Chicago out of curiosity why didn't you tie-your seat cradle into the cage via door bar from the A-B pillar? It would have given you more rigidity and be safer in a hard roll-over...
Builds Chicago builds a 40
- Thread starter chicago
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rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
Looks very good.
How does it feel when you sit in the Drivers seat?
It almost looks like you could have bumped the seats back a bit further to gain some more leg room.
How does it feel when you sit in the Drivers seat?
It almost looks like you could have bumped the seats back a bit further to gain some more leg room.
- Thread starter
- #983
Honestly...no particular reason. More or less, I just wanted to get the seats located more than anything so I can keep moving with the build. I didint wanna hard weld the cage with out the seats in their locations that I wanted them.
Guess that I didnt really think about it.
- Thread starter
- #984
Rusty...
The seats move all the way back to the fender well. Where they are positioned in the pic is about where they feel comfortable without having the pedals in place.
The one thing that I DO NOT like right now is the sized of the steering wheel. Its not comfortable getting in and out of the rig as its constricting because of its size.
The seats so far (the little bit that Ive sat in them) feel GREAT. Everything feels good except the school bus steering wheel. I know that you love that thing....
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
I guess I've driven the truck so long with the big steering wheel it would seem strange with a tiny one. When the truck was OEM you needed the big wheel for leverage. Even with the high ratio Sag mechanical box I had the extra size helped. Not an issue with power steering I suppose. 
I'd like to move my seats back a bit, I may have to plagiarize your work a bit.
I'd like to move my seats back a bit, I may have to plagiarize your work a bit.
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The giant steering wheel is something I want to get rid of as well. Although if power steering ever goes out on the trail I'll wish I still had it.
- Thread starter
- #987
I guess I've driven the truck so long with the big steering wheel it would seem strange with a tiny one. When the truck was OEM you needed the big wheel for leverage. Even with the high ratio Sag mechanical box I had the extra size helped. Not an issue with power steering I suppose.
I'd like to move my seats back a bit, I may have to plagiarize your work a bit.
May have some extra materials...
I plan on building my tail gate with the 1 in square tube, but that wont take that much. It was pretty easy, just a lot of time back and forth fitting and such.
Also have GOBS of 1/4 in plate for the floor mounts. Just pick through my scrap PILE if you want. That whole corned of my garage is almost full of those little pieces that "I could probably use this for something..." scrap.
- Thread starter
- #988
Yeup...
Im diggin some of the grant wheels quite a bit. Im probably gonna go with a 14 in wheel. That shaves off about 3 in for my legs to move. THAT is where the space gets tight getting in and out of the rig with the seats in now...the steering wheel.
My tacoma wheel is 15. I really like that dimension as well. I figure there wont be too much of a noticeable difference with 1 in either way. Its just that the wheel that I like is 14. Its pretty cheap too.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
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- www.cascadecruisers.com
come on ese.... chain linked is the way to go
- Thread starter
- #990
rusty_tlc
Dain Bramaged Member
So, what did you do this weekend?
- Thread starter
- #992
Punked 6 yards of decomposed granite, 1 yard of 3-8 in river rock and SNATCHED up 5 VERY NICE 1.5-3 ft boulders from the desert.
That was a FEAT of engineering, lemme tell YOU!
All that rock stakin on the trails...its pays off when being a CHEAP FU*KER!
That 3 ft boulder was TOO HEAVY for both the wife and I to lift, but I only had to get it to the tail gate...
"LET STACK SOME ROCKS...People built the great pyramids for chrissakes." So we stacked some rocks to make a ramp and basically flipped it up and into the bed of the Taco. Have you ever priced BOULDERS!?!?!?! FAAAAAAAAWK! Free is in my price range!
The only thing I did on Jezebel this weekend was get the A to B supports fit and tacked.
Ill be splitting the spring packs next getting those cleaned, drilled, painted and re assembled, and then Im gonna start on the SOA this weekend!
Can NOT friggin wait to get that started!
BTW...for our anniversary...the wife is getting me a bender!
I LOVE MY WIFE!
SHE LOVES ME!
You still landscaping? 
- Thread starter
- #994
You still landscaping?
HAHA! Yeah...the front yard is done as far as were are gonna do right now.
Right now on the 40, I started doing the prep on the springs. I have two sets of 60 series springs. I split the two sets of rear springs and ground off all the rust an crap off of em, straightened the wraps which Ill be drilling holes in to run retainer bolts across them. Then, with the other spring packs, I took the military leaf out (per cruiserdrew's recommendation) and cut the wrap off to make an add a leaf. Then I drilled my complete military wrap leaf and re drilled it to flip the pack. THAT is no easy task BTW. Got some carbide tipped masonry bits to make the hole (also cruiserdrew's recommendation.).l
I ordered new anti wear pads from Toyota...there are very few of these left in the nation. They were able to pull the number that I needed from various stores t/o the US. Next up is to get em painted, re assembled and then Ill start tearing down and cleaning the 60 series rear axle and housing....Hopefully this weekend.
- Thread starter
- #995
Progress at last!
- Thread starter
- #996
Finished springs
- Thread starter
- #997
Stripped the 60 series axle. Cut off the old perches and brackets in about 5 min with the plasma! LOVE THAT MACHINE!
- Thread starter
- #998
Then I cut off the old spring brackets off the 40...
Lemme tell you...I FAWKING HATE RIVETS! Even with the plasma it took about 1.5 hrs to hammer that crap off with a 4 LB sledge and a chisel.
Then I started mocking the springs up to get started on the SOA process and discovered that Ruff stuff had sent me hangers, bushings and sleeves for the 40 springs, so my day ENDED there.
Sooooo friggin excited to be starting this part of the build!!!!
Lemme tell you...I FAWKING HATE RIVETS! Even with the plasma it took about 1.5 hrs to hammer that crap off with a 4 LB sledge and a chisel.
Then I started mocking the springs up to get started on the SOA process and discovered that Ruff stuff had sent me hangers, bushings and sleeves for the 40 springs, so my day ENDED there.
Sooooo friggin excited to be starting this part of the build!!!!
- Thread starter
- #999
Also wanted to mention...I called Dan (ruff stuff) immediately upon discovering that I had the wrong hangers and such, and he will be shipping them tomorrow. Great customer service with that guy as well as a GREAT product.
Support him. You wont be disappointed!
Support him. You wont be disappointed!
- Thread starter
- #1,000
Ill also add that in order to assist with keeping the u bolts in position when secured to the axle, I utilized the stock perch welds. I cut above them and dround em down to make em smooth, but it helps in locating the new spring perch and also (as mentioned) keeps the u bolt in place.
Thought it was kinda cool that I personally havent seen before.
Thought it was kinda cool that I personally havent seen before.
