Above 1200 Sq/FT Ernie's Place
- Thread starter StormcrowAz
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
rattle_snake
Well-known member
I would just blend the problem spots with flap wheel and move on to the rest or the project.
Use semi gloss or flat to not accentuate welding bead irregularities.
Use semi gloss or flat to not accentuate welding bead irregularities.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
When we welded the truss on my son's WJ project I did something similar with painting the inside before the top cap piece went on. Afterwards I poured a little POR-15 inside the truss and turned the axle upside down and end for end to ensure the POR-15 was fully dispersed around the inside of the truss. Worked pretty well actually but was awkward.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Scott – Simple, yet effective. No wonder I didn’t think of it! Thanks for your input, I’m going to do this.
Justin – Good ideas, too. Unfortunately all I have is gloss black in stock, so that’s what it is going to get. For now.
Mike – Well, it is kind of an upside-down gravy boat, isn’t it? I’ll see what kind of sauce I can find to swirl around in there for some added protection. Thanks for the suggestion!
So “fixed” some of the weld issues and painted the truss.
Not too bad…from a distance. If I pull it back out I might end up grinding it smooth.
Got a little more done on the cantilever gate. Welded all the tabs that will hold the wood panels in.
Something I forgot to mention, is that we did another test-fit with added weight to simulate the extra wood panels. It made things significantly worse, to the point one of the top rollers lost contact with the gate and came off track. Stood around for about 20 minutes scratching our heads trying to figure out what was going wrong until we realized the bottom rail was bowing/flexing when it passed over the roller. Too long of an-supported span and the square tube was distorting enough to cause problems. Ended up adding four vertical connecting supports which seems to have fixed the problem.
Fixed an issue I’ve been living with for a while now. The casters on my weld cart have a solid shaft with a “C” clip type attachment (didn’t utilize). When I originally made the cart I just welded little sections of one inch squire tube to the cart and jammed the casters in. After 12 years of general abuse and shoving this cart around, the square tubing started to wobble out, allowing the casters to pitch at an angle. The locking casters would tilt enough to where it hit the underside of the cart, not allowing it to rotate all the way around. To remedy this I cut small sections of well pipe and just straight welded the caster to it and then the assembly to the cart. Problem solved. Hopefully I’ll get another decade or so out of these wheels.
So I figure the next big step for the Scout is getting the drivetrain together and hoisted in place so I can figure out motor mounts and cross-members. I want to drop the engine/trans/transfer case in all at once, but it’s going to be hard to bolt them up with the engine still on a normal stand. I had made this other low-profile stand for my buddies 345 in his Scout, just to transport it to and from the engine shop for rebuild. Pulled it out of the scrap pile and glued some more scrap to it for added support.
When the transmission and transfer case are mated up, I can add a scrap “tail” to support the whole assembly. This also allows me to put some rollers on it and move it around the shop for when I pull it back out.
Justin – Good ideas, too. Unfortunately all I have is gloss black in stock, so that’s what it is going to get. For now.
Mike – Well, it is kind of an upside-down gravy boat, isn’t it? I’ll see what kind of sauce I can find to swirl around in there for some added protection. Thanks for the suggestion!
So “fixed” some of the weld issues and painted the truss.
Not too bad…from a distance. If I pull it back out I might end up grinding it smooth.
Got a little more done on the cantilever gate. Welded all the tabs that will hold the wood panels in.
Something I forgot to mention, is that we did another test-fit with added weight to simulate the extra wood panels. It made things significantly worse, to the point one of the top rollers lost contact with the gate and came off track. Stood around for about 20 minutes scratching our heads trying to figure out what was going wrong until we realized the bottom rail was bowing/flexing when it passed over the roller. Too long of an-supported span and the square tube was distorting enough to cause problems. Ended up adding four vertical connecting supports which seems to have fixed the problem.
Fixed an issue I’ve been living with for a while now. The casters on my weld cart have a solid shaft with a “C” clip type attachment (didn’t utilize). When I originally made the cart I just welded little sections of one inch squire tube to the cart and jammed the casters in. After 12 years of general abuse and shoving this cart around, the square tubing started to wobble out, allowing the casters to pitch at an angle. The locking casters would tilt enough to where it hit the underside of the cart, not allowing it to rotate all the way around. To remedy this I cut small sections of well pipe and just straight welded the caster to it and then the assembly to the cart. Problem solved. Hopefully I’ll get another decade or so out of these wheels.
So I figure the next big step for the Scout is getting the drivetrain together and hoisted in place so I can figure out motor mounts and cross-members. I want to drop the engine/trans/transfer case in all at once, but it’s going to be hard to bolt them up with the engine still on a normal stand. I had made this other low-profile stand for my buddies 345 in his Scout, just to transport it to and from the engine shop for rebuild. Pulled it out of the scrap pile and glued some more scrap to it for added support.
When the transmission and transfer case are mated up, I can add a scrap “tail” to support the whole assembly. This also allows me to put some rollers on it and move it around the shop for when I pull it back out.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Installed new pilot bearing and flywheel. Saw this trick on the Tube for keeping the wheel from spinning when torqueing the bolts. Just happened to have this piece of unistrut in the scrap pile. Worked perfectly.
Put on the new bellhousing and tested for run-out. Followed a couple on-line guides on how-to, and the maximum it is supposed to be out is 0.005” and it’s coming in around 0.0055”. Don’t think I’m going to sweat the 0.0005”.
Ran into some issues with the idler/throw-out bearing retainer so need to do some more research before putting the rest of it together. Moved on to getting the axles squared away. Figured it would be nice to be able to roll the rig out of the way so I can maneuver the gantry in front of it for when it comes time to figure out motor mounts and cross members. Got a new plumb and laser and went to work.
Tack welded some scrap pieces to the axle tubes and then welded well pipe from that to the frame and old spring perches.
