ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[HEEP]

I say clear powder coat on this. That will show the true quality craftmanship. Well done Mike, as always.

 

[zmotorsports]

I say clear powder coat on this. That will show the true quality craftmanship. Well done Mike, as always.

Thank you, I appreciate that. Actually the silver powder coat won't be too far off from the bare steel.

I'm also very glad we decided to do the tank tuck as it isn't even visible from the back of the Jeep and all of that hard work we put into the rear axle is visible.

Thanks for following along.

 

[jalbrecht55]

Maybe I missed it, what did you do (or plan to do) to seal up the floor after cutting out the spare tire well?

 

[zmotorsports]

Maybe I missed it, what did you do (or plan to do) to seal up the floor after cutting out the spare tire well?

I have a piece of aluminum that will cover the opening screwed in using threadserts and sealed off. I haven't completed that as I figured that would something I could do while the bumper is being powder coated.

Thanks for asking and I will show it when completed.

 

[zmotorsports]

A little change of direction tonight. I took a break from my son’s WJ bumper to try and abate a slight belt chirp in the belt train on my Jeep. Upon initial startup I’d get some belt chirp until the belt warmed a bit in which it would then reside.

Visual inspection wasn’t revealing anything so I broke out the Dayco laser tool.


My A/C compressor was ever-so slightly out of alignment. I was able to loosen the fasteners just enough to use a small pry bar to tweak the compressor enough to bring it into alignment without having to remove the stretch belt. That did the trick and it is now chirp free.

Upon inspecting the rest of the accessory drive I also noticed on my main serpentine belt that the belt was riding a bit to the outside edge of the upper idler. Upon inspection after releasing the tension and slipping the belt off I could move the idler pulley radially which told me the spacer was undersized.

I decided to machine a new spacer to a tighter tolerance and remove the play and hold the idler pulley more precisely to keep the belt in the middle of the pulley vs letting it walk outward slightly.

Measuring the pulley to get the correct dimensions.


Machining the new spacer.




After all that I forgot to take a picture of the final product and installed but it much more solidly supporting the idler allowing the belt to run in the middle of the pulley.

I think I may still machine a new pulley in the near future with a snap ring retaining the bearing for easy bearing replacement. I machined one similar on my old Ford 460 that I had a Vortex supercharger on many years ago and it turned out great and then just carried a spare 6303 bearing in my toolbox.

Thanks for looking.

 

[lilscorpion]

Visual inspection wasn’t revealing anything so I broke out the Dayco laser tool.

Interesting. How does the tool work?

 

[zmotorsports]

Interesting. How does the tool work?

Matt, the two gold pieces on the bench are the laser alignment tools. They are intended to be used on bare metal pulleys. They each have a magnet on the underside in which to affix themselves to the pulley, usually the crankshaft for the laser and then whichever one you are trying to align with the receiver portion. On the laser one there is a small lever on the underside that when it stick to the pulley it turns the red laser on and then you aim it towards the receiver portion. You want to make certain that both are in the same groove on the pulleys to ensure you are in line.

However, I didn't remove the belt for alignment of the A/C compressor so I "fudged" the procedure a bit. I set the laser on the belt ensuring both the front and rear were in the same orientation on the belt, then rocked the laser slightly on the front two feet keeping it in firm contact with the belt and making certain it didn't slip until the laser beam met the corresponding pulley. That is when I noticed it was slightly out of alignment. Seeing as how this was not how the tool was designed to be used I did it multiple times to ensure I was getting the correct indication and then again to verify after I had tweaked the compressor alignment slightly.

I was surprised how much chirp I was getting with such a very small deviation as I've seen belts much further out of alignment where you could obviously see some alignment issues and not get any noise.

This morning was a great test because it has been raining hard all night so there was moisture in the air and it was cold which should have had it chirp for a good 5 minutes or so until everything warmed up a bit but there was absolutely no noise when I started it in the garage this morning.

