What have you done to your rig today?

Hot damn, progress! It's been a while and I'm too lazy to go back so I'll just recap. I built a crossmember for the 205. I bolted that in today and let me tell you it's a PITA. This is what happens when you try to engineer when you're not an engineer. Nothing fancy really but when your frame looks like a smashed ladder that's catty whompas at best, you do what you can.

Today I also got to try out a new toy. The local business in town claimed they could do cool shit. When I asked them about bending some toob for me they said we don't do that cool shit. I went and bought the 16 ton pipe bender from HF. I was looking to bend a piece of 1 3/4" that had a 3/8" wall. I watched a YouTube video and figured I was set. Long story short, I over bent the piece then tried to back up with the help of my HF 20 ton press. It may have worked. Regardless, I got it into shape and honestly it handled it with ease. I was expected something dramatic but I was pretty pleased. No kinks or weirdness. Maybe I'm just an old pro at heart.

I got it in and tacked into place. I don't plan on burning it in till I get the 4 link bracket tacked and make sure the driveshaft won't hit because I'll be honest, she tight.

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McCracken said:
Hot damn, progress! It's been a while and I'm too lazy to go back so I'll just recap. I built a crossmember for the 205. I bolted that in today and let me tell you it's a PITA. This is what happens when you try to engineer when you're not an engineer. Nothing fancy really but when your frame looks like a smashed ladder that's catty whompas at best, you do what you can.

Today I also got to try out a new toy. The local business in town claimed they could do cool shit. When I asked them about bending some toob for me they said we don't do that cool shit. I went and bought the 16 ton pipe bender from HF. I was looking to bend a piece of 1 3/4" that had a 3/8" wall. I watched a YouTube video and figured I was set. Long story short, I over bent the piece then tried to back up with the help of my HF 20 ton press. It may have worked. Regardless, I got it into shape and honestly it handled it with ease. I was expected something dramatic but I was pretty pleased. No kinks or weirdness. Maybe I'm just an old pro at heart.

I got it in and tacked into place. I don't plan on burning it in till I get the 4 link bracket tacked and make sure the driveshaft won't hit because I'll be honest, she tight.

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I have both of those tools as well 🤠
HF fabrication bros!
 
New ball joints/TRE's to fix my #stanced look. Also put a bumper,blower motor,ashtray and a mirror off a parts truck my buddy had. Only had to use about 12 thick washers to get the bumper somewhat straight....I don't think this truck can take to many more shots to the face..

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Today I started on the rear springs, what I had to do was open up the centering pin on the axle as the the centering pin was 9/16 -and the axle hole was 1/2…pain in the ass
 
Jumped in the shop for a couple of hours between shifts. I put the driveshaft in and checked for clearance against the 4-link bracket. Looks like we're all good in the hood.

Then I put the links in just to see if I'll have to modify the lengths. It's tight but I think it'll work. I may need to lengthen the driveshaft but at full droop I have about and inch of spline showing. I'm sure for some that would work for some but I'm suspect.

Lastly, I tacked in the 4-link bracket and pulled the crossmember out to burn it all in. I got the outsides burned in but I'm waiting to hear from Barnes before I burn the 4-link bracket the rest of the way in.

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Well finished the leafs this am still need to do shocks, brake lines (on back order), tcase drop until I can do the SYE thing my shaft is at 29degrees The top pic is right after the fronts were done (duh😂😂)…

I appreciate all the help and advice

sdiver2006
Aka sonny
 

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It ain't much to look at, but it's in! (That's what she said!)

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Big thanks to @willness33 for helping motivate me to get it done and wrassle that case in and out about a dozen times.
 
jeepinmatt said:
It ain't much to look at, but it's in! (That's what she said!)

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Big thanks to @willness33 for helping motivate me to get it done and wrassle that case in and out about a dozen times.
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You wrestled. I supervised. You had to do it the hard way though. A hammer could have had the job done in 20 min.
 
willness33 said:
You wrestled. I supervised. You had to do it the hard way though. A hammer could have had the job done in 20 min.
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Yeah, but now I can sleep easy knowing I did it not the way you would have :laughing:
 
jeepinmatt said:
Yeah, but now I can sleep easy knowing I did it not the way you would have :laughing:
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Turns out your way worked but mine would have too ;)

Clearance on that tcase is pretty stellar now though. Your way is better long term. Even if there is only 5 bolts holding the case to the trans.
 
