1974 Ford Cummins Crew cab - Page 26

b-uno · #**376** (**permalink**) 08-06-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaseTruck754

my steering box came out of the 91 2wd dodge d250 motor donor. I can measure center to center tomorrow.

thanks for the head's up on the hydroboost. I THINK it will clear but it's been long enough since I've had the motor in that I can't remember for sure. I was plannin on keeping the superduty master cyl. on there (going to rear disks), and I think it is slightly longer. I will look at that tomorrow as well.

Any other updates on your truck?

hey nice looking work on your steering box area.. can i get some info on that, i need to change mine to the crossover instead of the push pull i got now.. thinking about just doing a inverted t to start with, but wanted info on your box and mount you made..

Ray

ChaseTruck754 · #**377** (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bendog

Long story short, steering.
You may or may not have noticed the lack of a front crossmember. I'm going to get the steering worked out before I worry too much about it. If my plan comes together it should be pretty slick when its done (the c-member).
So I got all new steering linkage for an 89 F-350 (inverted T), and took back the drag link because it was too long, gonna have to have one made. Got a local guy willing to make it for me. 1 1/4" DOM reverse threaded one end, Chebby 1 ton joints. It needs to be 33 1/4" long, center of ball joint to center of ball joint. Then I spent the better part of two days hunting for a pitman arm, thats the right length, and not too much drop, found one on a Caddy, if its the right length, I'm gonna order a pitman like you have (still need a reamer for the Chebby joints). But now I have enough parts to mock up the steering box mount.

Whew, didnt plan on that much typing.

I have yet to figure out if I will clear my cross memeber with true cross over of if I will have to do inverted T. I have the tie rod from an inverted T setup off an 80's d60 just in case.

Also - I measured the pitman arm and it's 6" center to center.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-uno

hey nice looking work on your steering box area.. can i get some info on that, i need to change mine to the crossover instead of the push pull i got now.. thinking about just doing a inverted t to start with, but wanted info on your box and mount you made..

Ray

Thanks. If you read the section of the thread where I was doing it I think I gave most of the details. Plus pics are worth 1k words...

Steering box info was given a couple posts ago to Bendog - it's a off the 91 2wd dodge/cummins truck that was the original motor donor.
The "custom mount" was a piece of the dodge frame I cut out and welded and boxed in, with boss' for support in the mounting bolts.

ChaseTruck754 · #**378** (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 03:18 AM

I got a bit more work done tonight. Well, spent another entire night just drilling holes that is...

It was a short night cuz Suzy was here and she wanted out of the shop so I quit early.

I got a little done, but not as much as I wanted. Unfortunately I have to help friends move this weekend - so I doubt anything will get done until Monday. I want this thing done and it is not happening

Drilling more holes

Almost done with the mounting holes

Here's a shot of the back of the thing showing the hitch receiver goes all the way through

Since Ed (75f350) gave me a little grief in the "front spring hangers" thread and asked if I was smart enough to run the receiver through the back (that's not how he asked - but I like givin him cr*p) I decided to give it even more attachment.

So here ya go Ed. This trick little detail is for you

I thought I was careful enough with the center drill in the hole saw not to mark the receiver tube, but I just barely nicked it - d'oh!

And here we are all welded up

Ok - time to do one last revision on my cad files so I can send them to my buddy for CNC plasma cutting - then it's bed time!

ChaseTruck754 · #**379** (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 01:46 AM

I got a couple hours in the shop tonight so I did a little work.
I started wrapping up the top of this thing - by closing off the ends.

1st the angle cut

I cut some "caps" out of 3/16" plate and started welding them in with the hitch/spring hanger bolted in the truck

Here's a nice little bead I ran

Plates welded on and done

Next I started looking at how to replace the supports that go from the spring hanger to the top of the frame rails to keep them from folding in.

I've got a bit of a game plan on how I am going to build them but had to head home to get some stuff together for my trip tomorrow. I won't be able to work tomorrow or Tuesday as I leave tomorrow evening and return Tuesday night. I am heading to Vegas to go over a deal on making some large flare fiberglass fenders for these trucks. If all goes well I should have fenders that are 5" flare per side, bedsides at the same flare and then a drop center style hood available within the next couple of months

I will give a general shop/fabrication"tip" and a little tease on my "frame supports for this thing though...

1st the tip - I always save all of my hole saw "circles" or remnants" after I use a hole saw in steel or aluminum. Actually - I keep pretty much everything. Hole saw rem., the angled miters or cuts off the end of round and square tubing, tubing rems - everything down to about 1/2" tall pieces.

The reason is I always use all this stuff and having them on hand for later saves you from "making" them when you need them.
Here is my box of "hole saw rem."

And here's why.how this came up right now - this is a piece I made before and ended up not using. It is pretty much what I will be making to start my "frame supports" for this spring hanger. The 2 "hole saw rem." pieces I grabbed out of my stash and will be using for this project.

More to come when I get back in the shop on Wednesday night

06silvercrew · #**380** (**permalink**) 08-10-2009, 05:55 PM

Looks great as usual, however I would reinforce the frame where the reciever/x member mounts to the frame. I can see it pulling the bolts right out of the frame long before the reciever breaks.

ChaseTruck754 · #**381** (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 02:17 PM

Based on the yeild strength of the 1/2" grade 8 bolts and the fact that there will be these 6 and a few more it should be fine.

