1970 FatherSonJ40 project
- Thread starter Kmehr
- Start date
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Did you rebuild your drag link?
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- #64
Here are some pics of one of the tie rod ends in the Pittman arm. I’ve tried to show the amount of wiggle from one side to the next and how far down I can get the castle nut. This just seems loose to me, I can’t describe it better that you can push the TRE all the way through the arm and wiggle it back and forth in the hole. There’s no point at which you can push the TRE in so that the taper is making 360 contact with the hole, there is always clearance.
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- #65
Talked to Luke at 4x4labs and turns out the Barnes 4wd 1 ton kit actually uses 3/4 TREs, so the Pittman is actually reamed too large for those 3/4ton ends. Misleading that Barnes says "GM 1-ton ends"!
Also after much research and consideration about the next power plant, I've landed on either a turbo'd 2H or 12H-T. I think Cruiserparts has a 2H in stock that I'm looking into.
Also after much research and consideration about the next power plant, I've landed on either a turbo'd 2H or 12H-T. I think Cruiserparts has a 2H in stock that I'm looking into.
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- #66
Some progress today. Got the steering column finished up, minus final weld of the u-joint. Mocked up the steering shaft, but going to think on it some more before cutting it down. Needs 11.5 in cut off. I might cut the upper shaft down a few more inches too so it’s a lot closer to the bearing and will keep the steering shaft from being able to be pulled up by the steering wheel. I could probably cut about 4in out of the upper shaft. Borgeson says I can cut my shaft down 10 inches and I need it to be about 11.5in shorter.
Fyi. There's a wanted ad in the classified section, someone is looking for high steer arms.
Wanted - Fj60 or truck knuckles and high steer
Wanting to adapt to high steer for my FJ40 and need to swap knuckles. Looking for knuckles, high steer components or both. Let me know what you might have.
forum.ih8mud.com
Here's the link
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- #69
Some progress today. Got the steering arms tapered, was a real PITA. The non parallel plane of the hole and the knuckle mating surface makes it really tricky to get setup in the drill press. Ended up getting it setup enough to get a really good start, then finished with a hand drill in the vice.
Also got the u joint final welded on the steering shaft. Did it in four different stitches about 30 mins apart to keep it from getting too hot and ruining the bearings. Feel good about it but the welds aren’t the prettiest.
Finally- think I got a 12HT in the pipeline! Still working out the details but have found two and trying to determine which is best.
Also got the u joint final welded on the steering shaft. Did it in four different stitches about 30 mins apart to keep it from getting too hot and ruining the bearings. Feel good about it but the welds aren’t the prettiest.
Finally- think I got a 12HT in the pipeline! Still working out the details but have found two and trying to determine which is best.
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- #70
Made some good progress today tearing the driver side knuckle all the way down and then came to a screeching halt when I looked at my new knuckles. Shame on me for not opening them and looking closely when I first received them, as not only are they frankly in unacceptable condition, but they’re different sizes from each other! I won’t call out the vendor, but I’ll say thank god I didn’t send them a huge chunk of money for a 12HT of theirs I was looking at this week! Sure hope they give me a refund as this are pitiful.
Also the is some putting on the axle side knuckle ball, is that something to be concerned about?
Also the is some putting on the axle side knuckle ball, is that something to be concerned about?
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- #71
A little more progress today. First thing was putting together my new “welding cart.” Just couldn’t stomach paying $800 for one from one of the big three so I picked up this 500lb capacity janitor cart and cut a hole in the top shelf to slide my cylinder through. I got so sick of the too small junk cart from Eastwood that the wheels were falling off of and I knew it was only a matter of time before my welder took a dive and broke.
Then I was able to cut some holes in the frame in preparation for mounting the plates for the steering gear. Made them plenty big to have some adjustment to get the final position just right. Going to plate each side of the frame and sleev the bolts with some 1/2in DOM tube. Getting closer!
Then I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a new driver side knuckle from Classic Cruisers, praying it’s in better shape than the others!
Then I was able to cut some holes in the frame in preparation for mounting the plates for the steering gear. Made them plenty big to have some adjustment to get the final position just right. Going to plate each side of the frame and sleev the bolts with some 1/2in DOM tube. Getting closer!
Then I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a new driver side knuckle from Classic Cruisers, praying it’s in better shape than the others!
OK, In the future, let's drop the plasma torch and pick up a drill bit. Adapt and tack the scab plate in place, clamp the box in its happy place and use a centering punch or a drill bit the diameter of the boxes holes and spin it for a second, then drill a hole. Don't be a po.
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- #73
Meh, I think the looks of this part of the frame that’s going to be sandwiched between my two scab plates and buttressed with tubing for the bolts and covered with welds, is really unimportant. Don’t worry the final product is going to look nice. Not sure what a po is…
My apologies, my comments were out of line. I broke my personal rule. It's your 40. Personally I would have approached it in a different way. PO is the previous owner.
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- #75
Here’s where I ended up today- welded up my outside frame plate stack and got things temporarily bolted in place to look at clearances. I’m on the fence about whether this is the right Pittman angle for this setup. By my math, the axle tube has 4in of travel till it hits the bump stop and there is about 3 1/2in of up travel before the spring hits my TRE on the Pittman arm. I’m aware the axle tube is in the center and being circular the spring will move further at that point than out closer to the end where the Pittman arm is. Dunno, going to have to think about this more. I can move the holes up some, and that might be enough. Anyways, photos:
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- #76
I’ve moved the box up a little bit and got the hardware I’m going to use. Still unsure how this will play out when flexed all the way down on the drivers side, given how the axle tube is in a different place on the arc of the spring. As best as I can tell at this point I’ve got just barely enough clearance, but I won’t weld anything in place until I can test the flex. Also rethinking whether sleeving the bolts is totally necessary given how thick my scab plates are on both sides.
Here is the best I can display the clearance with the 4in of up travel:
Here is the best I can display the clearance with the 4in of up travel:
The drag link is suppose to go to the pass side tre.
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- #78
I know. I just had that swung that way so I could get the tape measure where I wanted. I’m using the Barnes y-setup that mimics the stock setup.
I used an F(Z)J80 pitman arm to have less drop and get more spring clearance.
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- #80
That’s what this one is supposed to be. I think I’m close enough to test it out and worst case scenario a 1/2in bump stop spacer wouldn’t be the end of the world. I do think starting with a flat one probably would work best though.
