Wishbone Runner's Build

Cut out the hole a little bit more and you will be all set.

 

I like where you head is at.

Shout out to @Littles for loaning me the trans jack, this would have been impossible otherwise. Also wanted to mention that front driveshaft will bolt right up, no change in length from stock case. Rear will need to be ~3” shortened.

 

Be sure to give yourself plenty of space around it, it's going to twist more than you think under compound low. I had to pull off my taco box for more clearancing after my first trip with it

 

I plan to, but also don’t anticipate too much twist with poly mounts everywhere, I can lift the whole truck up from the oil pan with zero movement between the frame and motor now. Are you on stock rubber mounts?

 

Yeah, rubber mounts.

Have you driven around with the poly mounts yet to see how much vibration they transfer to the chassis?

 

No, truck hasn’t moved. I started it though and it felt fine at idle, we’ll see. Here’s what my tranny mount looks like, it’s basically separated, might be worth taking a look at yours.

 

It's only metal. Cut and paste.

 

Pretty much, going to be interesting putting it back together.

 

Just came across this thread... loving the rig and all the pics!

 

What size/thickness square tubing did you use for your fender/radiator cage/mounts?

Now that you've had it a couple years, any regrets on the design or materials you used?

Ive got my truck chopped up for 40s and I'm not looking forward to having to fit and Fab everything together. I'm only going to do the wheel well sections and leaving most of the radiator area alone but this looks like a major PIA to get all the mounts where they are supposed to be.

 

Ill have to measure when I get home, but I think 1.5 x 1/8".

No regrets, working out great, nothing (up there) has cracked since doing it. Yeah, getting stuff where it was supposed to be was the hardest part, I tried taking measurements ahead of time, but that didn't really get me anywhere after I cut everything out. Its more work, but personally i would just do the radiator and all, as all of that shitty body panel sheet metal is going to crack eventually. Close enough is fine for everything up there, the hood, lights and fender alignment is probably the most critical for looks, but mine is off a bit and quite frankly is unnoticeable to anyone else. DO NOT use those hood pins I used or any with a metal top plate that the pin sits on, the top just wears through, there are some poly ones, or the Aeorcatch seem like good options as well but no experience with them.

 

Also, pics of 4Ds!

 

If I had a crap load of time I would probably rip everything out and replace everything with an engine cage and the radiator support, but I'm hoping to get everything done in a month. Also in a couple years when I SAS it I don't want a elaborate cage in there getting in the way of the SAS so whatever I'm going to mount the engine bay extras on is gonna be cheap and easy to chop out, probably going to make some tube coming off the frame to hold everything, it'll probably end up looking like a shitty half assed and undersized engine cage in there.

Didn't take many photos, just videos for IG. I've got everything but the fender support area removed and clearanced

 

Nice I get it, especially if you plan to chop it our soonish, looks good so far. Confirmed 1.5 x 1/8th wall.

 

Been working away at getting this case setup, very slow process with lots of staring and contemplating mounting options. This weekend I got the interior body work almost all tacked up, working around the seat rail was a pain and required me to drop the clocking of the case one notch, but it still sits above the frame rails. the last pieces will be filled from the bottom to make sure it clears the rails. In retrospect, I cut way too big of a hole with the case now clocked down a bit, but it went back together well.

Waiting on some tabs from Ruff Stuff for the t-case mount, but cut out the plate that mounts to the bottom of the case which will have a bushing welded to it, then tabs connecting it to the 2x4x1/4" crossmember.









Ghetto brake.

 

Inside is melted together, I will be sealing it from the bottom using a seam sealer. Damn I hate welding sheet metal, used 023 wire which helped but still plenty of blow throughs. Not the prettiest but it is solid.





Cables are adjusted and the case is ready for final install in the truck, I hope to get the crossmember and tranny mount complete by the end of the weekend. I’ll be bending a tube around the back of the case as a skid and the case will be supported off of that, so getting tube bent will be the next order of business.

 

Yeah bud, it's difficult to weld that thin shit. For my floor plates around my cage. I welded the cage to the plate and stitch welded it to the floor and used black silicone on top and bottom to seal it. I didn't try welding it all the way around. I get why you welded your floors all the way, Good job.

 

I still saw a few pin holes as I was putting the seam sealer on from the bottom, stitching probably would have been fine in combo with the sealer but I just went for it. Glad it’s done though

 

Still making progress. I have the crossmember complete, as well as the tranny sub-frame, which took quite awhile to figure out exactly what I was going to do with. I ended up using 1.75" .120 DOM ran from the new crossmember kinked down to the front crossmember, having to work around the tranny dip stick and the front driveshaft at the diff. Ended up notching the tube around the dipstick and snugging the mount tight near the diff. The tranny is mounted on a pair of bushing that are suspended between the two tubes, the tubes will be plated for skids. Everything is pretty tight, but still above the frame rails, the skid will have ~1/2" clearance on the tranny pan. Mounts on the front and the crossmember are sleeved.

 

The more custom shit I fab, the more I appreciate how much work goes into updates like that. Nice work!

I predict you'll finally make it to Grizzly with that flat belly.