86 CJ7 DUMPSTER BUILD

[thrillbilly85]

Okay, after talking with a buddy that builds competition-level rock crawlers, (like the green Jeepster on the latest 24hr to hell and back), I think I'm going to look at clocking the 300 up some. It looks like it's almost 30(ish) degrees down. If I clock it up, I gain not only ground clearance, but it'll also put the shaft farther away, laterally, from the trans pan.

I'd prefer not to run a mid shaft, as I'm going to have enough tied up into the rear driveshaft as it is. But if I have to, obviously I will.

It appears the 350/300 adapter I have is the one from AA. I THINK I'll either use a steel adapter ring, which is 3/8" thick, OR ill drill out more holes in the adapter. What I WONT do is drill/thread holes into the transfer case. There's less material there, and the holes tend to leak when you do that, as they go straight into the case.

After that, I can get a nice flat skid plate, and (maybe) replace the pan on the th350. It's all beat to shit, and has been clearanced by the PO for the front DS. IF I still need the pan to be clearanced, I'm going to leave the one that's in it, alone, for now.

My tentative plan (because anyone that's read this thread knows exactly how my "plans" go) is to build a skid plate that makes servicing the cases easy, but also provides some mounting points for the lower links, this way, I can achieve the collective triangulation I need, easier, and have nice, long links.

Anyways, that's my though process at this point, and I'm basically shooting from the hip, as is the trajectory of this entire build this far. A penny for the thoughts of those that read this.

 

[thrillbilly85]

Got s'mo stuff done today. As I stated before, maybe, I'll be installing a sump in the fuel cell. They're marketed to the diesel-bros, that are doing hot rod farm truck shit. Anyways, I never have like any of the iterations of the fuel delivery system, be it the POs, or my own version 1.0.

I really dig this though. I had the fittings just sitting there. I wanted it below the "bed" because if there was ever a fuel leak, Id rather it dump onto the ground, instead of into the tub. I also wanted it easily accessible, and removable, but out of the way of damage. I feel like I killed three stones with one bird.

Obviously the bolts are a little bit long, but that was for mock-up purposes.

Also, nut-serts.... Holy shit, they're changing my life in a very positive way.

Also, I did a little tinkerin' on the hold-downs for the fuel cell.

 

[chaplinfj60]

weld nuts will change your life!!!!!! so you want to bolt some shit down but want a decent fastener or through thick material. get a weld nut theses things changed me!!!!! thanks to josh.....

 

[thrillbilly85]

I had a busy morning taking kids to appointments, but afterwards, I was able to knock out some stuff. Mainly just getting fuel cell mounted up, and the console and shifters sorted.

 

[thrillbilly85]

Little more stuff done today before work.

Pretty clear what went down. I drilled 3 holes, and put gauges back in them. I know, I know. I may have overdone it. Lol.

Next thing I'm gonna do is pull the transfer case. I need to get a clocking ring, or drill some holes in the adapter.

Also, I'm going to install a 32 spline output, and billet oil pan, while it's out. I may do the detent balls/springs too. I didnt have any issues with it popping out of 4h or 4l, BUT, I've also only had it out once, and wasn't too hard on it. Like, at all.

Here's the deal, I've got a CV driveshaft with what I THINK is a "1350 companion flange", but maybe Toyota had a similar one? I'll need help identifying what I've got, vs what I need to order. I know it's got 1350 joints on it. Either way, I wanna be sure before I order the rear output. I'll post pics tonight, with measurements and such.

Also, my German shorthaired pointer has been going ape shit over the birds this spring. There's been a few that have kind of set up shop in this pecan tree in my backyard. She harasses them pretty much non-stop. Well today, while she was napping under the tree, guarding the grass seed I put down yesterday, one shit right on her head.

 

[thrillbilly85]

This is the flange on the trans end of the driveshaft I have.

The bolt pattern is 3"x3". And looks like 4.25" on the diagonal.

The female pilot diameter is right around 2"

The u joints at the diff end are definitely 1350s.

3.625 is the spec, with 1.187 cap diameter.

 

[thrillbilly85]

I got the door bars made up. Idk if I like them. Eh, it needs SOMETHING, but I'm not sure if this is the answer. Thoughts?

 

[chaplinfj60]

Do they open or is it just a bar

 

[thrillbilly85]

It's just a bar

 

[chaplinfj60]

Maybe kick down to make it easier in out. What’s your pref I guess.

 

[thrillbilly85]

Maybe kick down to make it easier in out. What’s your pref I guess.

Yeah, that would be way better.

 

[gt1guy]

I made mine follow just slightly above/even with the side of the seat. My thinking is that I can move my legs when belted in but the rest of me can't. Plus it'll make getting in/out much less of a pain.

 

[chaplinfj60]

Added benefit to having the bar above the seat just by a little bit is when you get in and out you don’t wear that top part of your seat out your body drags on the metal bar thus preventing wearing the pinstriping out piping or whatever

 

[thrillbilly85]

I made mine follow just slightly above/even with the side of the seat. My thinking is that I can move my legs when belted in but the rest of me can't. Plus it'll make getting in/out much less of a pain.

Quick egress is pretty high on the list for me, and especially my passenger.

I'm going to climb in/out today, with the seats in and see how it'll be. I've got rub rails on the rocker guards, so it may not be a big deal.

It's just a pain in the asshole if I weld them in, and decide I don't like it. Hard to put that genie back in the bottle so-to-speak.

 

[gt1guy]

Quick egress is pretty high on the list for me, and especially my passenger.

