StevenP’s 37s + IFS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ build

could throw a piece of sheet metal in your bed

 

I have next to no experience welding myself, but my dad mocked up a simple welding area for small home stuff. It's like an aluminum box without a top or face. Just put it on a table, the ground, or wherever and you have a portable conductive work area. You dont need the sides, but it helps to catch all the burning metal and shields the neighbors eyes. Obviously not for big stuff, but for small projects it works like a charm, and you can make it however big or small you need it.

 

I do have magnets and clamps, so that’ll help for sure, and I figured plastic would be a bad choice lol. I’ll see what’s available, hopefully I can find or put together something with a metal work surface.

I like that idea for it’s simplicity and it would be a quick easy work space for my living situation, but I’m going to be using flux core since I’ll be outside and I’m a complete noob. From what I’ve seen it spatters pretty good, don’t want any of that running off. Maybe it would be a non-issue, but I think I’ll try to find or fab a table first.

Smart! If I can’t find something a little more all-purpose I may throw something like that together, thanks for sharing the idea.

 

Ran to across the bridge to Harbor Freight this morning to find a suitable welding surface. Picked a legitimate welding table



I also printed out a 20% off coupon and brought it along in case they had another cool item in stock.. which they did



440. if it fits the bumper great, if not I’ll just sell it and get a smaller warn. Hoping it fits and saves me 400 bucks or so.

anyways, time to set up my welder and get to gettin’!

 

I would opt for the WARN. I have a friend who bought, I assume, the same winch from harbor freight only to have it die on him when they needed it the most. Lifetime warranty doesn't help when its dead on the trail. Just my 2 cents though.

 

I’ll be around tomorrow, welcome to come use my vise and bench if you need to.

 

I had fully planned on going with the Warn Evo 8-S, mainly for its light weight. But at 440 dollars this was too good to pass on. It has gotten glowing reviews and is said to be a big step up from their main line of winches, so I’m pretty optimistic, especially since it’s rated 12k and won’t have to work as hard. I’m just skeptical it’ll fit. If it doesn’t fit I won’t loose any sleep over it, I’ll just loose a couple hundred more dollars and get the warn.

Really appreciate that man I need to get this welding train rolling anyways so I think I’ll just buckle down over here. My shed is jam packed with bumpers and sliders, the sooner I get proficient enough to build all that the better.

On that note.. I was all set to go, built the welding table, cleared a work area, set up my helmet and all the rest. Went and grabbed the welder, started setting that up, changed out the drive wheel and tips to the right sizes, loaded the wire, plugged it in, plugged in the gun, went to plug in the ground lead, but it was nowhere to be found.

After that I spent the next 4 hours absolutely tearing my little storage shed and trailer apart looking for it. Touched just about every item I own, opened up every cabinet, drawer, bag, box, etc. It’s not here

I’m gonna run to a few stores in the morning and see if I can find a suitable replacement so I can get going, if not I know a welder nearby who may have a lead I can borrow and a motorcycle shop that may also have a spare laying around. With any luck I’ll find something early in the day and do my best to learn fast!

 

let me know how that HF table works out. something I need to get as well.

 

Will do! I want to put in some actual work on it before I really make any comments, but my initial thoughts are positive. It comes together pretty damn solid and has some cool features. The hardware they use leaves some to be desired (example, one set of screws was p2, another p3, why? One screw stripped a little before I noticed the head was a p3) but it’s solid once assembled and I have no reason to doubt that it will hold up to it’s rated weight capacity or functionalities.

That was my first time at Harbor Freight. I can definitely see why it has the reputation for cheap tools and all that, but there’s also a ton of great deals on lots of things you don’t really need to be pro-grade, especially as a DIY’er or weekend wrencher, and there is also a lot of stuff that looks and feels perfectly legit. I’m a fan, and it certainly won’t be my last trip.

 

Warn would not be my winch of choice for reliability....they have a great marketing program....

 

I have 2, I like them

 

Who would you go with?

 

When you did your bumper did you need both of them? I almost bought two..

 

Back from this mornings hunt for a replacement ground lead. I struck out at 4 stores, my welding buddies shop, and the motorcycle shop. I did get a response from the manufacturer and they said they’d ship me out replacements, so BIG ups to their customer service Now I just have to be patient while those make their way to me. Their warehouse is in Colorado, so hopefully they’ll come quick and I can get going next weekend on finishing the triple sticks!

Since I can’t weld I’ll refocus my attention to other things today. Going to install my reworked Valve Body from IPT Performance, the new transmission pan and plug. I’ll lengthen the wires for the dual cases and get that all sorted out. Take measurements of the drive shafts and see what needs to be cut from the rear and lengthened for the front. Then it should just be a matter of finishing the shifters and filling things back up with ATF and Gear Oil. Depending on how all that goes I may start on my onboard air system, have to find a home for the big twin ARB, preferably not in the cab, but that’s going to be tough to stuff into the engine bay.

 

I used my uncles large welding table. But I could imagine you might need two to build a bumper. Might be tough to get them real world true flat. You maybe want to build it on the truck, tack it all together and then pull it off and buzz it together

 

Right on, my plan is to get as much of the structure tacked together on the truck so I can dial in the fitment, then move it to the table and finish it up. I figured centering it on the table would probably work, but I might just pick up another so it doesn’t get wobbly and careen off.

 

You might be okay if it’s all tacked up. Might help to optimize the position to make the welding easier. You will find as you start welding that you can get better welds when you feel in your natural position.

 

The lower end are all made out of country the zeon and I think a couple others are made at Warn in Oregon.

 

Someone asked way back if I had an instagram account for the truck, made one the other day. @4x4prince

Just posted a little blip and realized I never posted it up here. Edited 1st post with the inclusion of it as well.

Ok, back to the truck, much to do!

 

Finished most of my tasks yesterday. Electrical stuff always takes me FOREVER, but everything is lengthened and ready to plug back in. Valve Body and transmission is put back together.

I did not get to measuring my driveshafts, and then I got to thinking about 2 vs 1 piece. It seems like 99% of threads on driveshafts are for 2nd gens. What do you all think? Should I stay 2 piece, or go 1? What are the pros and cons? I feel like I remember seeing a 1 piece will hang lower, but has less moving parts to worry about, and a 2 piece gives more clearance, but has more parts - is that it, or are there other things to consider?

I’ve watched a few videos on measuring driveshafts but they are all for 1 piece, am I correct to assume if measuring for a 2 piece you would just measure from the CB to Diff?

I’d love to hear what you did, why, and how it’s worked out.