77K5. The IronMaiden...9/2 headed for Blazer Bash 20!

[76zimmer]

I do still have that piece, it can be bolted or welded back onto the crossmember. if your interested in it, PM me.

 

[76zimmer]

This 1.25 square tube (.250 thickness) will be the basic cradle.

It hangs below the lowest point of the 203 by about 1/4 in. and the 205 by about the same, so I'm satisfied with that. It will have tabs welded into the corners with poly bushings to bolt to each of the 4 mounting points on the adapters. There will also be poly bushings (the round fabricators bushings in the pic) used to mount this cradle to the tubing that goes to the frame rails. This design keeps the moveable point closest to the center of the drivetrain for flex, being consistent with the engine movement. It also allows easy removal with 4 bolts and the cradle comes out with the doubler setup attached to it.

I will also provide a welded support flange that bolts to the rear output of the 205. I think that may be poly mounted to the cradle, and rigidly bolted to the 205, keeping consistent with the mounting flex points of the adapters.


Here is a basic layout of the idea....going to cut metal tonight at work.

 

[supersize75k5]

 

[76zimmer]

Also got a surprise on the way home from work last night....rudolph and the boys decided to run across in front of me....tagged one on the butt, he got up and ran off.

mostly cosmetic stuff....need to call the insurance co. and deal with this now. luckily it didn't do anything to keep me from driving it still.

 

[supersize75k5]

Ins co?


I that is a craptasticly cheap piece... would not surprise me if you could find it on cragslist too.

Lucky no paint damage eh?

 

[76zimmer]

Ins. is state farm....100$ deductible....mostly bolt in stuff, not sure how hard it is to get that top plastic plate off the bumper, anyone had any experience with those?

 

[acewilson]

Looks like a great idea to me and the most important part is that your keeping the actual transmission t/c mounts as close to center as possible for the flex.

 

[76zimmer]

Thats what I'm thinking to Ace, hopefully I'm thinking right.
It was a good night....got most of the tubing cut tonight at work to get started with the cradle....man I love it when they leave the shop open at work....



All the pieces..6 tabs, 4 round bushings, 3 crossmembers, 2 long bars for the sides, and a plate for the rear support....sounds like the 12 days of Christmas????

The tubing for the round poly bushings, cut to length, deburred and chamfered.

I'll have to see if I can get it welded up tomorrow, then figure out the rear support plate on the 205.



And the Bears win the NFC North.....

 

[acewilson]

Do you plan on doing secondary mount that goes between the front t/c adapter and the main mount like you have drawn on the paper or do you plan on going directly to the t/c adapter? The secondary or intermediate mount, what ever you want to call it, would give you an inch or so in clearance. I imagine that is why you have it drawn up though!

 

[crawdaddy]

I made similar mounts for mine if you need some more pics

 

[76zimmer]

Do you plan on doing secondary mount that goes between the front t/c adapter and the main mount like you have drawn on the paper or do you plan on going directly to the t/c adapter? The secondary or intermediate mount, what ever you want to call it, would give you an inch or so in clearance. I imagine that is why you have it drawn up though!

That was my original intent, but after seeing how far the oddly shaped bottom of the 203 case hangs down, and the higher mounting holes on the adapters, direct mounting with poly bushings attached to this cradle will allow me to have the cradle hanging lower than the case by 1/4" or so. I think I would rather have the cradle hanging a little lower than the case. The cradle will also be about 1/4" lower where it runs underneath of the 205's lowest point.

I made similar mounts for mine if you need some more pics

crawdaddy, I can't have to many pics...my brain functions better that way. A lot of times I don't exactly know how I want something until I get it built and installed

 

[jekquistk5]

Also got a surprise on the way home from work last night....rudolph and the boys decided to run across in front of me....tagged one on the butt, he got up and ran off.

mostly cosmetic stuff....need to call the insurance co. and deal with this now. luckily it didn't do anything to keep me from driving it still.

if they replace the bowtie in the center let me know how much you want for yours, mines cracked

 

[76zimmer]

if they replace the bowtie in the center let me know how much you want for yours, mines cracked

I'll keep you in mind Jesse'
I might do this myself, so maybe I can make a quick buck on the ins. labor.

 

[bronc3buster842001]

if they replace the bowtie in the center let me know how much you want for yours, mines cracked

I think I have a brand new one of the Bowtie. It looks just like that, but I dont know what it is for.

 

[76zimmer]

if they replace the bowtie in the center let me know how much you want for yours, mines cracked

Jesse, my emblem is gold, and has some corrosion caused discoloration at the bottom of it, if you want it, its yours....I will hang on to it until we do the rim delivery...


I got this template for a rear support, which will be supported on the bottom by two mounting tabs with the poly bushings, as the adapter supports are.

Here is how I have the cradle layout so far. Note the poly bushings that will be bolted to the welded in, side-crossmembers.

 

[supersize75k5]

Ins. is state farm....100$ deductible....mostly bolt in stuff, not sure how hard it is to get that top plastic plate off the bumper, anyone had any experience with those?

Once you drop the bumper you will notice its easy, friends sister had an 02 that we replaced the chrome bumper piece on and reinstalled the plastics, very very easy work.

You should be able to find the grill used and that bumper piece for less than or around a hundred and not have to bother dining your ins.

 

[76zimmer]

Thanks Shawn, my biggest concern with the bumper stuff is the rust buildup on the attaching hardware....you really have to experience this battling with rust sometime you know It's a major suck sometimes.

I'll be doing this work myself...the State Farm adjuster came today and cut me a check for 725, after my deductible of 100$. I think I can make a couple hundred for my labor on this.




I got the rear t/c support made tonight at work, gotta love it when its slow enough to get work done in the shop

 

[max 02]

Do you do the welding your self? Or do you have your millright do it for you. Either way it looks good, wire feed is nice. No slag.

I used to like luch time at a old job I used to have, the lathe was my favorite.

 

[76zimmer]

Yeah, I do the welding, I love my Lincoln PRO MIG 175...and I just recently switched to gas and .030. Much smoother than the fluxcored wire.
The only thing I do at work is fab some parts. I wish I could use the big shop here....they got everything there. Water jet cutting, milling, lathes...sweet, but it's locked up tight.
I sneak stuff in during the evenings when nobody is around and use the equipment in the small shop. There is a cut-off band saw, a large drill press, a hydraulic press, and a some big bench grinders, and upright 6" belt sander. Everything else I do at home, but when we are slow in production, I can sneak down to the shop and get some stuff done, instead of having to work on it at home.

 

[max 02]

Thats cool! Nice to work at a place you can do that.

But you got to find a way into the big shop... WOULDN`T THAT BE FUN!!

Looking good ZIM nice progress.