Project Baby Runner/Mini Crawler: R.J.'s Navajo Build

[R.J.]

whne i go d44, i want the bronco pivot spacing, so i'll get autofab brackets. i want the full bronco track width.

 

[R.J.]

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...=pivot+spacing

 

[R.J.]

essentually what i want, with a little more 4x4 in mind http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37422

 

[CopyKat]

whne i go d44, i want the bronco pivot spacing, so i'll get autofab brackets. i want the full bronco track width.

If you add 1" to the beams you will get the full width out of it. You will then end up with slightly longer beams. as you make them 1" longer.

BTW the first RDC link don't work!

Ya Simon5ay5's build is good. I asked him about his setup a while back and he made custom pivot brackets.

 

[Dannyboy]

I didn't set my perches any different than stock, I placed them on top and used a tap measure to figure out what was equal distance to the original perches in front and behind the axle tube. Your's may be a little more difficult since you will be moving them in a few inches to eye up, but It shouldn't be hard. I would line them up over the original perch and then use a straight edge and draw a line in three inches . With your doubler you will be realling shortening your rear driveshaft on a sport so it may be a bigger issue to change pinion angle.

 

[CopyKat]

don't you have to set the angle when installing perches? like set them to 15 degrees?

Ya if you look in my build I just finished an axle swap in my Bronco and needed to do the pinion angle thing all over again.

Your best to set it up on the truck with the weight of the truck then tack the perches. Pull it out and weld them on. Makes painting the axle easier before it goes back in.

When I helped a buddy do a SOA on his explorer we had enough room to weld between the U-bolts.

 

[R.J.]

i don't know whats up with that link, i just used it earlier

install axle and remove again! so much work. i want to be lazy! hahaha

i'll probably do it that way, install it, set the pionion angle straight, then tack it. i don't have perches on the underside to line up with

 

[R.J.]

i'll try again http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36319&highlight=pivot+spacing

 

[R.J.]

decided just to flux core weld it. fab experts, does this look like its gonna break on me?

 

[R.J.]

in other news... the Bronco has been sold

 

[cybergasm]

welp i am no Fab expert but you give it the hammer test?

whack it with a BFH and see if its breaks or not if it does not break then you are golden.

So what Made Jim wanna sell the bronco?

 

[R.J.]

theres no way a hammer would break those welds. i've done the hammer test on some of my worst work before and it doesn't break. but the stress of off road is much greater than just the hammer test. i think it'll be alright cause i welded the inside as well.


bronco was just sitting in the driveway too long. not getting enough use. besides being expensive and it started having a rod knock

 

[cybergasm]

Cool i'll be by next week to have you weld on my perches next :

 

[R.J.]

i'll be out of town next week. but i could do it some other day if you want

 

[mounty71]

Too bad the bronco was sold, is the toyota taking over towing duties now?

 

[CopyKat]

That weld is iffy. Did you bevel the pad before welding it? The thing with flux core is you need good penetration. The last Bronco I srtipped the axle pads were welded with gas on a crappy machine. When I pulled the pads from the axle one weld broke the whole way. And looked like it was broken for quite some time. It looked like it didn't even get penetration into the axle tube.

When welding could you see the axle tube melting a puddle?

Might be worth it to take it to your buddy. Grind the weld down and get it welded in good.

 

[IZwack]

I think the weld is good, the slight undercutting on the perch and the overal shape of the bead (not just sitting on top) both suggests there was enough power. With both sides of the perch welded, I dont think you'll have any problems at all.

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Looks just like the welds that have been on my SOA for 6 years now. They'll be fine.

 

[JTX]

That weld is fine.. Its more about heat than what the weld looks like. As long as your bead flowed into the axle tube it should be fine.

I forgot to weld mine (just tacked) before Moab and they made it the whole weekend before they gave the last day. When you tighten your U-Bolts down they also help hold the pad in place.

 

[R.J.]

thanks guys i guess will finally test the strength of my welder. its probably the smallest lincoln welder you can get but i've never broken a weld, even on my old coilbucket brace and my limit strap tabs