- Thread starter
- #121
Here’s how the plate and cover will sit
It's a BIG skid plate
It's a BIG skid plate
Builds 68' M715, AKA "Smokey" (Can I post this Jeep on MUD?) (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Rock40
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #122
And the ring gear clearance. This is the factory carrier with factory 4.56 gears. The gears are going to be re-used the carrier will be replaced with an ARB.
Ring gear clearance on the lower skid plate. It's very good, as in about 1/16" of an inch. Plenty to not worry about it.
So...… given the storied history of Ballistic Fabrication, how do I feel about his kit and their service? It was good, very good.
Ballistic said the kit would be backordered about 2 weeks and it arrived at my house right in that time frame. And that was with the crazy holiday shipping right now.
The quality control is VASTLY better then the ECGS 15B kit I just did. The D60 cover was very nicely milled. I lapped it just a bit to see where it was at and I've no doubt it'll seal fine without any work. It was clearly well milled after all the welding was finished.
If I could change one thing, it would be making the bottom skid plate about 3/8" longer actually. By the time you mill the differential casting down to the correctly depth, the end of the plate is RIGHT at the edge of the hole you've opened up. It'll weld up fine I've no doubt but a bit of extra material would be nice.
Ring gear clearance on the lower skid plate. It's very good, as in about 1/16" of an inch. Plenty to not worry about it.
So...… given the storied history of Ballistic Fabrication, how do I feel about his kit and their service? It was good, very good.
Ballistic said the kit would be backordered about 2 weeks and it arrived at my house right in that time frame. And that was with the crazy holiday shipping right now.
The quality control is VASTLY better then the ECGS 15B kit I just did. The D60 cover was very nicely milled. I lapped it just a bit to see where it was at and I've no doubt it'll seal fine without any work. It was clearly well milled after all the welding was finished.
If I could change one thing, it would be making the bottom skid plate about 3/8" longer actually. By the time you mill the differential casting down to the correctly depth, the end of the plate is RIGHT at the edge of the hole you've opened up. It'll weld up fine I've no doubt but a bit of extra material would be nice.
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- Thread starter
- #123
Also got a Hypertherm Powermax 30 around Thanksgiving. Never having owned a plasma cutter, this one is REALLY nice.
Mark doesn't like flashy bling so I fooled around with the plasma and cut out the Arctec diamonds from the battery box lids. The Ballistic skull from the shave kit is nearby
Also worked on prepping the passenger firewall so it can be plated. It was fairly bent in places. I roughed up the green paint a bit but I'm not doing to remove it altogether. That was hiding under the ventilation box and is original 68'!
Mark doesn't like flashy bling so I fooled around with the plasma and cut out the Arctec diamonds from the battery box lids. The Ballistic skull from the shave kit is nearby
Also worked on prepping the passenger firewall so it can be plated. It was fairly bent in places. I roughed up the green paint a bit but I'm not doing to remove it altogether. That was hiding under the ventilation box and is original 68'!
- Thread starter
- #124
Also just picked up this little guy.... 8 week old German Shepherd, our 3rd one now. And since I used to own a 67' M35A2 and now I'm doing this build.....
We named him Kaiser after the Kaiser Jeep Corporation that produced the M715 in its day.
Asleep on the seat of my 84' mini truck on the way to get the D60 blasted. He's smallish now but not for long! Nearly 18lbs at 9 weeks old and dad is 110lbs
We named him Kaiser after the Kaiser Jeep Corporation that produced the M715 in its day.
Asleep on the seat of my 84' mini truck on the way to get the D60 blasted. He's smallish now but not for long! Nearly 18lbs at 9 weeks old and dad is 110lbs
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Id be a little sweaty about the ring rear. Come down hard on that plate and 1/16" isn't hard to move. That wont sit well with the gear me-thinks.
Killer work man.
What's the plan for the tubes? Prime/paint the inside, then use tube seals is what I'd recommend. Mine were about that nasty. Spent a while cleaning them with a knotted wire wheel on a die grinder taped to a stick, lol.
What's the plan for the tubes? Prime/paint the inside, then use tube seals is what I'd recommend. Mine were about that nasty. Spent a while cleaning them with a knotted wire wheel on a die grinder taped to a stick, lol.
Dana 60 Front Axle Tube Seals
Seals-it Axle Seals Size 2 for Dana 60 and Tubes 2-1/2" to 2-3/4". Two Required Per Axle
eastcoastgearsupply.com
- Thread starter
- #127
Yeah, probably some primer shot up inside the tubes then grease them also. Tube seals are on the list, I have a set in my FJ40 and they've been great, assuming you don't break an inner axle and chew them up. Really wish that GM would've done something like that from the factory but I'm happy with how well they cleaned up in the blaster.