Same thing for the rear axle
Wouldn’t drive on it, but good enough to roll it back and forth a few feet inside the shop.
Put on the new bellhousing and tested for run-out. Followed a couple on-line guides on how-to, and the maximum it is supposed to be out is 0.005” and it’s coming in around 0.0055”. Don’t think I’m going to sweat the 0.0005”.
Ran into some issues with the idler/throw-out bearing retainer so need to do some more research before putting the rest of it together. Moved on to getting the axles squared away. Figured it would be nice to be able to roll the rig out of the way so I can maneuver the gantry in front of it for when it comes time to figure out motor mounts and cross members. Got a new plumb and laser and went to work.
Tack welded some scrap pieces to the axle tubes and then welded well pipe from that to the frame and old spring perches.
Same thing for the rear axle
Wouldn’t drive on it, but good enough to roll it back and forth a few feet inside the shop.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Gotta love sone of those YouTube vids.
Nice work and it’s looking better every post.
Has the neighbor finished the woodwork or waiting til you both agree the gate will work ok with the extra weight?
I’m envying your weather now that I’m in the drizzle season. Enjoy!!
Nice work and it’s looking better every post.
Has the neighbor finished the woodwork or waiting til you both agree the gate will work ok with the extra weight?
I’m envying your weather now that I’m in the drizzle season. Enjoy!!
MARKSTANG
Well-known member
I’ve had this 1958 ad for the IH Travelall for a couple of years. I remember in the 70s when you’d see International passenger vehicles out on the roads once in a while
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Drives – Thanks! The neighbor had a slight priority shift as his wife bought some chicks (baby chickens) and he was tasked to build them a coop. It looks like he’s finished with that and I’ve been hearing more wood cutting going on over there, so thinking he might be making the panels now. Shouldn’t be too much longer and I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Markstang – That’s really cool, thanks for sharing!
Made some more headway on the Scout this weekend. Started with the clutch fork pivot ball. Had to install the housing to the motor and thread in a bolt from the outside to which the ball attaches on the inside that the fork pivots on. How far the bolt is threaded in determines spacing for the other side where the slave cylinder rod pushes through.
Of course nothing is ever easy. Not enough clearance for the washer or jam nut.
Had to grind on the transmission a little for fitment (bolt in backwards for testing). Plenty of meat on the casting in this area so shouldn’t be an issue
The throw out bearing retainer attaches using two of the bolt holes on this front seal (?) plate.
Didn’t really like how the cut-outs on the plate leaves the retainer flange unsupported under the bolt head, so made these little spacers out of some DOM to bridge the gap.
Installed the bellhousing, clutch parts, and mated the transmission to the engine. Also added some more scrap metal to the Frankenstand so the transmission/transfer case are supported. The whole assembly still rolls around nicely.
The front cross-member in this Scout was placed for a 4-cylinder, so it needs to be moved further forwards. Started with tacking some well pipe at the very front to keep any potential frame movement to a minimum. Not sure if this is necessary, but shouldn’t hurt.
Combination of plasma cutter and cutting wheel and the cross-member is out.
Drivetrain rigged up on the gantry.
With a little finagling managed to get it home. Glad I got the engine load-leveler. Not sure how I would have gotten this in without it. With more difficulty, I imagine.
So after more raising, lowering, wiggling, squirming, and pushing the truck back and forth… I have a better understanding of what’s going on and what needs to be massaged for better fitment. Pulled it back out made some cuts. Driver side firewall needs a notch for the head/headers to fit.
While the engine assembly was still in, I had made a small cut in the passenger floor pan for the transfer case but it still wasn’t enough. I had clocked the transfer case pretty much flat to hopefully gain clearance and not stick down lower than the frame rail. Turns out flat is too much as the top of the transfer case is hitting not just the floor-pan but also the trans tunnel cover bolting flange, which I don’t want to cut. So pulled the transfer case off and relocated the studs in the adapter ring to clock it down a few degrees. Hopefully this should give me enough clearance without it hanging below the frame rail.
And that’s as much as I was able to get done. Sunday progress was cut short a little as the wife brought home another rescue to foster. I say another as a couple weeks ago we got the little black puppy to look after, evidently he and his two sisters were abandoned someplace. Not sure what the back-story on the horse is, but our Anatolian Shepard doesn’t care for him too much, so he may only be here for a short time. 180+ pounds of drooling love.
Markstang – That’s really cool, thanks for sharing!
Made some more headway on the Scout this weekend. Started with the clutch fork pivot ball. Had to install the housing to the motor and thread in a bolt from the outside to which the ball attaches on the inside that the fork pivots on. How far the bolt is threaded in determines spacing for the other side where the slave cylinder rod pushes through.
Of course nothing is ever easy. Not enough clearance for the washer or jam nut.
Had to grind on the transmission a little for fitment (bolt in backwards for testing). Plenty of meat on the casting in this area so shouldn’t be an issue
The throw out bearing retainer attaches using two of the bolt holes on this front seal (?) plate.
Didn’t really like how the cut-outs on the plate leaves the retainer flange unsupported under the bolt head, so made these little spacers out of some DOM to bridge the gap.
Installed the bellhousing, clutch parts, and mated the transmission to the engine. Also added some more scrap metal to the Frankenstand so the transmission/transfer case are supported. The whole assembly still rolls around nicely.
The front cross-member in this Scout was placed for a 4-cylinder, so it needs to be moved further forwards. Started with tacking some well pipe at the very front to keep any potential frame movement to a minimum. Not sure if this is necessary, but shouldn’t hurt.
Combination of plasma cutter and cutting wheel and the cross-member is out.
Drivetrain rigged up on the gantry.
With a little finagling managed to get it home. Glad I got the engine load-leveler. Not sure how I would have gotten this in without it. With more difficulty, I imagine.
