I like that cage a lot. YOu will find that the absence of weight in the rear though is going to make those leafs real stiff. Just be carefull first time out.
Builds And so it begins - buggification (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Eskimo
- Start date
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agreed....lookin awesome!! you took it much the same as my ideas....now I just gotta get off my ass and start on mine!
Flex 'er up and plan on a rear center limit strap to help you control it on steep descents....
Flex 'er up and plan on a rear center limit strap to help you control it on steep descents....
Eskimo
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- Thread starter
- #24
woody said:
Where do you think I got the idea for the overhead cage area?
I knew your cage has been through quite a bit, and like how the corners spread out an impact force... I've got a tight center strap because of the anti-squat that the anti-wrap bar introduced, but I'm expecting downhills to be, ahem, interesting, the first few times.
For the rear suspension, I'm going to be taking a few leafs out of the rear pack to soften them back up, and to get the ride height back down to as well.. Hopefully it won't make them too weak (They are stock 7-leaf Waggy's)
Mace - we already made 4 little sleeves to go into the center door of the hinges (not pictured), which we'll run a bolt all the way through (double-shear, if you will), to hold the tub in place.. ya think that's sufficient? (hadn't even thought about using the windshield mount!! - Great idea!)
I'm bummed that it's taking so long and that I missed a few good trips so far this year, but it's coming along, very much how I imagined it.. I'll be much more at ease knowing it'll take good hits, so I'm even more apt to take the silly lines now...
Actually I was not worried about holding the tub in place.
When you start to get stupid you tend to start smacking the cowl into rocks. And having a bit of support to the cage (skidplate basically)
I'll try to find a pic..
When you start to get stupid you tend to start smacking the cowl into rocks. And having a bit of support to the cage (skidplate basically)
I'll try to find a pic..
Eskimo
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- Thread starter
- #27
Progress? Took all the body panels, cowl, hood, etc.. off, gonna strip 'em down some and paint them. Since there was nothing on the cowl except the steering, now was deemed the "right time" to do it.
Got the last of the big tube work done, but had to remove it to get the cowl out, so it's not visible.
360 pounds of tubing added back in, still over 700lbs lighter! Going to have to take 3-4 leaves out of the rear spring pack, and one from the front.. I'm psyched.
Got the last of the big tube work done, but had to remove it to get the cowl out, so it's not visible.
360 pounds of tubing added back in, still over 700lbs lighter! Going to have to take 3-4 leaves out of the rear spring pack, and one from the front.. I'm psyched.
Damn dude, looking sweet!
Is there any way to powdercoat a frame like that with the engine still in the rig?
Eskimo
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- Thread starter
- #30
OK.. let's see...
Rob doing his best to burn a hole through the frame...er, cutting off the Ford shock towers.. Damn those things were ON THERE...
This is where we started Saturday morning... the cage is mostly welded, but the bars going forward are just tacked so the cowl can go back in.
The battery tray.. I know J-hooks aren't preferred, and I'll probably change them out for some kind of bolt... OTOH, they have been working for over 5 years.. Anyway, this is under the passenger's seat.
Extended the brake pedal for 2 footed driving.. What isn't readily visible is that the brake and throttle have been re-shaped to be more comfortable as well...
Rob doing his best to burn a hole through the frame...er, cutting off the Ford shock towers.. Damn those things were ON THERE...
This is where we started Saturday morning... the cage is mostly welded, but the bars going forward are just tacked so the cowl can go back in.
The battery tray.. I know J-hooks aren't preferred, and I'll probably change them out for some kind of bolt... OTOH, they have been working for over 5 years.. Anyway, this is under the passenger's seat.
Extended the brake pedal for 2 footed driving.. What isn't readily visible is that the brake and throttle have been re-shaped to be more comfortable as well...
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Eskimo
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- Thread starter
- #31
2 of the t-case support.. I wanted to go under what is now a skid plate of sorts, but it would cause the mount to hang too low, so this will have to do, and I think it'll do the job of taking the t-case weight off the 4 bolts on the 700R4. The mounts should move together, as they are both identical..
Radiator guard/shock tower/hood pin holder installed... There will most likely be support form the bottom as well, but damn, this mount is solid, and I don't have to worry about the radiator flexing and cracking.
So finally, this is where we ended up.. Lotsa progress, but still a few good weekends like this before she's ready again...
Radiator guard/shock tower/hood pin holder installed... There will most likely be support form the bottom as well, but damn, this mount is solid, and I don't have to worry about the radiator flexing and cracking.
So finally, this is where we ended up.. Lotsa progress, but still a few good weekends like this before she's ready again...
LC_Hamma
The Anti-Leafer
Did you use threadlocker on those tcase mounting bolts? I don't see a nylock or a lockwasher. Basic wrenchin' knowledge - secure them bolts!
Looking real damn good!
Looks good dude. Keep it up.
Eskimo
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- Thread starter
- #37
Figured I was jumping around too much on Saturday... so I'm working from the bottom up..
Spent most of the day making this crossmember. It holds the anti-wrap bar, muffler, and will double as the rear support for the skid plate. It took a bit to make it flanged, get everything lined up, notched, welded, etc... Yes, this was 6 hours of work.
Tanks are mounted on the pricy but stout brackets.. very solid.
Speaking of brackets, finished up the radiator mount. The upper brackets do a great job of holding it, but I wanted something on the bottom to keep the rad from "swinging".. Very simple, but it solidly locates the rad, allowing the frame to flex without twisting the rad at all.
Spent most of the day making this crossmember. It holds the anti-wrap bar, muffler, and will double as the rear support for the skid plate. It took a bit to make it flanged, get everything lined up, notched, welded, etc... Yes, this was 6 hours of work.
Tanks are mounted on the pricy but stout brackets.. very solid.
Speaking of brackets, finished up the radiator mount. The upper brackets do a great job of holding it, but I wanted something on the bottom to keep the rad from "swinging".. Very simple, but it solidly locates the rad, allowing the frame to flex without twisting the rad at all.
Eskimo
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- Thread starter
- #38
Some stuff bolted back up to the firewall.. The blower for the fan, the propane lockoff on a little bracket, the re-done HEI dizzy (high output coil & quick advance springs), and I'm sooo happy with how the brakes mounted up. The booster is from a minitruck, master is (new) from a FJ-80, 1" bore. I've had the MC for 2 years now, and the booster almost as long, waiting on some day to be used. everything bolted right together, the pedal bolted right up, and the sizing is perfect! You'd never know Toyota didn't offer this factory.
The mixer and converter are just mocked up... I left the spacer I need at home. (d'oh)
The mixer and converter are just mocked up... I left the spacer I need at home. (d'oh)
I wish I would stop long enough to paint my firewall.....that looks great.
Eskimo
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- #40
wngrog said:
Thanks... mine REALLY looked like ass, because my old 'vette MC would leak everytime I got off-camber.. the firewall paint was a bubbling, blistering mess of rust and old paint..
Certainly looks better than this when I first got it a few years ago, eh?