- Thread starter
- #128
Ehhh, the span is small and were talking about bending approximately 5/16" plate were it's milled out for the ring gear. I'm not too worried about it.
I suppose not. Would be pretty unlikely. I just tend to worry about such things.
- Thread starter
- #130
Welding up the shave kits.... This is the 15B. Did pre-heat to 500 degrees and then MIG welded it. Seemed to weld pretty consistently but I just don't care much for the noise and splatter of the MIG process.
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- Thread starter
- #131
D60.... I did the same 500 degree pre-heat but I decided to TIG the plate. Took probably 5x longer but the end result is at least visually more appealing.
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- Thread starter
- #132
Leaky axle tubes on the 15B. While doing the 500 degree pre-heat, ALL the plug welds started leaking nasty old gear oil pretty good. I ended up cleaning them really well and then TIG welding them up so they're actually sealed.
Also welded all the brake retainers on the axle tubes. From the factory, they are only about 50% welded
Picked up one of these SWAG 3rd Hands, pretty nifty. You have to weld them up but it should be very helpful when it comes time to put the cage together.
Also welded all the brake retainers on the axle tubes. From the factory, they are only about 50% welded
Picked up one of these SWAG 3rd Hands, pretty nifty. You have to weld them up but it should be very helpful when it comes time to put the cage together.
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Maybe follow up that tig with some 7014 to fill in some metal without adding too much heat (and it still looks good, IMO).
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- #134
Yeah, I didn't really want to heat it up too much again. I actually used some silicon bronze, hoping it's a bit more crack resistant and the end result looks OK. Worse case scenario they start weeping again in the future but probably unlikely.
- Thread starter
- #135
Slowly plugging away at the rear frame and suspension mounts. The entire frame needs to be boxed and the upper link mount needs to be angled away from the frame appropriately. Plus I'm filling a bunch of factory frame holes....
Much of the factory frame is only "mostly" welded so I'm going around and finishing it off
Here's the mount prior to boxing the top and bottom in.
Much of the factory frame is only "mostly" welded so I'm going around and finishing it off
Here's the mount prior to boxing the top and bottom in.
- Thread starter
- #136
Mark had this little gem in storage after we hauled it down from Fairbanks, AK. Too handy to let it just sit. It's a Ford 5.0 liter with half of the cylinders acting as the air compressor. Only 4 cylinders are actually consuming gasoline, pretty neat
125 CFM @ 125psi means I literally cannot blast FAST ENOUGH and the engine just idles away.
Factory GM bellhousing
Cleaned up a set of 14B hubs. Once washed, each hub was about a 10 minute affair to blast it so pretty darn quick! They were crusty too
Factory front bumper tow shackles and pins
125 CFM @ 125psi means I literally cannot blast FAST ENOUGH and the engine just idles away.
Factory GM bellhousing
Cleaned up a set of 14B hubs. Once washed, each hub was about a 10 minute affair to blast it so pretty darn quick! They were crusty too
Factory front bumper tow shackles and pins
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2fpower
SILVER Star
I had a hypertherm 30 and the only issue with it is that you will get so much done you will wonder what you did without it. I am pretty sure I would have paid for itself with all the cutoff discs I blew through over the years!!!. The only issue with the 30 is it is slow on 1/4 plate, then you kick yourself for not buying the hypertherm 45. Kind of like upgrading to 35" tires only to get 37" tires 2 years down the road...
But don't worry, you can sell it on ebay, get almost all your money back and get the 45! That is what I did a couple years ago... now I blow through stuff quick!
But don't worry, you can sell it on ebay, get almost all your money back and get the 45! That is what I did a couple years ago... now I blow through stuff quick!
- Thread starter
- #138
Still chipping away at this..... rear frame boxing
Cutting the 1/4” plate
Cutting the 1/4” plate
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- #139
I’m cleaning up the inner frame rails really (they already got blasted once) then coating with 3M weld through primer
Slow, but I’ve TIG’d everything because it’s so much cleaner
And this guy, is growing like CRAZY
Slow, but I’ve TIG’d everything because it’s so much cleaner
And this guy, is growing like CRAZY
- Thread starter
- #140
Rearmost plates which are notched to reach the rear bumper
I’ll get the inner portion near the rear channel done with MIG, at this point I need one more plate to stiffen across the pintle
Both sides are done....and a big stretch after a long hard day
I’ll get the inner portion near the rear channel done with MIG, at this point I need one more plate to stiffen across the pintle
Both sides are done....and a big stretch after a long hard day
