This forum needs some excitement!! DB_1's Ranger SAS rebuild

[FROADER]

Ahhh...well then I don't know.

Do you know how far up the trail the second gate is?

 

[410Fortune]

man Dave when you said you were gonna re-do your SAS to get more flex I had no idea you were gonna build a friggin monster! Came out fantastic, how much left? final welds and assembly?

 

[Felix]

Wow Dave, That thing is looking awsome. I hope you get it done soon. Time is running low for me out here and would like to see that thing back on all fours before I leave.

Oh yea, now the wife is hinting at me building a new off road truck. I tell you what she is going to cause me to go bankrupt. Putting more ideas in my head, what to build what to build???

 

[DB_1]

Colin,
I've only done Cleghorn once which was years ago and I didn't remember another gate. I've seen posts on Pirate about Cleghorn saying there's a second gate...who knows. Anyways if it is closed there if you go further down hwy 134(?) closer to Silverwood lake you can access trails from there usually.

Thanks Jaime,
I've got one more track bar bracket to fab, then weld in all the brackets and find new homes for things in the engine bay that had to be moved when I started this mess

Mark,
I know you are looking forward getting out of 29 Palms but still sucks you won't be around to join us on runs anymore As far as what to build, I vote Toyota Tacoma. There's SAS kits, doublers, etc. and fairly cheap to build...but hey, suprise us. When's your last day out here? Maybe a farewell run is in order huh?

 

[Felix]

I am leaving the desert on May 22nd, so maybe we can make a big bear trip before then.

I would like to build an older 4runner like a mid/late 90's or a mid 80's Jeep Waggy. But you never know, when I get out east we will be picking up my Dads 2k Mouty v8 awd. That is going to be the family car and then I will be looking at trading off the Neon for something different. Hey if you know anyone that needs a utility truck for a fair price let me know. I need to unload this monster before we move.

 

[DB_1]

Big Bear trip would be cool
I'll ask around for ya and see if anyone is looking for a utility truck.

Nothing exciting to report on really...cut out a template yesterday and i'm gonna go transfer it to steel and cut it out after I finish this post

 

[DB_1]

Welding has begun...

Did some prep to the axle today for welding, got the link tabs burned in and almost finished welding the insides of the axle bridge...there's ALOT of welding on that thing and it still has to be welded to the axle yet. Also primed the shock hoop brace and that's about it for today. Tomorrow i'll continue with the welding and see how far I get

Colin,
you were right, Cleghorn is open Some guys from the FSB forum just ran it: http://72.21.46.98/~fullsize/forum/showthread.php?p=857329#post857329

 

[FROADER]

Maybe after Moab?

Good luck witht the rest of the welding.

 

[DB_1]

Maybe after Moab?

Good luck witht the rest of the welding.

Sure, i'd be up for that

Still welding...

 

[DB_1]

One step forward, two steps back

Things were going well on Tues., got the links and axle bridge tacked up then I started to tack in the trac-bar brackets and that's where I ran into problems. One of the frame end trac-bar brackets ends up right at the edge of the hump in the frame. I can't move it back or else the trac-bar will hit the link on top of the bridge and there's no room to move it forward since the shock hoop is in the way.
After thinking and staring at it for a day or so I came up with this funky set-up:

I used 1.5"x.188 wall DOM and notched it by hand with a angle grinder since RockRanger has my notcher . Those aren't the tabs i'll be using as they are just for mock up but i'm going to make new ones that will be bigger and made of thicker metal (1/4") so I can box in the top. I also plan to make some kind of support or gusset that will connect the bracket to the frame...I'm still working all of that out.

 

[FROADER]

is there enough clearance between the track bar mount and the upper link for flexing? I'm sure it's just the pic, but it looks realy close.

 

[DB_1]

Plenty of room there as the upper links are mounted inboard of the frame but clearances are tight between the upper link mounts and the trac bar itself. I've gotta mess around with it some more.

 

[RockRanger]

When you weld the tubs to the frame I would plate that area to give it more support. Isnt custom stuff fun.

 

[DB_1]

Isnt custom stuff fun.

Sure is...maybe i'm making things more complicated than they should be

Anyone notice my upper links? That's how you hide ugly welds, some primer does wonders after you grind them smooth

 

[BMXplorer]

Dave,

Here's an idea for the tabs that you're working on for your track bar:

I made the two tabs look similar to the ones you have mocked up and drew up the top plate which could be welded to the two tabs and frame.

Since you mentioned connecting the tabs to the frame I put a bend in the top plate, I realize 1/4" may be a challenge to bend without an oxy-acetylene torch or something. An alternative might be to use a cutting wheel on a hand held grinder and cut an 1/8" groove into the 1/4" plate where you want the bend on the top plate to be. Then clamp the plate in a vise and hammer it to the desired angle and later weld the groove in the top plate once everything is set. A notch or radius was also put on the top plate near where the heim joint is located, for clearance.

The top plate could be welded to the frame around the outside perimeter of the plate. There is also a hole in the top plate, this idea was so a plug weld could be done around the inside perimeter of the hole connecting this top plate to the frame in another location.

Not trying to create more work for you as far as what to make, just throwing an idea out there. Keep up the good work, Chris.

 

[DB_1]

Pretty good idea there Chris,
I was thinking of doing something similar to that...my idea was to plate the top of the two tabs like you have done except I'd have a gusset welded from the top of the tabs and to the frame.
It's just an idea for now, I'm still trying to sell myself on the overall design of this trac bar mount

 

[BMXplorer]

Dave,

Your idea with the gusset connecting the tabs with the frame sounds good.

The more I think about the idea I posted above, the possibility of it folding or fracturing around the bend area seems greater. That tab idea I posted would probably require a gusset (like your idea) on the top plate to connect the two flat sections that are on either side of the bend.

Good luck with kicking around the ideas. Chris

 

[DB_1]

So, I couldn't come up with a better idea for a trac-bar mount so i'm gonna let my original idea rock. I just need to box in the tabs and make a gusset and which i'll make tomorrow after work then I can finally start welding everything together...again

 

[section525]

Updates?

 

[DB_1]

Updates?

Started welding up stuff yesterday and was back at it today but got sidetracked helping out my neighbor for awhile then a buddy called me and chatted with him for an hour and a half so it wasn't quite a full day. I'm gonna get an early start tomorrow and get some more welding done.
I'd say i'm about half way done with the welding then i'll paint everything up and finally I'll just have some odds and ends to take care of. Sometime next week I should have this thing driveable