Cynicalriders "J0hnny5 is ALIVE!" 01 build thread.

So thanks to @Reh5108 advice I got the sleeves back in place with liberal heat and a beefy c clamp since my press got lost by fed ex.

 

Shackles on, last thing done before vacation.

 

Empty tank is more dangerous than a full tank...

 

Good work on not exploding tho!!

 

No like this tank was empty empty. Like washed with soap and water and tested for flash. I did all that before I even took the grinder to it when I refinished it.

 

Gotcha! Good job!

 

Hes dead and posting from the other side

 

Builds progress:



A week in Carolina beach for my wife and I to decompress and me to take a break from the truck for a little while.

 

Mike, when you did the AC project didn't the compressor come pre-oiled? The manual that came with it said it had the factory amount of oil in it already so I didn't add anymore, and the old compressor was bone dry, so I just added some to the drier. How much did you put in there if you remember, was it 40cc?

 

I went back and forth between this thread and the FSM:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-a-c-system-replacement-how-to-seized-compressor.293204/

I actually drained my compressor and put the same amount back in with the dyed oil.

Looks like I put 20cc in the dryer according to that thread.

125cc for compressor
20cc for the drier
40cc for the condenser
40cc to the evap

But I also had a fully bled and replaced system.

 

Alright so I think I’ll be ok with the oil that it came with. I definitely should’ve put the dye in there

 

Yeah you should be just fine

 

Shouldnt you not be on TW then? Ha

 

I get extremely bored at the beach lol

Thankfully there is beer.

 

About an hour on the beach every 5 years and I'm good for the next 5.

 

Agreed, beaches arent very exciting.

 

Happy wife happy life. Lol part of why I’m on here so much. It takes being literally forced to relax for me to do it. I always pile too much on my plate. Sometimes I need someone to force my hand. Typically a day or two is more than enough for me to reset and I get antsy again. Considering the moment I get back I have a hard push ahead of me to get the truck done before my trip to NH, then maybe this is just what I need. Already been revising my lists and have a plan of attack when I get back on Sunday.

 

So glad my wife is an albino that hates the sun like me, no beach vacations here!

Drink up I guess!!

 

Big update, went fucking HAM when we got back from vacation. And I need to because I leave next Tuesday for a trip.

I cut a piece of square tube and welded it as the back most brace. My stick is pretty good flat, but its garbage vertical and overhead.

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

This I got a good penetrating first bead but got some slag holes and hit it with a couple other beads. Not pretty but it should hold.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I tried the back and bottom of the tube with the stick but they came out like ass. So when at BPF Craig ground them for me and I hit them with the MIG.

After the welding was done, I hooked the battery back up, and hooked up the rest of the gas tank stuff.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr

And it started! Fuck yeah.

After that I started fabricating the cross bar to prep for me heading down to Ant's place for the actual shock relocation.

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

I also used my new tool to cut out the gussets I will have on the outside of the frame.

Untitled by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

I also moved the BPV bracket way forward out of the way, bent the lines to take up slack, and drilled and tapped new holes.

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After that was all set, I was ready for the BPF appt. In the mean time I did other prep for the trip. This included reinstalling my skids with all new hardware, marking the LBJ bolts with proper torque paint that @jubei recommended, and put on my new license plates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dis8S2-ZLJY

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After that I was ready for a terrifying hour drive with no shocks.

Friday night @6 gearT444E and I started ripping the pack apart. The goal was to end the night with the pack apart, the u bolt flip set, and spacers built that was the height of the pack.

So we got it there and called it a night, and @HomerTaco came by at the tail end of Friday night:

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

You can see what I used to mock up bed height (which is slightly off of course):

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After that it was time to crack some beers, chill by the fire, and do some wheelies.

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_XG01uOykA&feature=youtu.be

We started fresh (or hungover AF) the next day with measuring and testing a bunch of times, and starting the tacking and welding process from the top down. Basically welding the top bar as high as possible, and slightly back. In order to get it even more vertical I would have to cut a bunch more out of the bar and Ant said it would probably seriously compromise it's strength. From there it was the typical stuff, check for clearances, full droop, full bump etc etc. Most people on here have covered it at length so I won't go into it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tscWP5BxYo

BUT the things we learned:

The pack truly only cycles 8" or so of travel. We compressed the shocks about a 1/2" before we welded the lowers on, to account for the pack stretching at full unload, so that the shocks (hopefully) do not become the limit straps. We needed to bump at about 5", so we extended the bump mounts from the top about 3" (IIRC) and then about half the height of a wheelers bump to take compression into account which would give us the full 5". Regardless, the shocks still had more space to go up, but the leafs would be going pretty far negative.

Photos of all the testing:

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After testing was successful, I went forward with burning in all the mounts.

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

OH! @jubei @turbodb did you guys have issues with these fuckers being too tight?

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

We had to ghetto rig a mini press with nuts and bolts to spread them apart to get the shocks in. That was a bitch.

After all the mounts were burned in, Ant and Craig went forward with fabricating bump stop extensions while I fabricated and burned in the outside plates for the shock mount bar.

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Craig also ground out my shit welds on the back crossmember so I could hit them again with the mig instead of my stick.

Close up of the bump extensions.

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

We welded a nut inside and now I can bolt the bumps back on, I needed to get new hardware first.

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

After I burned those to the frame, it was time for paint and reassembly.

And the final product:

Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr
Shock relocation by Michael Halat, on Flickr

Overall I'm super stoked with how it all came out, how much better my welding is getting overall, and that this project is finally done. As always a big shout out to Craig and Ant, it was a huge undertaking for a single day.

Now I need to finish getting the bed on (it's in place but I am having raised gas tank complications), fix the leaking axle seal/replace the bearing/backing plate blah blah blah, put all the shit back in the bed, and start packing. So much shit left, and no time.