The frame is about 3/8" thick right there and there is plenty of metal between the holes in the frame and the edge. I'm really not too concerned about it.

06silvercrew · #**382** (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaseTruck754

Based on the yeild strength of the 1/2" grade 8 bolts and the fact that there will be these 6 and a few more it should be fine.

The frame is about 3/8" thick right there and there is plenty of metal between the holes in the frame and the edge. I'm really not too concerned about it.

Your prob right, guess its just that tank of a x-member makes everhting else look weak lol

ChaseTruck754 · #**383** (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 08:29 PM

I will give you that you did point out the weak link - but I don't think I will have a breaking problem. And yes - this thing is a TANK.

Now off to the shop to see if my buddy got to cutting the parts I need to finish this...

ChaseTruck754 · #**384** (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 12:27 PM

Got a bit of work done last night. Again it seems like all I did was drill some holes - but at least I'm moving forward...

I went to my buddies shop last night to see if he had the chance to cut anything for me and luckily he did. In fact - he cut EVERYTHING I gave him so far!!!!!

Here's the stuff for the spring hanger and new shackles

Start of the new shackles

He also cut and bent the plate for boxing in the pass. side of the frame - so it matches where I boxed for the steering change on the driver side

When I got to work I started drilling the hitch/x-member for the frame supports on top. This will use a 7/16" bolt, and I tapped it into the solid steel "bar" thatgoes inside the rectangular tubing.

Tapped all the way through the 1.25" solid steel to give some good attachment

Last I drilled some holes in the new shackle plates and front spring hanger plates.

More fun to come tonight!!!!

dethomson · #**385** (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 06:27 PM

A thought on those 7/16" bolts for the frame supports...

Based on the inside shot you just posted of the tap going all the way through, it looks like there is space inside between the block of steel and the crossmember. Have you thought of opening up the hole in the crossmember and welding in a bolt sleeve so you're bolting to the steel block and not making an 'air sandwich' of the crossmember and steel block? I realize that crossmember is beefy, but those bolts might work lose over time if left as-is. I also wonder if you'll be able to get them torqued properly without bending it somewhat.

ChaseTruck754 · #**386** (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 06:52 PM

I went back and forth on putting a boss in there and as I left it last night I wasn't going to.

I'm not too worried about the bolts working loose. The part they are for is replacing this bracket

The only load they would see would be a side load of the frame pushing them towards the center of the truck which would bind the bolt and not let it out IF the pressure ever got that hard.

Even then - if they somehow started rattling loose (I doubt they would) locktite will fix it.

As for compressing the rectangular tube down toward the air gap - I doubt it would move at all. That thing is 1/4" thick and the bolt is only a 7/16" bolt. Not gonna put enough torque on it to budge that tube.

ChaseTruck754 · #**387** (**permalink**) 08-18-2009, 03:09 AM

Ok - had a crappy night - but I got work done.

Started with a guy coming to the shop to buy some tires/wheels off me that I had on craigslist. I am asking $125 - he offers $40. I politely said no effin way and closed the shop door to go to work.

Then I started messing with my new GPS I bought off eBay. Well... wouldn't ya know it won't turn on. I messed with it for an hour and hooked it up to 3 different batteries to make sure it was getting power. Yeah - nothing

And half way through the auction the guy says he would accept PayPal anymore and only cashier's checks. Gonna be fun getting my large chunk of change back

Ok - so then I got to work. I drilled more holes (what else do I ever do??) and then I got to weld. Welding usually mellows me out and puts me in a good mood and tonight was no different luckily

So here are the end plates or spring mounts

some pretty beads

Got one side all welded up

This is how they will go together

That was all I got done tonight. I had to leave early so I could go to Kinkos to spend an hour making copies of crap to dispute some BS I found on my credit report.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better. And with that - I'm off to bed

ChaseTruck754 · #**388** (**permalink**) 08-20-2009, 01:53 PM

So I skipped working Tuesday night as I was really urked on my GPS issue and didn't want to go to the shop and look at it... GPS doesn't work and the guy is not responding to get my $$ back. Went against my gut feeling and paid via cashier's check instead of PayPal - per seller's request (which should have been my 1st clue)

So yeah - I may be out a bunch of $$

Anyways... on to the good news...

I got my butt back to work last night and the spring hanger is getting closer - and looking good! I welded on more of the spring mounts last night. A few finishing touches and we should be good to go!

Another "nickle stack" or "roll of dimes" weld bead. I'm actually liking my welds on this thing. Which is good - because it sticks out and people will see it. I hate when people see bad welds on my work!

Looking like a spring hanger instead of a mass of dead weight now!

Getting ready for a little "bling" to be added.

Ok - more to come tonight!

Towmanjbo · #**389** (**permalink**) 08-20-2009, 02:47 PM

Lemmie guess here, more dimples? Hehe.

Looking good, keep it up!!

Hey since you love working with metal you should look into home powdercoating. I got the Eastwood system and am very pleased with it. It's real easy to use, when I rebuilt the front end on my F150 I coated just about everything (everything that would fit in my oven that is). I bought the hobbyists version for about $100 and a used oven off Craigslist for $50.

Here's a couple of pics of my work:

Not bad even though I'm not quite as critical of my work as you are.

Towmanjbo · #**390** (**permalink**) 08-20-2009, 02:50 PM

The axle is spray painted red and the axle housing is undercaoted everything else is powdercoated.