So after more raising, lowering, wiggling, squirming, and pushing the truck back and forth… I have a better understanding of what’s going on and what needs to be massaged for better fitment. Pulled it back out made some cuts. Driver side firewall needs a notch for the head/headers to fit.
While the engine assembly was still in, I had made a small cut in the passenger floor pan for the transfer case but it still wasn’t enough. I had clocked the transfer case pretty much flat to hopefully gain clearance and not stick down lower than the frame rail. Turns out flat is too much as the top of the transfer case is hitting not just the floor-pan but also the trans tunnel cover bolting flange, which I don’t want to cut. So pulled the transfer case off and relocated the studs in the adapter ring to clock it down a few degrees. Hopefully this should give me enough clearance without it hanging below the frame rail.
And that’s as much as I was able to get done. Sunday progress was cut short a little as the wife brought home another rescue to foster. I say another as a couple weeks ago we got the little black puppy to look after, evidently he and his two sisters were abandoned someplace. Not sure what the back-story on the horse is, but our Anatolian Shepard doesn’t care for him too much, so he may only be here for a short time. 180+ pounds of drooling love.
jon72vega
Well-known member
Wow!
That is a huge dog!
That is a huge dog!
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Emphasis on drooling?
Nice progress on the Scout Todd!
Sifan
Well-known member
Somebody best have a BIG pooper scooper!
Hope it is someone other than you
Hope it is someone other than you
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Somebody best have a BIG pooper scooper!
Hope it is someone other than you
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Joh72vega – You ain’t kidding! He managed to just about trash our entire house in under 24 hours. Really gives me a greater appreciation of those Marmaduke cartoons I used to read in the Sunday comics (is that still a thing?). Thinking maybe there wasn’t much exaggerating going on in those cartoons.
Dan – See that 5 gallon pail just outside the shop in the first picture? The water coming off of that isn’t a leak or spillage from filling it up. That’s from him drinking out of it. I swear his jowls retained a pint of water, each side, when he was done getting a drink. Somehow he managed to still generate that even when he wasn’t slurping up gallons of water a time. Mopping the entire house is in my immediate future…
Sifan – My neighbors have horses, and cows…may need to borrow some of their mucking equipment.
Scott – Hah, that’s great! Lucky I’m sane after all I’ve been through. I can’t complain, but sometimes I still do. Life’s been good to me so far.
Dan – See that 5 gallon pail just outside the shop in the first picture? The water coming off of that isn’t a leak or spillage from filling it up. That’s from him drinking out of it. I swear his jowls retained a pint of water, each side, when he was done getting a drink. Somehow he managed to still generate that even when he wasn’t slurping up gallons of water a time. Mopping the entire house is in my immediate future…
Sifan – My neighbors have horses, and cows…may need to borrow some of their mucking equipment.
Scott – Hah, that’s great! Lucky I’m sane after all I’ve been through. I can’t complain, but sometimes I still do. Life’s been good to me so far.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Not a ton of progress lately. Tis the season to be busy, I guess.
Did get the correct pressure plate bolts in and pulled the transmission back off the motor.
Since I’ve been putting things together and then taking it apart so much, figured I’d try this stuff to help remind me of what has been final-torqued. Plus it just seems like a good idea to know if these things are backing out.
Greased up and installed the clutch fork assembly.
Still need to re-bolt the whole thing up to the motor again.
I also ordered a set of these to help the suspension ideas percolate. Seeing pictures and dimensions are one thing, having it physically in-hand is another.
Did get the correct pressure plate bolts in and pulled the transmission back off the motor.
Since I’ve been putting things together and then taking it apart so much, figured I’d try this stuff to help remind me of what has been final-torqued. Plus it just seems like a good idea to know if these things are backing out.
Greased up and installed the clutch fork assembly.
Still need to re-bolt the whole thing up to the motor again.
I also ordered a set of these to help the suspension ideas percolate. Seeing pictures and dimensions are one thing, having it physically in-hand is another.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Been busy, unfortunately not on the Scout. Been doing other little stuff when able, though.
Made this little set-stop for the band-saw so I can return it to 90° easily.
Had to weld some tubing together. Working on an old rusty car has really made me appreciate how nice it is to weld on clean, new, and thick material.
Neighbor from down the street stopped by. I’m not much of a Ford guy, but this is a pretty nice car.
Between the pocket gophers and the dogs deciding they want to investigate them…the back yard is starting to look like WWI trench warfare is going on. Borrowed another neighbor’s tractor to move some dirt around and smooth things out. Would love to have one of these little tractors.
A friend’s grand-daughter turned 7 and we offered to host a party for her. Good kid with questionable parents (spends a lot of time with grandma) and she has never had a birthday party. Invited a bunch of other folks over (that have kids) and everyone seemed to have a good time.
Hope to make more progress on the Scout soon...
Made this little set-stop for the band-saw so I can return it to 90° easily.
Had to weld some tubing together. Working on an old rusty car has really made me appreciate how nice it is to weld on clean, new, and thick material.
Neighbor from down the street stopped by. I’m not much of a Ford guy, but this is a pretty nice car.
Between the pocket gophers and the dogs deciding they want to investigate them…the back yard is starting to look like WWI trench warfare is going on. Borrowed another neighbor’s tractor to move some dirt around and smooth things out. Would love to have one of these little tractors.
A friend’s grand-daughter turned 7 and we offered to host a party for her. Good kid with questionable parents (spends a lot of time with grandma) and she has never had a birthday party. Invited a bunch of other folks over (that have kids) and everyone seemed to have a good time.
Hope to make more progress on the Scout soon...
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Nice work Todd.
I am also a fan of using paint pens and Torque Seal on fasteners for quick reference.
