Builds Father, Son, and the Unholy UTE

[2fpower]

Started putting back on the LCA mount, using the alignment holes I had done before removing it. My only issue is that on the front side, it mounted where the frame started bending in. As you see there is a gap. Need to decide if I add some filler metal or heat and bend it in place.

 

[2fpower]

I forgot to post pictures of the frame I made for the Honda prelude seats. They sit a little high for me, about the same height as my porsche boxster Seats, however very comfortable.

 

[jkdowty]

Started putting back on the LCA mount, using the alignment holes I had done before removing it. My only issue is that on the front side, it mounted where the frame started bending in. As you see there is a gap. Need to decide if I add some filler metal or heat and bend it in place. View attachment 1457021View attachment 1457022

If it were me I would heat an beat in place as long as it doesn't distort the LCA mount and prevent free movement of the LCA. It will be stronger in terms of weld sheer, by not having a second weld underneath...

 

[2fpower]

If it were me I would heat an beat in place as long as it doesn't distort the LCA mount and prevent free movement of the LCA. It will be stronger in terms of weld sheer, by not having a second weld underneath...

I am leaning that way. Current plan is to weld the 80% that is currently touching, hook the LCA back in place to help keep it from distorting, then heat/beat it down. Maybe 1/4 gap, so I am not too worried.

 

[2fpower]

As mentioned above, plan went perfectly. Pulled out the Oxy acetylene, and a few minutes later it was done. Only need to bend in a little bit.

 

[2fpower]

Next up was the front of the Tacoma bed. As I received it, it was pretty beat up, however the big issue was that the Sequoia hatch bumped out and would rub against it. Basically decided to invert the bumps on the front of the panal and use more substantial steel

 

[2fpower]

@arcteryx33 oops, cut a little off the rear.

 

[2fpower]

Went back-and-forth on how to seam this part of the frame, finally came up with this idea. Basically made it tight fitting plates out of quarter inch. Center is piece of c channel ground to the correct width

 

[2fpower]

Made A full box with those plates.

 

[Robkc]

So basically flipping the tail of the frame over to get entire tail section level with top of frame high point by the rear spring perch.
Brilliant! Really will improve the departure angle between this mod and shortening the overhang due to the bed length.

 

[2fpower]

So basically flipping the tail of the frame over to get entire tail section level with top of frame high point by the rear spring perch.
Brilliant! Really will improve the departure angle between this mod and shortening the overhang due to the bed length.

exactly. Thanks for the narrative, as I just realized that I did not post any pics of the big picture. I am really happy how it turned out, departure angle should be much better now.

The goals were to raise up the frame for departure angle, and really hope to raise that rear section so the spare tire will fit up tight to the truck bed. I don't want to give up bed space for the spare and we plan to put a cover on the bed, so mounting the tire upright in the was out of the question. with these changes, I estimate the spare will be 8" higher than stock.

 

[2fpower]

Just ordered a longer driveshaft from Tatton's driveline. Curtis helped me again with the order. will be a double cardon style. 46 5/8 hub to hub length.

Sending the ebrake cable to control cables to get a longer one made.

Will take fuel tanks out this weekend, cut them up and powerwash them before taking on the welding project. Have had them airing out for past month empty. Plan to weld on them with exhaust from another car pumping into the tank to try and avoid an explosive moment.

 

[2fpower]

Pics

 

[jkdowty]

Just ordered a longer driveshaft from Tatton's driveline. Curtis helped me again with the order. will be a double cardon style. 46 5/8 hub to hub length.

Sending the ebrake cable to control cables to get a longer one made.

Will take fuel tanks out this weekend, cut them up and powerwash them before taking on the welding project. Have had them airing out for past month empty. Plan to weld on them with exhaust from another car pumping into the tank to try and avoid an explosive moment.

Exhaust? That sounds like it could create a sketchy weld and a possibe explosive condition if the vehicle is running rich... just run a "y" splitter from your shielding gas bottle and another whip hose and drop it inside what you're welding on to purge, this will also weld make the back side of the weld be solid...

 

[2fpower]

Got all of the bed mounts made. Front hoop was made to allow for storage area later. To allow room for 33" tire I had to cut off some of rear bumper. Will cut and weld a flat plate for it.

 

[Robkc]

Got all of the bed mounts made. Front hoop was made to allow for storage area later. To allow room for 33" tire I had to cut off some of rear bumper. Will cut and weld a flat plate for it.

Was curious if there would be enough room for spare with the chop to length of frame. Looks like it will be quite snug.

 

[2fpower]

Actually ended up with no chop to the length of the frame. Would like to (and could) take out 6" and put a bumper right under the tailgate; however, then there would not be a home for the tire. This is the best current thought. End of the day, the UTE length after the axle is the same as the normal 80, however, the end of the frame (inner bumper) is about 8" higher and I was able to put the tire above the frame so the tire will be about 13" higher than stock.

I figure for days of hard wheeling, Josh can take the tire out and put it in the bed of the truck.

 

[2fpower]

I keep thinking that I am about done with the fabwork.... just remembered that I need to make a gas tank upper mount like @BlueCruiser84 did.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

I keep thinking that I am about done with the fabwork.... just remembered that I need to make a gas tank upper mount like @BlueCruiser84 did.

Yep. As soon as I put away all my fab tools I realize there is one more thing to make. There is always one more thing....

 

[2fpower]

Ran into a problem with my plan of putting two gas tanks together. The crossmember I added to support the new rear sequoia hatch is in the way. Basically, that crossmember drops from the floor about an inch and a half and it is 3 inches past where the original rear floor raised up. The tank mimicked the floor so my crossmember is in the way. That means that the lower section of the tank could be added 9 inches in length to keep the on same mounting points, however the upper section could only had 6 inches. This calculated out to about 6 gallons of additional gas, while my original plan would've been almost 10. The other item to discuss is that the storage area We had discussed underneath the truck bed has become significantly smaller with the tank. Given that my original plan was to use that possibly to hold a 5 gallon fuel can, it led me to think about making a very very tall tank there to consume all that space. And that is where I'm at at this point, contemplating making a custom tank. Given the time constraints of this project, current plan is to put old original tank in for now.