StevenP’s 37s + IFS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ build

@slander I’ve already applied that rule

Fortunately I have plenty of room between the cases and tunnel, wouldn’t be an issue at all to remove the either of the shifter bases. The 1” body lift from 4crawler is really shining here. I was just being stupid and unthorough (hmm that’s not a word.. is now!) when I dropped that shit, but access isn’t bad at all, totally doable.

 

Painters tape over all the holes!! You will have to adjust those linkages as well after you drive it around just as a heads up. Also put some blue loctite on the threads of the rods, mine used to back off until I did that.

 

Yes sir! Trying to arrange pickup

 

This. Go ahead and make a removable panel that is actually big enough to get your hand AND the tool you need. Makes fine tuning, tightening up and running electrical/breather hose much easier.

 

Like a lunch box with hinges and the snap-close-thingy and some door jab edge protector so you don't slit your wrists with the sharp ass edges...

 

Finally got out to the truck.. rigged up my ratchet straps to start lifting the cases back up to the transmission.. and BOTH of the ratchets broke. Can’t catch a break over here lol.

 

This x1000! Don't forget to account for the carpet/vinyl too!

Grab a trans jack before you break the cases or yourself hoisting that up. I don't even like doing it on a trans jack, much less a couple of ratchet straps while I lay under it and wrestle it onto the trans!

 

Just called a few nearby auto shops, no one has one at their store I’ve got it pretty close via bottle jack a pump or two and some regular pull straps to hold it.. lift a little, tighten strap, lift a little, tighten strap, repeat 967372968 times for front and back. It’s close enough now I’m just going to apply the sealant and manhandle it the rest of the way. Need to get back to the shifters!

 

You need extra hands bro!!! Damn i feel bad i cant help. Lol

 

Wrenching friends are invaluable, haven’t had any for a few years now. Hopefully I’ll find a few in my neck of the woods down here. I’ve meet up with some cool folks from TW but they’re all still like an hour or so away, so I’m not about to put out an SOS for that.

anyways. It’s up again, and now I can pick up where I left off yesterday before everything got screwed, woot!

 

Safety second!

 

Good work!

I had an expensive german sedan that had two MAFs, one for each turbo of the aluminum V8.
Needless to say, I was disconnecting the second MAF to clean it and the german aircraft style connectors broke into 4 piece and guess where they ended up?
Yep, down the rabbit hole.
Not willing to sacrifice a $2500 turbo, my buddy stuck a thin vacuum hose down and sucked out the 4 pieces.
Crisis averted but now learned to cover any upward holes while working or tether to the tool cuz shit happens... its out there but you get the idea...

Just ask the US Airforce - "The 8 lb (3.6 kg) socket for the oxidizer tank fell off the ratchet and dropped approximately 80 feet (24 m) before bouncing off a thrust mount and piercing the missile's skin over the first-stage fuel tank, causing it to leak a cloud of its aerozine 50 fuel."

 

Ohh, that looks like a fun read, I’ll definitely scope that out when I wrap up tonight! Glad y’all saved that turbo, ironic you saved your boost with vacuum

 

sorry to distract, carry on..

 

No worries man, I’m obviously not a pro trying to set records or earn a paycheck hahaha

And I always appreciate a good story

 

EXTREMELY rough mock up



There is no doubt in my mind that I won’t be able to actually make these things without a solid bench and vice to bend and hammer the shifters into shape, so now I’m at an impasse.

 

This is probably a really stupid question to those that have any experience with metal working.. but I have zero so I’m gonna ask it anyways lol.

Since I don’t have a vice or a bench to buy one and put it on, and I do have a welder and all the fixings.. could I shape these solely through welding (and cutting/grinding)?

I think the answer is yes but before I set up my welder and start going ham I’d like to verify with those more experienced.

 

Yea you totally could. Just cut where you want the bend, then re-weld the two pieces at the angle you want. Repeat until you have the desired shape you want.

 

Thanks @betterbuckleup , that’s what my minds’ eye envisioned, but I wanted to verify before I started hacking these things up.

Another question for ya.. I have a pretty poor work space, no bench or anything, the area I’d be able to weld at is my concrete slab of a driveway. Is it feasible to just sort of sit down and do this, or should I try to find some sort of robust metal folding table or try to rig something to work on? I usually use my tailgate for bench/table type things, but I don’t want to screw up my bed or the paint welding on it (flux core).

Edit: I could pick up one of those plastic folding tables at Home Depot, would that be ok to work on seeing as it is plastic?

 

If you have a welder and a grinder, anything is possible lol.

You don't really need a table, just really any kind of work surface. Albeit not as easy as on a table, but definitely doable. I've welded plenty of things on the concrete floor of a garage.

I'd recommend some sort of clamps or magnets if you don't already have any, so that you can hold the pieces that you're trying to weld together. That or a second set of hands to hold the other piece.

I definitely wouldn't trust any kind of plastic table for welding. You want as much metal as you can get. Things WILL get hot and will no doubt melt anything plastic. I would think that home depot would offer some sort of metal table or work surface.
Harbor freight also has a cheap fold-up welding table that I have that works well for things like that. Don't know if you have one near you though.