I am also a fan of using paint pens and Torque Seal on fasteners for quick reference.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Good to see you’re making progress on all fronts. I’ve never rented a big toy cause our yard is too small. We did put a kiddie pool in our living room for our twins birthday and filled it with two bales of hay and about 10 bags of candy since there birthday is very close to Halloween. Not a great idea actually unless you mask everything off cause we were cleaning out dust from everything for a year or so. That said the twins and all their friends had a great time as I’m sure the ones at your little girls party did.
Send some dry heat my way if you can.
Send some dry heat my way if you can.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That's just not right....
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Mike – Thanks! Seeing one of your posts a while back is what prompted me to try the fastener paint. You’ve been both a positive and negative influence. Positive - as often I think “WWMD?” (What Would Mike Do?) when critiquing my own work, pushing myself to do a more thorough and quality job. Negative in effecting my wallet with all the cool tools and stuff I never knew I needed.
On a side note – whenever I ask myself “WWJD” (What Would Justin Do?) the answer is usually: Nitrous, Bigger Tires, and Loud Stereo’s.
Drives – Bales of hay in the living room? On the scale of “things hard to completely clean up” that’s right up there with glitter! I’m sure the kids enjoyed it and that’s what matters. Temps have been in the 70’s, so not too terrible here. In the mornings I’ve had to resort to a long sleeve shirt to battle the terrible chill. Warm thought sent your way!
Dan – Yes, that was pretty much our thoughts exactly. The time/work spent on getting the house and yard ready was well worth it.
Made a little more progress on the Scout this past weekend. Got the transmission bolted back up to the motor and hoisted the assembly into place. The firewall notch looks like it will work. Should be enough room to get the back header bolt out.
Spent a bit of time lining everything up. Lasers and digital levels are cool. The transmission is pretty tight towards the driver side but appears to be in-line with the rear diff, so guess that’s where it wants to be. Tilted it down a couple degrees to hopefully help with driveline angle.
Re-evaluated my original motor mount idea. With the bushing up tight to the block, I think it would be major pain to not only remove the bolt, but changing the bushings out would also be not-fun. So I flipped the concept around and am putting the bushing side towards the frame. Should be more room to work there. Tacked a new set of tabs to the frame.
Also notched the tabs so they wrap around the bottom of the frame, too. Thinking this might add a little strength to them, versus just flat on the frame face. Bolted up a new flat plate to the block.
Took a piece of .250” wall DOM tube, coped one end for the bushing housing, and angled the other side for the engine plate. Tacked together in-place.
Double-checked to make sure everything was still lined up.
Burned everything in.
Added some gussets
Hopefully this will hold
Still need to fully weld the frame tabs and thinking about adding some gussets there as well, if I can get them to not interfere with nut/bolt clearance.
On a side note – whenever I ask myself “WWJD” (What Would Justin Do?) the answer is usually: Nitrous, Bigger Tires, and Loud Stereo’s.
Drives – Bales of hay in the living room? On the scale of “things hard to completely clean up” that’s right up there with glitter! I’m sure the kids enjoyed it and that’s what matters. Temps have been in the 70’s, so not too terrible here. In the mornings I’ve had to resort to a long sleeve shirt to battle the terrible chill.
Warm thought sent your way!Dan – Yes, that was pretty much our thoughts exactly. The time/work spent on getting the house and yard ready was well worth it.
Made a little more progress on the Scout this past weekend. Got the transmission bolted back up to the motor and hoisted the assembly into place. The firewall notch looks like it will work. Should be enough room to get the back header bolt out.
Spent a bit of time lining everything up. Lasers and digital levels are cool. The transmission is pretty tight towards the driver side but appears to be in-line with the rear diff, so guess that’s where it wants to be. Tilted it down a couple degrees to hopefully help with driveline angle.
Re-evaluated my original motor mount idea. With the bushing up tight to the block, I think it would be major pain to not only remove the bolt, but changing the bushings out would also be not-fun. So I flipped the concept around and am putting the bushing side towards the frame. Should be more room to work there. Tacked a new set of tabs to the frame.
Also notched the tabs so they wrap around the bottom of the frame, too. Thinking this might add a little strength to them, versus just flat on the frame face. Bolted up a new flat plate to the block.
Took a piece of .250” wall DOM tube, coped one end for the bushing housing, and angled the other side for the engine plate. Tacked together in-place.
Double-checked to make sure everything was still lined up.
Burned everything in.
Added some gussets
Hopefully this will hold
Still need to fully weld the frame tabs and thinking about adding some gussets there as well, if I can get them to not interfere with nut/bolt clearance.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Managed to eke out a few hours of Scout time this weekend. Made the passenger side motor mount. Basically the same thing as the driver side.
The header/collector is closer on this side, so I pushed the mount assembly a skosh off-center (on the engine mounted plate) towards the front of the vehicle. Looks like there should be enough room to deal with the exhaust. Definitely think this is a much better solution than what I first planned.
Reinforced the frame tabs a bit to support the weight and pulled the hoist off. Sitting in the vehicle unassisted. A jack stand is temporarily supporting the rear of the drive train, next order of business is to fabricate a transmission cross-member.
I pushed everything high up as much as I felt comfortable with, for better ground and suspension clearance. Was worried about this plastic bracket nozzle thing on top of the motor. I think it’s the fuel intake. Seems like I have about an inch of clearance, but under the hood there’s a support/stiffener that’s just about in the same place (of course).
Eased the hood on there and checked.
Looks like I still have about an inch to spare.
And hopefully decent room for the cooling stack
I’m concerned about the power steering box. The Scout 2 box I have bolts outside the frame and has the pitman arm pointing and swinging towards the front of the rig and looks like it would severely limit axle up-travel, potentially being impacted by the high steer tie rod. I could push the box forward on the frame to clear, but then the drag link would have a much greater angle (not parallel) to the tie rod. Thinking I might have to find another box that mounts inside the frame where the pitman arm faces towards the rear. Not sure how that’s going to fit with the cooling stack. Thinking I should probably solve the steering puzzle first, as there are probably more radiator size options than steering box solutions.
