Owyhee's 2+ Ranch 45 LPB

[Owyhee Jackass]

Since it was a 55 bumper and the re-enforcement assembly was meant for a 40 bumper, I had to 'use a bigger hammer' to get it to fit, but it does fit.

I also had to fill some holes in the 55 bumper and drill new holes in it to line up with the 'new' gusset plates. Used a skinny-wheel to make the cut-out for the cable and fairlead.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Final fitment, I bomb-canned the top of the bumper where I filled and drilled the new holes, need to 'distress' it there so it matches the rest of the rusty bumper.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Been a while since I did anything to the 45. Didn't have any plans (couldn't convince my wife to do any of my elaborate camping/boating schemes) so took some tubing up to a friends shop and started building some hoops for the bed.

Here's the concept:

Tasche has a tubing bender that he made to make the bows for his 40 soft top. He dug it out and we managed to bend up the tubing pretty quickly.

That black hoop on the back will go away, I made it years ago with some EMT so I could carry a canoe. I used it this past weekend to support the three 20-foot sticks of 1-inch round tubing.

Tasche's place is in Hailey, I live in Boise, 150 miles or so one way. That's the farthest I've driven the 45 in quite a while. It did alright, top speed of 60, 3-hours one-way with a stop for gas and to check the oil (leaks and burns it), need to address the leaks.

 

[65swb45]

Oh the irony! I started building an EMT rack like that almost 20 years ago, then abandoned it when I got the 2” bed rack FROM YOU!

I welded flat stock to the front and rear hoops, thinking to reuse the factory mounting provisions in the bedsides.

FREE - Homemade lwb rear bed hoop

Made this when I first got my lwb, with the intention of eventually fabbing up a stakeside for it. Never got past the rear hoop. Holes are drilled and tapped to run bolts through the factory holes to secure it. Free to another 45lwb owner who wants to pick it up.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Used his solidworks license to model up some brackets to mount it to the bed. Then used his plasma table and home-made press-brake to burn them out and bend them up. Don't have the model and didn't get a photo of the 'finished' brackets.

I need to get some more tubing for the fore-aft connections, make the tabs that will attach them, press the ends of the tubes and punch holes in them, then weld everything up.

My wife said she wasn't interested in riding in the 45 with me and dog for 3-hours each way, so she came up by herself in the 80...Tasche has a couple Tacos and a 40.

We were missing and 80'sand a 2020's era Toyota in the driveway.

Hopefully it won't take me a decade to finish the bows, but that's about my speed...glacial.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Oh the irony! I started building an EMT rack like that almost 20 years ago, then abandoned it when I got the 2” bed rack FROM YOU!

I welded flat stock to the front and rear hoops, thinking to reuse the factory mounting provisions in the bedsides.

I may use the headache rack bolts as well as the stake pockets in the rear in conjunction with the brackets I made. Need to see how stable it is first. I want to keep is simple and easy to remove.

Glad to see you're still happy with that rack and use it.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Made a press fixture to bend the brackets up. Used a piece of 1" solid bar and a POS harbor freight benchtop press someone left at work...thing barely works it leaks like a sieve, but got the job done.

Used it to smash the ends of the tubing as well.

Got it clamped together the other day and tacked most of the brackets in place.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

All tacked up last night, need to take it apart and burn in the brackets. Not sure when/where or if I'll get t a cover made for it.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Hard to get a good photo, step ladder and wide angle...calling it done for now.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Time to upgrade my high-steer. Any recommendations? Looks like the kits I've found use 80-series components. Does the 80 gear-box use the same bolt pattern as the 60 box? I'm thinking I will source an 80 box and pitman arm and buy new steering arms. My only concern it the clearance of the pitman arm between the frame and the springs.

Reason for upgrade, found a crack in my pitman arm. Original high steer was done by a shop in Oregon about 25 years ago. Lasted quite a while, but not trusting it anymore...

 

[middlecalf]

Wow, I think of all the components between the tires and the pitman arm, or the steering wheel and the pitman arm, that have a load sufficient to crack a sound pitman arm passing through them and survived themselves. Makes me wonder about the original integrity of that arm. Was it modified (bent to shape) before?

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Yes, it was modified.

 

[Michael B]

Is the arm cracked or the paint? It’s difficult to tell in the picture.

 

[65swb45]

I better go check my knuckle arms; Wendell also did mine about 20 years ago.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Is the arm cracked or the paint? It’s difficult to tell in the picture.

Cracked.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

I better go check my knuckle arms; Wendell also did mine about 20 years ago.

Just your knuckle arms? I sent him my arms and my pitman. My arms look okay, but I think I'll be changing them all out. I just remember him as 'W', is he still around?

 

[65swb45]

Just your knuckle arms? I sent him my arms and my pitman. My arms look okay, but I think I'll be changing them all out. I just remember him as 'W', is he still around?

I did the pitman myself. Mark at Metaltech said he retired a decade ago.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

My tie rod and relay rod both have seen better days.

I had a 'new' (probably new twenty years ago) 60 series tie rod, don't even remember where I got it...but did remember that I had it. I ordered some 70 series ends and a relay rod and borrowed a puller set from @NM Frontier (thanks Gordon!)

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Cut and shortened both the tie rod and relay rod.

Bent relay rod (or drag link) note the long 60 series end on the right side. Replaced that with the 70 series end in the background.

 

[Owyhee Jackass]

Also borrowed a tapered reamer from Ken @MOTOV8R and used one of the slightly used 70 series tie rod ends I just replaced on my troopy. The taper is going the wrong direction when it's flipped, so I re-tapered from the other side. Worked great, thanks again Ken.