|
|
Post by LILREDCJ6 on Feb 28, 2006 10:55:35 GMT -5
I know i could easily fix 35s on mine with the bushwacker cutouts so just cut it up some more.
35's and an 8.8 is fine just don't get to crazy with the throttle.
Tony
|
|
|
|
Post by PaulC on Feb 28, 2006 11:52:43 GMT -5
Chcuk,
The 8.8 would be fine with 36's. I had a full width 8.8" in my MJ that I wasn't nice too and it held up fine, but I would change the pinion to a solid spacer instead of a crush sleave. If it has an open diff put a mini spool in, they are more then strong enough. For sure go to the solid front axle, they will support 36's fine and 38's with alloy shafts.
PaulC
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Mar 1, 2006 16:13:10 GMT -5
They will hold up pretty well as long as I don't go crazy on it, like Tony said. I want to wheel it for a while on the 33's first, though, because I haven't had a chance to figure out yet how rough I'm likely to be on this truck. I've seen them do OK with tires up to around 38" on Broncos ... as long as they were driven easily. I've also seen the axle tubes get twisted out on tires as small as 33's and less, particularly if the driver was throttle happy and had a locker.  I should've welded the tubes on it while I was doing the rest of the work, but since I never actually dropped out the rear axle (it's been the only thing that's stayed bolted to the frame through the entire project) I didn't want to take the afternoon to do it. I'll probably go back and weld it at a later date once I've had it back together for a while and have had time to do some fixing (and practice) on the Mustang -- I was planning to weld the tubes on it too, since it looks like I may be swapping in a T-bird housing with disc courtesy of James in a couple of months. ;D The TTB44 front is my main worry, though. Like I said, I've seen up to 38's on them, but usually on something that isn't wheeled hard. Use them rough and they start snapping the passenger side slip shaft first ... but that can be upgraded to the TTB50 one out of the F-250. Then the weak point just moves, though. With the huge amount of racking stiffness provided by the new rear skidplate, I'm not too nervous about the idea of completely ditching the current front crossmember if I want to do an SAS to the D44 sitting in my backyard, and I was originally planning to do that as part of this project ... but I realized it was going to take too much time at once, and I wanted to get my truck back running (for at least six months! lol) so I can work on a little bit of my other junk for a bit. ;D I have no delusions that this truck will ever be "finished," but so far I'm trying to lay everything out in stages, so I don't do work now that I'll find out later I didn't really need ... |
|
|
|
Post by CORE 4WD on Mar 1, 2006 19:49:16 GMT -5
I'm with ya Chuck on my EB! Install engine and proper roll cage, go out and wheel 'til stuff breaks, beef whatever breaks then hit it some more. I already know what's gonna break (mostly!) but I just want to get it out there!
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Mar 6, 2006 11:33:10 GMT -5
Did a little more work on the rear end this weekend ... finally got around to cutting out the reinforcement plates for the shackle points. We picked up a new little toy last weekend. The little grinder hasn't been cutting it for this heavy plate work, and HF had a 9" grinder for $50 that works great. I've been eyeing the 7" Hitachi for about $130, but I think this was the better way to go for now:  End plates cleaned up and tacked in place:  Anyone who tells you a good 120V MIG is too small to do "anything" with probably doesn't know how to use it. I did have to grind out about an inch of weld on one end when I screwed it up (oops!  ), but it let me verify that penetration was good. A single 1/10" bead is plenty for this piece, but bigger fillets can be run using multiple passes as long as you do it right.  End plates, plus four little tabs to help support the skidplate ...  Then we quit for the day to go pull down a tree with the F-250. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by 4WDnRocksNmud on Mar 7, 2006 9:42:10 GMT -5
holy smokes. well, looks like that welder could definitely weld up a rollcage then, eh?
or at least a few bumpers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Mar 7, 2006 10:22:53 GMT -5
As long as the joints are properly fit ... because it's such a small box, you can't just crank up the heat to compensate for poor fitment, you actually have to make sure your fitup is very well done. On the other hand, once you do you get nice, clean welds out of it.
It's definitely worked well for 1/8" (0.125" wall) stuff ... when you get up to 3/16" (0.188) you have to start beveling what you're working on and make certain the gap is just right. For some of the less critical stuff (like the outer bars for the rock rails, when I get around to 'em), I'll use 1-1/2" Sch40 pipe, since it's cheap, readily available, and I've got simple dies for it. It's got a 0.145" wall thickness, so I suspect it'll work out pretty well.
|
|
|
|
Post by 4WDnRocksNmud on Mar 7, 2006 13:01:59 GMT -5
hrrrm... well, see, i've got these ideas for bumpers on my Jeep using DOM... do you think... ...maybe if I cover pizza next time?  |
|
|
|
Post by XJames on Mar 7, 2006 13:56:36 GMT -5
Hey if Cory's covering, I'm in for a helping hand ;D. But maybe this time we should keep the girls out of it. Unless its you mom Chuck lol. I can see it now "  " form one of the girl cuz the got flash burn. |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Mar 7, 2006 17:30:23 GMT -5
Why DOM on the bumpers? Anything more than HREW or pipe on bumpers is probably wasting money, IMO ... save the DOM money for things that really need it, like suspension/steering links or a competition cage ... Yeah, probably should leave the gaggle of girls at home for that one. ;D If you're not in a hurry to do 'em until after the Tronco is up and running, that might be doable.  Edit: a correction to above, everywhere I typed 1/10" I actually meant about 0.150". Brain not working very well yesterday morning when I came in, and I just noticed it now. |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Mar 17, 2006 8:34:20 GMT -5
A few shots of last weekend's progress. I didn't get as far as I wanted, but still got some good work done. Needed to weld two plates together to make my winch top plate for the rear bumper. Lots of pics in the "big jobs with little welders" thread if you're interested. Meanwhile ... where's the weld? ;D  Meanwhile, after that and a couple of cuts I spent some quality time screwing up the flange I was intending to bend before I found out Dave's method on Monday. First job today will be cutting that hammer-beaten crap off so I can weld on a straight piece.  |
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on Apr 2, 2006 19:38:47 GMT -5
Well, after three weeks of not being able to work on the Bronc because I was either sick or at work, I finally got to do a little work on the rear winch plate this afternoon. I cut off the warped area, and welded an L2x2x1/8" with end stiffeners on the bottom for reinforcement. That took the plate from being so flexy I could stand in the middle and get 1/2" of deflection, to my being able to literally jump up and down on it -- and it's not even welded to the bumper or braced to the skidplate yet.  Then I flipped it over and welded it to the bumper. Next task is to remove the assembly and fillet the underside.  |
|
|
|
Post by PaulC on May 25, 2006 8:51:50 GMT -5
Chuck,
Anything new to the Tronco?
PaulC
|
|
|
|
Post by Chuck on May 31, 2006 9:50:41 GMT -5
We got sidetracked when the county "requested" we re-organize the property a little bit, so the only thing that's been done on the Bronco in a bit is cut up the old body. Meanwhile, we've been making other odd things to solve storage problems, since we've moved a bunch of our stuff inside. Free cookie to the first person who can tell me what this used to be -- and no fair playing if I already told you (that'd be you guys, Cory and James!):  Once we finish doing a manual swap on my roommate's F-250 this weekend, it should be back to "all Bronco, all the time" programming again. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by PaulC on Jun 1, 2006 13:46:20 GMT -5
I would have to say Ford LTD.
PaulC
|
|
), but it let me verify that penetration was good. A single 1/10" bead is plenty for this piece, but bigger fillets can be run using multiple passes as long as you do it right.
