Fully polished TuRD

Yes, while parked and running, simply turning the steering wheel one could see the frame flex. Although it wasn't much, it was happening.

This addition cured the frame issues which were bowed in from the top and assisted with the frame flex.

All was checked with a laser after and is spot on. Thank God.

 

I dont think ill need that, but we will see. The forward swing ford box im using is going to be sitting almost right over the axle and with the thicker frame walls i dont think it will be moving around too much, but you never know.

 

From an engineering stand point, I can see how the box being mounted further back is a benefit.
My Marlin Yota box is mounted just behind the core support bracket, pitman arm is in a rearward position and definitely applies pressure on the front of the frame. two cross members helped. That shit is now cured.

Still driving a rental car. I am hoping that Marlin sent out the bearings I needed to the shop making the repairs. I was to have my truck back Friday... not!

 

Good luck with the bearings!! Marlins good about getting stuff out if they have it in stock.

Did they build a crossmember behind the front bumper when they did your swap?

Hopefully ill be done jacking around with the frame tomorrow, i worked on it a bit this week but the welding gods were not agreeing with me. The goal tomorrow is to get the plates all fabbed up and attached and welded and the motor mounts done. Long shot will be mocking up springs.

 

An additional cross member was added after the fact. definitely suggest installing one as far behind the radiator, close to the oil pan but still allowing access to the oil pan bolts. Currently, I am spot on.

If you need more pics, let me know. I'll post them once I get my truck back for the 2nd time.

 

Slacker! Im driving to Rockford next weekend and your place is conveniently on the way

 

I was doing non truck stuff all day. Sweet give me a shout!

 

I got all the frame work that im going to do here with the 110v machine done aside from some gusetts here and there. Motor mounts are built and in, body mounts are done and the radiators pulled. Evreything is sitting on the frame and it hasnt broke off yet, so ill call that a victory. This week is going to be mocking up suspension, seeing what steering parts fight with what and setting pinon angle and castor on the axle. Pics coming soon.

 

Excellent. Isn't it nice to have the sense of completing something? It was for me yesterday.

Good work.

 

Sub'd.

 

You can say that again! Now its going to be even more slow going since it will be a lot of tacking, flexing measuring, repeat.

 

Nice truck ... i dig the home made fab stuff

 

Thanks, its not going to look pretty, but ideally it will hold together lol!! Cutting evreything with a 4.5" grinder by hand leads to some plates that look less than ideal.

I am going to buy the trail gear dual case cross member. Evreyone that i wheel with that has built their own has had them rip off the frame at some point so that's money and time savings well spent. My friends FJ55 cruiser puked the cross member and his trans and tcase dropped almost to the ground in the middle of a rock garden at flat nasty, talk about a crappy trail fix.

 

Sorry to hear but that would be a hell of a story to tell.

 

That truck has a habit of rejecting parts, we take bets on whats going to break on it. I was pissed because i jumped in the passenger seat to run this gnarly rock section, he put it in gear and BANG LOL!! There's an access road that paralleled the trail so we ratchet strapped the drive-train up and he winched out, grabbed the tow rig/trailer and brought it back to camp to weld it back together.

 

Pic time
This will roughly be the ride height:

Motor mounts are .120 wall 2x2. I think im going to plate over them with a 3/16s scab plate and chain them for sure.

Not the greatest picture, however I mocked up the spring mounts today on the axle and found out i can run 29" sping center to spring center. This worked out perfectly as that's dead center in the middle of my new frame. The outside of the spring is even with the outside of the frame rail, so no tires tangling with leafs, sweet!


With the front in boarded like that, it may be a bit tippier, however that may be offset by my stiff rear fj60 springs i will be running, we shall see.

Hopefully this approach angle will help me from inverting a spring


It looks like a crazy overhang and shitty approach angle but it perfectly holds my m8000 and ill be building my bumper off that. I think the looks are decieving in this instance. That shackle is also at almost full droop, i should have a 45*ish shackle angle, we shall see once i get weight on it. Worst comes to worst i cut it off in the future and rebuild it.

 

Got the axle swung under it for a test, the frame has not bent in half yet, so success in my book! The axle needs to go forward another .5" using the holes on the perch as the diffs really close to the oil pan. Shes going to be a low rider for sure!

I need to tweak the perch width a bit, the pax side spring put up a fight going into the hole:


The springs flattened out WAY more than i thought, i need to put a leaf back in the pax side, set the castor and pinion angle and get the steering linkages under there to see what contacts what. Not too concerned about up travel, just the steering linkages hitting things. The truck as it sits is not far off from its IFS belly height.

 

Leafs are almost flat with the weight on it so your front shackle angle looks to be right where it needs to be.
Remember....only do heavy tacks on everything related to the front axle placement. You may want to tweak it like I had to do numerous times and grind thru a fully welded perch or something ....and that is a PITA.
Got to try it out after you get it together......How far are you from Moab....the wheelin mecca of the universe? I am 9 hours away.

 

If you are in the Chicago area then that will mean 19 hours road time......basically an extra day compared to my distance from Moab.
It's doable.

 

Soon.