Builds Amateur Franken40 Build (1 Viewer)

Mike Shull · May 26, 2023

I know that feeling and I’d lend you some gas if you were closer. I upgraded to a 125CF tank size and I am still running out.

DirtSniffer · May 26, 2023

Mike Shull said:
I know that feeling and I’d lend you some gas if you were closer. I upgraded to a 125CF tank size and I am still running out.

Appreciate that, but its alright... I actually have some other projects I really need to finish anyways... Like my bathroom remodel that was supposed to be done by end of winter that is only 3/4 done (unhappy :princess:

lol). Also have this dang 80 I need to do baseline maintenance and build the front bumper and sliders for. Been itching to work on this thing though so felt good to do something at least. I may end up cutting and pulling body and welding the hard top rails off the frame later. At least my gas supply is right by my work, so swapping tanks is easy for me. My lil 40cf gets swapped at least a few times a year.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

Looks like both TMR and RuffStuff are having Memorial weekend sales, and I just sold a bunch of junk (Neighbor came out while we were loading axles and transmissions asking if we were hauling scrap because he had some of his own to get rid of

).

I am in favor of the Johnny Joints on the TMR kits, but I wanted to run a dual triangulated rear, and they don't offer a dual triangulated rear kit. I may get RuffStuff brackets and TMR joints.

Still pricing things out, but here is what I am considering right now.

TMR 3 link kit with separate upper link frame mount (planning on passenger side mount for now):

I will probably go with an inside frame mount panhard bracket as that's where the stock 80 one is. Unless someone suggests otherwise. I plan on running the 80 series steering box. Frame widths are similar at the front.

And maybe using RuffStuff's minitruck upper link mount bracket:

I may also piece it together with all RuffStuff Brackets and TMR JJs. This is what I will probably do for the rear.

Maybe get individual brackets from this kit, are there issues running a dual triangulated rear with the offset rear axle?

But Ballistic Fab also makes this truss with link mounts for the 80 rear...

I've got till midnight for the TMR stuff, other sales last a few days longer... need to make a decision today.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

Any words of wisdom before I do something dumb, @DangerNoodle @Mike Shull?

Mike Shull · May 28, 2023

Drcrane said:
Any words of wisdom before I do something dumb, @DangerNoodle @Mike Shull?

I can’t speak for the 80 location/fit but I can speak to the Frame mounts as this is similar to what I ended up using and it fit very nicely on the frame.

I would recommend to swap out the upper link frame mounts on the rear for the adjustable mounts in case you want to experiment with your anti-dive/squat geometry once it is on the road.

Mike Shull · May 28, 2023

Something else to consider is your clearance above your front pumpkin. I did not have clearance to put a mount on top of my Dana 60 pumpkin so I opted to put it on the other side.

Here are a few pictures of my setup. My diff gets within an inch of the crank pulley. Your setup will most likely be completely different.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

Priced out using RuffStuff mounts.

@Mike Shull I did see the adjustable frame mounts and would definitely be worth the little extra for them. I have them listed. So you are saying your panhard frame mount is inside not outside?

Mike Shull · May 28, 2023

I wasn’t talking about my panhard bar before. My panhard frame bracket is on the outside of the frame

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

Ah, I'll have to think about that. worst case is I need to buy another frame panhard bracket. The 80 housing around the diff is a bit smaller than you 60 front is, and the 2F i believe is mounted a bit offset to drivers side. The 4WU 80 kit uses a diff mounted top link, so I would think I can make it work. Worst case again is I have to buy one more bracket later...

Mike Shull · May 28, 2023

Drcrane said:
Ah, I'll have to think about that. worst case is I need to buy another frame panhard bracket. The 80 housing around the diff is a bit smaller than you 60 front is, and the 2F i believe is mounted a bit offset to drivers side. The 4WU 80 kit uses a diff mounted top link, so I would think I can make it work. Worst case again is I have to buy one more bracket later...

I believe that you are correct on the 2F position to the diff.

I did the outside panhard bracket so that I could achieve the same length as my drag link bar to reduce the chance of bump steer.

DangerNoodle · May 28, 2023

I could not get a top mounted upper link on top of the housing for my 80 front. The driveshaft is too much in the way to get any meaningful geometry out of a link mounted on that side. I also have an atlas, so it is quite a bit wider than a stock landcruiser case, but it all depends on how long everything ends up being, and the location of your driveshaft.

You can make mounts so you don't need to truss the axle and i've done that a few times, but a truss makes it a lot easier.