The header/collector is closer on this side, so I pushed the mount assembly a skosh off-center (on the engine mounted plate) towards the front of the vehicle. Looks like there should be enough room to deal with the exhaust. Definitely think this is a much better solution than what I first planned.
Reinforced the frame tabs a bit to support the weight and pulled the hoist off. Sitting in the vehicle unassisted. A jack stand is temporarily supporting the rear of the drive train, next order of business is to fabricate a transmission cross-member.
I pushed everything high up as much as I felt comfortable with, for better ground and suspension clearance. Was worried about this plastic bracket nozzle thing on top of the motor. I think it’s the fuel intake. Seems like I have about an inch of clearance, but under the hood there’s a support/stiffener that’s just about in the same place (of course).
Eased the hood on there and checked.
Looks like I still have about an inch to spare.
And hopefully decent room for the cooling stack
I’m concerned about the power steering box. The Scout 2 box I have bolts outside the frame and has the pitman arm pointing and swinging towards the front of the rig and looks like it would severely limit axle up-travel, potentially being impacted by the high steer tie rod. I could push the box forward on the frame to clear, but then the drag link would have a much greater angle (not parallel) to the tie rod. Thinking I might have to find another box that mounts inside the frame where the pitman arm faces towards the rear. Not sure how that’s going to fit with the cooling stack. Thinking I should probably solve the steering puzzle first, as there are probably more radiator size options than steering box solutions.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, nice work!
Hey, would one of these work for you if can't find the right combination of parts?
Steering rack
Hey, would one of these work for you if can't find the right combination of parts?
Steering rack
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Dan – So I didn’t know much about rack and pinion steering, so this prompted me to take a deep dive into the interwebs to research this possibility. I dug through the International forums, the classic Bronco and Jeep forums (similar size and wheelbase as the Scout so I often cross-reference there for ideas) as well as random Google hits. General consensus is that R&P is more suited for independent suspension and presents some problematic issues with solid axle rigs. I also went down the rabbit hole on electric assist steering and full hydro, but ultimately all these seem like a lot more work (or more expensive) than just going with the standard steering box set-up. Just gotta figure out what box would be good and I’ll make it fit. Thanks for the suggestion, much appreciated!
Happy New Year! Had a week off work and was happy to not touch a computer during that time. Consequently, here’s a buncha pictures for some of the stuff I got done in the last couple weeks.
Got this for Christmas from the wife. I was going to outsource the roll cage but looks like I’ll give it a go now that I have the right tool for the job.
Got the transmission cross member handled. Used a piece of 2” x 2” x .025” square tube. Welded some half inch stock to the ends and it will sit on top of some heavy duty angle iron that gets welded to the frame.
Bent up a piece of quarter inch flat stock and drilled holes for the mount. Added a piece of angle iron to that and the tube for reinforcement.
Angle partially welded to the frame to hold it in place. Will do the final burn-in when the motor is out and body is off the frame again.
Now that the drivetrain is in place, I cut the transmission tunnel cover to accommodate the different shifter base. I will have to cut that other hole as well to fit a twin stick set-up and will patch everything once that location is finalized.
Patched the hole in the driver side transmission tunnel. The new drive train configuration doesn’t need the clearance bump-out here.
Made a template and transferred to sheet. Bent a small flange on the press brake.
Welded in place.
Happy New Year! Had a week off work and was happy to not touch a computer during that time. Consequently, here’s a buncha pictures for some of the stuff I got done in the last couple weeks.
Got this for Christmas from the wife. I was going to outsource the roll cage but looks like I’ll give it a go now that I have the right tool for the job.
Got the transmission cross member handled. Used a piece of 2” x 2” x .025” square tube. Welded some half inch stock to the ends and it will sit on top of some heavy duty angle iron that gets welded to the frame.
Bent up a piece of quarter inch flat stock and drilled holes for the mount. Added a piece of angle iron to that and the tube for reinforcement.
Angle partially welded to the frame to hold it in place. Will do the final burn-in when the motor is out and body is off the frame again.
Now that the drivetrain is in place, I cut the transmission tunnel cover to accommodate the different shifter base. I will have to cut that other hole as well to fit a twin stick set-up and will patch everything once that location is finalized.
Patched the hole in the driver side transmission tunnel. The new drive train configuration doesn’t need the clearance bump-out here.
Made a template and transferred to sheet. Bent a small flange on the press brake.
Welded in place.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Since we’re working on the driver side, might as well address that notch in the firewall for engine clearance.
While the notch allows the head and header to fit, I didn’t cut enough to allow ratchet clearance to remove and install the back header bolt.
The plasma cutter sure is nice.
More arts and crafts.
Transferred to metal.
Welded in place
Add this to the list of things I’ll final weld and hand-finish when the body is off the frame again. Not a lot of torch/grinder clearance there now.
This should do the trick.
While the notch allows the head and header to fit, I didn’t cut enough to allow ratchet clearance to remove and install the back header bolt.
The plasma cutter sure is nice.
More arts and crafts.
Transferred to metal.
Welded in place
Add this to the list of things I’ll final weld and hand-finish when the body is off the frame again. Not a lot of torch/grinder clearance there now.
This should do the trick.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
After finishing welding it in, I realized I forgot to take into consideration gas pedal location for clearance and fitment. Dug it out of the parts pile and looks like I got lucky.
Moved over to the passenger side transmission tunnel. The transfer case does stick out a bit so still need the clearance bump-out here.
I’d saved the original rusted out floor pan for this cover, thinking I could salvage it and do a quick fix to put it back in place.
