Biodiesel Piggie #2 Buildup (was Sad Sad day...) (1 Viewer)

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Tacking then all burned in.. The steel I used is 16 gauge which is pretty heavy duty (and will have to be because the weight of the rear seat will be resting on it) but the 55 steel was thin, so it was hard to get good looking welds and I had a lot of problems with the welder burning in too hot.. In 110 mode I am having problems with the welder having enough juice (I think I need to go out and get a better extension cord) and on 220 (which is what I ran it on tonight) it is too hot even on the lowest setting.. Sort of like using a a 175 or a 210 machine for body work or something like that.. I had to tap-tap-tap and because my pieces were not perfect (ie there were gaps, even some big ones) I basically spent a lot of time tap-tap-taping away with the welder... I learned the technique from proffitts one time, they use pretty much big machines for everything at least last time I was down there...
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lookin good man...real good


malphrus
 
Looks awesome. Might have missed it. But are you keeping it that color?
 
I agree, but my little 135 worked wonders and not sure what it up with this one.. It is under warantee so maybe I should take it in I dunno.. I fired it up when I first got it and it seemed to have to problems. In this case it arcs out and pushes wire into the weld without burning it in.. :(
 
PS more from tonight but its.. 3AM, going to sleep and post up maybe tomorrow, around 11AM when I wake up! Also for some reason as usual I ventured over into chit chat briefly and saw this awesome thread.. Something maybe about maybe it being so late but this letter really got me.. Sorry for all you guys who thought you were going to read this thread and not get any liberal leftist propoganda :flipoff2:
 
OK so another quick update...

I have been trying to figure out how I can scrounge up a little extra cash to finish the project and finish it a little quicker.. Again I figure about another $6G or so possibly.. :doh:

So, I have had this beautiful Rover 109 sitting at the shop for a few months waiting on a new gas tank. Belongs to a really good friend of mine and he is basically now looking to sell it unfortunately.. How he got it is a long story but in the end he traded it for a diesel troopy that he had...

Anyway, I have been thinking as I have no major web projects currently lined up (I a freelance web guy by trade) I was thinking quickly bang out a 4BT swap and a quick frameoff resto.. I figure actually working all day I could get a lot done fairly quickly. Then install my 4BT into it and souce another one. So I am gaging interest, you can read/see rig here...
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=117018

I also posted on expedition portal and at D-90.com...
 
Then here are updates from last night. First I tried to get the body in exactly the right place. I thought there would be a good way to figre out exactly where the center of the wheel goes which I should have done before I took apart the pig (one quick little measurement would have done it). So, I know the body is close to the correct place, possibly within an inch or two max. But with 35's stuffed in there, it can be a very tight fit so it is important that I get this exactly 100% correct. Here is a photo of the last pig and how a 35" exactly fits in there perfectly..
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So here was the technique I came with last night. This will determine exactly where the body fits, but it requires someone telling me the measurement of the center of the axle to the actual body of the truck... If someone has a level and can go and take this measurement for me, that would be great!!!
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=116978

I used the laser level again, and then measured off the nearest easy to measure reference point, the rear door jam. My guestimate is the vertical plane of the rear axle is about 2.5" back from the door jam?
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I have also been trying to figure out body mounts for some time.. I was hoping to actually not have to use Urithane because it is hard and though the vibration from the frame is minimal, I figured if I could use rubber bushings (OEM style, even on the 80) that would be better. So I have been loosely trying to score rubber bushings locally if possible. I finally came across a place, Rubber and Hose Supply, locally, that sells 8" x 1" thick sheets of rubber at ~$11 a foot. Works great and is the perfect consistency. The trusses under the 55 are about 3" wide, so I was actually going to cut it into 3" x 4" pieces and use that, but I was actually worried that it would still be too much vibration and realized the OEM style mounts, round, are perfect because they allow for a lot of flex while still isolating. So at first I cut, then I broke out a hole saw, and it worked killer.. So I remade OEM style mounts, for about $24 total!

This is the rubber and I literally had to cut it. I tried using a cutoff wheel but it literally "burned rubber" and even the hole saw did a little once it heated up...
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My big hope was to actually get at least two of the body mounts in because of the body placement issue, I haven't been able to yet.. So I cut out the pieces that will be the body mounts but can't weld them until I 100% determine body location... First pic shows the metal I used. 4x4 1/8" thick box tube. Fairly thin but the pic next to it shows the dinky OEM body mounts that I removed from this frame, so I think my stuff will be plenty stout even though only 1/8" thick (same thickness as the actual frame)...

Second pic shows the long pieces I made as wings that will sit under the front of the body near the firewall...
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Here, I am placing the mount up as sort of rought placement for trimming and how it will sit..

Bottom pic shows final product of 4 mounts and the bushings ready to go. As soon as I nail body placement these will be welded in!

:beer:
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So... you're making all the body mounts (since you have to fabricate the frame side of them) all the same height? Are you going to put a scab plate on the frame for the body mount (overkill I know, but beefy...)?
 
You'll see Brian, not the same height, whatever the body calls for. No plating required for the body mounts I think... Again its surprizing but OEM body mounts are surprizngly dinky, so no plating required.. :)
 
I spent all last night welding body mounts on my project. My welder doesnt like the 30ft extention cord I can tell you that. I ended up being able to use most of the 80 series mounts. I had to shorten some of them because the frame is so wide.

I dont know how many mounts the 55 has but the 80 series weighs over 1000lbs more than a stock 62 and has less body mounts....figure that one out?

Looks awesome man, I did the same thing for body mounts by cutting the square stock in half. I would post some shots but my girl lost the memory card last night.

Keep up the good work.
 
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