Spacing out the uppers will help a lot with body roll.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

Thanks for the info. I will be running a split case which will be moved back by a NWF black box. The bellhousing mount on that side would also be removed. I think I'll give it a shot, but will look at my other frame that has the engine on in still to see what it looks like for clearance. Spreading the rear links out is something I hadn't thought of yet, most I've seen have them right next to each other. A simple truss wouldn't be too hard to make myself.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

I have the option of either 9/16 or 5/8 bore on the Johnny joints... are the 5/8 really necessary? Looks like their standard brackets and I assume the standard 3 link kit comes with 9/16.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

I think I will go with 9/16. This is not a rock buggy, and that way I don't have to worry about having to drill out brackets and potentially not getting a perfect hole and causing the bolt to wallow it out.

DirtSniffer · May 28, 2023

Well, Johnny Joints ordered from TMR with seconds to spare. And I now see the countdown for the sale is reset for another day. Nice. Had gotten to shipping, and they don't do free shipping for bigger purchases like most places. Morris 4x4 carries JJs and would have done free shipping, but for whatever reason I could not put together matching ends in the time I thought had. Their link selection is not as user friendly as TMR, every link has a separate listing and descriptions and info are not listed consistently. So I ate the shipping. However, they listed sales tax so difference was only about $20 in the end after I managed to wade through the sea of different joints and put together the same list I did with ease on the TMR site. I also realized last minute the "narrow" joints offer 10* extra articulation at the same cost, so opted for those.

Tomorrow I'll be making decisions on brackets.

bikersmurf · May 29, 2023

Drcrane said:
Looks like both TMR and RuffStuff are having Memorial weekend sales, and I just sold a bunch of junk (Neighbor came out while we were loading axles and transmissions asking if we were hauling scrap because he had some of his own to get rid of ).

I am in favor of the Johnny Joints on the TMR kits, but I wanted to run a dual triangulated rear, and they don't offer a dual triangulated rear kit. I may get RuffStuff brackets and TMR joints.

Still pricing things out, but here is what I am considering right now.

TMR 3 link kit with separate upper link frame mount (planning on passenger side mount for now):

View attachment 3334151

I will probably go with an inside frame mount panhard bracket as that's where the stock 80 one is. Unless someone suggests otherwise. I plan on running the 80 series steering box. Frame widths are similar at the front.

And maybe using RuffStuff's minitruck upper link mount bracket:

View attachment 3334155

I may also piece it together with all RuffStuff Brackets and TMR JJs. This is what I will probably do for the rear.

Maybe get individual brackets from this kit, are there issues running a dual triangulated rear with the offset rear axle?

View attachment 3334161

But Ballistic Fab also makes this truss with link mounts for the 80 rear...

View attachment 3334162

I've got till midnight for the TMR stuff, other sales last a few days longer... need to make a decision today.

Keeping the panhard bar in the position where an 80 series bar makes sense to me as Toyota engineers usually get it write with Landcruisers... and an 80 series box to go with me makes a lot of sense. I'm running a Scout II box that mounts the same way an 80 box mounts and the design makes more sense than other designs and works really well on a 40.

DirtSniffer · May 29, 2023

Well I may be making my own panhard brackets anyways, the 2" JJs I ordered have the correct 2" mounting width for all of the panhard brackets, but only had the option for 7/16 bolts. Both the TMR and Ruff Stuff brackets are 2" mounting width and 9/16 bolt holes. Not sure what the TMR kit uses but I would have to find a way around the oversized holes to make the brackets work.

White Stripe · May 29, 2023

I've considered just using 2 door jeep long arm kits. The frames and wheelbase don't seem to be too different. Center of gravity is likely similar.

DirtSniffer · May 29, 2023

Doing some measurements on my other frame that has an engine on it still. Wish I had done this before selling the trans Saturday... Oh well, I'll be picking up my short shaft 60 h42 in a few weeks and will check things again before doing anything permanent. Either way, with the high pinion 80 front I will need to delete the passenger side bellhousing mount for driveshafts clearance. For reference, my quick measurements had the 80 flange about 3/4" further out than the 40. The clearance already looked pretty tight, but there isn't much up travel on a stock 40 to begin with. Looks to be plenty of room for a top link, but driveshaft clearance will be tight at the mount. Based on other's measurements the top link will end up about where the bellhousing mount bracket is. Tcase flange will be at about the second frame rivet back from the body mount with the black box.

DirtSniffer · May 29, 2023

I have another week for the RuffSuff sale. Here is what I am looking at now for anyone to comment on before ordering or anyone else to reference for their own links. Waiting to hear back about if I can get panhard brackets with 7/16 holes instead of 9/16 or undrilled.

Front 3 Link:
Frame lower link mounts: