Builds U-p-g-r-a-y-e-d-d

[bustanutley]

I started this project at the beginning of the summer and due to injuries, ADD, contempt for my living situation and just needing a break from wrenching/wheeling I put the project on hold, which is kinda depressing because there really isn’t much work involved. Anyway, it is a boring time of year in Colorado so I’m back at it. The advent of this thread should keep me motivated.

For those uniformed of my cruiser and are interested of its background and what it was like prior to this project here is the link to my ROTW.

The original plan was that this project was going to be done in 2 weeks. Just prior to my trip to Roy NM back in March. With anticipation of my new shiny atlas showing up in time (hopefully), I modified my cage so that I could remove the seat cradle.

The t-case did not show up in time, c'est la vie. Roy was a blast RIP. And I broke the s*** out my truck while there.

The T-case showed up right after I got back and I got to work. First step was to install the Novak adapter (423R) to my sm420. I had my atlas setup as a d300 input, so I had to pull the tranny apart and install a new mainshaft, no big deal, and no pics. Between this adapter and the atlas, there is a ton of clocking positions, it is awesome. I cut up my floor and got the t-case perfectly level with the bottem of my frame rails. Here is the new assembly installed.

Next up is to support this assembly; I don’t think the original motor/bellhousing mounts were up for the task alone. So, I made a cross member utilizing the mount supplied with the adapter. This was a bit tricky as I don’t want anything to hang below the frame.

I decided along with this project I’m going to sell out on the square tube d-shaft, you can’t be ballin with these nice parts and have that ghetto crap dangling off the new hotness.

I used 2.5” sch 40. I may have to cut and re-weld the center junction, I blew it, the shaft has a very slight wiggle to it.

When I started this project I had high hopes of using the stock gas tank, but the t-case is just too big. So I got a 10gal unit from summit.

Then I hurt myself which ended progress…

This week I ripped my old axle out and now have the new one mocked up. It is out of some year 4-runner: ‘8.4’ diff, 60” wide(perfect).

I am centering the axle on the spring pins this go around, so, the new wheelbase measurement looks like 103.5” which is a 1.5” gain. I think this WB should be happy with 40s and a tummy tuck

 

[Isotel]

Looking good! your going to love that Atlas.. Too bad about Roy, NM, i wish i could have gone down there.

Whats the story on the rear 3rd? why not build a hybrid rear like the cool kids? Clearance Vs a bit more Ring Gear beef?.

I wish i would have made my Cradle Removable too.. now its going to be a PITA to get to the gas tank

 

[Mace]

I snapped my old Taco axle like a twig.. Apparently, they break easier than their shorter counterparts.

And the walls are super thin.

Just something to keep in mind..

 

[D'Animal]

All this in two week? WOW! Looks good.

 

[bustanutley]

Joey(who I got the axle from) had good luck with this axle. He runs a supercharged 3.4L and 42s. I believe the 8.4 diff comparable in strength to a cruiser diff and the extra clearance is good. I don’t have any fine spline cruiser thirds so it will be an upgrade regardless. I am way too lazy and unskilled to build a straight centered hybrid, I would pay Brian Ellinger to build me one if that was the rout I wanted to take. I know these shafts are a bit weaker, I have 3 spares, and chromos are cheep, once I buy them it should be a stout little rear end. You can’t see from the pics, but the housing has been reinforced on the tubes with some 1/4” pipe.

Dianimal, I did this work except for the axle in April in about weeks, then I stopped. But cheers for thinking I’m that fast

 

[Mace]

I welded mine up and never had a problem with the center section. It was the shafts themselves.

I probably would have opted for Chromo's but a D60/14 bolt fell in my lap the morning before I broke the rear shaft..

I wanna say that Grogan ran that exact axle in the bash buggy for a long time with good results.

Mine broke with some traction, a 2F 160:1 and 38" SX's..

Can't seem to harm the 14 bolt tho

 

[Poser]

I am certain that you are aware/going to do this or possibly have already, but:


Gusset that wrap bar mount, A LOT.


