Project: Big NASTY

[stx4wheeler]

got some work done this weekend, i got the headers off, and the new flanges welded to them, sanded primered and painted, then i got the new exhaust system almost all the way done jsut need to adjsut one of the pipes with the torch and hammer, and do a few more welds. also got the new bling bling aluminum radiator installed and my fan and tranny cooler mounted up. today i am gonna finish the exhaust, and replace the tranny pan gasket, and filter, along with plumbing the tranny lines, new belts, and install the power steering cooler.

[stx4wheeler]

alriught today im gonna get her running again, replacing all the belts and finish the ranny cooler crap, then start on the cage will prolly start working in about an hour or so.

[stx4wheeler]

NEED HELP one or two hands finishing the cage if anyone can helpo give me a call 979-574-5870 ill be heading to brandons withing the hour once i pick up a u joint and get a few tools from coops.

[stx4wheeler]

alright i got the cage in and all tacked today with a bunch of help from brandon,Garret, and Andy thanks i couldnt have gotten it done without you guys, and another huge thanks to coop and cj for helping me bend all the tube and work on it till early in the morning hours on saturday. picks soon to come.

[stx4wheeler]

I will be working on my truck at brandons tonight starting at around 9 or 9 3- till late most likely if anyone wants to help. And garret i have the ratchet strap from your buddys truck still. lastnight i welded up the cage since i couldnt find anyone to help me, and tonight i got a friend from highschool coming to weld the part of the cage that attaches to the frame. then i am welding on my sliders(or steps whatever they are ***), and maybe redoing the back bumper so that tomorrow i can just work on the brakes and little **** at my house or something

[stx4wheeler]

its cool today pollock came and welded some key points on the cage and i quickly bastardized a new rear bumper so that i could get ride of like 8 inches of over hang in the back- and it may even rival the robert's(zj) front bumper in quality, it looks decent from afar, and not so bueno up close but it wil do the job, tomorrow i jsut have to shim the starter some, and take a gander at the front, passenger side banjo bolt cause it seems to be leaking, thanks for the help from everyone.

[stx4wheeler]

my camera is kinda messed up and i havent had time to charge it, but maybe today, but lately i have been doing school stuff till8-9pm then working on thuis thing til two or three am so i have been kinda busy,maybe pics today...

[stx4wheeler]

here are some pics of the beginings of the 60 swap, i got all of the leaf spring setup crap grinded off today except for the cast in spring perch on the driverside, i got it about half cut off today, and will cut the rest off tomorrow. i also started to dismantle the kingpins so i could rebuild them. anybody know exactly what the name of the tool is that you use to unscrew the kingpin out of the axle housing? i asked all around for a male socket prolly about 7/8 to take out kingpins in a dana 60 front any all the people at autozone and ho'rieleys stared at me like i was god, jesus or possibly even the virgin mary!!! then scratched there head and said well and i quote, i gast the thingy to take the nuts of the spindle. so i promptly walked out i will go to napa tomorrow on the lunch break and give them a try.

[bburris]

You need a 7/8" hex key. I doubt any parts store will have it, you'll probably have to take it to a machine shop like David Oliver did. I think Sear's might have them, but they're pricey if I remember correctly.

[stx4wheeler]

Been doing some work on it every night after work, and i finally finished the pain in the ass part of grinding off the cast in spring perch, and the axle is now totally free of its leaf sprung gayness, though i know i will be cursing myself for not going leafs when i try to get all my angles and **** for the coils right but oh well. Also got the replacement(cause mine is gay and only has 4 lo, cause hi is fawked and only the front spins in high) np205 brought inside and i got it all torn apart for the twinstick, just got to do the grinding of the shift rail. Now i am basically waiting on parts for the 60 to come in, tomorrow since my hours got cut back at work. i am gonna finish the twin stick, and prolly weld the carrier on the 4.10s for the rear.

[stx4wheeler]

more

edit and yes before someone mentions it i am gonna preheat, then weld all of the little cutting wheel and grinder gouges

[Cajun]

That is a LOT of grinding. My hat is off to you and your patience.

[Sharpe]

You're not concerned with all the metal you removed from the short side of the hosuing weakening it? It looks like you got a little grinder happy.

[stx4wheeler]

well after i finally got the spring perch ground and cut down i was able to make four horizontal cuts and one large vertical one, and then just used a hammer and screwdriver, and was able to get most of it off like that, yet me and my harbor freight grinder have formed a man to hand bond.

as for the housing being weak i am not worried, it is common and the only was to do a coil suspension on the 88-later model ford 60's cause, after 79 ford made the frames a couple inches wider and moved the pumpkin out, so therefore the issues i had, but people have ran 60's like this and beat the poo out of them under fullsizes so i am not worried, i plan on laying a bead around the housing-to tube joint.

[tigweld]

you just cut off almost all of the non-heat affected cast metal around the plug weld, I think i'd be worried. Also, that is probably the only way to do it with the stock radius arms , but it doesn't seem to me like it would have been very hard to just make some new arms.(longer ones even)


ryan