Ready to start sanding the deck...

 

Looks like you got a decent amount of space. Would it make it easier to remove the down pipe? Mine comes apart right after the bend since it’s an aftermarket MBRP exhaust.

 

No need. There is more space than it looks like in the pics.

 

haha reminded me of this I came across




cab off (800x600) NOT A PROBLEM LMAO

 

This needs to be reposted everywhere. Pure awesomeness! Thanks for sharing.

 

Here's another one for you Chuck -




70 sheets of 150 grit, 20 sheets of 180 grit, and 10 sheets of 220 later -

 

That looks good. Have you already checked the flatness with a feeler gauge?
Felpro gaskets?

 

Checked flatness many times throughout the process. It's all within 0.0005".

Yes, Felpro gaskets.

A few points worth mentioning for anyone who does this cab-on (working from the front):
- Don't spend very much time on the top edge; it's too easy to take too much off. Spend most of your energy sanding the larger surface areas.
- Start and end your strokes at the back; you can't push down as hard in the back as you can in the front.
- With stock ride height, a cinder block platform with 3/4 plywood on top was an ideal standing height for working over the block.

 

That looks good, Chris. It's a lot of work. I went through several boxes of 50 per box, but my one surface was terrible. I kept the central part of the plate over the cylinders, letting the tool cross over the top but not go entirely over it.

What grits have you used? I'd offer to send you my surface reading tool, but I'm apprehensive about shipping around a $2700 electronic instrument.

This is not to take away from Chris's showing here, but for anyone interested, here is the video of the motion I used when doing this. I start the video 19 minutes in, but the entire video is watchable. I give him a lot of credit for doing this in the cab—not something I care to do.

 

Probably more work cab-on, unless you have to get down past really poor fly cutting marks like yours. The hundred degree temps aren't helping either. All the times I've had to stop and wipe drops of sweat off the cast iron.

"70 sheets of 150 grit, 20 sheets of 180 grit, and 10 sheets of 220 later -"

Thanks Jack, but I'm comfortable having used the same grits you used, and having ringed heads.

 

I didn't go down to 220 except for playing with the heads. The 180 grit breaks down when used to get down to a finish of 10-20Ra.

I give you a lot of credit for doing that method and in that heat. I start melting at 90ºf.

 

You get used to the heat when you have no choice. It's an annual acclimation process for me. I think that process is finally complete for this year.

 

Maybe I missed it but are you using a sanding block of some type with sand paper

 

Yes. You can see part of it in post #36. It's basically the same thing Jack used in his video.

 

So the age old question - What torque settings for ARP studs? Their instructions say three steps as required by the manufacturer, but the only spec is 210 lb-ft.

My shop manual says 65 lb-ft, then 85 lb-ft, prior to the 90 degree rotations required for the torque-to-yield bolts.