It is amazing how easy it is to rip those brackets right out of the housings. Go as wide as you can; edge of the spring perch on the right side and to the center of the housing on the left......and tie them together across the back.



I will post up some pictures tomorrow of a recent failure and the subsequent destruction.



Looks good man!

 

[bustanutley]

I would opt to go the way of the big boy domestic stuff but the logistics just don’t work for me. I need to keep my truck reasonably lite which may sound funny considering it is a mostly full bodied, full framed cruiser that is pushed with an F. But, I tow with a pretty small truck. Everything on the axle is compatible with my cruiser, width, wheels, d-shaft, price, and spares within the group. Nolan’s success is one of a couple I know about with the setup.

 

[bustanutley]

Steve, I have been giving some thought to the issue you bring up, and if you or anyone has some examples of a clean way of making these gussets it would be most helpful. Nothing is welded back there yet.

I tore the top mount off my old axle once.

 

[ERG80]

Upgrayedd. "two d's for a double dose of pimpin"
Thats a bad rig man.

 

[LockedLX]

ERG80 beat me to it..

Just wanted to say, awesome thread title.

Subscribed.

 

[mookie]

nice man! and what do you mean boring time of the year in colorado? you don't snowboard or ski?

 

[bustanutley]

nice man! and what do you mean boring time of the year in colorado? you don't snowboard or ski?

Oh, I ski, but remember, it is October, the skiing is wayy weak. The MT bike season is winding down and it is getting cold. There is not much to do other than drink lots of beer and fornicate if you are into those things.

 

[mookie]

oh, gotcha....

 

[lucky 13]

I am certain that you are aware/going to do this or possibly have already, but:


Gusset that wrap bar mount, A LOT.


It is amazing how easy it is to rip those brackets right out of the housings. Go as wide as you can; edge of the spring perch on the right side and to the center of the housing on the left......and tie them together across the back.



I will post up some pictures tomorrow of a recent failure and the subsequent destruction.



Looks good man!

poser, post a good example to go by. and some bad examples if you could.. its good to learn from others mistakes and not make to same ones.

 

[D'Animal]

poser, post a good example to go by. and some bad examples if you could.. its good to learn from others mistakes and not make to same ones.

I will post up what FC Fabrication did to mine. I should be by there on friday.

He laughed and plasma torched my "mock up" off.

 

[FLYINGLOW]

Looking good.

 

[awp_cruiser]

Regarding the track bar...

I used 1/4" plate with some reinforcement up to the connections and used 1/2" grade 8 bolts. That proved too light. I kept loosing bolts. I had lock nuts with lock tight so I suspect they were breaking or being cut in shear. Once one fell out, the other bolt and track bar is free to move around a lot more. It bent the s*** out of the bracket and the remaining 1/2" bolt comes out like a ( .

I upped the bolt size to 9/16" and so far the band aid is holding. Build the connections 2x stronger than you think. There are a lot of forces working to remove what you build back there.

Here are a couple pics of how mine worked out.

 

[Isotel]

what sort of Slip Joint is going on that front driveshaft? I gota get rid of my Square crap.. everyone is always yelling at me on the trail, "sounds like you have a broken birf"

 

[74fj40]

Regarding the track bar...

I used 1/4" plate with some reinforcement up to the connections and used 1/2" grade 8 bolts. That proved too light. I kept loosing bolts. I had lock nuts with lock tight so I suspect they were breaking or being cut in shear. Once one fell out, the other bolt and track bar is free to move around a lot more. It bent the s*** out of the bracket and the remaining 1/2" bolt comes out like a ( .

I upped the bolt size to 9/16" and so far the band aid is holding. Build the connections 2x stronger than you think. There are a lot of forces working to remove what you build back there.

Here are a couple pics of how mine worked out.

Not trying to be a smartass in anyway, but isn't grade 8 hardened steel? So under pressure wouldnt it just snap? Or like you said shear? Try a non hardened type of hardware, as this way it will stretch instead of shear and youwon't need to replace them so often? Just my 2 cents.... good luck!