Cynicalriders "J0hnny5 is ALIVE!" 01 build thread.

Something else I finished up recently to prepare for this project. I installed an anchor in the garage floor that I can use to come along the truck in and out of the garage while the gas tank is out. I took a 3/8" plate, drilled 4 3/4" holes into it, welded a 5/8" D-ring to it, and drilled through the garage floor and used anchoring epoxy to hold the 9" long threaded 3/4" rod. Let's just say it's pretty beefy. If anything fails, it will likely be my welds.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

The D-ring itself has an 18k breaking strength rating.

More shock stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Here it is compared to a 3/4" shackle.

More shock stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I should hopefully be able to test this out tomorrow since I will roll half the truck out of the garage to tack the stuff in place.

 

Looking good, man. I hate having to try to complete a project when I’m crunched for time. Life happens though. Glad you’re fitting it in.

 

Lol yup, I'll do anything I need to, to get shit done.

I was able to make some solid progress this week. I got the plates tacked in.

I first welded the non tacked nuts that hold the bumper on. The ones inside the boxed portion already was welded but I threw another bead at the bottom of it, and did 4 spots on each of these nuts.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Thankfully these nuts had flanges so I could dig into them. I feel it would be much harder with stick if they didn't have that.

Then I went and tacked the plates in.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Sometimes a little more than a tack...

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Then I made some 2" spacers to represent the height of the bed so I can figure out where to put the shock tube thank's to advice from @turbodb

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After that I went to fabricate my gas tank crossmember lift. I realized I messed up by cutting the one gas tank crossmember part, so I welded it back together as best as I could.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

It was a fun challenge since it's the thinnest I've welded so far.

Then I made the supports for the gas tank lift.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

This lifts the gas tank 2" in the rear. My biggest concern will be the pinch weld of the cab, but that's it.

Oh and while I was in there I ripped out the ABS wiring harness and put block off plates on the axle from Yotamasters.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

 

You’re clearly not a redneck, I’d have a gas can rachet strapped to the frame rail with the sending unit jammed in there lol. Good news is like you said now you’ll have an anchor point for respooling winch line and such

 

I still haven't even needed it. Figure I will need it when I burn the frame plates in. I'll want to pull the truck halfway out the door to prevent heavy smoke build up in the garage.

 

Absolutely. 2.5 seconds into any indoor welding project the smoke is horrendous

 

Looking great! Big job, but it's going to be so worth it in the end.

 

I bought a skid row ifs (actually all 3) skid but I remember you adding angle iron to stiffen some of your skids - I did a search but couldn't find pics of you modifying your ifs skid - any pics that I could peep and mod mine before I paint it please?

 

Yeah man for sure. Realistically like 6 mods in one for me for this. Swapping the gas tank (back to stock fuel capacity), raising it for clearance, boxing the frame, shock relocation, add a leaf, newer shorter (back to stock length) shackles, u bolt flip, and under bed fuel storage.

Hey I actually have not strengthened that one up yet, but was planning on doing it before I put it back on. I basically marked the skid while it was on and that's where I will put it. I'll see if I can see the marks on my skid still. I would gusset the parts that meet the mid crossmember too.

 

Cheap metal bladed box fan from home depot is your best friend for in the garage welding with stick or flux core. Just put the fan down wind of what your welding and it will suck the smoke away, it's a hillbilly welding elephant trunk. Also usefull to prevent you from getting sick when one doesn't grind off all the zinc filled primer and welds over it like an idiot.

Gas tank project looks good, taking notes for when I swap mine.

 

Zinc poisoning sucks!

 

Yea it does! Drinking milk does help though.

 

Well that's a double edge sword for me lol shit my brains out or feel like death... Hmmm

 

Quite talented verry impressive

 

What is this Zinc poisoning you speak of? I thought the whole point of a weld through primer (high zinc) was so that you could weld over it?

Don't be fooled by my confidence, I have no idea what I'm doing.

