Ricks Bronco: 1and 1/2

[mynameisaric]

it makes me laugh that people would take a glance and a vehicle and say theirs would "take" it. in what arena? Who's driving? how can you tell by a short look at my rig that i don't have a 3spd stack case with 4.88's and air lockers front and rear, and also that being said that i don't have a 500 hp v8 of some kind in there. people are dumb, but i do have a bII that would take your bII... lmao

Not saying all those things don't help, but just because you have them doesn't mean a samurai on 31's, a good driver, spring over conversion, and welded diffs wouldn't crawl circles around all that fancy equipment.

But yes, i too like the "i could take that" comments. Probably been guilty of it once or thrice, and my junk sits in the driveway 99% of the time.

 

[rookieshooter]

Going to make some hardware to be able to lift the tire up. Just another way to do when circumstances call for.
This metal is off an old tree stand that I used to use.

Next I took tab and welded to the bracket that will bolt to wheel stud.
Then took an old chain with one of those open chain links and installed through tab.

Clamp link closed using vice and weld up.
I did both ends like this to a short piece of chain.

Take off bolts, install the chain then bolts back on.

Slip bolt through Hijack and chain.

Then lift away.

 

[gmanpaint]

Cool! A home made version of the lift mate.
(dead link)

 

[rookieshooter]

I

I have to hang out more around the house this week but that's not going to stop me from documenting some very important measurements and conflicts.

Here I have the front tire jacked up 30" and that's as far as I'm going with the way it's starting to get a little tipsy. The 3 other tires are still on the ground. But longer travel coilovers need to be ordered to really let this truck flex. As far as the linked front and rear suspension goes, who knows how much is still available but won't know untill longer travel shocks are installed.
Things like radius arm to frame clearance, how far drive shaft slipped in and out, how rear axle changed in relation to frame and tire clearance inside wheel well were all checked out.

 

[MrQ]

That looks like my setup for just getting under my vehicles...

 

[rookieshooter]

It''s not as scary as it looks from the pic What you can't see on the othe side of the tire, is the floor jack. That's the handle that my trembling hand is on. Junk under the tire is just in case it does go South.

 

[1AJeremyD]

Thats a really awesome truck you have there. I spent a little time today to go through some of the older posts and it has really come together nicely.

 

[rookieshooter]

Thanks Jeremy.

Hi Rick,
I'm going to build your Atlas to the specifications in the sales order and should ship in 4-5 business days.

Thats what Iv'e been waiting to hear.
This email was received on the 18th

 

[rookieshooter]

Picked up 10' of 3/8"x3" flat stock for some future projects, including the
3 pt project.
Here I'm cutting pieces for the pumpkin crossover piece including the 3" dia. cut for the axle connection end.
went with flat stock to keep the top connection low on pumkin.

The other end is not finished yet. Need to connect to the panhard bar bracket. Even if one day I get rid of the panhard bar altogether, the bracket will stay due to where it is welded to the axle.
I'll also gusset the corner.

Then to fabricate the two frame rail brackets and order the tubing and inserts.

 

[rookieshooter]

Starting to take shape. Won't weld to axle untill I get the hardware for the links to attach to.

 

[terribleII89]

Been gone too long see ya went to a 4 link so now what's the new project? I had get rid of my b2 but now I have an ex that I'm doin a d44 swap to now

 

[fote03]

This is awesome build. So many great ideas. Thanks for sharing!

 

[rookieshooter]

Been gone too long see ya went to a 4 link so now what's the new project? I had get rid of my b2 but now I have an ex that I'm doin a d44 swap to now

Hope the x works out for ya.
New projects are installation of the new Atlas that i should have by next week.
Then rather slow installation of the rear 3pt suspension, that might just work with the rear wristed radius arm suspension by means of just pulling two pins.
Might just be setting myself up for an Epic fail on this one, but if it works I'll call it a Polysuspension, and if it don't...then it was your idea :

To bring you up to speed...Hobarted Locker, stretched WB to 102.5" which got rid of that washboard ride over dirt roads and especially over packed snow covered roads. But more important made this truck more trail friendly then any other mod I've done on the truck.
Fuel cell to allow for the rear axle relocation and 3 pt. Not mentioning, just plain nasty looking.