I hope I explained how the tool works. I've only used it a few times in my career but when it isn't as obvious this thing is worth its cost. I HATE belt chirps with a passion.

 

[LXCam]

As always Mike

Too bad you're not down this way. This weekend is our big annual dodge even at Pomona. You'd have dug some of the builds that are going to be here.

 

[zmotorsports]

As always Mike

Too bad you're not down this way. This weekend is our big annual dodge even at Pomona. You'd have dug some of the builds that are going to be here.

Thanks Cam.

Are you going to miss those events when you leave CA or is there just as active of a scene in AZ where you are going?

 

[LXCam]

Thanks Cam.

Are you going to miss those events when you leave CA or is there just as active of a scene in AZ where you are going?

Probably not. I've been heavily involved with this scene since the very beginning. This is how I became involved with dodge corporate not inclusive doing this all over the country and making a ton of friends. It's really the one time a year my buddies come from far and wide to attend. However there is a big crowd out of the Phoenix basin that get together regularly and I know a bunch of them, so I'm walking right into my extended family. Last week the wife said "ahhh you're gonna be lonely". To which I said (not thinking this out). Hun I'll be fine, I've got a bunch of buds out there........wrong answer

Btw, I'm gone as of Wednesday.

 

[zmotorsports]

Probably not. I've been heavily involved with this scene since the very beginning. This is how I became involved with dodge corporate not inclusive doing this all over the country and making a ton of friends. It's really the one time a year my buddies come from far and wide to attend. However there is a big crowd out of the Phoenix basin that get together regularly and I know a bunch of them, so I'm walking right into my extended family. Last week the wife said "ahhh you're gonna be lonely". To which I said (not thinking this out). Hun I'll be fine, I've got a bunch of buds out there........wrong answer

Btw, I'm gone as of Wednesday.

Glad to hear it is all working out. They evidently met your requests huh......

 

[LXCam]

Glad to hear it is all working out. They evidently met your requests huh......

Sorry we haven't talked. Ya they came to the table with everything I asked for two weeks ago today so at that point it became a .......I'm outta here

 

[zmotorsports]

Sorry we haven't talked. Ya they came to the table with everything I asked for two weeks ago today so at that point it became a .......I'm outta here

Well congratulations are in order. Good luck with the move my friend.

 

[Mike.ASC]

A little change of direction tonight. I took a break from my son’s WJ bumper to try and abate a slight belt chirp in the belt train on my Jeep. Upon initial startup I’d get some belt chirp until the belt warmed a bit in which it would then reside.

Visual inspection wasn’t revealing anything so I broke out the Dayco laser tool.


My A/C compressor was ever-so slightly out of alignment. I was able to loosen the fasteners just enough to use a small pry bar to tweak the compressor enough to bring it into alignment without having to remove the stretch belt. That did the trick and it is now chirp free.

Upon inspecting the rest of the accessory drive I also noticed on my main serpentine belt that the belt was riding a bit to the outside edge of the upper idler. Upon inspection after releasing the tension and slipping the belt off I could move the idler pulley radially which told me the spacer was undersized.

I decided to machine a new spacer to a tighter tolerance and remove the play and hold the idler pulley more precisely to keep the belt in the middle of the pulley vs letting it walk outward slightly.

Measuring the pulley to get the correct dimensions.


Machining the new spacer.




After all that I forgot to take a picture of the final product and installed but it much more solidly supporting the idler allowing the belt to run in the middle of the pulley.

I think I may still machine a new pulley in the near future with a snap ring retaining the bearing for easy bearing replacement. I machined one similar on my old Ford 460 that I had a Vortex supercharger on many years ago and it turned out great and then just carried a spare 6303 bearing in my toolbox.

Thanks for looking.

Great tool, I have the Gates version....

 

[zmotorsports]

Great tool, I have the Gates version....

Nice. It's something that I'm glad I don't have to use very often but when it is needed it works great to find that last little bit of variance in the belt train.

