So we went and bought some blocks of metal to build our own lowering blocks. Also purchased 2 5/8" bolts which we cut to size. This is a 5/8" drill bit, we also used a slightly smaller one that was needed to tap the threads for the 5/8" bolts and one much smaller one to drill the pilot hole. Used cutting fluid, Bryant calls it the piss container Drilled down with the small bit, then drilled halfway down with the bit that fits the 5/8" tap. Here is the threaded tap We cut the heads off the bolts and cut the threads so that half of it sticks into the threads
Yes, a lot of work, considering that you could have bought $15 blocks from AutoZone. not much pride in buying blocks, though...
Honestly, though, I miss working in the machine shop. I spent 4 years working in one making $50k a year while going to college, and I got WAY more feelings of being a productive citizen working at the shop, as compared to being a college student.
I think the blocks set me back under $15 and the bolts were a couple bucks. But no doubt if you consider labor etc I'm sure it would much more. I heard bad stories about a lot of lowering blocks breaking and that's the last thing I need.
once there installed let's see some pictures...i'd like to see how it looks after. looks like those will work better than those cheap autozone blocks anyway
hopefully tomorrow I can get it done. I have a lot of other things that I need to get done but it's on the to do list.
I bought some a few years ago, but I never used them. The ones from NPD are steel blocks, just in case someone is looking for any. Did you get them installed yet?
the 5/8s tap was bigger than any of my tap handles. but a square plug socket fit it perfectly. how much precision do you need with such a big tap for lowering blocks.
Only pulling from one side with a ratchet I would worry about the tap not starting straight and getting stuck. Hey, but it worked!