I'm going to climb in/out today, with the seats in and see how it'll be. I've got rub rails on the rocker guards, so it may not be a big deal.

It's just a pain in the asshole if I weld them in, and decide I don't like it. Hard to put that genie back in the bottle so-to-speak.

I waited to weld them in until I was sure I didn't need to do anything else inside the tub...............and I still found a couple things I needed to do after welding them in.

Definitely test what you got.

 

[thrillbilly85]

Tested.

FUCKING FAILED.

I'm too fat for that. (But I'm working on it. Down 45lbs!)

Dis mo betta

Thank you chaplinfj60 and gt1guy for y'all's input. I was able to use what I had already bent up. This is important because that was the last of my tubing, and it was shit my cousin brought me that he snagged from work.

Now that I'm done with the cage, (save for welding these in), I can honestly say I wasted nearly ZERO tubing. That's good because aside from it being oppressively expensive, it's also a 4hr drive, round trip, and that's IF I don't hit traffic in DFW.

I'm so happy with how the cage and back-halfing has turned out. Really, it's the biggest fabrication project I've ever taken on, and I did a better job than I thought I would, and it's turned out WAY better than I originally planned.

Still garbage, compared to some of the guys here, but hey, it's mine, and it's my first attempt at MOST of the shit I'm doing here.

 

[thrillbilly85]

Today, I went ahead and pulled the transfer case. I'm trying to accomplish several things, and this needed to happen first.

I'm going to redo the skid plate. Going for something perfectly flat, and actually protects the transfer case and transmission. Even if I loose some ground clearance, i think that's a decent trade off for a flat belly.

Now, as it was, building a new flat skid plate would make me loose about 4" of clearance everywhere, instead of just directly below the front output.

Clocking the transfer case solves a lot of problems, IF it moves the driveshaft far enough away (literally) from the transmission pan.

The jury is still out, but it appears I have gained about an inch of lateral clearance. Should be just enough. It's gonna be close, either way.

I seem to be gaining about 3" of ground clearance.

To achieve all this, I went ahead and redrilled the adapter. I used the old gasket as a template, and 'eye-balled' the centers of the holes. Risky, I know. I don't know what made me think this would work out for me. Things like this never do.

Anyways, I guess good karma caught back up with me, because I was somehow able to drill all six holes exactly where they needed to be.

Here's proof .

Before

BEFORE

After

So yeah, as you can see, it's fucking IMPERATIVE that the driveshaft has enough side to side clearance from the pan, or else this won't even work.

I've got a 2" diameter driveshaft, and I may need to do 1.5". I hope not, because it's brand new. Lol

So, the plan moving forward, in chronological order--

Put the transfer case back in (temporarily) to ensure lateral driveshaft clearance is achieved

Remove transfer case

Start skidplate

Run new fuel and rear brakes lines

Install 32sp rear output on the d300

Reinstall transfer case

Finish skid plate

Finish rear suspension.

This outta keep me busy till the end of May. If I get this much done by then, I can take it out for a little shake down.

Finally.

 

[thrillbilly85]

I put the clocked 300 back up, in place this morning.

Not good. Not terrible, but still not great. I have not achieved enough lateral separation for there not to be clearance issues. Plenty more ground clearance though, so that's good.

But, the question is, how far up does the driveshaft have to travel before it makes contact with the flange of the oil pan.

5" it looks like.

Here it is, at ride height

Here it is making contact with the pan

This is what that looks like.

My choices are-

Move the case back how it was, where the shaft can not physically ever actually contact the pan, and have about a 21" belly height

OR--

Keep it clocked up how it is and weld in a piece of 1.25" tubing in the section of driveshaft that could touch the pan flange.

With a 2" DS currently, I'll gain 3/8" clearance more, where im currently sitting at 3/4" at ride height.

If the geometric principles of the Pythagorean therum have not changed any, then that 3/8" should give me an additional 2.5" of travel at the yoke before metal meets metal.

Actually slightly more, because it's lateral, and vertical clearance I'm gaining, which both lend themselves to more up travel, because the contact area on the pan is angled as well.

So looks like I'm going to "hourglass" the driveshaft there, with some .250 wall 1-3/4 and some .250 wall 1-1/4.

As I've been sitting here, typing this, I had the idea that MAYBE if I flip the driveshaft around, so the slip yoke is at the transfer case end, that would put the part of the slope stub exactly where i need it......

 

[thrillbilly85]

Quick update.

I'm not going to leave the 300 clocked up. Even with it down, I can easily achieve a flat 21" belly height. No DS mods needed.

I pulled it back out and set out to cleaning it up, painting it, and resealing it. Once the seal kit arrived, I'll pull the aluminum bits off and clean the small amount of over spray off of them and reinstall them..

I also got an billet bottom cover. I was going to also do a 32sp rear output, but I've got 7.17 gear in the axles, and am only running 37s. It'll be fine. If I break it, I'll replace it then. I'm trying to get this thing on the trail already!

I also got new fuel lines made, and in place. The fuel cell got a bottom sump to keep the pump happier, and avoid it ever having to suck to get fuel. Maybe one day it'll get an in-tank pump. I'll carry a spare inline pump, and have it ready to go, just in case.

Theres soft tubing transitions on each end of the supply and return lines. They're 3/8 aluminum. I welded studs onto the inside of the frame rails to the hard lines "float" with exception to 4-5 rubber clad tubing clamps.

I'll straighten the lines more so they look nice, but that's pretty much done, now.