 

[Mike.ASC]

Nice. It's something that I'm glad I don't have to use very often but when it is needed it works great to find that last little bit of variance in the belt train.

So true !

 

[lilscorpion]

Matt, the two gold pieces on the bench are the laser alignment tools. They are intended to be used on bare metal pulleys. They each have a magnet on the underside in which to affix themselves to the pulley, usually the crankshaft for the laser and then whichever one you are trying to align with the receiver portion. On the laser one there is a small lever on the underside that when it stick to the pulley it turns the red laser on and then you aim it towards the receiver portion. You want to make certain that both are in the same groove on the pulleys to ensure you are in line.

I get it, that’s slick. Now I want one.

 

[LXCam]

Well congratulations are in order. Good luck with the move my friend.

Thanks Mike

 

[zmotorsports]

So the rear bumper is done and ready to break down and bring to the powder coater this next week.

Fabricating the lower support for the swing away tire carrier. I pie cut the 2”x3” tube to mirror the angle of the bumper.




Vertical for the tire mount.


I bent the 1.5” diameter tubing at 30-degrees.


Tacked in place.


While I was at it I fabbed up a little mount for the CB antenna and flag mount.




Mount for the carrier lock that holds it in the open position.








Done and ready to break down.








Thanks for looking.

 

[Kiwi Canuck]

Hey Mike, very nice work as usual, love those welds.

Where does the license plate go? Looks like you covered it up.

David

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Mike, talk to us about the 3M paper you're using?

 

[shortykorte]

We don’t need no stinkin’ plates! Lol.

Beautiful work Mike. You sure you don’t want an SL to work on?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[rmack898]

Mike I try to stay current with your thread but if I miss a few days it can some times take a few pages of reading to catch up.

The bumper is really nice but the carrier you built for it brings it to a whole new level.

4 pages back there was a picture of the bumper sitting on your welding table, in the background I see 2 milling machines. Have I been that far out of touch or did you sneak a new machine in the shop when nobody was looking?

 

[Boosted1]

Man that rear bumper and spare tire carrier are so nice. Nice than anything you could buy.
Do you mind sharing a closeup of your locks ( Closed and Open )?
How does the open lock engage?

 

[zmotorsports]

Hey Mike, very nice work as usual, love those welds.

Where does the license plate go? Looks like you covered it up.

David

David, the license plate will actually mount to the center of the spare, we didn't move it yet because he installed his OEM bumper while the new one is getting powder coated. We will relocate it once we put the new bumper on for the final time.

Thanks for stopping by and checking on the projects.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, talk to us about the 3M paper you're using?

Nothing special, just 3M's welding and spark deflection paper. It is somewhat sticky on the backside to adhere to surfaces but not enough to leave residue behind. I also like it because it can be relocated a few times and still stick. It is somewhat spendy so I use it sparingly and don't use it unless called for but it does works great.

Thanks for checking up on the projects.

 

[zmotorsports]

We don’t need no stinkin’ plates! Lol.

Beautiful work Mike. You sure you don’t want an SL to work on?


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

I'm good Shorty, I've got enough projects to work on for a while, trust me.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike I try to stay current with your thread but if I miss a few days it can some times take a few pages of reading to catch up.

The bumper is really nice but the carrier you built for it brings it to a whole new level.

4 pages back there was a picture of the bumper sitting on your welding table, in the background I see 2 milling machines. Have I been that far out of touch or did you sneak a new machine in the shop when nobody was looking?

Thanks Mac. My mill is the manual BP style and my son's is the vertical column CNC milling machine. He purchased it a couple of years ago when we moved into the new shop. It hasn't gotten much use lately as he has been building his Jeep.

My son mentioned last night when we were working on his Jeep that he feels this is the nicest bumper/carrier that we have built to date. I know it is definitely the most intricate and detailed of all of the bumpers, that I know for sure.

