Builds Shipwreck (6 Viewers)

[SuperBuickGuy]

presents.... anyone still wonder why the steering box is still blue?



a good idea, but no, too tall


too short



okay, I don't get it, why is there so much space there?


time to start on the t-case




of course, that was a dead stop because I printed out the directions and stored them in a safe place....

 

[rusty_tlc]

BTDT, I'm missing the bearings and races for my tire rack spindle.

 

[cruisermatt]

What transmission is that?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

AR5 - a better explanation is this. GM contracted with Warner and Aisin to build a transmission for the Colorado and other light trucks. This is the transmission they designed. Functionally, a AX15, but it has 26 spline input and 28 (IIRC, it's whatever a 700r4 is) output. It doesn't have the 6 bolt rear flange, nor is the same as the 700r4 or 4L60e.... which means the adapter is custom made.... although the adapter for the output is merely a 4L60e output. It was a fair bit of work to adapt, but it's a stronger transmission, it's 80 lbs not 200 lbs like the NV4500, it was free to me, and if it doesn't work I'll put a 4L60e in its place.... which I already have on my shelf.

moving along
adapter off


ugly... but not rusty...


dagnabit... now that's ugly and must be replaced




if the shims hadn't been trashed, I'd have reused these... for those who count - there must be 48 of these.


.... 42 - the answer to life, the universe and everything, but not the right answer for Dana 300s... I think I found 5 of the missing 6.




if you get lucky, you don't have to pull the lower gears out


the new bits


and yes, this fought me, but I won




anyway, cleaned the case up, I'll paint it tomorrow and hopefully have the instructions so I can put the upper half back together. I'll be waiting for the intermediate shaft to arrive; but I bet that's at least a week out. Which is good, I need to re-order a seal and do a bit of cleanup on the transmission....

ttfn.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

picture for reference

I know, it's a rear set up, but it shows how the piston attaches to the bracket.... probably next to the instructions for the transfer case is the spacer/bracker you see at the bottom of the caliper.... what irritates is I put everything in a folger's can bucket - but I'm not sure where that bucket got to - and yes, I put them on a shelf; however, and I hate to admit this, I let a number of people borrow my shop and sometimes things move around a bit... oh well, I need more exercise wandering aimlessly around my shop looking for stuff that I know were there at one point. Fortunately I also know this - the guys and gal who borrow never, ever remove stuff so I know it's there somewhere.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Your shop looks pretty neat compared to mine so this might not help. My SOP to find stuff is to straighten up and start putting things where they belong.

 

[cruisermatt]

You won't find it by looking for it

This build is coming out nice!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I was informed that I was wrong, there are no instructions (seriously).... I think I had printed out the JB conversions instructions and those are the ones that are MIA.

The answer to the question I had was that the washer is eliminated - which is exactly opposite of what I thought it should be.... I'm glad I called.

For those using the Novak output set-up, there are several versions; so calling and asking for help is the only way at this point.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

back to the transfer case


new output shaft


bearing pressed on the other side


much short = happier driveshaft angles


still awaiting the mid-shaft replacement, but at least it's mostly together and painted now.


along with the adapter


the back to the rear end


now with spring mounts and shock mounts


I may make an executive decision and let the truck be 3" over stock height so that I don't have to cut holes in the floor for the shocks

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

carrying on
I think these are going to look good... dually marker lights


LED tail lights - but not sure where yet



then an O2 sensor install


and the start of the exhaust



ordered the cats and mufflers (cats aren't required, but it makes wheeling so much more enjoyable since heavy fuel in the exhaust gives me a migraine)....

then onto the body.... should have most of the running gear minus axles and, driveshafts done in the next week or so...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

a bit of bouncing about tonight. I'm kind of waiting for parts (especially a seal) - so I did whatever I figured needed doing
first was weld the extensions together


I've been robbing parts from the Buick - but it makes no sense to simply sit on the parts for another 5 years


I ordered new lines and I'll have to adapt to the Scout box (7/16 fitting rather then 18 mm).... however, everything from the pump is metric so it won't be that hard to do. I also have to put another return into the power steering pump.... easy enough. I want brakes, and hydraboost will give me solid brakes - especially with 4 wheel disk brakes
adapted the pedals


then I started planning the brake lines and putting the various sensors on the motor for EFI and the electronic dash

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

sandblast the body or not?

if so, when do I sandblast? before I weld up the holes or after?

these are my considerations today.

 

[White Stripe]

Have you thought about running the exhaust inside the frame rails? When I had my tub sandblasted it warped the quarter panels, I wish I had it media blasted instead.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Sand blasting is a form of media blasting.

I say blast then weld up the holes. Sandblasting/glassblasting/walnutblasting will likely show you more holes you need to patch.

 

[rusty_tlc]

In WA? I'd wait until the last possible minute before painting to strip the body to bare metal.

 

[rusty_tlc]

GLTHFJ60 makes a good point.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Have you thought about running the exhaust inside the frame rails? When I had my tub sandblasted it warped the quarter panels, I wish I had it media blasted instead.

In a manner of speaking, it will be inside a box. I'm going to form rock-sliders out of 3/16" sheet steel (my dad has a 200 ton press brake). The entire exhaust will be inside that area...

That said, I'm pretty sure the paint I used on the frame is not good to 400 degrees.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Sand blasting is a form of media blasting.

I say blast then weld up the holes. Sandblasting/glassblasting/walnutblasting will likely show you more holes you need to patch.

not to mention it's a whole lot easier to weld clean metal... I admit I'm leaning this way, but rather then take everything at once (lower cost), I'll take just the tub and get the rest blasted just before I paint it.

and you're right - I won't let them use sand, fortunately it's not Jeep thin, so I can get a bit more aggressive with the media.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

sway bar issue.
That is my latest pondering - the easy way would be a sway bar only on the rear, using a load-stabilizing (means the bar is mounted to the axle) sway bar. Of course, that does drive pretty funny - but it does work, and sometimes far better than it ever should.... but still, I am struggling with the idea of paying $500 for a s-10 blazer torsion bar and a couple arms....

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Parts, not the right parts, but parts and I made them work

I got to see this a lot - I would have updated last night but there was no update since I got to see this again today


cleanup a bit


problem 1
that slot is in the wrong spot AND it doesn't have an o-ring - fortunately, I got to take it back apart and fix that today


adapter back in place


gear in place, if you look closely on your left, you'll see a copper colored shim...last night, after I had it all together, I spun the input and it hung up. I pulled it apart, and one shim hadn't stayed in place when I put it together.... thus, I got to see the first empty picture again today.


mufflers and cats came today


1st fitting


better fitting


now with brace