Build Keeping it low with Rockwells (a.k.a. under the knife again)

[camcruiser13]

why you gotta make me jealous,

i feel your pain, we just ripped out the harness of a 4 runner fuel injetcted to out to swap engines etc, now i gotta put it back in a different rig. i probably should have labeled a few of the wires. oh well

 

[Eskimo]

a little more progress.. got the brake rotors for the front, pads for all, the last caliper, and the dual-head fuel pickup for the cell in..
I've been stripping the fornt end down to get rear to pull the old motor and cut the frame rails.. I'll probably wait until I have the welder here to tack a brace onto the frame so it doesn't go nuts when I cut it...

I need to narrow the front hoop, and am trying to figure out the best way to do it.. right now I think the tires are going to get into the hoop really bad.. I'll know better once the axles are back and I can mock them up.



Also got the spool from Randy Ouverson.. another one of those time vs. money things. I would have spent all day welding spider gears into a ball.. this piece is REALLY nice too.. the splines fit tighter than any other part! Oh, and it's big & heavy..

 

[Tapage]

wooou !! it looks tough !

 

[Grade8]

done yet? haha I love that spool! I think it really shows the reality of how light your rig is going to be.

Just giving ya crap man! Looks awesome!

Sam

 

[Eskimo]

done yet? haha I love that spool! I think it really shows the reality of how light your rig is going to be.

I think the weight of your right foot will account for any weight difference between your rig and mine.. (Sam gets it.. again, and again, and...)

Sam showing me how it's "done"... (That's me walking off-camera, having just slid out from the passenger's seat)

 

[Tapage]

Holly roll cage batman !

 

[Grade8]

Haha I dont use my right foot THAT much do I?

 

[Eskimo]

Axles are shaved and narrowed...
On to the mockup phase, to see if any of my "calculations" will actually work out in reality.. the short answer is pretty much yes!
The axles are sitting 1/2" higher than they will at trail pressure, and the frame is set at full suspension compression. Should work out to 4.5-5" of compression while keeping 25" belly clearance at ride height.

42's at 5psi-- 13" under the lowest part of the axle which is only a few inches wide..

Front- Yeah, that crossmember has GOT to go, along with a little bit of the frame rails. The towers for the upper links and the chunk are going to be a TIGHT squeeze inside the frame.

Rear- Shouldn't be too big of a deal, though much of the frame visible here is a goner. Won't have a ton of steering angle unless I get more creative with the tube work.. Driveshaft angle is AWESOME. I reallly love the toploaders because of this. At full compression, the driveshaft has about a 0° coming out of the t-case.

Looks like the wheelbase will end up at 114-115". A little longer than I wanted, but I'll live. Gives me the option to go bigger should they ever make skinny 44's..

 

[freds40]

From the 2nd to last pic, it looks like the driveshaft might get close to the engine oil pan. How does it look in person.

 

[Eskimo]

From the 2nd to last pic, it looks like the driveshaft might get close to the engine oil pan. How does it look in person.

You're right.. damn near everything is gonna be close to something else at full stuff. The angle finder in that pic is actually just about where the D/S flange sits, and I'm running a 2-piece D/S, which has the carrier bearing running close to the frame, so it comes in at an angle fromt he frame, which helps with clearance. It certainly isn't helping one bit with exhaust routing though, I can tell ya that!

Part of the plan is to run a smaller diameter D/S, having the slip spline at the carrier bearing, instead of the axle end. I believe we used 1.75" tubing to help clear the 700R4's tranny pan on the other section, might wind up trying 1.5" .250 for this end, but I'll leave that up to the driveshaft guy.

Good eye..

 

[Tapage]

Part of the plan is to run a smaller diameter D/S, having the slip spline at the carrier bearing, instead of the axle end.

Everithing is connected ! you really have plans ..

 

[Eskimo]

Out with the old, and in with the new!

Pulled the 305, and cut the frame off as well... Looks like this will allow for better link clearance and to build in some adjustability into the uppers.

Buh-bye.


It's only a few inches of the frame, really.


Looks REALLY empty in there!

 

[Eskimo]

Dropped the LS in, after installing the GM flexplate spacer and longer bolts, which lets me use the stock flexplate, and my older model torque convertor.



Mocked the axle up after installing the engine, and it looks like the WB can get back to 110 or very close to it, vs. the 115 I had guesstimated. 110" was my goal anyway, so this was good. The driveshaft and passenger side links clear the engine by a mile, but the driver's side upper link is what's presenting clearance issues with the belt from the PS pump to the crank. I have an idea to allow for a good 1" more uptravel, but I don't know if I'm willing to sacrifice the triangulation in the links to get it.




Oh, and it looks like I have to cough up the $250+ for an oil pan setup from a camaro.. The truck pan is several inches deeper than the car, and it hangs down 1" below the belly pan..

 

[Eskimo]

More mockup modifications.. Now will be 24" at the belly with 5" uptravel..

 

[agent orange]

This looks awesome. I wish i had the resources to have fun with a build like yours.....

Have fun for me!

 

[gunmetalcruz]

5 inch's up with 24 under the belly with 42 or 44's you will be stoked. Get er done. If you are 110-112 I think you will be pumped.

 

[Eskimo]

5 inch's up with 24 under the belly with 42 or 44's you will be stoked. Get er done. If you are 110-112 I think you will be pumped.

That's what I wanted to hear!

110-112 is exactly what the WB is going to end up at, and I will be on 42's.. 44's are tooo wide, if they're even made in a 17.

I really want 42x15x17 sticky TSL's.. but Interco said no.

Inaugural run may be on the beach, with some legal dunes, so we'll get to really test the suspension at speed..

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Rockin numbers......

That's what I wanted to hear!

110-112 is exactly what the WB is going to end up at, and I will be on 42's.. 44's are tooo wide, if they're even made in a 17.

I really want 42x15x17 sticky TSL's.. but Interco said no.

Inaugural run may be on the beach, with some legal dunes, so we'll get to really test the suspension at speed..

 

[Eskimo]

Got the thirds cleaned up, lots of new hardware, lockers installed.. Need to get speedi-sleeves for the pinion yokes, and they'll be done.



Pulled the t-case to sell it, and was mentally mocking up the NP205... Gonna be a TIGHT squeeze in there, I'll probably have to cut more of the trans tunnel and some of the floor on that side. Depending on how the clocking plate works out, I will most likely lower the trans down closer to the bottom of the frame rails.



As I was getting the rear spring hangars off, I found this little gem.. Freakin cruisers and rust... I gotta say, I did a good job welding those spring hangars on, because they were a MOFO to get off!

 

[Eskimo]

Oh, and the sawz-all got another workout... Then spent the rest of the day grinding, grinding, and grinding to clean up the tubework that was left over, as well as the spring hangars and stuff...