Build 86 Xtra Cab Build (4Wheelunderground 3 link front, 4 link rear and 3.4 swap)

[aztoyman]

Here's a pic of the driver seat at the full rear position. Comfortable to sit, easy in and out, but too far back. I can't comfortably operate my shifters so I'll try the other positions before I commit to anything permanent.

I don't know if you can see it, but the bottom of the seat belt slots have a downward slope to them. I put a piece of thin flat steel across it and it is a 10 degree down angle at this seat back position. So it was a good guide to determine the shoulder harness angle. I won't be welding in the harness bar until my final seat position is figured out.


Edit, I know I need one more wrap of the strap back through the buckle. Just testing at this point.

 

[ntsqd]

Rules on the belt buckles vary. Getting thru BitD's tech the first time we had to buy some more buckles because they wanted two buckles per belt.

 

[aztoyman]

Took a couple days to work on the house A/C and get the pool ready for the summer. I did order some parts I'll show in a bit.

I started making frame mounts for the back stays. I had a couple thoughts on these. I marked the proposed attachment points with the yellow X's. It right where my back half 3/16" frame tubes start to narrow and that's where the fish plates/gusseting is. Also where the original round tube crossmember was and is now a thicker tube.

There is going to be bushings at the frame end. I don't have room to put them at the main hoop so hopefully I don't get enough "flexing" to crack my back stays off the cage.

I do have room to use interlocking tube connectors so if and when I need to pull the back stays, I can. I can swap the stainless bolts and nuts for Grade 8 fine thread for more strength if it would help.

 

[aztoyman]

So because of the concern of flexing on the frame side and being welded solid on the main hoop, I was originally thinking about using the same exact poly mounts that are under the cab. Except with a Grade 8 1/2-20 bolt threading into a 1 1/2" solid slug that I could weld the tube to. The bolt wouldn't be in shear but inline with the expected load.

I was going to make a 3/16" thick version of the factory mount I'm holding in the pic to weld to where the yellow X's are on the frame in the pics above. My thinking was that it would have more range of motion than a suspension bushing in double shear. I think maybe the suspension bushing option is better but I'm just guessing.

 

[aztoyman]

So I fabb'd up two brackets to use the poly suspension bushings in the same 1 3/4" DOM tube as the cage. Then I thought I could still use the two slugs I made and use those inside the bottom cross tube and go directly inline BETWEEN the two mounts. The tube would replace the nuts on the bushing bolts. I thought it might be stronger??

 

[aztoyman]

But there's a problem. It's a 5 inch long bolt and I won't have room to R&I it once the mount is welded in.

 

[aztoyman]

Sorry, duplicate post.

 

[aztoyman]

So do I mount it slightly to the rear to allow the bolt room to clear the tube or run without the tube between the mounts? Just use a nut on each mount and weld the cross tube in above the mount?

 

[aztoyman]

I bought the cage connectors and the seller also had some other items that looked perfect for what I wanted to do inside the cab.

These whip antenna mounts almost fit perfect to tie the tubes to the under floor and tunnel structure. A little grinding and they are there.

 

[ntsqd]

I wouldn't bother with the second cross-tube. The mounts are close enough to the round tube cross-member that all you'll really gain from the second tube is weight.

 

[aztoyman]

@ntsqd Thanks for that. Makes things easier for sure.

 

[Broski]

I wouldn't bother with the second cross-tube. The mounts are close enough to the round tube cross-member that all you'll really gain from the second tube is weight.

This was exactly what I was thinking!

 

[mesa man]

I do the small folding step stool for my wife also. Works well
And she only uses it getting in.

Same for us, Very useful!

 

[aztoyman]

I made a different set of frame side brackets for the back stays that fit closer to the top of the frame rails, got the whole thing all mocked up in PVC pipe, then copied it all in 1.75" DOM tube. Tack welded it all in place, then cut out sections for the tube joints and tacked it all together again so I could make sure they would come apart as expected. Stuff moves and/or gets stresses welded in so just making sure.

I can remove the socket head bolts from the three tube joints at the main hoop and the three tubes all pivot back on the frame bushings. Or I can pull the bushing bolts and remove it pretty easily. I'm going to add another connector at the bottom of the diagonal bar so I can remove just that bar if I need to R&I the fuel tank.

I don't really like the "look" of the extra horizontal bar in the mix but I needed a proper height harness bar and I'm not cutting out my main hoop to start over. The harness bar is 1.5" tube.

Anyway, I made a little progress at least. My big broken down butt really struggled with getting in position to weld some of these joints. I made sure they are solid welds but welding a bit at a time makes for overlaps and not very pretty. Gorilla welds I guess. They ARE fused down to the root.