Your on the right path, pulley is up travel limiting factor. I would relief/countersink that allen head so it sat down in the clamp and then set bump stop so belt is clear, done. IMO I wouldnt change what you have all set up , make it wirk.
1953 Dodge M37 wheeler conversion (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter workingdog
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workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #102
I'll look at that. See what I can figure out. Definitely have to shorten the bolt as it bottoms into the weldable base - or ... just drill a hole in the weldable base. Actually, some people even run the ram with only 3 clamps on. I'll have to ask PSC about that.
3rd round on the wheel spacing. I went out, certain I knew what was going on, to put the wheels on so I can roll the rig out and lift the cab off because I realized now is the time to get the underside and firewall blasted and painted. So, all the electrical came out.
but, I couldn't get that 3rd wheel on either. I tried and tried and tried. And finally I laid it down and measure it - and it's not 8x6.5. The spare on the fj40 I had bought separately and bought the wrong spacing. Just lucky we never had to use it, it would have never gone on. So, I'm swapping that tire onto the right wheel and we're going to spray that wheel yellow and have a very expensive door stop.
3rd round on the wheel spacing. I went out, certain I knew what was going on, to put the wheels on so I can roll the rig out and lift the cab off because I realized now is the time to get the underside and firewall blasted and painted. So, all the electrical came out.
but, I couldn't get that 3rd wheel on either. I tried and tried and tried. And finally I laid it down and measure it - and it's not 8x6.5. The spare on the fj40 I had bought separately and bought the wrong spacing. Just lucky we never had to use it, it would have never gone on. So, I'm swapping that tire onto the right wheel and we're going to spray that wheel yellow and have a very expensive door stop.
If that's a Terminator I'd rethink mounting in the cab. Sorry if that's already been addressed earlier in the build thread, but they are ruggedized like the HP and Dominator.
Nevermind, I see Holley does it themselves so I guess it's OK. For me, I opted for in the glove box since my underhood temps are insane, mud, etc...
Nevermind, I see Holley does it themselves so I guess it's OK. For me, I opted for in the glove box since my underhood temps are insane, mud, etc...
I have 3 mounts on mine
workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #105
Thanks @Firemedic831
@mtweller - I could probably get it in cab, but ... there's not a lot more protection in the cab in this rig.
@mtweller - I could probably get it in cab, but ... there's not a lot more protection in the cab in this rig.
workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #106
Here's the ram with only 3 brackets. Looks like that will work.
and, here's the chassis sitting on rubber for the first time. I had to cut the heads off the only 14x1.5 lugs nuts I could find to get the rears on. Had no idea real truck lug nuts were so hard to find.
Going to roll it out today, use the tractor to lift the cab off (I miss the days working on the EJ45 aluminum cab) and set it aside to clean and paint the underside and the firewall before moving into the final phase.
While that's happening - slowly - I'm going to roll it back in, get the fuse box, terminator, and key set up on plywood and try to start the motor. Should be close. finally figured out the problem with the fuel system was the regulator was set to 4 psi. Took me a while to figure that out. So, I've got everything on the motor close to ready to work. Just need to jury rig the MAP while waiting on the right connector to show up.
Once I get it to start and deal with whatever comes up, we're going to put it on the trailer (wont' be able to drive it on the trailer because it still has no steering) and drag it down to the exhaust shop and see what they have to say about getting workable headers on this thing.
and, here's the chassis sitting on rubber for the first time. I had to cut the heads off the only 14x1.5 lugs nuts I could find to get the rears on. Had no idea real truck lug nuts were so hard to find.
Going to roll it out today, use the tractor to lift the cab off (I miss the days working on the EJ45 aluminum cab) and set it aside to clean and paint the underside and the firewall before moving into the final phase.
While that's happening - slowly - I'm going to roll it back in, get the fuse box, terminator, and key set up on plywood and try to start the motor. Should be close. finally figured out the problem with the fuel system was the regulator was set to 4 psi. Took me a while to figure that out. So, I've got everything on the motor close to ready to work. Just need to jury rig the MAP while waiting on the right connector to show up.
