Trans hump mods!

[chicago]

Think about the roll cage you are going to install. If the seat frame is going to be part of it, you will want you tranny hump to come apart so you do not have to remove your cage.

Post 1122 on Page 57 of my build shows it.

I would post it here but Waggoner5 already posted his pretty one. LOL

HA...Im thinking about EVERYTHING on this part of the build which is why its taking so damn long.
Not sure if Ill have the ability to run the seat cradles off the cage or not. That is partly the reason Im looking to get the cage NOW to get everything set up before I move on. There are a lot of questions at this point in time that I have as to how Im gonna do some of this. Still have no GREAT place to put the fuel cell. May end up running it behind the seat.

 

[Gumby]

Waggoner...
Ill be making it a bolt on unit just as the stock hump was.
I like ease of install and removal later down the road.

That's what he said. Rivnuts are nuts that expand into the sheetmetal when you install them with a rivit gun. They are captured nuts. Regular nuts will be very hard to get to around your trans.

I was trying to figure out how I was going to work all the curves and crap around the 45LV trans hump. I think I like the idea of going really wide and going all the way out to where the flat floorboards start.

 

[chicago]

That's what he said. Rivnuts are nuts that expand into the sheetmetal when you install them with a rivit gun. They are captured nuts. Regular nuts will be very hard to get to around your trans.

I was trying to figure out how I was going to work all the curves and crap around the 45LV trans hump. I think I like the idea of going really wide and going all the way out to where the flat floorboards start.

Can you pull them without drilling them out later?
That is what I think of when I think of rivets. That is the reason that I left a 1 in bend at the floor to be able to run the bolts. I still have to pull the tub back off, so I would weld some stay nuts on the bottom of the tub so I can remove them with a wrench.

 

[Waggoner5]

You will have to drill them out to remove them. The 1/4-20 ones I used took a 7/16 hole so that is a large hole to run a nut bolt assembly through. Progress looks great so far.

 

[Gumby]

Can you pull them without drilling them out later?
That is what I think of when I think of rivets. That is the reason that I left a 1 in bend at the floor to be able to run the bolts. I still have to pull the tub back off, so I would weld some stay nuts on the bottom of the tub so I can remove them with a wrench.

It's just like welding in a captured nut. You would have to drill them to get the nut out, but a bolt will go in and out just fine.

 

[bustanutley]

Think about the roll cage you are going to install. If the seat frame is going to be part of it, you will want you tranny hump to come apart so you do not have to remove your cage.

Post 1122 on Page 57 of my build shows it.

I would post it here but Waggoner5 already posted his pretty one. LOL

Its a better idea to make the seat cradle come out.

 

[chicago]

Its a better idea to make the seat cradle come out.

Sketched out a design for this today at work in my down time. Of course, drawing it out on paper is the easy part, but....

 

[chicago]

It's just like welding in a captured nut. You would have to drill them to get the nut out, but a bolt will go in and out just fine.

Yeah...I think Id rather stick with easy access for that and take the time to weld the nut and run a bolt.
Gotta access the under side of the tub later anyway before final assembly. I have the ability to stand it up on the rear of the tub, so its easy to do from there.

Thanks for the input.

Aside from the seat cradle that could potentially be an issue, anyone see anything else that MIGHT come into play for this tunnel?
Ill need to run the fuel cell somewhere since I bagged my stock tank, but I think the easiest and best way for me to do that at this point is to run a long skinny tank behind the seats. Other wise, Ill have to make the DS seat on a hinge and be abel to fold it up to access the fuel cell UNDER the DS seat. Trying to plan for cargo room as well.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Yeah...I think Id rather stick with easy access for that and take the time to weld the nut and run a bolt.
Gotta access the under side of the tub later anyway before final assembly. I have the ability to stand it up on the rear of the tub, so its easy to do from there.

Thanks for the input.

.....

I don't think you are getting it.
Watch this


Given your welding skills I'd try to do something more like the OEM door nuts that allow the nut to float a little to aid in alignment.

 

[bustanutley]

Put the tank in back. I built my original cradle with as low of a profile as I could accomplish with the stock tank and never liked how high the seats were, I found it uncomfortable and awkard. I am on the smaller side however. I ditched the stock tank a year ago and i'm currently right in the middle of rebuilding my cradle. I lowered the steering column as well.

Put gear or the battery under the passenger seat.

 

[Gumby]

or the winch.

 

[uglyoinker]

Looks like you have a 203 to splitcase set up in your rig. I have a 203 to 4spd case in mine currently but I want to swap to the splitcase. I hear it's stronger. Here is a couple pics of what I did. I moved the whole combo up into the floor to get damn near a flat belly under my 55. So my tunnel is quite a bit longer and taller. The pic you have of your tranny tcase in the floor looks very similar what I had to deal with.

