Project Fordzuki

[Loanranger]

This turds all polished up. This is it. If these axles don't last now, I'm upgrading.

But for now....

And the new and improved (well, old and improved) shackles.

So tomorrow night I get to swap the third and shafts over, and adjust the lower links a bit to swing the pinion up. Hopefully I can get it all together for the work party up at Elbe saturday. I've also been dealing with a bruised tailbone since yesterday too. Went to crouch down to put the bottom bolts in a fender, and one of my jackstands was behind me.

It's feeling a little better tonight, but I don't wish that kindof pain on anybody. It's kind of a pain in the ass.

 

[jharms02]

Are you sure its not a ROYAL pain in the ass?

 

[pickuptrucker]

what did you do to hook the transmission up to the samurai case? I am planning on using a samurai case for my truck. did you have to have a driveshaft made?

 

[Loanranger]

what did you do to hook the transmission up to the samurai case? I am planning on using a samurai case for my truck. did you have to have a driveshaft made?

PM sent.

 

[doorgunner]

You're back!

 

[Loanranger]

Where did I go?

Well, like always, I have changed my mind once again....
I found a sweet deal on a slightly used calmini steering setup, complete with arms, tierod, and draglink. I like the way these mount to the knuckle, and I finally decided, without a mill, I wasn't going to be able to make my own arms that wouldn't bend in the same spot. SOOO...

Only thing I need to do is get a longer draglink made up, this setup was for a stock sami with box inside the framerail, and mine is the ifs box outside the rail. So this draglink comes up about 3" short. That and I'm hoping I don't have to make a new pitman arm to compensate for the shorter length of the calmini arms, which sets the tierod closer to the knuckle than stock.
That and I need to find another geared transfercase for this one, cause I put it's t-case in the 86. I'm hoping to get that soon, if not, I'll likely swap the stock case back into the 86 and put the geared one in the LJ so I can get back on the trail. It's been too long, and wheeling the 86 only gets me so far.

 

[doorgunner]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......O.K.........I never did quite understand fo by fo talk ......but it sounds good to me.....

 

[Loanranger]

I got the draglink done. I was looking at options, trying to get it done for the least amount of money, but make something that was going to hold up. This oughta do it.

I ran up and got some 1.5" .250" wall DOM, and cut the old draglink ends off at 4". This gave me all of the threaded section, plus an inch. Well the calmini draglink was made from 1" .250 wall DOM, so 1.5" .250" wall should slide right over, right?

So I took the ends and chucked them up in my old craftsman lathe, passed down from my grandfather, and knocked them down a couple thousandths.

And there it is. I've got more of the DOM, so I'll likely do the tierod the same way eventually.

I also swapped out the power steering cooler for a smaller late model ranger one, I think the large plate style trans cooler was causing bleeding and cavitation problems. While I had the front end up, and the draglink unhooked, I bled the system out, and it made quite a difference. I also found that if you hold it just back from full lock and let the res drain back, then go to the other lock and repeat, it bleeds more air than just going back and forth from lock to lock.

Now the Fordzuki is all back together, ready to hit the trails, and it's raining. Maybe it's time to make a removable half cab.....

 

[doorgunner]

Now......lathe talk I understand! Looks reeeeel good.....

 

[88_Eddie]

i just looked through all 19 pages of this build and i'm not even sorry.......sweet build

 

[BlackBII]

Updates??

 

[Loanranger]

No, not really. I took it out twice after the new steering and it works great. I got let go from my job back in january and have been entertaining a business venture that is barely paying the bills, the LJ needs an alternator, so I've been getting out in the DD sami when I can.

If worst comes to worst, I may have to sell a few parts off of it, but I've been trying my damndest to not let it get to that.

 

[doorgunner]

Haaaaaaaaang in there Loanranger.........

 

[Ranger Kip]

will an f150 alt. work?

 

[Loanranger]

will an f150 alt. work?

To my knowledge, no. The mounting is different, I was hoping a 2.9 alt would work, but it's mounting is different too. The alt is the least of my worries now, the t-case and rear third member have sold, and beginning of next week it looks like the front axle is getting parted...

When things turn around I'll be looking for some good deals to get it back out on the trails, but for now poor little Fordzuki will be missing a few vital organs.