Dirtroadoutlaw's '86 M1009

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Getting the crossmember construction underway. Started by getting the channels bumped into the frame rails. They're a pretty snug fit but not over-tight.

Got everything square & plumb, tacked the crossmember flange plates to the channels, and took some measurements. The plates being tacked will allow me to be double-sure that bolt holes don't get misaligned while drilling.


Oh, yeah. Started off the morning right! Smacked fore & middle fingertips with a dead-blow hammer while getting that first channel put in! Yippie! Fingers were cold too. Pain, blood.... yay, me!

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Moving on along....

 

[ryoken]

that should keep it together..

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Got the two mains tacked in & one mount tacked in. Burning tacks overhead with flux core and a 180 amp machine. Won't be wearing short sleeves tomorrow when I hit it again after church.

 

[Heavyleft]

Looking good! Its coming along nicely!

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Also sourced a 1350 cv/slip driveshaft like comes in older f3sh**ty's and f2ugly's. Got under the rig with it & discovered that it will work fine for just driving around but, with a little massaging, it'll clear with the droop too.

Side-by-side comparison with the 3R setup that I've been running for the last 5 years. Nuts how the 3R & 1350 are the same width. It's kind-of amazing how much more mass is added for external snap rings.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Looking good! Its coming along nicely!

Thanks homie. Can't hardly pick up a dime off the floor with my left hand because I hit my thumb, forefinger, and middle finger numerous times today. Crap like this usually comes in spurts. Hope that "spurt" is over because my fingers are somethin sore!

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Oh, the front one ain't gonna work. No way it'll clear the front DS. Heh! Better fix that before I ladder it! Dang!

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

That's what I get for working while too dang tired. I knew full well that that wasn't gonna work. I should be able to move the thing to the rear of the trans mount and be golden. Man, that's some of that football-bat-type stuff there!

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Moved the front tube behind the trans mount & threw a DS in there for contemplation. I'm calling it good.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Crossmember stuff is done! Now, I just need some skilled volunteer(s) to come paint this stuff for me. I hate painting. It's way too labor intensive.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

The latter part of my morning at work was slow and the boss was gone so I bombed the crossmember stuff with engine primer and enamel.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

That braided wire covering looks sooo much better than the regular old convoluted tubing. I wish I had "discovered" that before I cleaned up the wiring in my engine compartment.

This stuff is just better all-around. The convoluted stuff gets brittle & likes to break apart over time. Personally, I try not to loom wires as a general rule. I like to be able to add/remove wires easily.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

The crossmember deal is done with the exception of the eight more bolts needed. I put two in each flange for tonight and will snag some more in the next couple days.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Now that the drivetrain is in place, I was able to stick the triple-stick in and check how it will finish up linkage-wise. I'm very pleased with how it looks. I should be able to use a combination of rod-ends & sphericals to make it up with no issue at all. Besides, I already had them in my collection of miscellaneous hardware.

 

[nvrenuf]

Man that looks good! That short adapter really worked out nice for your flat belly. I never realized how low the tall adapter hung down until I started trying to figure out if I could flat belly mine.

 

[82355]

I like the flat belly. Quite the opposite of mine (both me and my Blazer......).

Martin

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

Man that looks good! That short adapter really worked out nice for your flat belly. I never realized how low the tall adapter hung down until I started trying to figure out if I could flat belly mine.

Thanks, John. I'm very pleased. I took it out in the slag parking lot/driveway as I moved it out of the shop last night. I did a little romping/bouncing in 1st while looking for drivetrain movement and it was nil.

I have acquired two 1350 cv/slip driveshafts and plan to get those modified very soon. One has to be lengthened and one has to be shortened. One cv swings higher angles than the other so some die & angle grinder action will take place. The f**d one is the stubborn one and will also require drilling out the threads on the shaft-side of the companion flange. The used one I got just needs lengthening.

Getting down to that piddly part of the list now. 1)Hooking up that wiring harness for the tc, trans stuff, electronic speedo. 2) linkages for triple-stick. 3) take apart triple-stick for paint then reassembly/lube. 4) 465 stick needs paint too. 5) Wire triple-stick lamps in. 6) drivelines 7) floor pan reconstruction. 8) re-route trans cooler/temp to PS. 9) remove kick-down wire & vac tube for the auto. 10) may as well remove all those unwanted/unused brackets from the frame.... or just continue to put that off. I'm sure that I'm forgetting something but that's pretty close.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

I like the flat belly. Quite the opposite of mine (both me and my Blazer......).

Martin

Thanks, man. You need to go on & nip that in the bud! The older you get, the harder that belly is to lose!

 

[swettysblazer]

I really, really like this rig a lot. Awesome stuff man.