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HUNNER EXtreme SKIDS

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
welcome
DAH_3723_resize-1.jpg

DAH_3728_resize.jpg

DAH_3862.jpg
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fabrication begins tomorrow on 10 sets. I checked today and they are on the schedule for the laser in the morning, forming in the afternoon but will get backed up in welding for a day or so. Maybe next week. yaaaa
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
I thought this might be useful,
Ok, here goes. Hunner EXtreme skids install. If you do not have the right stuff get some help and share jacks. This is not hard just print this out and go step by step. A warm dry place with good light helps. I use rubber mats instead of a creeper because of my belly, no wait, because I have more room to move around.
I like to jack up one side at a time, and I only have two jacks. I use the front spring hanger to place a floor jack under. Then I put a jackstand on the frame outside of that and put some weight on it. (I did not use it fully extended like in the picture. I lowered it and the jack part way to use both to hold it up) Then I put another one under the rear axle over closer to the wheel but just outside of where the skid is going. Now I feel sort of safe. A helper is nice if you can find one. Just as a safety and hand you things. I was not that fortunate because Im impatient.
I like to pull the wheel so I can see better. It needs to be jacked up high enough that the tire is off the ground so the springs have drooped as far as they will. Exception, the rear shock is holding the axle up by 3/4 inch. I have read where people contrive all kinds of straps and such to hold the shock up. You don't need to do that. If you use an impact, air or electric (my compressor motor fried right in the middle of this) I grabbed the electric. Use 13/16 socket and box end. I hold the nut with the box end but keep your hands away and impact the bolt head. If you do it this way the impact will screw the bolt right out as the spring and shock come down 3/4 inch more. You could be fancy and place the other jack under there and adust it 3/4 inch.
Remove the spring shackle bolts and washers. I reused the washers because some engineer thought they were needed. I sort of criscross loosening them so the nuts come off even. The shock will be hanging. Install the skid against that bottom spring plate. It should be a glove fit. Be patient "rule one" (do what I say, not what I do)

If you just gotta bang on something use a rubber coated mallet! It's a bit tricky balancing the loose washer on the nut which has a made on washer with one finger and using the other hand to get the threads started. You may now know the other reason why the hole size is slightly larger than a heavy wall 1/2 drive black impact socket for wiggle room and washing and draining. Got Mud?
Plus the elongated holes in the back bracket. There is a small nut on the bolt that holds the leaf pack together make sure it aligns with the hole in the center hole in the lower spring plate. Also watch that the upper part of the hangers are flush against the stops on the axle so they are straight down. At this point you might feel like a beer but I suggest you wait. "see rule one"
I have another smaller jack that I run up under the skid. A few pumps and the bottom eye in the shock lines up. You can remove that jack and tighten the spring bolts, again evenly in a criscross pattern. You want the same amount of thread showing on all of them to center things up. Finally either really put some grunt on a long breakover handle or read the torque chart posted to be sure.
Have a be.. oh wait (see rule one), you have to put on the wheel let the jack down and go to the other side.
Now that was not bad was it? Go wheelin smash a Priu.. uh rock.
Ok while I had everything apart I thought about when I pull the center caps to wheel really rough stuff or just long distance on unimproved roads. I hate that rusted center. Too tired to cut a template I just primed and shot it with red paint. Well surprise I got red tipped lug studs too. We havin some fun now.
If anybody sees any glaring mistakes point them out. I don't know everything, don't claim to, but I know enough to be dangerous.
Remember Hunner online help is here for you. I speak southern Arkansas dialect but I type ok English, sort of!
6xTorqueSpecs-1.jpg

Don't fully extend a jack stand like this. I had to find a better spot.
DAH_3715_resize.jpg

this jack stand is only there as a safety the axle should be at full droop to extend the shock
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DAH_3723_resize-1.jpg

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DAH_3862.jpg
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Fabrication

For those interested this is from a previous batch;
Laser
DAH_3652_resize.jpg

DAH_3665_resize.jpg

DAH_3673.jpg

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Master smasher
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DAH_3681_resize.jpg

DAH_3679_resize.jpg

DAH_3678_resize.jpg

Welding
DAH_3704_resize.jpg

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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Got the call. 10 sets of skids are ready but too late to get them today. I will have them in the morning ready to blast and ship. Let me know if you need them. I will fill pre-orders first.
Still $165 all four pieces shipped.
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Picked up the new skids today. They start the bend back about 1 1/2 to clear shocks with larger mounting eyes like the Bilstein. That also makes the bend a little layed back more and more below the springs.
It's a small batch but I wanted to keep some around for new people that might want them.
DAH_2335.jpg

