Builds 76 Project Silver Back

[waiting for time]

Your axle can move sideways under load. Springs don't just bend up and down, there is also movement to the side.
When you straitened your shock towers you limited the space for side movement.

 

[SMG]

Update, Primed and painted some parts.

No pictures of the satin black Imron.

 

[SMG]

Made up some new front axle shock tabs out of 3/8" steel.

Cut and ground off the old tabs, welded on the new ones.

Now I need to reposition the brake hose tab. Here's the before pic.

Where's the best place to purchase these short brake lines in braided stainless steel?

Old tab gone

New tab

 

[SMG]

So I've been putting this off for a long time and at first I thought I was going to try and live with it.

The way the previous owner mounted the Saginaw mounting plate was driving me crazy...
I hated how the Saginaw gearbox was angled instead of level. I have seen a lot of these boxes mounted this way and it must work, but the geometry isn't ideal.

My steering gearbox needed to be moved back so that the drag link would be parallel to the axle and the pitman arm needed to be level.

I knew it was gonna be a pain in the butt due to the existing plate.

I designed a new plate to weld to the old one. This design is a lot like the one I did on my original frame in the beginning of this build. I won't bore everyone with the details, but mainly wanted to document it for my build.

I first played around with the measurements on the old nerd box.
I then had this plate cut on the water jet.

This round 1" bar stock was machined to nest ontop of the frame channel and fits into the 1" bore on the plate. The radius matches the frame channel perfectly.

Here is a pic of how it fits onto the frame. Also, the original plate bungs have been cut off and filled. The crossmember has been notched to move the gearbox back approximately 1.75" back.

 

[SMG]

Here's a pic of the new plate before welding.

This piece acts as the bottom bolt spacers it also offset the holes so they don't have to go through the bottom of the frame channel.
This keeps from having to put bar stock or tube through the bottom of the frame rails like the way 4x4labs does it.

New plate welded on.

 

[SMG]

Here is the new position of the box. Nice and level.

This crappy picture shows how the bottom mounting holes have been dropped down by using my offset spacer piece. Without this piece, the holes would be directly through the the bottom horizontal cross section of the frame.

Next up, trying to decide if it needs outter frame horn stiffner plates.

 

[White Stripe]

Wow really nice fab work.

 

[davegonz]

Very nice. Is that enough clearance for the hose fittings? Looks a little tight.

 

[SMG]

Very nice. Is that enough clearance for the hose fittings? Looks a little tight.

Hopefully, if not, I can always open it up a little more.

 

[SMG]

Time for an update.

I went ahead and added this outboard frame horn stiffening plate.

After all the welding, I painted the frame up to the firewall with satin black 2 part Imron.

 

[SMG]

I order a Saginaw steering gear rebuild kit from West Texas Offroad.

Great People to deal with!

First mission was to remove the pitman arm. What a pain in the butt!!! Finally after two days of heat, impact gun and PB blaster she finally gave.

Even tho this box looks nice and pretty on the outside, I couldn't believe how much brown sludge was on the inside.

I am so glad I decided to rebuild it.

Once the pitman arm was removed, I was able to take it completely apart. I then bead blasted the housing and then let it soak in KBS's rust blast.

 

[SMG]

Here's some pictures of the finished Saginaw box painted and back on the frame.

 

[White Stripe]

Man that steering box is going to work awesome now. So what are u using for a Trans and tcase? What gears in the diffs?

 

[SMG]

Man that steering box is going to work awesome now. So what are u using for a Trans and tcase? What gears in the diffs?

Thanks, I sure hope so. I really took my time in the positioning the box.
I am now going to start rebuilding my knuckles.

I am running a NV4500 with the lower first gear. My transfer case is stock with a T-case saver. (I may replace this down the road with a split case.)
My diffs are 4:11's with ARB lockers front and rear.

 

[SMG]

Painted and reinstalled the Borgeson steering shaft and U-joints.
I am amazed how smooth it feels.

 

[SMG]

With the steering complete, I thought it would be a good time to start my knuckle swap. (Small pattern high steer to Large pattern high steer).

Here's some before pics.

Unfortunately this Aqualu high steer arm is for a small pattern knuckle. It is a really nice piece. I will be posting it in the classifieds once I bead blast and paint it.

 

[SMG]

Let the tear down begin.

Anyone know if this two piston caliper was standard in 76?
It's seems like it may have been upgraded at some point.

This is how the upper trunnion bearing looked. I sure am glad I decided to open this can of worms.

The axle ball looks really clean.

 

[SMG]

I'm very happy with the way the birf looks. It looks like brand new. Hopefully the other side looks this good.

It's a messy job, but well worth the learning experience. I sure wish I had room for a solvent tank.

 

[White Stripe]

Let the tear down begin.
View attachment 1404160

Anyone know if this two piston caliper was standard in 76?
It's seems like it may have been upgraded at some point.
View attachment 1404163
View attachment 1404161

This is how the upper trunnion bearing looked. I sure am glad I decided to open this can of worms.
View attachment 1404166

The axle ball looks really clean.

View attachment 1404162

Yep standard. If u want u can pull the 4 bolts and buy a seal kit and rebuild the calipers. They are pretty simple units. For smoother operation apply sil glide wherever the brake pads make contact with the caliper as well as on the pins. Also, consider upgrading to at least the 27 spline chromoly birfields on your stock shafts while your in their. Of course if money and or time is tight now u can always do it later. They aren't hard to swap in. Also, as long as the old grease is free of debris, their is no need to get the knuckles and birfs totally clean of old grease. I just wipe out the majority of the old and install new grease. For bearings and birfs I wipe off, then hand pack with fresh grease.
Longfield Birfield, 27 Spline Chromoly - Trail Gear

 

[SMG]

Yep standard. If u want u can pull the 4 bolts and buy a seal kit and rebuild the calipers. They are pretty simple units. For smoother operation apply sil glide wherever the brake pads make contact with the caliper as well as on the pins. Also, consider upgrading to at least the 27 spline chromoly birfields on your stock shafts while your in their. Of course if money and or time is tight now u can always do it later. They aren't hard to swap in. Also, as long as the old grease is free of debris, their is no need to get the knuckles and birfs totally clean of old grease. I just wipe out the majority of the old and install new grease. For bearings and birfs I wipe off, then hand pack with fresh grease.
Longfield Birfield, 27 Spline Chromoly - Trail Gear

Thanks for your advice, Even though the grease looks really clean, I will have to dig it out along with the balls/cages.

I am still missing a couple of roller bearings from the damaged upper trunnion bearing. I would hate for
one of them to be wedged between a ball and cage.

I sure wish I had the funds for some Longfields.

Thanks