Builds Red Dawn (60 converted 62 Build Thread w/ R2.8)

[TheNeek]

My 1996 F250 has been giving me trouble lately. Been trying to diagnose why the 7.3 powerstroke runs like turd. Ordered some parts and hopefully this will be what fixes it. I got some time today to cut out some motor mount plates to match the motor mounts form Axis Industries. Nothing spectacular but it is another part needed to get the motor stabbed.

Gluestick fabrication is the best

The plan is to use some 2x4 welded to the frame and then to this plate. Not this piece of 2x4 obviously (it was a sacrificial piece to the hydraulic press).

 

[TheNeek]

Put in the Manafre stainless brake lines. I didn't realize you had to file the openings for the flex lines. Is that common knowledge? Did I get a wierd set? Anyway painted those brackets and should get that done tomorrow when it dries.

I still really like the finish of this POR Top Coat. This is the bracket from the main hard line down to the axle.

Axle brackets all painted. Eventually the whole axle will get painted at this rate. I should have probably just pulled it off.

 

[mattressking]

I'll have to try out the POR15 next, always on the hunt for a good direct to metal paint. Does it lay on thick like an epoxy?

 

[TheNeek]

I'll have to try out the POR15 next, always on the hunt for a good direct to metal paint. Does it lay on thick like an epoxy?

Thicker than an enamel, but thinner than an epoxy. It covers really well. What you see above is just a single coat and the the axle bracket was bare steel in some places. I like it for chassis stuff as much as I like SEM Trim Black for trim pieces.

 

[TheNeek]

I like the stock transmission mount on the truck. It will take all the shear loads of an off camber truck. I want to reuse it. Long story short, the advance adapter 6L80E transfer case adapter is not made for the land cruiser rubber mount. The mounting ears on it are for some other vehicle I assume. I'll have to make a strut or structure to allow the adapter to attach onto the factory mount. This weekend I made a few tabs for the adapter and a plate which attaches to the factory transmission mount. Nothing fancy as I'll have to create the rest of it when the powertrain is in the truck.

All good fabrication starts with a full stomach

The mount isn't exactly symmetrical, but it's close enough. The bolts will mate up any issues with the plate.

Then some drill bit work and some work on the finger brake

Fits pretty good.

I'll get the rest of the rear heater lines out and slide everything in this week. Probably use some 1.5 or 1.25 DOM tubing to finish up the mount when it's in the truck.

Here is a tab on the transmission, nothing special (should uses shorter M10s to hold it in probably):

So that should be the last few pieces I can fabricate off the truck. No more excuses to stabbing this thing in.

 

[NookShneer]

I like the stock transmission mount on the truck. It will take all the shear loads of an off camber truck. I want to reuse it. Long story short, the advance adapter 6L80E transfer case adapter is not made for the land cruiser rubber mount. The mounting ears on it are for some other vehicle I assume. I'll have to make a strut or structure to allow the adapter to attach onto the factory mount. This weekend I made a few tabs for the adapter and a plate which attaches to the factory transmission mount. Fits pretty good.

I'll get the rest of the rear heater lines out and slide everything in this week. Probably use some 1.5 or 1.25 DOM tubing to finish up the mount when it's in the truck.

Here is a tab on the transmission, nothing special (should uses shorter M10s to hold it in probably):

TorFab has a weld on plate kit for a frame mount to relocate the stock trans cross member. It would allow you to use the OEM cross member and just adjust it forward or back to the new location. I’ll try to snap some photos of it.

 

[NearJetties]

You’re inspiring me to attempt this conversion myself once I get a garage....someday. Thanks for all the detail.

edit: and learn how to weld

 

[TheNeek]

TorFab has a weld on plate kit for a frame mount to relocate the stock trans cross member. It would allow you to use the OEM cross member and just adjust it forward or back to the new location. I’ll try to snap some photos of it.

Yea, I've pondered the cross member and how to slide the thing around. I think it will be pretty close to the stock location since I'm planning to put the transfer case in the same place or as close as possible. Close enough that I can make up for the fore or aft location of the 6L80E adapter with the intermediate pieces that I will weld between the bent plate and the tabs.

You’re inspiring me to attempt this conversion myself once I get a garage....someday. Thanks for all the detail.

edit: and learn how to weld

There are much more gifted fabricators on this forum than me. Hope you find inspiration from others as well.

 

[Beerfix]

@TheNeek , It didn't take me long to work my way through this build. Once I started on page one, I couldn't stop. I even sacrificed most of this evening working on my project to get through it!! Great work on every aspect of this project, and also this thread.
I envy your patience, and attention to detail. I too often get caught up in the "git 'er done", and later wish I would have slowed down a little, and taken the extra steps to make it just that much nicer.
It was nice to meet you yesterday, and see the project in person. I'll update you when I get around to mounting that piece you made. Thanks again for that! I was a little preoccupied last night with starting up my fresh overhaul/install to even think about it. All went well with startup BTW, no leaks, no surprises, and fired on the first crank.
I'm watching this build thread, and looking forward to seeing your progress, then seeing you on the trail!
Chris

 

[TheNeek]

Thanks @Beerfix . Glad you enjoyed the thread and it was a my pleasure to help you get that mount done. Thank you for the beers Chris! Speaking of taking your time, today's update was a whole weekends worth. Here is $10k+ in the air with only one person there.

Can you taste the anxiety? The pure fear?

At this point I finally took the 'feet' Cummins had on the engine off. A panic set down at this point would require jackstands and probably a new plastic oil pan (yes it's plastic).

