jrob
Florence, MS
LOL!....funny Charie!
J-Robs truck saga
- Thread starter Bodean
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Another fairly productive weekend at the shop. Jrob was in full 'stage building foreman' mode...no BS allowed. Friday night's activities included locating and tacking in the frame mounts for the front upper and lower links, beginning to box in the rear frame, cutting more metal off the rear frame rails, and cutting and tacking in additional frame reinforcement plates for the rear links...even had a guest appearance by @Land Speeder. Saturday was spent finishing up boxing in the rear frame and reinforcing the mid inner frame rails (lots of welding and lots of grinding laying sideways and/or upside down...good times), locating and tacking in the upper and lower link mounts on the frame, attaching the link mount bracket to the axle truss (twice), and mocking up all the links with PVC.
Here are a few pics...after this was put together and the pinion angle was dialed in, we noticed that the link mounts on top of the axle were too low. We took it all apart after these pics, cut a piece of 3/8" plate to go under the upper link bracket, tacked it all back together, and mocked it up again. The goal was for the upper links to be parallel to the ground. They are much closer now than they appear here, but I think we were all too tired to get more pics:
Here are a few pics...after this was put together and the pinion angle was dialed in, we noticed that the link mounts on top of the axle were too low. We took it all apart after these pics, cut a piece of 3/8" plate to go under the upper link bracket, tacked it all back together, and mocked it up again. The goal was for the upper links to be parallel to the ground. They are much closer now than they appear here, but I think we were all too tired to get more pics:
We flexed it a good bit to check pinion angle change and to make sure there was no binding. Here are a few pics after it was put back together the second time with simulating what can be expected from the coilovers that allow 5" up travel and 9" droop:
Land Speeder
InstaH8R
Listen up errbody... don't be goin in this shop unless you red to have knowledge circlin around yer dome! Theys all kinds of Bill Nye up in this shop!
"Let us pray"
This was the circle discussion under the truck about.... JTMFT's gas problem. Sumbish was callin' Tug boats all weekend!
Now, I done admitted I ain't good at the maths, but I know that 80 x 3 = 240 (I think) so take THAT ya'll two-hunnerd owners! Betchyall aint got a 240!
I have felt like dried roast goat all weekend, but it was good to get over there to watch these guys do their thing and hand a wrench when needed. This rig is gone be like a dachshund hunting moles: sumbitchlldig
"Let us pray"
This was the circle discussion under the truck about.... JTMFT's gas problem. Sumbish was callin' Tug boats all weekend!
Now, I done admitted I ain't good at the maths, but I know that 80 x 3 = 240 (I think) so take THAT ya'll two-hunnerd owners! Betchyall aint got a 240!
I have felt like dried roast goat all weekend, but it was good to get over there to watch these guys do their thing and hand a wrench when needed. This rig is gone be like a dachshund hunting moles: sumbitchlldig
And then.
Y'all working on this pile tomorrow night?
jrob
Florence, MS
No we are off tonight and probably Friday night. we will be working Saturday Morning from about 7:30 til around 2:00. If anybody wants to help, we need somebody to teardown the front axle (the front axle is complete with the springs still attached) so we can remove the diff, remove storage box and rear seat. We are planning on getting the rear crossmember, misc. welding & grinding in the rear finished up and maybe begin on rear shock hoops.
JTMFT might post an update on progress today.
JTMFT might post an update on progress today.
A little progress since the last update.
Fully braced the rear frame link mounts:
Fully braced the rear frame link mounts:
Cut the rear links, tacked in the rod ends, put the rear axle back under it, bolted on the hubs, and put the tires on to see where the tub needed to be trimmed:
Pretty happy with the departure angle this is gonna provide:
Pretty happy with the departure angle this is gonna provide:
Notched the frame for the coilovers...fxxxing nuts:
That's cool. Now you see why people just start tossing tubs in the dumpster or they tube out the rear.
Is this how Georg's is done?
Is this how Georg's is done?
Freakin machines! You guys are awesome!
We considered cutting rear frame out just before where it ended up getting notched and tubing out the rear, but Jrob wants to keep a storage/tool box (maybe a bit narrower than what's currently in there) and at least a single seat back there. Notching it in this fashion seemed to be the best way to maintain support under the bed using the original cross member.
Plus, I must have had that 'there ain't no fxxxing way' look on my face when he told me (at the very beginning of the project no less) that this was what we'd end up having to do. Oh ye of little faith...
I'm pretty sure Georg's rig has the shock hoops outside the frame rails. I can see where a few more inches in the full width axles would allow for this.
Yeah it would have saved me loads of time if i would've have just listened to Wngrog and tubed out the rear. But i wanted as much body as possible for the rear seat and to smash the body on the rocks as much as possible ..especially since the kids ride with me alot SMH
Be aware of rear steer. Sometimes you can dial it out. Just depends on how much adjustability you designed in. Also i built my upper links too stout. I wanted to have the same hardware for all the links for spares..i could have shaved some weight there. Randy Kruse's jeep had some of the tiniest upper links i have ever seen and he said he never had an issue with them..
Be aware of rear steer. Sometimes you can dial it out. Just depends on how much adjustability you designed in. Also i built my upper links too stout. I wanted to have the same hardware for all the links for spares..i could have shaved some weight there. Randy Kruse's jeep had some of the tiniest upper links i have ever seen and he said he never had an issue with them..
I ran Branik aluminum links. Loved them.
That's awesome, fellas!
How much vertical separation between mounts at frame? What size links? I see a lot of people now using 1.75 x .188 wall it smaller uppers. They're strictly tensile and compression if set up correctly. No rock bashing with the uppers, unless you're really doing something wrong...
How much vertical separation between mounts at frame? What size links? I see a lot of people now using 1.75 x .188 wall it smaller uppers. They're strictly tensile and compression if set up correctly. No rock bashing with the uppers, unless you're really doing something wrong...
jrob
Florence, MS
I considered smaller uppers, but decided against it. all links are 2 x 1/4" wall, I know it is overkill on the uppers. My main goal is strength and reliability. We have about 9.25" of vertical separation at the rear axle and about 5" at the frame, upper link is at 0 degrees
My links are all within an inch of each other so I only have to carry one spare.
That frame notch looks familiar.
