this happened out on the highway..." He didn't 
finish the sentence.

Sally Sue went across the street and fired up her '77 Cherokee.  
She backed up to the Wagoneer and rolled the electric rear window 
down.  Billy Bob knew what to do.  He reached in the back and 
grabbed that old familiar tow strap.  He attached the ends to
the tow hooks on the back of both FSJs.

Sally Sue stuck her head out the window and told Billy Bob to 
keep the wheel straight and to stay off the brakes.  She 
gently pulled the '66 Wagoneer out of the ditch and back into 
the driveway.   Once clear of the road they wrapped a chain 
around the front axle and leaf spring in order to limp the 
wounded beast back into the garage.

Biff looked at Billy Bob and explained, "Look, the stresses 
placed on the springs and axle when turning are significant.  
Lifting the springs off the axle like you did created a longer
lever and even more stress.   The spring over axle conversion 
you did was as far as you should have gone.  You could have 
gained the rest of your lift by remounting the shackles under 
the frame and by having your springs rearched or buying new ones.  
Using the block and your old springs could have been disasterous."

Sally Sue looked at the rear springs and gasped.  "What were 
you thinking Billy Bob?  How many blocks do you have stacked 
up back here?!"

Billy Bob sheepishly replied, "Well, I had those 1" blocks 
left over from that lowered pickup we turned into a trailer, 
and all they had at the parts store were those 2" blocks.  I had
to raise this thing up at least the 8" I had in the front.  I 
was able to get the 4" blocks to use up front."  

Sally Sue looked at her brother in amazement.  Biff looked at 
Sally Sue and hoped she wouldn't notice his custom extended 
shackles too.  Sally Sue looked to the back of the Wagoneer and
gasped. "What in the world are you thinking?  Those carriage 
bolts are softer than your head!" 

Billy Bob knew two things for certain.  One, he was going to 
have to spend some money, and two, he was going to have to redo his lift.

Biff looked underneath.  "Billy Bob, why do you have two one inch 
blocks and three two inch blocks on this side and two four inch 
blocks on that side?"  But before Billy Bob could open his mouth, 
Biff exclaimed, "Hey, two of these things are aluminum ones!"

Biff and Sally looked at the situation, then at each other.   
Sally Sue had already done the math in her head and turned to 
Billy Bob and said, "Ok, here's what I'll do.  I'll sell you  
my old 4" lift kit springs for half of what my new springs cost me. 
Those 4" springs made my '77 Cherokee ride like an ox cart so I had
custom springs made.  Only cost me $650 and that included new U-bolts."

Biff and Sally watched the pained expressions on Billy Bob's face.  
It was obvious he was trying to do the math.  Biff relieved his 
friend's pain, "Billy Bob, don't hurt yourself, it's $325."   
The pain left only momentarily as he realized that he had to come 
up with the money. 

Sally Sue explained, "We'll remove all the blocks from the front axle.  
Your spring over conversion was done properly.  You have the 
correct drop pitman arm and your tie-rods were done properly.  
The 4" springs with the Spring over will give you almost 8" of lift.   
We'll use the steel 4" blocks, one per side, in the rear, and we'll 
replace those two pieces of strap metal with carriage bolts you 
believe are shackle extensions with the stock ones I saw in 
your garage.  That will give you a solid 8" of lift in the rear 
to match the front."

Billy Bob was still trying to figure out where he was going to 
come up with the money, but it slowly dawned on him that he was less 
than a weekend away from riding in solid FSJ style.

What will our FSJ forum encounter next?  Will Bily Bob's '66 
Wagoneer ever experience the joys of the FSJ lifestyle again?  
Will Biff ever get around to asking Sally Sue out (without Billy 
Bob being there?).  




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