Once I get it to start and deal with whatever comes up, we're going to put it on the trailer (wont' be able to drive it on the trailer because it still has no steering) and drag it down to the exhaust shop and see what they have to say about getting workable headers on this thing.
workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #107
Rolled the M37 out and took the cab off
workingdog
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- #108
So, got the M37 back in the shop and wired it back up on a piece of plywood. Didn't fire the first time, wouldn't crank fully. So I left and came back and replaced the jumper cable I was using to ground the chassis with a real cable bolted to the frame and ...
IT'S ALIVE!
You have to love how these thing just fire up. Still ... no belt on the front (the one I ordered was too small), no alternator and no O2 sensor.
but still - SUCCESS
IT'S ALIVE!
You have to love how these thing just fire up. Still ... no belt on the front (the one I ordered was too small), no alternator and no O2 sensor.
but still - SUCCESS
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workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #109
Okay, doing details before the cab goes back on.
Filled the Atlas. built this little item to get oil in. fitting on the atlas for the sight tube is AN -3, so an AN -3 90 screws right on.
I took the transmission cross member out and welded it up fully and put more gussets in. I welded up the motor mounts.
the cab is in my side yard and I got a harbor freight sand blaster to work well enough to get it and some other parts cleaned up for POR15.
Hopefully Friday the cab goes back on and I'm diving into the getting the steering built. Brake lines are all in, just need the MC installed and pedal attached.
Filled the Atlas. built this little item to get oil in. fitting on the atlas for the sight tube is AN -3, so an AN -3 90 screws right on.
I took the transmission cross member out and welded it up fully and put more gussets in. I welded up the motor mounts.
the cab is in my side yard and I got a harbor freight sand blaster to work well enough to get it and some other parts cleaned up for POR15.
Hopefully Friday the cab goes back on and I'm diving into the getting the steering built. Brake lines are all in, just need the MC installed and pedal attached.
workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #110
So, bought a cheap pressurized Harbor Freight sandblaster and followed advice on YouTube about how to make it work better by replacing the mixing guts with better parts. It's still not totally perfect, but it's getting it down. Better than the $800 the pro sandblasting guy was going to charge me. We got the cab on it's side so I can clean the underside and the firewall - and inside under the seats so I can coat it all with POR15. Also pulled out the transmission cross member, welded it up, and put some gussets on each end to strengthen was seemed like the weakest point where the 5/16th plate met the 1/4" plate that bolts to the inside of the frame. If you judge strength by overall weight, it's pretty strong.
Hopefully, by Monday all the painting is done and I get the cab back on the frame - which it's going to stay a while.
This is the battery box, 70 years of old batteries leaking acid. Cleaned up okay.
Hopefully, by Monday all the painting is done and I get the cab back on the frame - which it's going to stay a while.
This is the battery box, 70 years of old batteries leaking acid. Cleaned up okay.
workingdog
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- Thread starter
- #111
The cab is back on, the brake MC is mounted and the pedal modified and the MC plunger modified so that it's all close enough for at least the first test drive. The clutch MC is almost mounted, just waiting on the right collection of 5/16the all-thread and couplers to make it work.
and I spent WAY too much time getting the steering column installed. But ... it's in.
Still struggling with the wheel. not sure if I can get the original while to mount to the quick disconnect - short of just welding some 1" rod in the hole.
and I spent WAY too much time getting the steering column installed. But ... it's in.
Still struggling with the wheel. not sure if I can get the original while to mount to the quick disconnect - short of just welding some 1" rod in the hole.
workingdog
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- #112
And now that the column and MC's are in and located, it's time to move onto mounting the orbital. (I know that it's not the proper term, but it's like kleenex, it's what everyone calls it).
And now I'm into some complications.
There is a good spot right at the base of the column on the frame rail. I can pretty easily build a mount out of roll cage DOM. However, it's quite close to the headers and the hoses will have to run a ways to the ram.