Whoops, that's too low. The engine hoist I have isn't the greatest. If you don't use all your might to twist the hydraulic bleed shut it slowly starts to slink down.

Used a work clamp to get the passenger to driver distance right.

This is where she wants to live I feel. I've got 37 and a quarter to a half between the input shaft on the rear axle and the output shaft of the transfer case. Thanks @red66toy - That measurement finally came in handy. The engine is kicked over 3/4" to the drivers side. The turbo is kinda close to brake lines and fuel. I will either make a heat shield, or move the lines.

 

[TheNeek]

I bolted up the motor mount brackets from Axis Industries. Cinched the plates I made earlier to them and started working on the frame attachment. Everything starts with a piece of cardboard.

2x4 tubing 1/8th wall. The stock frame is some metric equivalent it seems.

I'd love to say I got it on the first try, but these 4 pieces took me the better part of a day. Struggling with the engine hoist. Quadruple checking measurements. A bunch of grinding to try and get the pieces to fit flush.

The tube isn't angled down, it's just taking a camera photo with one hand, hard to keep it level.

Guess I can't keep it level even with two hands.

Driver's side is a similar story.

I'm going to bevel up the pipe, and tack the two pieces together, then tack the motor mount plate to that. Remove it and finish weld the whole thing on the bench, then tack it to the frame. Pull the motor, or just lift it enough so it's out of the way and finish weld the mounts to the frame. Paint all this junk and set the motor down permanently. I'd like to get that all done during the week.

 

[NookShneer]

I bolted up the motor mount brackets from Axis Industries. Cinched the plates I made earlier to them and started working on the frame attachment. Everything starts with a piece of cardboard.

2x4 tubing 1/8th wall. The stock frame is some metric equivalent it seems.

I'd love to say I got it on the first try, but these 4 pieces took me the better part of a day. Struggling with the engine hoist. Quadruple checking measurements. A bunch of grinding to try and get the pieces to fit flush.

The tube isn't angled down, it's just taking a camera photo with one hand, hard to keep it level.

Guess I can't keep it level even with two hands.

Driver's side is a similar story.

I'm going to bevel up the pipe, and tack the two pieces together, then tack the motor mount plate to that. Remove it and finish weld the whole thing on the bench, then tack it to the frame. Pull the motor, or just lift it enough so it's out of the way and finish weld the mounts to the frame. Paint all this junk and set the motor down permanently. I'd like to get that all done during the week.

Looks good! Get it

 

[TheNeek]

Got an hour and a half to tack them together on the truck yesterday. The drooping engine hoist is a bit of an issue. Hope I get it where I originally wanted it.

 

[NookShneer]

Got an hour and a half to tack them together on the truck yesterday. The drooping engine hoist is a bit of an issue. Hope I get it where I originally wanted it.

You want to borrow a trans jack for below? Or a different hoist?

 

[TheNeek]

You want to borrow a trans jack for below? Or a different hoist?

I've got it figured out I think. These motor mount stays are fit pretty well, so the height has to be what it was when I first measured. Thanks for the offer Dave.

I'll get the metal squirt gun ready today and tack these onto the frame. These aren't the prettiest welds on the planet, but they will get the job done.

I need to get better with the filler rod.

 

[Rey Gun]

Awesome build! Went through all 15 pages and super impressed with your skills. Subscribed!

 

[TheNeek]

For better or worse they are in there. I had already lifted the engine in the pictures below so you'll probably see a little gap. Time to pull the engine out and get the frame welded and painted.

 

[TheNeek]

Pulled it all out:

Was pretty easy to get it out. Takes about an hour or so. Welded the motor mounts permanently to the frame. Used the MIG. I'm newish to TIG and hunching over a frame while working the foot pedal and feeding filler didn't seem like a recipe for success.

Then prep and paint.

While all that stuff was drying I went and picked up my re-furbished drivelines. New u-joints, balance and paint.

This is also a significant moment in the build thread. I am officially undoing something I did to the truck in this thread. The original pinnings for the air compressor and battery are going to be ditched. Not going to put the spare tire cross member back in either, unless someone convinces me otherwise.

 

[TheNeek]

Here it is sitting in the truck without the engine hoist. Pretty happy with the placement so far. Nailed the fore to aft measurement and I'm about a half a degree of level with the respect to the frame passenger to driver. I kicked the engine over to the drivers side a little, but the steering box clears with plenty of room. You can see below that I could probably start sneaking it higher with the tranny tunnel, but I want to give everything some room. Don't want things banging around.

Cleaned up a bit in the garage and "Captain Paintsalot" painted a few more things. Starting putting things back on like the shocks, and rebuilt steering box.

The transfer case is on a bottle jack for now. Going to head down and start working on the cross member mount.

 

[TheNeek]

I put some of the random things on the truck. Sway bar links, drag link, shocks, steering damper, etc. They were in the way mostly. I put the transfer case shift linkiage in and realized I had forgotten about the bottom shifter support. I'll have to make a plate that uses these two holes on the 6L80E and mounts to the bottom pivot which I took off the stock transmission. Should be fun. Put that on the list

Got the cross member in and started goofing around with the bottom plate for the transmission mount. I trimmed it to fit the outline of the mount. Some of the bolts are tight, might just weld in one of the bolts and grind the head flat. Price I pay for kicking the engine over an inch up front. The rear is a bit crooked.

Not too bad on the back. It's a bit of a jenga game to get wrenches and sockets on things.

I might wobble the cross member hole for the passenger side of the mount. They're already pretty sloppy and adding a little extra wouldn't be the end of the world.

Hope everyone had a good labor day.