The new style is on the left.
DAH_2332.jpg

Here is the new style in the foreground showing the change in angle and starting a little further back.
I am running a set of the original style on my 08 Alpha and that will work but this allows them to go up just a little higher at the back. I don't plan on changing mine out just for fun!
Always looking of ways to keep up with the use of new products on the H3.
DAH_2333.jpg

contact me if you are interested.
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
SOLD
OK I'm gettin all these Black Friday specials on computer components since I got cookies from all the sites while building the guts to update my computer.
I will get in on this,
HUNNER EXtreme skids BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL
I got one full set left of the skids that had the standard bend at the rear on the rear skid. Please look up in the post showing the difference. I have sold lots of these but now that some people are going to rear Bilstein or any other shock with a bigger lower eye the new ones I have now are as in the posts above to allow more room. I still run the last style as seen in my posts with the Bilstein. I figured out the bigger eye when I replaced my shocks. They work but will not go up all the way flush at the back. Maybe a 1/4 inch lower at the rear. I don't want to having to keep telling people about these and don't want to send them out without doing that.
So if you can handle knowing that they fit OEM shocks or a similiar sized replacement, I will sell this set and knock off the $18.00 shipping. Total shipped all four pieces $147.00 American.
Happy Turkey Day, go wheeling instead of sittin on the couch with a big ole belly!
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
I talked with "albh3t" in Attica about his concern that the front spring hanger skids are a bit close using the Rancho springs. I suggested using a thin blade grinder and trim them.
Then "gldn Eagle" wanted a set and he runs a Rancho on a T. I replied to him.
I think there are at least 3 people with H3's and 1 or 2 with H3T's with the skids that have the lift. I can ask that in my skid thread and see what they all think. I am in Arkansas and just drove up to Attica Indiana to the BadLands offroad park to meet about 15 Hummers. One guy had the rancho on a T and we thought the way the Rancho springs sit that the skid for the front hanger might could be cut off an inch or so to give more clearance at full droop. That was with the old style before I angled it back more. We discussed using a thin blade right angle grinder to do so. This stuff is really hard and a sawzall eats up about three blades to do that, I tried it.I would be willing to cut and shape a set for you and you hold it up there at rest and jacked up at full droop before welding and see what you think. Shoot me some pictures both ways and I will post them on my sponsor threads to show what we did. I would not want the spring to hit that skid. I designed it for stock but when people started running disconnected anti-sway bars back there I had to slope them more. There will not be any extra charge. I want you to be happy with them and this will be a good chance to see if I need to change them for Rancho setups.The steering sleeve/bushing is the same for both vehicles. I can stick you in a set to ship with the skids and both will be a total of $200 shipped USPS flat rate 3 day priority mail. ThanksDave Hunter aka HunnerPaypal 1secondwind@comcast.netBe sure to include your forum name in the comments box so I can tell who you are! ha ha

So here is a set with the new increased angle back which makes a shorter distance to the lower spring, BUT I cut 1 inch off and reshaped it. If he will post up some pictures of how this looks with his Rancho springs and it seems to solve the issue and allow more clearance I may just have them all made that way in the next batch as I have seen others with the OEM springs think it needs more room. At some point though it will defeat the purpose of making a skid for that area if you hang up backing into a rock to get that better line. Just another MORPH of the product, trying to keep up with all the mods people are making, like disconnecting the anti-sway bar. Pulling the springs to install Rancho springs or to have your OEM re-arched is still a concern as I have not actually done that. I thought with my original design there was enough room to lift and pull out the front end of the spring. I will know someday because I will probably need to do that.
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Just a note;
I have 2 full sets of skids left from the last batch and some steering rack sleeve/bushings.
Set of skids still $165 shipped on this batch. The sleeve/bushing is $40 shipped or
when bought and shipped together are $200 shipped for both.
Not sure what price they will hit me up for next time, probably next year now.:huh:
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Sorry those last two went fast. I will get another batch as soon as I can. Hopefully in a couple of weeks. Depends on the schedule at the shop. So I will start a list for those wanting them. Please help give me an idea of how many to get by signing up. I can keep costs down by the number I have them make at one time.
Thanks

Cddutt
backwoods
 

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
I will order 15 sets but I am still thinking about the front ones. I started out with a tight bend against the mount but had to cut them off an inch after they were made. Don't want to have to do that.
Next batch I angled it back more. That also increased the distance between them and the springs.
A very few people were concerned about not being able to remove the springs with them in place. I had it figured you could but of course have not tried that.
So this last batch I angled it even more to get more clearance.
The problem being they say they cannot make it an inch shorter on the bent up part and fit it in the press.
Alrock had someone taper and cut the bent up part shorter. Not sure I like the taper unless it still covers both ends of the mounting bolt.
Then people with a Rancho set up apparently got the springs out. I did not get it clear if any removed the front skid to do so.
I have gotten some feedback that with the Rancho springs sagging and/or with a lower arch that maybe an inch needs to be cut off. I did that for a couple of people but I don't have any pictures of the outcome.
Anybody that can get me some pictures or details on what you have done let me know. I want to get this on order soon and want to tweak them if possible.
For now if I stay with the last design, people that install a Rancho set of springs can just trim off an inch as far as I know.
I will go back thru some post and put out more feelers to add to my info.
Thanks
mine before skids
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protype
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cut some off don't even try the sawzall you need a thin blade grinding disc
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mounted on my damaged mount and custom contoured after one trip to Superlift
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Mounted on the Alpha
DAH_0966.jpg