There's another spot forward, clear of the headers and closer to the RAM that I could reach with a steering shaft.
But ... it's right where the fender and radiator support structure is going. So, I don't think it will work.
Fenders look good on. Glad I didn't move the axle forward anymore. This is full stuff - so we're good.
I think I'm going to put the massive 'U' support structure in (very similar to the FJ40) so that I can get a better idea of the radiator.
And now I'm into some complications.
There is a good spot right at the base of the column on the frame rail. I can pretty easily build a mount out of roll cage DOM. However, it's quite close to the headers and the hoses will have to run a ways to the ram.
There's another spot forward, clear of the headers and closer to the RAM that I could reach with a steering shaft.
But ... it's right where the fender and radiator support structure is going. So, I don't think it will work.
Fenders look good on. Glad I didn't move the axle forward anymore. This is full stuff - so we're good.
I think I'm going to put the massive 'U' support structure in (very similar to the FJ40) so that I can get a better idea of the radiator.
workingdog
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- #115
Okay, so I now know one way NOT to do it. I had to 3/4 round ends, so I took a round to double D u-joint and took the flats off the inside of the joint and drilled some holes for the set screws and got it all assembled, with just a little bit of an angle in the u-joint, which moves the orbital away from the headers and I thought would be good. But no.
Here's what I'm assuming is going on. Any angle in the u-joint causes the overall length of the shaft to vary a little. Without a matching second joint in phase to remove that, the end of the joint has to move a little. And, firmly attached at both ends, there is no play, and ... as it sits in this picture, the wheel won't turn.
I'm assuming I have to get the orbital dead in line with the column, which means mounting it totally differently. Sigh. That means most of today has been wasted effort learning what not to do.
Here's what I'm assuming is going on. Any angle in the u-joint causes the overall length of the shaft to vary a little. Without a matching second joint in phase to remove that, the end of the joint has to move a little. And, firmly attached at both ends, there is no play, and ... as it sits in this picture, the wheel won't turn.
I'm assuming I have to get the orbital dead in line with the column, which means mounting it totally differently. Sigh. That means most of today has been wasted effort learning what not to do.
That is frustrating for sure. Can you mount it directly on the firewall like a lot heavy equipment does?
I feel you here . I have looked at mine a few times set it in place and end up putting it back on the bench. I will get back to that this winter
workingdog
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- #118
You know, I should have thought of that, and maybe I still can. I could make a mirror of the bracket I made for the column on the inside. The only downside is that the column would be part of the orbital - which isn't the end of the world.
I let myself get distracted by the tube mount that came with the orbital. I should have thrown it out and started from scratch.
workingdog
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- #119
Okay, built this in like an hour this morning, including doing the design in Fusion 360 and running them on the table. Sigh.
So, now that I have the orbital mounted, I realized that I can't mount the PS reservoir until I have the cross brace for the top of the ORI hoops in place. I had thought that I could leave that for later, but the I only want to do the plumbing once and it looks like the reservoir will mount to that cross brace. So, it's off to the steel supply for some more thin wall DOM.
So, now that I have the orbital mounted, I realized that I can't mount the PS reservoir until I have the cross brace for the top of the ORI hoops in place. I had thought that I could leave that for later, but the I only want to do the plumbing once and it looks like the reservoir will mount to that cross brace. So, it's off to the steel supply for some more thin wall DOM.
workingdog
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- #120
working on the hoop to hoop cross bar. I wanted disconnects at both ends so we can access the motor. And as soon as I got the bar more or less in place I realized the disconnects won't work because they'd have to go straight up, and I have them at a 45 degree angle. So, I was thinking of putting one in the middle, but that doesn't really help. So, do I have to start over and do 90 degree bends??? Or should I have done what I did on the EV which is land them onto a plate that bolts to the top of the hoop????
At least it helped me figure out where the reservoir is going to go, but ... for now the crossbar is in 'percolate' mode.
At least it helped me figure out where the reservoir is going to go, but ... for now the crossbar is in 'percolate' mode.