- Thread starter
- #821
I don't need to trim much of the cross member to clear the exhaust tube but beyond this point, things get tight.
Builds 86 Xtra Cab Build (4Wheelunderground 3 link front, 4 link rear and 3.4 swap) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter aztoyman
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #822
There's a lot of moving parts back there and I might have a fuel tank in the way as well. Haven't made up my mind on that yet.
- Thread starter
- #823
I'm thinking I could just come up and over the links and come out between the two forward bed mounts and out the lower side of the bed with the tail pipe. 
- Thread starter
- #824
My air compressor just failed so I have to get that fixed. I think it's just a valve. Hopefully something I can fix. Not ready to buy another one.
UPDATE It just needs a run capacitor.
UPDATE It just needs a run capacitor.
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As always nice work, your getting closer !!
- Thread starter
- #826
Alright, I'm back. I have family stuff going on and Murphy has been hanging around for too long. It's been one thing after another.
I got my compressor running and then my grinder quit. Just needed brushes but it took a few days. I ordered a spare grinder and the order got cancelled by the seller.
My daily driver needed three different repairs. Then the pool pump and another pool component.
Come on Murphy!!
I finally built my cross member and it didn't fit because of my battery box. It didn't fit if I moved it forward of the box.
So I started cutting it up to fit and there's just not enough left to be structural.
I got my compressor running and then my grinder quit. Just needed brushes but it took a few days. I ordered a spare grinder and the order got cancelled by the seller.
My daily driver needed three different repairs. Then the pool pump and another pool component.
Come on Murphy!!
I finally built my cross member and it didn't fit because of my battery box. It didn't fit if I moved it forward of the box.
So I started cutting it up to fit and there's just not enough left to be structural.
- Thread starter
- #827
So I had to stick the cab back on and bolt it down. Got underneath with my Grandpa's angle finder and some cardboard and found a way to make a new cross member two inches forward where it will still clear the battery box, floor and drive shaft.
- Thread starter
- #828
I got the two main rails cut and test fitted. I still have to drill provisions for the parking brake cable and linkage.
I did get the new hardware for the T-case mount and the nuts welded on.
I did get the new hardware for the T-case mount and the nuts welded on.
- Thread starter
- #829
Murphy is still here. As you can see I had to pull the cab BACK off. I was limited on height so I put my engine crane INSIDE the cab lifting on a 4x8 going across the door opening. I've done it before. But today a wheel dropped into the expansion joint in the floor, the cab shifted and now I have to work on my body work skills. 
That's the cab roof.
That's the cab roof.
ntsqd
technerd
argh!
Sorry for your troubles 
- Thread starter
- #832
I also had the garage door catch the power cord for my belt grinder. Ripped the plug off and sent the grinder to the floor, bending the sh_t out of it. I managed to fix it fortunately.
On a positive note, I wanted a steel banjo to AN -6 adapter for my fuel line. All I kept finding was aluminum and they are also pricey. Found this on eBay. Looks well built. It's for a turbo water line. I did drill it out a bit to match the factory fitting. The punch mark aligns with the hole in the bolt. Adding a second or thicker copper washer lets me line it up for maximum flow.
Hopefully Murphy wants to fu_ck with someone else and leaves my house so I can make some progress on this.
On a positive note, I wanted a steel banjo to AN -6 adapter for my fuel line. All I kept finding was aluminum and they are also pricey. Found this on eBay. Looks well built. It's for a turbo water line. I did drill it out a bit to match the factory fitting. The punch mark aligns with the hole in the bolt. Adding a second or thicker copper washer lets me line it up for maximum flow.
Hopefully Murphy wants to fu_ck with someone else and leaves my house so I can make some progress on this.
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Murphy is still here. As you can see I had to pull the cab BACK off. I was limited on height so I put my engine crane INSIDE the cab lifting on a 4x8 going across the door opening. I've done it before. But today a wheel dropped into the expansion joint in the floor, the cab shifted and now I have to work on my body work skills.
View attachment 3362402
Don't know your sheet metal experience, but an oxy acetylene rig will shrink that down nicely. Can't see that dollying out w/out oil canning on you. Use the smallest braze tip you have, a little rich on the acetylene. I tried it a few weeks back for the first time and was surprised how well it worked.
...and death to all expansion joints!
- Thread starter
- #834
I've shrunk a round dent like that before. Will it work on these?
- Thread starter
- #836
Thanks for posting the video. Japhands sounded familiar and Make it Kustom is who I remembered. I love his videos. I think I'm going to have to use this method for sure. I've done the wet rag on the heated area on small dents YEARS ago. I doubt that would work on these big boy weird shaped dents I made today.
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Yeah, heat alone I don't think will take care of your situation.
With yours, I'd start by massaging out what you can with hammer and dolly, preferably soft dolly....maybe a pc of leather over it or soft face of a dead blow hammer. Goal is to not get that metal to metal pinging sound as that will be stretching the metal, which is the last thing we want to do right now. Once it starts getting close to level should be when you begin to notice the oil canning. This is when I'd start the random heat shrinking spots, just to get rid of the o/c. Do everything else cold up to this point.
Something else to watch out for, when you make that initial smack with the hammer on the heated dot (it'll mound up like a mountain as you heat it), is I'd back up the underside with something, a block of wood (watch for sharp corners) or even a dolly is safe here, as you want all you hammer energy to go into flattening out that red hot mountain peak as quick as possible while it's still red. This is key to getting an effective shrink. I think our roof tops are a good bit thinner than what's seen in the video and would be nervous as hell smacking it with no back up underneath. The wet rag trick can be used if you need a lot of shrink or skipped if you want just a smidge of it. And if you create a low by shrinking too much, just go metal to metal w/ hammer and dolly to stretch things back out and your low should come back up. Light hammer taps are your friend.
- Thread starter
- #838
I'm anxious to get moving on this and hoped to get the redesigned cross member built. Got a very late start today. I ran the brake cable and decided where it's going. Marked and drilled the holes and cut the slot between them.
The cable has a flange and slot and gets retained with a clip.
The cable has a flange and slot and gets retained with a clip.
- Thread starter
- #839
It's a good thing I checked fit. The holes and slot are correct but I couldn't get the clip on. I realized that the plate is too thick so I milled the back side. Also cut the hole in the back section. I'll weld a tube in for the cable to pass through.
- Thread starter
- #840
Perfect fit so I can start bending the top flange and get it tacked up.
Some progress is better than no progress.
Some progress is better than no progress.
