Justin's retroactive build thread

[Justin]

Yeah, there's an axle under there somewhere.

[Kinder]

Whoa, I need to check this out in person

[Rox Crusher]

Ready for the baja 1000 soon !

[Unaweep]

Got a few spare minutes in the garage to bend up the shock hoops and tinker with how I want to do the joinery.

Justin, what notcher did you end up buying to replace the Harbor Freight unit?

J.E.

[Digger]

Going to be ready by spring?

[Justin]

Justin, what notcher did you end up buying to replace the Harbor Freight unit? J.E.

Notchmaster from JD2. It's ridiculously stout, 15+ lbs. Major upgrade from the old HF unit. Kirk, you're always welcome! Digger, I'm hoping to hit some snow bashing yet this year. We'll see...depends on how much Bronco creep sets in.

[ZOSO]

How much longer are your radius arms over stock? Yours being square steel with the bend in them is just like I want to do but with the factory "c" on the front and a JJ or such on the back.


When I built the ones on my 79 they are 15" longer than stock.

[Justin]

I'd have to measure, but my rough recollection is somewhere around 9-10" longer than stock. Much longer and they'd be fighting for room with 4 link brackets if I go down that road. Mine aren't bent, they're the fabricated ones made by Battlement, so they've got a much bigger bend than I'd be comfortable putting in a straight piece of tube.

[Justin]

Hit another milestone on the Bronco today, as I finished reinforcing the inner frame in the steering box area and relocating the box forward an inch. Because the steering box was almost touching the core support before being moved, I had to cut a hole in the support and make a brace to reinforce it. Getting closer!

[Kinder]

Progress!

[ZOSO]

I suggest while you have the grille off you add some stich welds to the core support. It stiffens it up big time and keeps it from flexing so much.

[Justin]

Made some more progress this weekend. I've been banging my head on the design of the hydraulic ram mount. I didn't like any of the ways I could find to mount it on the track bar bracket, and putting it there limited my options on which hole I used in the bracket. Also wasn't a clean way to mount it in double shear that helped support the added twisting load on the bracket since I was going to have to mount it fairly high. Decided to integrate it into the landing pad for passenger's side bump stop instead, and made a bracket to fit. Needs to be tidied up and boxed in, but I think I'll work. It's one of those parts that I wish I had Digger's CAD skills so that I could check the load on the narrow. It'll get tied into the track bar bracket when I box it, so I think it's fine.Also made some new mounts for the drag link side of the ram out of some spare shock tabs and got a basic pad bent up for the driver's side bump stop. Pulled the axle out, hopefully for the last time, to finish weld stuff and paint it.

[Jesus_man]

Looks like it'll be fine to me!!

[Digger]

Wow! You are really threading the needle with that hydraulic cylinder.

The bracket looks strong in the necessary direction. You may want to box it near the cylinder end after you're happy with everything clearing. Look good though.

Are we still racing to the finish line?

[Justin]

It looks a little tighter in the pics than it is. After some though overnight I think I've figured out how to box it all the way up the back of the bracket. And yes, you're on!

[Digger]

It looks a little tighter in the pics than it is. After some though overnight I think I've figured out how to box it all the way up the back of the bracket. And yes, you're on!

I can't wait to be able to drive mine to a monthly breakfast

[Justin]

No joke. I can't wait to drive mine to the end of the street and back.

[akaFrankCastle]

And this is why you need more than one. So you have one to drive while you work on the other.

[Digger]

And this is why you need more than one. So you have one to drive while you work on the other.

Thanks.

[Jesus_man]

And this is why you need more than one. So you have one to drive while you work on the other(s).

FIFY

[Justin]

Ordered some goodies from Columbia River Mandrel Bending's B-stock list. Should be able to piece together a really nice exhaust for less than 1/2 what it'd cost me to have it done at a shop, and it'll be all mandrel bent to boot.

[Justin]

Spent most of the afternoon painting all of the front end part. Arms aren't in the picture, but they got a coat too. Just need to get the hoop brace made and weld in the shock hoops and the front end will be ready for final assembly.

[Jesus_man]

I like the yellow low profile diff cover!

Looks great! Slid 'er under that rig!

[Justin]

Its not very rock proof, but if I miss the rocks it won't be a problem. That's the plan!

[Justin]

Got the cross brace finished up. Time to weld the hoops in place!

[Kinder]

That looks good, what type of connections are you using to make it removable?

[Justin]

Wait, removeable?!?!




Interlocking tube clamps.

[Kinder]

Those are in my future for one of my ideas, I'll have to come and take a look.

[Justin]

They're pretty cool. I'm hoping they'll give a little more rigidity to the front end than a flat plate style of connector would. Even if they don't they're cool as heck.

[Justin]

Mmmmm...track bar....