Old and second generation
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second gen held in place
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Welded
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Can't remember but I think Alrock first had these installed in Moab and the Jeep place that did it thought they should be cut off more in the back. I was concerned it might not protect the back side enough, but is probably ok. I'm sure he has tested them.
IMG_25841.jpg

When I made the first ones and all others I jacked my H3 up and let the springs go full droop to see if they touched and they did not.
I think Scorpion also cut his down or a friends to a taper and lower in the back.
All I have is a tiny image he posted, I will attempt to enlarge and sharpen it. There is a thread somewhere on that.
Scorpioncut.jpg

This is the second generation with the last gen layed up against it to show it gives more clearance from the spring. It could still be cut if anyone is concerned but at full droop they do not touch.
DAH_8037-1.jpg

cr8046.jpg

This is one I cut for someone with a Rancho.
DAH_3179.jpg

I'm willing to work with the few that do a Rancho if you cannot cut them I will. I figure if you are doing the install yourself you probably have the tools and skills to do this and can custom cut them. I don't have any way to know. If you are paying to have it done it might be best to take the cut ones to the installer and have it done at the same time.
Anyway any body with pictures of some from the last batch I would appreciate an installed shot.
I need to get on this I have orders pending and want to get them out so people can go wheeling without damage.
Thanks
Dave Hunter aka Hunner



All these ideas seem to work.
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
I have decided to go back one step. I changed it on the last batch to a flatter angle but think maybe the steeper angle is more to my liking and could be cut 1 inch more if an individual has a problem with that. Not many people are removing their springs on a regular basis and the ones that did for a Rancho know to cut it anyway because of the sagging Rancho springs and they start out with a lower angle in that area.
The red ones are the previous batch and the unpainted is the very last batch which are all gone.
cr8046.jpg

These are on my Alpha and this is with both rear tires off the ground with sway bar attached and Bilstein shocks. This was the design before the last batch. They all work I just like the way these tuck up.
fulldroop.jpg
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
I put in an order for 15 sets and a few xtra fronts. I have 7 of the full sets spoken for and will still put anyone on the list that wants them when I get them. Bad news is they can cut them here fairly soon but all the presses are jigged up for a two shift until they are done contract for Snap On so it may be a while. Not sure how long but I will stay on it.
These are the newest ones with a bit more space at the bottom for the larger eye of shocks like the Bilstein has.
DAH_4735-1.jpg

These are mine with the Bilstein and the old style skid. It will not let it go up flush with the shackle plate. I wanted to tweak the bend to allow that.
4736.jpg

The new style is on the left.
DAH_2332.jpg

Here is the new style in the foreground showing the change in angle and starting a little further back.
I am running a set of the original style on my 08 Alpha and that will work but this allows them to go up just a little higher at the back. I don't plan on changing mine out just for fun!
Always looking of ways to keep up with the use of new products on the H3.
DAH_2333.jpg

contact me if you are interested.
 
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Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Well,,,, as some of you know that wanted the skids I have built, I have been out for awhile. I try not to stock a big pile as I felt surely everyone will have these at some point. New folks have come along and I have a list of those people for when I do get them.
Today was do it or don't. I told the shop I can no longer wait for them and must fill my orders.
I have been successful finding another place that is interested in making them that is still in state. We cannot meet for another week which will be week after next week as we are both too busy.
I have no idea on my price yet as he has only had time for a phone call. I will try to keep the cost as fair as I can and justify the expense to my business. He suggested a new E coat he uses that other than the side that contacts rocks will protect them and is very hard. He says it is cheap to add that. That will let me off from all the media blasting and it will take paint also.
I may have to place a fairly large order to get these so I want to make sure I can move a bunch. I will ask if you need these to please post up that you are interested, depending on price of course, so I can try to get enough for current orders and hopefully keep some around.
I will post a price as soon as get with him the second week of June.
Based on present orders and projecting I figure on buying 40 pairs.
 

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
I made some progress yesterday.

I went to a new place to get some of the skids made yesterday but still waiting on price and production schedule.
They had two 4000 watt lasers and a 6000 watt monster that cuts 1 inch steel. Awesome to see that thing work.
I was once again told they are interested but it will be awhile or if an opening comes up will be done as a filler.
We should finalize the change over and the other place is sharing our CNC and some other type of file for the laser with them to save time and money.
Having the capability to cut thicker than 1/4 and at a fairly fast rate opens up some other possibilities.
I still like the skid design before and after the hangers and the lower shock protection.
I plan to make a larger order to protect the supply for awhile. Hopefully I don't end up with a bunch of trotline anchors.
I am going to double the number I have on a list of potential buyers.
I will be happy when I can say they are available.
 

ALPHA of JONESY

Well-Known Member
Messages
76
Location
Colorado, USA
Hunner, I am interested in purchasing a set of skids from you for my 08 Alpha. 1. What is the current price for the set? 2.what is your preferred method for puchasing them from you as well as payment? and 3. What is you estimated lead time on completing your next batch and ready for shipment?

Thanks, Landon
 
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