Project Castle Bravo... probably

Been awfully cold in the garage the past few weeks, coupled with USPS Priority Mail taking over three weeks to arrive, I haven't worked on this much. Finally got the front shock mounts done. I refrained from using the stereotypical shock hoops, they are just so Oct. 14th, 2003 (yeah, I fully get the irony of that :laughing:).

Side view of the mount:

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front:

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Tacked onto the frame:

mt_on_frame.JPG



Shock intalled, the strap is there to compress those gas charged bastards:

shock_installed.JPG
 
I suggest plating the frame and boxing in your motor mount while you're there.

Maybe notch the shock mount so it lands on top of the frame and goes down the verticle plane too. Add some gussets too.
 
Well, I only tacked them on. I do have some 3/16" plate I could use for the frame, and adding some more support to interface with the top of the frame wouldn't be too difficult, either. Food for thought...

Thanks for the input! :idea:
 
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Easier to do it now to prevent a future problem and more frame work.
 
Tied the mount to the top of the frame rail and removed the stress risers from the bottom of the mount (and boxed in the motor mount). Most of the mount is still just tacked on.
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shock_redux_1.JPG
 
Got some tires and wheels. Tires are 35/10.5/17 mounted on 17x9 rims with 0 offset. Had to use 17's to clear the rear calipers. Mounting the tires was easy, getting the beads to seat, not so much. No binding on any corner at full stuff and at R-L lock, though.

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Welp, I still haven't really burned 'em yet. Allow me to think about it for a while. Mebbe I can come up with something semi-elegant....
 
I was going to send my drive shaft(s) to Jesse at HAD to modify, he had modified the drive shafts for my last truck and I was satisfied enough. However, I read the last two years of his customer's reviews and decided against that. There was not one positive review :frown: . I found someone locally (50 miles away) that would lengthen the factory front drive shaft so that I could re-purpose it as the rear drive shaft, and while I was at it, I asked him to re-tube the front shaft that I cobbled together as it was kinda bent (I was just going to run it anyway). From I post I found on PBB (this is not my idea) I decided on 2.750 OD x .156 Wall x 2.438 ID DOM Steel Tube - ASTM A513 Type 5 tubing. The previous wall thickness was 1/8" wall and I still managed to bend/dent it. The .156" wall choice is not for "strength" but for resistance to dents/bends. Previously I used 1/4" wall square receiver tubing for the front shaft (heavy bitch), this is a little better. I had to supply the tubing to the drive shaft shop. One of the things I learned from this is that the flanges on auto-tragic transmissions/t-cases are NOT the same as the flanges on RF1A t-cases, I had to swap the t-case side of the rear (previously front) drive shaft flange from a spare RF1A compatible double cardan joint that Jesse at HAD already high angle clearanced.
Retubed drive shaft.JPG
 
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Looking good! Is the high angle clearance just a die grinder operation? Wondering if I'll need to do that on my '86 4Runner. Unfortunately, I'm a long way from setting up drivelines.
 
2 86s said:
Looking good! Is the high angle clearance just a die grinder operation? Wondering if I'll need to do that on my '86 4Runner. Unfortunately, I'm a long way from setting up drivelines.
Click to expand...
With God and an angle/die grinder, all things are possible... The flange that was clearanced by HAD looked like Jesse had chucked it up in a lathe and turned the outer "retainer/mating" wall material off. An angle grinder with a flap wheel would be my first choice if I had to do one (with something protecting the center post, like a piece of conduit). YMMV.
 
Ok, please take a picture before you install it for reference.
 
I have already installed the drive shaft. But that is of little consequence, as my potato won't focus on the cut Jesse did because the double cardan body screws with the camera anyway. I will still try to help. This is an image of the automatic trans flange I swapped out for the HAD turned flange. Pull the rubber seal off (majority of the "outer ring") and then grind down the remaining outer "ring" with a flap wheel until you're flush with the flange body. Then with a die grinder cut just a little deeper (~1/32") immediately around the center post and outer wards for ~1/4", creating a very small depression.

And when you disassemble the DC, just know that DC u-joints are NOT the same as the other end of the drive shaft u-joint (they are different in both cap diameter and cross dims). Disassembly of a DC is... frustrating :laughing:, reassembly is a piece of cake. (The Toyota FSM does not detail R&R for a double cardan, it states if the DC is faulty, replace the entire drive shaft (not kidding). And don't lose the spring that sits in the center of the post as you disassemble. HTH.


autotrans flange.JPG
 
Cool, appreciate the info and picture. That should be enough info for me to figure it out or fuck it up. We shall see.
 
