Build Family Size Rat crawler

I am slowly picking this thing apart. I started building a no-bend roll cage, just enough to hold everything together without worrying about the cab flexing when I removed it from the frame. I am getting closer to finishing all my suspension tie ins and welding up the frame. I might get held up because I need to buy an atlas T-case to finish mocking up the crossmember that holds the front end lower control arms. Also having problems with my welder. I might need to sell a testy or something 🤷‍♂️.
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I've been using whatever alkaloid enamel (Rust-Oleum or equivalent) is on sale with a foam roller and then hitting the hard places with a spray can for a while.

For my truck that I kind of care about I am going to use SPI black epoxy on the frame.
 
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We got back from KOH and got busy on this again. I finally have the chassis close enough to paint. I brushed on Chasis Saver. It seems like good stuff. I got a 22 gallon aluminum Boyds fuel tank. I still have a little more frame work to make it fit and then restructure the rear but it’s a really nice tank. Next is plumbing, finish painting, make the engine and trans permanent and then I can put the body back on.
 
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What are thoughts on this? My engine is 2-3* measured from the oil pan, my transmission is 8-9* or (88-89*) measured at the mating surface. It looks steep. But I have zero experience with this part of the build.
 
I agree it looks steep. Is the oil pan bottom parallel to the bottom of the block? Is the frame sitting at 0*? I can't read the angle finder, so I have to ask. I'd set the angle finder on the t-case mounting face of the tranny and set it 2-3*(87-88*) and see what that looks like. The mounting surface of the tranny will be almost square to the top of the crossmember when you have it 2-3*.
 
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Oil pan is lying to you. :flipoff2:

The end of the trans is going to be 100% perpendicular to the crank running through the block. Drop the front of the engine till the rear of the trans reads a couple degrees and send it. Just make sure you cycle everything to verify there's no contact.
 
stock ls oil pan is like 10* tilted towards the drain IIRC. I'd raise the trans and lower the engine a bit.

Great build though.
 
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Lowered the engine and raised the transmission so it sits about 4* at the trans output now. Thanks all for the advice.
I finally have the body back on. I got the radiator and front clip mocked up now and found the original hood slide rail and holder, it fit perfectly, so I think I am going to reuse it.
 
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I ordered an Atlas while we were at KOH. I had planned on a 4 speed but was told by the salesman that they wouldn’t warranty it for my application so I ended up purchasing the race case. 3.8.

What size material would you use to build a sub frame to tie my seats into? Does 1” .095 square so sufficient? Or larger?
 
I would brace the crap out of it with that size, but that's just me and I'd probably go thicker, unless I already had a butt load of that stuff to build and brace with. I built mine with 1.75 x .125 wall DOM as I figured it was being tied into the roll cage I should make it the same and it's what I had. I used the 1"x.095 square tube for the floor framing.

Good to see you back on it.
 
Curious that they wouldn't warranty the 4 spd case for your build, but wonder it it's related in some form to what happened to me? I had their early model 4spd in my '48 Willys jeep I built and it locked up on me and sent me fish-tailing down the freeway at 58mph and tipped me over on its side and they said it was because of a bearing failure. Again this was their first model of the 4 spd. They warrantied mine, but this was 8-9 yrs ago, and they had made an improvement by adding another bearing to support the ouput shaft, if I recall correctly(I'd have to go to the forbidden site and look up my build there to see exactly) and I wonder if they still have issues with rigs that are being driven on the freeway? Seems strange, but there has to be a reason and this sounds plausible or it's an oiling issue that can't keep the bearings cool at prolonged speeds. Sorry for the interuption.
 
I’d imagine it has something to do with tire size and weight of the rig. I have seen the shaft between the doubler and t case input go kaboom on a 7k rig on 42s. It was a manual trans so I’m sure the shock loading didn’t help either
 
csutton7 said:
Curious that they wouldn't warranty the 4 spd case for your build, but wonder it it's related in some form to what happened to me? I had their early model 4spd in my '48 Willys jeep I built and it locked up on me and sent me fish-tailing down the freeway at 58mph and tipped me over on its side and they said it was because of a bearing failure. Again this was their first model of the 4 spd. They warrantied mine, but this was 8-9 yrs ago, and they had made an improvement by adding another bearing to support the ouput shaft, if I recall correctly(I'd have to go to the forbidden site and look up my build there to see exactly) and I wonder if they still have issues with rigs that are being driven on the freeway? Seems strange, but there has to be a reason and this sounds plausible or it's an oiling issue that can't keep the bearings cool at prolonged speeds. Sorry for the interuption.
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06h3 said:
I’d imagine it has something to do with tire size and weight of the rig. I have seen the shaft between the doubler and t case input go kaboom on a 7k rig on 42s. It was a manual trans so I’m sure the shock loading didn’t help either
Click to expand...

Yes I think 06h3 is correct, I gave him my rig specs, I estimated about 6k + with 44s, and that’s when he recommended the race case.
 
Can you take a measurement of the windshield lip? I want to replace my glass and you are supposed to remove and install the glass from the inside with a new gasket and that's not going to happen now( I think you have the same issue). So knowing the size of that lip from yours will prep me with knowing if I need to add to it, cut it out and weld in a new lip(I don't really want to do that, but you have to do what you have to do if you have to do it) or allow me to silicone it in. I'll probably weld in a center piece though where the two pieces meet just to help structurally and to help with sealing. I have not seen a gasket made for our Willys that allows for exterior installation of the windshield glass. I think you'd need to cut out the old lip and weld in a new one closer to the inside face of the cab to be able to do that. Then you'd need to buy some windshield gasket and cut it to length glue the ends together and install it and then install the new glass. The silicone method would make it so much easier to do this and since I work at a glass company and a couple of guys here install windshields on the side I have all I need to put in the new pieces of glass when I get around to it.
 
csutton7 said:
Can you take a measurement of the windshield lip? I want to replace my glass and you are supposed to remove and install the glass from the inside with a new gasket and that's not going to happen now( I think you have the same issue). So knowing the size of that lip from yours will prep me with knowing if I need to add to it, cut it out and weld in a new lip(I don't really want to do that, but you have to do what you have to do if you have to do it) or allow me to silicone it in. I'll probably weld in a center piece though where the two pieces meet just to help structurally and to help with sealing. I have not seen a gasket made for our Willys that allows for exterior installation of the windshield glass. I think you'd need to cut out the old lip and weld in a new one closer to the inside face of the cab to be able to do that. Then you'd need to buy some windshield gasket and cut it to length glue the ends together and install it and then install the new glass. The silicone method would make it so much easier to do this and since I work at a glass company and a couple of guys here install windshields on the side I have all I need to put in the new pieces of glass when I get around to it.
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My windshield lip measures 1/2”.
I tried not to overthink the windshield when I started because it would slow me down, but I did some quick research in the beginning of this build and found some 2 piece windshields that looked like I could install with a cage in place. I no nothing about them but I guess since I am getting closer to that point I should start researching again.
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Thanks a lot for that measurement.

Yea, I think I bought the gasket already and I watched a video and it sure doesn't look easy to get in. In my case I think I have the bars just enough in the way to make it where I won't be able to do it. I guess I'll know once I try and take it out and if I can get it out then I should be able to get it in. I had the cage almost totally built before I thought maybe I should watch a video to see how the glass goes in because was reading about some other things and ran across someone saying that said you had to install it from the inside and I thought "no way". But lo and behold it's true. So I never welded in the middle bars just in case. We shall see once I take it out, but I'm in no hurry getting it done as I still have other things to tinker with and the glass isn't broken.
 
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