 

[zmotorsports]

Man that rear bumper and spare tire carrier are so nice. Nice than anything you could buy.
Do you mind sharing a closeup of your locks ( Closed and Open )?
How does the open lock engage?

I'll have to post a picture up when it comes back from powder coating as it is all broken down and in the truck at the moment. The lock itself is just a push pin style that has a retention pin to hold it raised or the spring pushes it to the lowered position. When lowered it drops into a hole in the bumper to lock it in the open position. When the carrier is closed it has a De-Sta-Co toggle style clamp to retain it closed.

Thanks for the comments and for following along.

 

[zmotorsports]

Yesterday after returning from breakfast we finished up the rear interior so my son could drive the Jeep while waiting for the bumper/carrier to return from the powder coater.

We made a cardboard template prior to cutting the aluminum.


Holes drilled and temporarily held in place with Clecos.


Screwed in place after applying a bead of sealant between the new panel and remaining floor.


The carpeted cover sits right back in place and from the interior it appears completely stock with no indication that the floor had been cut and fuel cell raised.

 

[JustinS]

Does that floor plate flex at all?

 

[zmotorsports]

Does that floor plate flex at all?

If I lean in the middle I get very little deflection but it has a fairly rigid cover that is carpeted that overlays it as well. Plus there is several inches of room between the aluminum cover and the fuel tank and lines so no chance of contacting anything.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

[zmotorsports]

Well I “nearly “ did my entire engine swap on my Jeep without any custom parts. No big deal though as I at least machined a part that I can replace bearings in and only have to carry a spare bearing with me.

The reasoning is twofold, first I wanted to have just a little larger pulley to get the tensioner in the upper middle part of the tension indicator as it has been on the stretched end of the indicator even with a new belt. Secondly the belt has been walking slightly to the outside of the flat idler so I thought I would machine one with a recess to keep the belt in the middle of the pulley, again not a big deal but I figured what the hell I would just machine a new pulley and utilize a little larger bearing while I’m at it.

I didn’t have any 3” diameter round aluminum so I started with a square chunk of aluminum.


I cut the bulk off using my vertical bandsaw then put it in the lathe to make it round.


Facing each side to bring everything square and to 1.25” thick.


Sunk a recess into the pulley with tapered ledges.


Bored the I.D out to the minor size in which will be the inner shoulder.


Bored the major I.D to a .0015” interference fit for the bearing.


Machined the snap ring groove then test fit the snap ring.


Deburred and ready to press the bearing into place.




Completed and ready for installation on the motor.


Runs smooth as silk and accomplished both objectives.


Thanks for looking.

 

[G1K]

That's excellent! I love the 6 jaws for stuff like this.

Ryan

 

[Finallygotit]

I love the 6 jaws for stuff like this.

Agreed!



Nice lathe work on the pulley Mike! Very nice!

 

[LXCam]

Great job on the pulley Mike. A few years ago I had to make my own pulleys for a stand alone blower drive system I designed and sold. I now despise making pulleys

 

[MP&C]

Mike, what does the tire carrier use as a latch? Nice work on the pulley!

 

[aka Larry]

Kick *** job on the pulley Mike!

 

[Boosted1]

Pulley is really nice. You make / made it look so easy.

 

[zmotorsports]

That's excellent! I love the 6 jaws for stuff like this.

Ryan

Agreed!



Nice lathe work on the pulley Mike! Very nice!

Great job on the pulley Mike. A few years ago I had to make my own pulleys for a stand alone blower drive system I designed and sold. I now despise making pulleys

Kick *** job on the pulley Mike!

Pulley is really nice. You make / made it look so easy.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments.

Cam, if I had to make that many of them I may despise making them as well but to knock one or two out hear and there they are actually fun. I hadn't used my lathe much lately and I looked forward to the opportunity to just turn up the stereo, open the shop doors as it was a nice spring afternoon and make chips.

It was an added bonus that it worked like I had envisioned in my head.

Thanks again guys.