Sorry guys!! Truth is I have been doing nothing but hunting in my spare time (outside of being a dad). I kept my streak alive and killed a bull (not as big as usual i got nervous and ended it on an ok one) and now I am half way through deer (buck) season. As soon as it is over it is go time!! In the mean time i have ordered an Edelbrock RPM air gap intake other than that it is as is.........
On the plus side i saw two FJ40's while hunting the other day that got me fired back up which is what got me back on here to check on you guys!!!
Thanks
I cut and pasted this from my order which is all wacked up but i thought i would share as an update as to what i am currently waiting on. This week i hope to install the scout box including tubing the frame where it mounts along with installing the fuel lines on the frame etc. etc. Also i am bringing my motor stand home this week to start bolting the engine back together.
Rear Sill
Channel
$137.91 Door Hinge
Pins &
Bushings -
Front -
FJ40/45/47
Well I finally got back to it today. I am having some issues getting pics off of my phone however i managed one.
Progress report:
After hours and hours of searching posts including the tech links I finally decided on a spot and angle to mount my scout box. I will edit this in a day or so with better pictures but it went like this.
First step i enlarged the scout box mounting holes to accept 1/2 bolts.
I then purchased a 7/8 hole saw and drilled the three mounting holes. I wanted to only drill through the outside of the frame with the 7/8 and then stay with 1/2 holes on the back side in which in earlier pics you can see i plated with a 1/4 plate. Even though i wouldnt have been able to weld the back side of the tube i figured it would allow the frame to act as a washer dispersing the load more even. However I ran into a problem with the inside being two and even three with my plate layers thick which wouldnt have been a problem except two of the holes were exactly half on the two layers and half on the three layers. (hope that makes sense) This wouldnt have allowed the pipe to make full contact. So i drilled through.
Next I couldnt make it to the metal shop so I used black metal pipe which had a little to large of inside diameter for my liking such as approx. .680?? where the bolts were 1/2" but it gave a slight bit of room for error on placement along with when you add the three together and some human error it is snug! The next size down pipe was just a bit to small of inside diameter.
Now for the next problem.... I believe my son has helped me hide the drop pitman arm that came with the Marlin High Steer kit. I honestly don't think at this point i am going to find it before the cruiser rots. I am seeking help on what pitman arm would work the best. I have mounted the box basically in the normal spot to minimize the bib trimming.... One problem is that i may be pushing my luck because the springs are flipped however i didn't get crazy with the spring hanger placement in order to move my font end a little less forward than normal. I also plan on getting a longer pitman arm to help slow down the steering geometry. I have done a low profile shackle reversal which reduces the spring clearance a bit. I am nervous that a drop pitman arm will contact the springs at flex yet at the same time I think a straight arm would allow the bolt/nut on the TRE to contact the frame..... I am not afraid to section a piece of pipe and half tube the frame if i have to but rather not....... Any ideas on a perfect semi drop pitman arm new or old factory????
Pic of what i could do if needed (picture stolen from DWitcher - Thanks)
Crud that is what i meant thanks!!! Ya I have read that I am going to have some issues and will need to bump the rad over 3/4 or so... I hope i dont have to go much more than that there isnt any room to clearance the actuall rad itself if you know what i mean.
I was fighting the battle between having to clear the radiator but possibly hitting on oversized tires (by shimming the box out) which I will surely end up with.
Crud I hope i shouldnt have moved the box farther forward due becuase i was stupid and mixed the longer shorter arm thing up...
Hmmm..... I will take a peek tomorrow since I am not certain. I do plan on fabbing up some shock hoops which should give me a little room to play...... Of course i just said that after stating i was trying to avoid trimming the inners much..
I see what you mean with the factory shock mounts which are at the scrap yard... How about the ford towers? They appear to be fairly slender and lean forward a bit they might provide some more clearance..... Then if i fabbed the hoops and leaned them forward as far as i could get away with (wouldnt hurt to install a bar tying the hoops together over the engine anyway)
Here is where my 60 box ended up. I put a 1/4" piece behind the shock tower/fender to help clear the u-joint/steering shaft. The radiator got moved (went with al unit larger than stock) to the pass side a bit. The box is spaced off 3/4" from the frame.