Been thinking about a spare tire rack... I don't want to put the spare on the roof and it won't fit behind the seats. This is "one" idea:

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Admittedly, that is not a full size spare, just the factory spare. I haven't bought a full size tire for the spare, yet.
 
I like that it's easily removable since you won't always want to carry it. Make sure the tailgate opens with a full size spare.
 
No triangulation? A mildly rocky trail causes a lot side to side deflection. You’ve got a 100# (35”spare) lump on a three foot moment arm at your hinge point. This is just my experience, yours may vary. Also, find a beefier pivot then a 1/2” bolt. Maybe check out the spindles for sale at RuffStuff. It’ll give you idea on what people are using for spindles.

Don’t stop playing with it, you’ll figure it out.
 
archie40 said:
No triangulation? A mildly rocky trail causes a lot side to side deflection. You’ve got a 100# (35”spare) lump on a three foot moment arm at your hinge point. This is just my experience, yours may vary. Also, find a beefier pivot then a 1/2” bolt. Maybe check out the spindles for sale at RuffStuff. It’ll give you idea on what people are using for spindles.

Don’t stop playing with it, you’ll figure it out.
Click to expand...
I am contemplating a little more bracing. The pivot is 7/8".
 
I received the front locker parts ordered from a stock car racing outfit (Quick Performance in Ames IA, they have excellent prices, delivery, customer service).
ARB stuff.JPG


Locker installed, no leaks:
Install complete.JPG


Pattern:

pattern.JPG


Maybe most already do this but for those that aren't aware this is an alignment pin made from an old ring gear bolt. I screwed it into the ring gear, tossed the ring gear into boiling water, let it sit and then slid the ring gear onto the carrier in the correct orientation, easy peasy.

ring gear guide pin I.JPG


ring gear guide pin II.JPG


And... a home-made pinion flange retainer tool, for anyone's inspiration. 
DIY flange retainer tool.JPG
 
What locker did you use in the rear 9" (Detroit/ Grizzly)?
 
Time had come to figure out where to install the ARB compressor. There are so many fawking vacuum lines/sensors/gadgets it would make a Ford blush. I originally considered mounting the compressor in one of the cubby-hole compartments in the rear interior space just because there is not one square inch of empty real estate under the hood. A more unpleasant vehicle to work on I could not imagine. Then I remembered that I deleted the ABS modulator (powered by the power steering pump). Luckily, I had removed the bracket from the modulator before selling all the parts I removed. If one is unfamiliar with the vacuum line/sensor/gadget nightmare that the 3vz is, here is a refresher:

4Runner jungle.JPG





Here is the compressor, installed. It's under the battery, right above the frame rail. The only open spot under the hood and I had to shoe-horn the compressor behind the fender wall THEN slide the bracket underneath of the compressor and fasten the bracket to the frame.

ARB compressor installed.JPG


Here is the ABS bracket with the compressor mounted on it (compressor is behind the fender wall) directly above where the idler arm would have been:

ABS mdulator bracket.JPG



When I installed ARB lockers (F&R) on my '97 Taco I had TONS of room for the old-style compressor: Those are HD Sportster oil tank rubber mounts to isolate the noise that compressor makes.

Tacoma ARB compressor.JPG



I could not have installed the compressor in the ABS modulator spot if it still had been the old style. It would have been way TOO big. The new (or current) style is a lot smaller and can be readily configured to fit tight/weird spaces, which is the only way this would have been accomplished.
 
Now for something completely different...

Been working on plumbing the brake system. I think I have the rear axle plumbed and have started to think about how to do the front axle.
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I'm also thinking of a method of still using the factory parking brake handle WITHOUT bolting another forty pounds onto the rear of the t-case. I will try to use a line-lock that is intended for home-built aircraft. The unit has a lever that I can manipulate with the factory brake handle. It is a teeny tiny thing, I will have to lengthen the lever and add a stop and return spring. Food for thought...

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I've been running a spare mount just like that for years. First with a 31, now with a 33 on it. I put a ratchet strap on it to keep it from flapping around and making people behind me nervous, but for a long time it was just in the reciever.

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Waiting for a few brake fittings to be delivered. Tried some different armor for the front diff this time (more like a thong, less like a chastity belt)....

Frt diff armor.JPG


And with paint:

fda painted.JPG
 
I'm guessing changing ubolts requires a cut-off wheel and welder?
 
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