 

Get a resperator then. I'm not familiar with that primer but it seems like it would add contamination to your weld. I'm far from an expert though and maybe it doesn't matter. I'm sure there is a warning on the can about it. My experience with zinc come from galvanized steel. If you're outside and don't have your face directly over the weld you might be OK but I'd definitely recommend a resperator. Especially if you are in a shop. I thought I'd be safe when my coworker was welding in a well ventilated shop with the door open. I'd just walk outside while he was burning, wait a minute or two then go back in and help prep with a wire wheel. A flap disc would create the same tiny particles as welding. I don't think I got out of bed the next day. I'm not an expert, this is just my experience. I was even warned I should have a resperator but ignored that. Google will have more of the details.

 

You don't need a respirator, matter of fact if you dont have it properly fitted and put it on wrong you are doing more harm than good. Get this fan https://www.homedepot.com/p/B-Air-FIRTANA-20X-Multi-Purpose-High-Velocity-Floor-Fan-BA-FT-20X/301653795?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D29A|29-17_A-CS_AND_FANS|Multi|PLA|71700000032403379|58700003840533702|92700030729182090&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjw0ZfoBRB4EiwASUMdYXPxslOc5CPxf_L0bTFO4NEhUiv4oKGV64EZpueNELhAxqpeBdqBrhoCIyUQAvD_BwE
And put it downwind of the weld and it will suck the fumes away from your face, also weld with the garage door open.

 

I find it odd that they would advertise the weld through primer as something you purposely weld on if it made people sick but I could be wrong. Might be worth the 5 minutes to thoroughly read the label if it does contain high amounts of zinc Mike.

 

This is what I used and had no issues

$15 Seymour 20-1675 PBE Professional Primer, Self Etching/Weld Through Gray

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088LVJTE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A big shout out to @Rockbaron1 for coming over and helping me burn in the frame plates as well as letting me borrow his MIG for a week. Frame plates are burned in:

Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

His welds are the thin uniform ones, mine are the fat blobby ones.

Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After the plates were burned in we went forward with welding the gas tank crossmember in. This is where hindsight was 20/20. I should have tacked in the crossmember and test fit the tank before moving forward. But stupid me was in a rush and thought lining the holes up to the original holes would work. It did not.

The front of the gas tank is being raised by cutting the old mount off the crossmember and welding it onto a block of 2x2 square tube. The tube would then sit on top of the crossmember and get welded on that way from both sides.

Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I asked pat to weld this since it was a thinner material and had larger gaps to fill.

Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

The problem was that if you go straight up 2”, because of the angle of the frame you are actually moving the gas tank forward at least an inch (possibly more). So if you are using the current locations of the frame I would make it so the crossmember can get moved back an inch or so and only 1 and 3/4” tall (still nets a 2” raise) but that’s based off my redneck math.

So after I already fully burned in the gas tank crossmember, I test fit the tank and saw this issue:

Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

The back side of the crossmember doesn't even touch the tank and the front of the crossmember is beyond the protective padding. I decided to try to adjust multiple things for this. I needed to cut the front crossmember tube to bring it closer to the cab.

More gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
More gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I also notched the crossmember and smashed the front portion up a bit. I also cut a corner of the gas tank off.

More gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
More gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

With all these changes, the mount was much more successful.

More gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
More gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After this final test fit, I decided it was time to weld everything. So I welded the front crossmember back together to gain some strength back.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I also welded the notches back together on the crossmember.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

On the bright side, I got a ton of MIG practice, and I am happy with the way my fabricated lift worked out strength wise.

Here are some random welds. Some I am really proud of, some not as much, but no matter what it all should hold.

Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Gas tank stuff by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Tomorrow I should hopefully be able to test fit the tank, burn the front xmember in and shorten the strap or mount for the tank.


I'm going to have to wait till tomorrow morning again to test the tank one final time before I burn the front crossmember in again, it's back to only being tacked.

 

Looks good bud