So tower and fender bracket 1/4" and box 3/4"............. So it looks like i shouldn't have any trouble clearing lets say a ford shock tower (good point though i forgot about the ujoint or rag or what ever). But it does sound like i am really pushing my luck with the radiator depending how much wider yours is than mine. I will set the radiator bracketry on there tomorrow with the box sitting on there and let you know how much we are talking. I cant even remember what it looks like so do you think i need to be taking into consideration the steering shaft to the exhaust (ram horns) manifolds?
The whole original plan with the scout box was to cross my fingers and hope i could still get my PTO shaft through the mess but i am starting to throw that out the window!! LOL
Cudos to anyone that builds theirs in two steps:
One fabbing it all up and second tearing it down to make pretty! It is a ^$% to try and do it at the same time!
Any more thoughts on the rad clearance when you consider your old vs. the new rad.?
Remembering your rig you dont exactly run small tires right?? Are you having tire clearance issues? What size tires and what size wheel and backspacing? I could easily weld a plate in there to bring it out a bit.
hey bud.
i'd run the flat pitman arm with the tre hanging fro mthe bottom. hopefully you'll have enough clearance at the frame so it won't hit. i'm not a big fan of cutting into the frame, even if you sleeve it. creates a major weak point and can/will cause fatigue cracks over time, especially since the cut would be between the two front spring attachment points so there's constant pressure and flex.
either way, if you want the flat arm, send me your tre and i'll ream out a stock arm for you and will send it back with the tre, as discussed in the previous pm.
The radiator is 26" wide at the tanks the drivers side is just over the frame rail and the pass side is right next to the headlight connector. (If you want pics PM me an e-mail addy)
You should be good on the ramshorn clearance, my motor actually sits a bit to the drivers side and it clears. I did have to cut one of the square plugs off for a little more clearance. If you have it even close to centered you should be good.
I am running 36X13.5 IROKS on 15X10 w/3.5 BS with a 1/4'' spacer and I am chewing the front bib a little on the drivers side and catching the top part of the box just enough to swipe the dirt off with the outside lugs. Depending on how far forward your box mounts it could be an issue. Let me know and I can go measure a bit to be more specific if needed.
If you can fit the flat arm in there with enough room for the TRE I would go that route. It will help keep the arm out of the springs way, I haven't hit mine yet... But its close with the stock 60 arm
creates a major weak point and can/will cause fatigue cracks over time, especially since the cut would be between the two front spring attachment points so there's constant pressure and flex.
Point well taken! I thought about that but I convinced myself it would be OK because the frame mod would be right at the front cross member where it just comes off of boxed frame but your absolutely right and I will avoid it at all costs.
Thanks guys I will get a few pics and measurements tonight using a straight edge to represent the stock arm. Is the stock arm of shorter length so I don't end up with quick steer? Is the arm in DWitcher's picture the arm you are talking about? Also OrangeFJ would you need my TRE or would telling you it's the one that came in the Marlin kit do it for you?? Either way I could send if needed.
OrangeFJ I think you said you had a stock arm with you and if so is there any way you could get a measurement from box shaft center to TRE center? And maybe even a steering box shaft center to other end of arm? Also are we talking flat as a pancake or very small drop?
Ok here are the pics and measurements:
[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]
You can see it is close......
I screwed the nut out untill it was flush with the end of the shaft to provide a wider area to get the level flat.
The measured clearance from the bottom of the steering box shaft is 2.25 inches at the large hole in the frame
The last pic is just flattening the level on the bottom of the box housing....?
Here is a picture to show the placement of the box on the frame.... 3.25"
Another pic to show the measurement of how far the box hangs over the edge. It is only probably an 1/4" plus the 1/4" plate I scabbed in so probably only 1/2" total. However that was with the box pushed up there snugly against the frame but not bolted so it could tilt in another 1/8" pretty easy.