The new drivetrain doesn’t require as much clearance there as the original, so wanting to sacrifice as little foot-room as possible, tried to modify it to fit the new cut-out accordingly. After fiddling with it for over an hour and being unhappy with the results, I finally threw it in the trash and decided just to make a new one from scratch with a more exacting fit. More arts and crafts yielded me this:
Takes up fewer square inches of the floor pan and will hopefully be less intrusive for new seat bases. Cut another patch piece similar to the driver side for the flat section not needing a bump-out.
Haven’t welded it in yet, the hole in the tunnel is convenient for working on the transfer case shifter sticks. Will burn the patches in when I get the twin sticks squared away.
Moved over to the passenger side transmission tunnel. The transfer case does stick out a bit so still need the clearance bump-out here.
I’d saved the original rusted out floor pan for this cover, thinking I could salvage it and do a quick fix to put it back in place.
The new drivetrain doesn’t require as much clearance there as the original, so wanting to sacrifice as little foot-room as possible, tried to modify it to fit the new cut-out accordingly. After fiddling with it for over an hour and being unhappy with the results, I finally threw it in the trash and decided just to make a new one from scratch with a more exacting fit. More arts and crafts yielded me this:
Takes up fewer square inches of the floor pan and will hopefully be less intrusive for new seat bases. Cut another patch piece similar to the driver side for the flat section not needing a bump-out.
Haven’t welded it in yet, the hole in the tunnel is convenient for working on the transfer case shifter sticks. Will burn the patches in when I get the twin sticks squared away.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
It looks like your dream girl really likes improving your shop tools so you can come out of the garage smiling even more.
Best of luck finishing this and while I knew rebuilding or maybe fabricating an old car (or 4 wheel drive in your case) was a giant job it’s sorta like a million piece puzzle too. Keep up the great work and enjoy the awesome weather during your so called winter.
Best of luck finishing this and while I knew rebuilding or maybe fabricating an old car (or 4 wheel drive in your case) was a giant job it’s sorta like a million piece puzzle too. Keep up the great work and enjoy the awesome weather during your so called winter.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Drives - Yes, it was a pleasant surprise. I had talked about wanting one of those tube benders quite a while ago. I guess she must have taken notes because it's exactly what I was looking for. I guess I'll have to figure out how to put it to good use now. The Scout being a giant job is accurate, but at least it's a fun journey and I'm learning a lot. Weather here is just about perfect for working in the shop and enjoying it while it lasts. Thanks for stopping by!
I forgot to post these...just a few stocking stuffers I had knocked out for Christmas
I forgot to post these...just a few stocking stuffers I had knocked out for Christmas
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, I'm oddly attracted to the railroad spike statues. I received a few spikes as presents at the quinquennial Great Train Parties at our house (sorry -- every five years party). Only gag gifts allowed, like Bob's Twister.I forgot to post these...just a few stocking stuffers I had knocked out for Christmas
The parties were a lot of fun but celebrating on September 9th didn't seem right after 2001.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, great job on the metal art. I best not show those to my lovely wife as she will want me to start making some. She has this "affliction" when it comes to metal art. 
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Great use of old steel and still practicing your skills at the same time!!
Bob’s one arm twister really made me smile too. I would bet he used to beat every one cause he’s the handiest one arm person I’ve ever known.
Send some DRY HEAT cause it’s 50 and drizzling today here in the land of greenery.
Have a great day doing what you do
Bob’s one arm twister really made me smile too. I would bet he used to beat every one cause he’s the handiest one arm person I’ve ever known.
Send some DRY HEAT cause it’s 50 and drizzling today here in the land of greenery.
Have a great day doing what you do
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Bob – I got of bucket of those spikes a while back from my mom (from a yard sale or some such) and have been using them up when possible. They make for great handles, too. The Twister game is hilarious and made me laugh! Do you have the advantage of not getting ******* in as many knots, or is it less advantageous due to fewer points of contact for balance?
Dan – The nice thing about those little guys is that they really don’t take too long to make. And they last forever. I still have still have several similar pieces that my grandfather made.
Drives – It’s getting a little chilly here, in the mornings. I actually saw my breath out in the shop for a little while. Had to break down and put on the long sleeve flannel. For a few hours at least. Stay warm over there!
Been busy, but managed to put a few minutes into the Scout. Tinkered with the transfer case twin stick set-up. The cheapest ones I could find for sale are about $130. It doesn’t look like there is much to it, so figured I’d just make the linkage. Here’s my first rough draft:
Just threw some scrap together for proof of concept. It works well enough, but looks horrible. Going to take the dimensions off these parts and plasma cut something to make it a little more refined.
Dan – The nice thing about those little guys is that they really don’t take too long to make. And they last forever. I still have still have several similar pieces that my grandfather made.
Drives – It’s getting a little chilly here, in the mornings. I actually saw my breath out in the shop for a little while. Had to break down and put on the long sleeve flannel. For a few hours at least.
Stay warm over there!Been busy, but managed to put a few minutes into the Scout. Tinkered with the transfer case twin stick set-up. The cheapest ones I could find for sale are about $130. It doesn’t look like there is much to it, so figured I’d just make the linkage. Here’s my first rough draft:
Just threw some scrap together for proof of concept. It works well enough, but looks horrible. Going to take the dimensions off these parts and plasma cut something to make it a little more refined.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Kind of a good news/bad news post here. Start with the bad – for the past year or so the owner of our foundry has been looking to sell the place, he’s 81 and looking to retire. Unfortunately we’ve not been able to find anyone to take over the business, so we’re down to liquidating assets and selling the property. I’ve got about 6-8 months left and will be one of the very last people out the door, staying to take care of all the closing-down logistics. We’ve shut down roughly half of the shop so far, going department by department as the last orders move through production. The big ticket equipment will be auctioned off and a lot of the little stuff will be sold through Craigslist, FB Marketplace, Offer-Up, etc. The employees have first-pick of the “stuff”, some of which is free and some deeply discounted. This is where the Good News comes in. I put my name in for some of the bigger equipment and finalized the deal yesterday. In the manual area of our machine shop we have 3 Bridgeports and one imported clone. We’re down to only using one of the Bridgeports so I got to take one home. Here it is before being moved.