 

[chicago]

Looks like you have a 203 to splitcase set up in your rig. I have a 203 to 4spd case in mine currently but I want to swap to the splitcase. I hear it's stronger. Here is a couple pics of what I did. I moved the whole combo up into the floor to get damn near a flat belly under my 55. So my tunnel is quite a bit longer and taller. The pic you have of your tranny tcase in the floor looks very similar what I had to deal with.

AAAAAH yes...very similar indeed. If you go with the split case you WILL lose the flat belly. The drop on my 19 spline hangs down a good 1.5-2in below the frame rail the way its clocked.

 

[chicago]

Put the tank in back. I built my original cradle with as low of a profile as I could accomplish with the stock tank and never liked how high the seats were, I found it uncomfortable and awkard. I am on the smaller side however. I ditched the stock tank a year ago and i'm currently right in the middle of rebuilding my cradle. I lowered the steering column as well.

Put gear or the battery under the passenger seat.

If I go with the tunnel design that I have, It ill most likely HAVE to go behind the seat. I HATE to lose that rear cargo space, but...
For the Summit tank I was looking at, the under seat 20 gal tank was 10 in tall. So that would put the ride height of the seat at around 14 or 15 in. unless I cut the pan and sunk it down some.

Good endorsement!
Thanks!

 

[rusty_tlc]

FWIW I like the seats higher, better visibility and I'm more comfortable. As tall as you are if the seats are higher and moved back I think you will be very comfortable.

For two people camping You might as well set your truck up with a roof rack from the start. I resisted for a couple of years but now that I have mine I would never go back. It makes a great place to haul stuff like sleeping bags, chairs and a tent. Just hit Walmart and pick up some of those big yellow dry sacks to keep everything dry and dust free.

 

[chicago]

FWIW I like the seats higher, better visibility and I'm more comfortable. As tall as you are if the seats are higher and moved back I think you will be very comfortable.

For two people camping You might as well set your truck up with a roof rack from the start. I resisted for a couple of years but now that I have mine I would never go back. It makes a great place to haul stuff like sleeping bags, chairs and a tent. Just hit Walmart and pick up some of those big yellow dry sacks to keep everything dry and dust free.

Ill be planning on that one soon after Im wheeling again.
The light stuff often takes up a LOT of room and would be great on top of the rig.
Itll get sorted out eventually. I have a tendency to get my little brain bogged down with too many details at once. However, there are certain things that I NEED to make it RUN, then I can sort out the details later.
I like the dry sacks you have. those are a great idea. Ill definately be looking into those.

 

[Mace]

Ill be planning on that one soon after Im wheeling again.
The light stuff often takes up a LOT of room and would be great on top of the rig.
Itll get sorted out eventually. I have a tendency to get my little brain bogged down with too many details at once. However, there are certain things that I NEED to make it RUN, then I can sort out the details later.
I like the dry sacks you have. those are a great idea. Ill definately be looking into those.

With sierra trading post right down the street, you have no reason to be under equipped for camping

 

[chicago]

This part of the build is KILLING ME!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, so here's the deal...I cut out the gas well from the floor.
I made a piece to fit and started to weld it in. The further along I get welding it in, it starts to cavitate in the middle. I mean it will deflect about 1/2-3/4 of an inch up and down. So its NOT going in flat.
I cut it out, and trimmed around the perimeter thinking its too tight and needs some relief...same deal.
Then, I had seen a different pan made by FC187 where he used a bead roller....Wasnt sure what he used, so I hit Mace up for what he thought, he hooked me up with the info and a link. Thanks brother!
So I picked one up today. Made some corrugation in the pan, start welding it in, and it STILL F*CKING concaves in the center.
HOW THE **** DO I MAKE THIS RIGHT!?!?!?!?!?!
The ONLY other thing I can think of is to make some sort of brace or frame under neath it to keep it level with the floor pan.
In reality, Im being a bit more anal than I need to be, but I just want it RIGHT.
Its 18 ga sheet, and I think what is happening is there is no lip to the inside to add structure so its bending at its weak point.

PLEASE HELP ME! I had to walk away from it or I was gonna take a FU*KING HAMMER to the WHOLE THING!

GOD DAMNIT do I HATE SHEET METAL WORK!!!!!!!!!

Here are a couple of pics...
I cut it out AGAIN for the THIRD time, but you get the idea.

 

[chicago]

So, where the red circle is, is where its caving in.

Thanks for any help!

 

[chicago]

Maybe the corrugation needs to be DEEPER for more rigidity?
Corrugation AND a lip on the inside edge?
A thicker ga. sheet?

I donno...I just want this part of the build to be DONE!