I get this way about every so many years. The tow pig gets neglected and just sits. I start feeling bad once I look it over and then start buying parts.

I saw a small leak down the backside of the engine when I changed the oil so I put a new valve cover gasket on. I've got a new driver side caliper coming because I believe the other is stuck. New pads once that shows up.. Greased the whole front end including the PITA upper ball joints. I also ordered new dust/backing plates for the front since the others are so rusty. Changed the fuel filter too.

I've got a AFE air intake that replaced the old air filter. That box was rusty and peeling so I pulled it and started laying the Ospho to it. I'll get it ready to paint tomorrow and throw it back in. I need a new boot for the air intake since, I believe, I bought back in 2003-ish and it's cracking wicked like. However, the inside looks to be ok for now.

I'll probably do other stuff like rotate the tires and wash it at some point. The sad part is that it'll still look like it's beat to shit but at least I'll feel better about it mechanically.
 
Nothing. Both are doing perfect.
 
the 21 year old headlights were so dim I felt like I was driving with a flashlight. Which wouldn’t have bothered me before this summer because I drive it so seldom. but I’ve been driving it more lately. So I found some cheap Amazon LED headlights. I wish they looked more like the original headlights, but oh well. Tried it out tonight and I can see again! Worth every Penny of the $66 I spent.


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I guess I should read the fine print. I ordered four high misalignment spacers and they came in....four sets of two. So I guess I've got extras. I wondered why they were so much. Anyway, got the trash heims in the 4-link bracket so I can weld it up.
 
Finished the lift kit and shocks and t case drop (untill the sye stuff comes in)
Today will torque everything down..
Brake lines have been ordered

drive shaft angle is 18degrees is that good?
 
Welded up the 4-link crossmember. I'll give a tip of the cap to Barnes on this one. It's very well thought out and it's almost dummy proof. Super beefy and delicious.

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Edit: I just remembered something about this. I painted it with gloss black Rustoleum paint but I ran out before I finished. I had a can of gloss black Krylon up in the house garage so I got it. The short story is that it wrinkled the Rustoleum. So now my pretty crossmember looks like Fido's ass.

PSA: don't mix paints for best results.
 
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Then I worked on the trans tunnel. I needed a better one than what I have. I need to mount the JB Fab shifters and the old one wasn't going to cut it.

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And yes, that is blue pex being used as conduit.

After a little measuring and what not I got my pattern made.

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And yes, you've correctly identified a Network Lumber Distributors coozie in the floorboard. Good eye!

I didn't have a big enough piece of sheetmetal and being in the big city now I went on the hunt. 15 mins later I had my piece ready for pick up. There's a local place that will cut to size so you dont have to buy a full sheet.

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Lastly, I made my marks, let the sparks fly, and then gave everything a rough bend. My son had a tee ball game so I had to stop. Hopefully, I can finish it up today.

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Edit: I know there's a triangle missing out of the side but I couldn't accurately measure it with the cardboard pattern so I'm going to bend it up and get it in place then measure it.
 
McCracken said:
Then I worked on the trans tunnel. I needed a better one than what I have. I need to mount the JB Fab shifters and the old one wasn't going to cut it.

View attachment 357322

And yes, that is blue pex being used as conduit.

After a little measuring and what not I got my pattern made.

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View attachment 357324

And yes, you've correctly identified a Network Lumber Distributors coozie in the floorboard. Good eye!

I didn't have a big enough piece of sheetmetal and being in the big city now I went on the hunt. 15 mins later I had my piece ready for pick up. There's a local place that will cut to size so you dont have to buy a full sheet.

View attachment 357325

Lastly, I made my marks, let the sparks fly, and then gave everything a rough bend. My son had a tee ball game so I had to stop. Hopefully, I can finish it up today.

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Edit: I know there's a triangle missing out of the side but I couldn't accurately measure it with the cardboard pattern so I'm going to bend it up and get it in place then measure it.
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That's some really nice layout work. GG 👍
 
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