Got to work extra early and our maintenance guy used the forklift to load it onto my trailer.
Oh, I also absconded with a vertical band saw.
Made it home, mostly intact.
Whoever rigged up the bandsaw (me) didn’t do a good enough job, and it took a dive less than a mile away from the house. Fortunately it just tipped forward and doesn’t look like it or the trailer was hurt.
Called up some friends and neighbors and used the gantry crane with chain fall to get them off the trailer. Fortunately no people or equipment were injured in the process.
Both were operational and running when pulled from service, so just gotta clean them up and re-wire them for the shop. I think both will require VFD’s for the three phase motors. The mill is very dirty and probably hasn’t been cleaned in long time, so will probably sift through hours of YouTube videos and forum knowledge on what kind of disassembly, cleaning, and re-assembly are required. The shop will also need to be re-organized for the square footage these things will eat up. Been playing with Sketchup and think I have a tentative plan.
More work to do, but looking forward on learning how to use the mill.
Got to work extra early and our maintenance guy used the forklift to load it onto my trailer.
Oh, I also absconded with a vertical band saw.
Made it home, mostly intact.
Whoever rigged up the bandsaw (me) didn’t do a good enough job, and it took a dive less than a mile away from the house. Fortunately it just tipped forward and doesn’t look like it or the trailer was hurt.
Called up some friends and neighbors and used the gantry crane with chain fall to get them off the trailer. Fortunately no people or equipment were injured in the process.
Both were operational and running when pulled from service, so just gotta clean them up and re-wire them for the shop. I think both will require VFD’s for the three phase motors. The mill is very dirty and probably hasn’t been cleaned in long time, so will probably sift through hours of YouTube videos and forum knowledge on what kind of disassembly, cleaning, and re-assembly are required. The shop will also need to be re-organized for the square footage these things will eat up. Been playing with Sketchup and think I have a tentative plan.
More work to do, but looking forward on learning how to use the mill.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, I would have called the saw tipping a stress test, not poor rigging. You don't want to have equipment that isn't sturdy enough to survive Armageddon.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, first of all, I'm sorry to hear that you're losing your job. I sincerely hope you find new employment very quickly.
As for the machines, YES!!
I found these folks as a very good resource when I refurbished my Bridgeport. They have videos and every imaginable part you will need for your machine. Also, let me know if I can be of assistance. I also have the fixture used to remove the head from the ram that you are welcome to use, so don't buy one.
As for the machines, YES!!
I found these folks as a very good resource when I refurbished my Bridgeport. They have videos and every imaginable part you will need for your machine. Also, let me know if I can be of assistance. I also have the fixture used to remove the head from the ram that you are welcome to use, so don't buy one.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
***** about the job going away. I'm surprised no one would buy the place as is with everything up and running.
Nice score on both of those pieces of shop equipment.
What is the table size on the Bridgeport? Looks like maybe a 9x36?
They don't build vertical bandsaws like that anymore with all that casting. Very nice.
Nice score on both of those pieces of shop equipment.
What is the table size on the Bridgeport? Looks like maybe a 9x36?
They don't build vertical bandsaws like that anymore with all that casting. Very nice.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Bob – Ever the paragon of positive thinking and good humor. I love it! I’ll take the tip test as a cheap life lesson and hopefully learn to do better with my rigging skills in the future. Thanks for stopping by!
Dan – Wow, that is a great resource. I’ll definitely be watching those videos, thanks! Not sure how much of a deep dive I want to get into tearing it down for cleaning and such. Is there a field-strip type of maintenance that can be done versus a full-blown restoration? Trying my best to stay focused on working on the Scout, but this is too good of a tool to pass up allocating time towards.
Mike –We’ve had multiple interested parties, both domestic and international, along with no small number of tire-kickers just looking to scavenge equipment on the cheap. For one reason or another none of the serious ones panned out and we reached a point to where liquidation is inevitable. Really sad to see, as this company has been producing aircraft components for the past 30+ years across the industry. We’ve supplied at least some small amount of parts to just about every aerospace entity. Boeing (no door hardware, fortunately), Collins, Lockheed, Parker, Gulfstream, etc. etc. We’ve also produced castings for defense and space on the F-15, F-18, and F-35 aircraft along with various other legacy platforms. Not just aerospace, we also do some amount of commercial work. Our company worked with Mike Dillon in the early days when he re-designed the workings of the GE M-134 mini-gun, bringing the weapon platform back from extinction. We’ve been making multiple components of the gun for many years. It’s sad to see, and think, that all of this manufacturing history and knowledge will both be literally and figuratively be put to the shredder.
Regarding the Bridgeport – It’s got the 42 inch table, which I think should be plenty for my needs. I just realized I never took into consideration the X-axis travel distance of the table when looking at placing the machine in the shop. Guessing I’ll probably want more than a few inches of clearance on either side of the mill. Time to re-visit the shop model and re-think plans.
I’ve been fairly happy with the porta-band set-up, it’s small and usually does a good job. There have been several occasions, however, when the throat depth limits what I can cut, and with this full-sized saw the only limitation will be how far away from the wall I put it. Plus it has a much bigger table. Looking forward to seeing if the larger footprint in the shop will be worth it. It’s a little bit smaller than the Rockwell beast I got a while back, which at this point I’ll probably get rid of.
Dan – Wow, that is a great resource. I’ll definitely be watching those videos, thanks! Not sure how much of a deep dive I want to get into tearing it down for cleaning and such. Is there a field-strip type of maintenance that can be done versus a full-blown restoration? Trying my best to stay focused on working on the Scout, but this is too good of a tool to pass up allocating time towards.