Pleny more to come, so stay tuned.

 

[rookieshooter]

This is awesome build. So many great ideas. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, It's been a wild ride so far

 

[rookieshooter]

[/IMG]

Finishing up the diff crossover bracket for 3 point.
I went with a single point mount that is centered between frames. Also mounted the bolt vertical for more strength.
I did not like the way I seen other single bolt connections done with a short piece of tubing coming straight out from bolt and then the two angle pieces fitted to the short piece of tubing. Angle pieces meaning the links that go to either side of frame. Went through all the trouble of mounting the bolt in the right position for strength, only to have the two angled tubing pieces maken a dog leg turn into the snout.
The way I did it the lines of force (lack of better term) are straight from frame bracket to center line of the the vertical 3/4" bolt

Now how did I get the angle right on the two threaded studs, when I don't even have the brackets on or even know where the exact location is?
They're both 3/4" Heims in the stacked position.
The small difference in height won't make a bit of difference. If it did, just aim the bottom one up a little and the top one down a little.
But each heim will be independent of each other as far as left to right and up and down for a bit more articulation, especially when the frame starts twisting.

This is looking straight thru the 3/4" bracket and both heims. Solid.
I have the flats on the heims touching each other and the sides of the bracket.

May not be the traditional way, but I think it will work just fine. Time will tell.

 

[terribleII89]

Hope the x works out for ya.
New projects are installation of the new Atlas that i should have by next week.
Then rather slow installation of the rear 3pt suspension, that might just work with the rear wristed radius arm suspension by means of just pulling two pins.
Might just be setting myself up for an Epic fail on this one, but if it works I'll call it a Polysuspension, and if it don't...then it was your idea :

To bring you up to speed...Hobarted Locker, stretched WB to 102.5" which got rid of that washboard ride over dirt roads and especially over packed snow covered roads. But more important made this truck more trail friendly then any other mod I've done on the truck.
Fuel cell to allow for the rear axle relocation and 3 pt. Not mentioning, just plain nasty looking.

Pleny more to come, so stay tuned.

nothin was my idea lol but I will stay tuned I've aways liked to see your ideas and progress

 

[rookieshooter]

Made up this mounting plate for the Y end of the 3 link. One for each leg. I'll bolt it to the crossover brace next to frame that it shown up aginst. This is the same brace that the radius arm bracket is bolted to on other side.

This is how I'm doing the frame brackets. Everything 3/8" steel with 3/4" heims.
I'll also be able to change the heims to bushings if I want to.


And when installed the heim 3/4" bollt will be 90 deg. to what ever angle the link is to the pumkin bracket. And this puts the welds also to a more favorable angle to the link. Meaning the tabs are being pushed lengthwise or parallel with the welds.
It will be secured with 4 grade 8 half inch bolts.

 

[rookieshooter]

Starting to fab up the frame mounts. I have the tab parallel with the link, that's why it's not square with the flat base. The little spot weld on the front of the flat metal is where I spot welded a brace to make sure the tab stays Dead Drop perpendicular to the base.
Now when I do the other side I'll insert a 1.75" spacer between to keep the other side from moving.
I know this is old hat to some of you guys, but may help a newbie from wondering why he has to beat the snot out of his bushings to go in between the tabs or too wide and then you have to pull the tabs in close to the bushing by drawing the bolt and nut together, which can fatigue the weld.

Two out of 3 brackets done. I'll just mirror copy the frame bracket for other side. But some exhaust modifications will have to be done prior to install.

 

[rookieshooter]

Made the other frame bracket and that's about all I can do untill I order some parts like DOM tubing and tube inserts.
I'll have to keep an eye on any binding of the heims at the pumkin. Heims work great but once they reach their max operating angle then it's metal to metal and if that happens then I'll replace with a bushing. But before I even take it out on the road I'll flex it in garage.

 

[rookieshooter]

Here is how I did the heim arrangment. I needed a total of 3 spacers in order to achieve all movement that the heims have built in them.
The center one is a modified bushing I cut down to the right length.
It has the exact bore and thickness as the flat part on the heim bearing.
This spacer keeps the bearing housing from coming into contact with bearing of other heim.

Now I have two 3/4" heims directly in center of axle housing equally sharing the load. And the links lined up with the center of bolt.