Mike –We’ve had multiple interested parties, both domestic and international, along with no small number of tire-kickers just looking to scavenge equipment on the cheap. For one reason or another none of the serious ones panned out and we reached a point to where liquidation is inevitable. Really sad to see, as this company has been producing aircraft components for the past 30+ years across the industry. We’ve supplied at least some small amount of parts to just about every aerospace entity. Boeing (no door hardware, fortunately), Collins, Lockheed, Parker, Gulfstream, etc. etc. We’ve also produced castings for defense and space on the F-15, F-18, and F-35 aircraft along with various other legacy platforms. Not just aerospace, we also do some amount of commercial work. Our company worked with Mike Dillon in the early days when he re-designed the workings of the GE M-134 mini-gun, bringing the weapon platform back from extinction. We’ve been making multiple components of the gun for many years. It’s sad to see, and think, that all of this manufacturing history and knowledge will both be literally and figuratively be put to the shredder.
Regarding the Bridgeport – It’s got the 42 inch table, which I think should be plenty for my needs. I just realized I never took into consideration the X-axis travel distance of the table when looking at placing the machine in the shop. Guessing I’ll probably want more than a few inches of clearance on either side of the mill. Time to re-visit the shop model and re-think plans.
I’ve been fairly happy with the porta-band set-up, it’s small and usually does a good job. There have been several occasions, however, when the throat depth limits what I can cut, and with this full-sized saw the only limitation will be how far away from the wall I put it. Plus it has a much bigger table. Looking forward to seeing if the larger footprint in the shop will be worth it. It’s a little bit smaller than the Rockwell beast I got a while back, which at this point I’ll probably get rid of.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, that is a nice sized table and if your work envelope is anything like mine, should be more than adequate.
My Bridgeport clone has a 9x35 table, so slightly less X dimension and I have not really had any issues with anything I need to machine. That being said, I purchased this mill due to space requirements in my old shop not thinking we were ever moving. IF I were to buy again, I would by the same power head but with maybe a 9x49 table and slightly larger base casting.
My Bridgeport clone has a 9x35 table, so slightly less X dimension and I have not really had any issues with anything I need to machine. That being said, I purchased this mill due to space requirements in my old shop not thinking we were ever moving. IF I were to buy again, I would by the same power head but with maybe a 9x49 table and slightly larger base casting.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Todd, considering the mill was recently in use, it should be fairly reliable for now. You might want to check the table gibs in both X and Y and get them snug up a bit. Also check to see how much backlash you have in both axis. That will give you an idea how worn the ACME nuts might be.
And as long as the head doesn't sound like a coffee grinder at full tilt, in forward and back gear, you should be good to go.
I don't know what your plans might be for the use of the mill but you might not need a VFD for the mill. I have a static phase converter. Granted I lose a little HP but I have yet to notice. My cuts with end mills and fly cutters have shown no signs of stalling the head.
Let me know if you have any questions.
And as long as the head doesn't sound like a coffee grinder at full tilt, in forward and back gear, you should be good to go.
I don't know what your plans might be for the use of the mill but you might not need a VFD for the mill. I have a static phase converter. Granted I lose a little HP but I have yet to notice. My cuts with end mills and fly cutters have shown no signs of stalling the head.
Let me know if you have any questions.
OP
StormcrowAz
Well-known member
Dan – I’ll certainly check out the gibs and backlash (and the videos on how-to). This mill was plugged in and operational before we yanked it out of the shop, and it sounded fine to my untrained ears. My usage plans are to assist with general repairs and fabrication, nothing specific or high tolerance. Need to learn how to use it, and I’m sure I’ll find more uses for it. At this point its capabilities far exceed my ability to fully utilize it. On general principle, losing horsepower makes me cringe a little bit. I used a VFD for the three phase motor on the belt sander I built a while back and it was pretty simple to wire in. Considering I got the mill for free, I don’t think it would hurt to spend a little bit on a decent VFD. Thanks for your input, much appreciated!
While the twin stick levers for the transfer case were functional, I wasn’t really feeling it. One part was an old leaf spring shackle from a trailer and the rest just random drop pieces and a couple nuts welded together. So I programmed some new parts and cut them out on the plasma table.
Plasma cut the holes a little undersized and drilled them out to-size. Cut longer bolts down so the parts would pivot on the smooth shoulder and welded them in place. Original pieces to the right for comparison.
Not sure how much of an improvement it is, but I think it looks a little more professional.
For the shifters I used some half-inch bar stock and took a torch to it. The torch is another one of those tools I don’t use too often, but when needed it’s really nice to have.
I’ll wait until I have the seats in to finalize shifter alignment, grip spacing, and adding shifter knobs. This should be good enough to let me move forward with buttoning up the tunnel cover and floor pan.
I used a VFD for the three phase motor on the belt sander I built a while back and it was pretty simple to wire in. Considering I got the mill for free, I don’t think it would hurt to spend a little bit on a decent VFD. Thanks for your input, much appreciated!While the twin stick levers for the transfer case were functional, I wasn’t really feeling it. One part was an old leaf spring shackle from a trailer and the rest just random drop pieces and a couple nuts welded together. So I programmed some new parts and cut them out on the plasma table.
Plasma cut the holes a little undersized and drilled them out to-size. Cut longer bolts down so the parts would pivot on the smooth shoulder and welded them in place. Original pieces to the right for comparison.
Not sure how much of an improvement it is, but I think it looks a little more professional.
For the shifters I used some half-inch bar stock and took a torch to it. The torch is another one of those tools I don’t use too often, but when needed it’s really nice to have.
I’ll wait until I have the seats in to finalize shifter alignment, grip spacing, and adding shifter knobs. This should be good enough to let me move forward with buttoning up the tunnel cover and floor pan.
rattle_snake
Well-known member
Nice work on using cnc to make the twin stick'r!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Very nicely done Todd.