DO NOT OPEN IN PUBLIC, YOU WILL BECOME INSTANTLY ERECT!!!

[nvrenuf]

I agree with Martin, why go up on tire size and down brake size. To each his own.

As for Lugnut's claims, reasons 1 & 5 are the same so there's really only 4. I also call b/s on a 41 lbs difference, I doubt there's that much savings.

 

[skunked]

I see the advantage if you're running a 15" wheel or looking to drop some weight.

 

[82355]

There is no advantage for 15" wheels.

You have to grind either caliper.

Martin

 

[454Sub]

I could see losing that much weight as compared to my Ford 60 calipers. Those are very very heavy.

 

[truck-oholic]

I agree with Martin, why go up on tire size and down brake size. To each his own.

As for Lugnut's claims, reasons 1 & 5 are the same so there's really only 4. I also call b/s on a 41 lbs difference, I doubt there's that much savings.

I see the advantage if you're running a 15" wheel or looking to drop some weight.

I believe that is 41 lbs total so 20.5lbs per side. The stock 60 caliper brackets are cast, the rotors are bigger, & the calipers are bigger. Bigger isn't always better. The main draw for me is the more responsive brake system due to the smaller 3/4 ton caliper. People upgrade to 3/4 ton disc brakes on rear axles all day long so why would they not be just as well suited for the front?

 

[truck-oholic]

Man Points Sunday = Thread Maintenance Sunday

Been going back through fixing bad picture links today. Tedious and time consuming but it was really annoying me that 90% of the pics in earlier pages were not showing up. Spread all the photos out over 4 albums in facebook instead of 1 and it seems to be working.

Also did a little work on the truck today.

Installed the passenger side rebuilt hub assembly using the same Stage 8 X-lock spindle nut system I used on the driver's side.

Still waiting for Trailworthy Fab to get some 35 spline drive flanges back from the anodizer. Evidently they have been having problems for the past couple months. Once those come in the front axle work will be complete. I am currently repainting the front diff cover with a gloss finish instead of flat and when that is dry I will throw it back on with a Lube Locker gasket.

Damn that is sexy!

 

[82355]

People upgrade to 3/4 ton disc brakes on rear axles all day long so why would they not be just as well suited for the front?

Because you want smaller brakes on the rear. The front brakes are suppose to do the majority of the braking.

Martin

 

[truck-oholic]

Felt like working on the rear suck down winch last night and this morning. Think it is going to turn out pretty trick. Have some tube flanges and tabs ordered from DIY4X to mount the actual winch below the rear seat between the frame rails. Hope to have the axle side work all buttoned up before those get here next week.

This axle side sheave wound up fitting perfectly between two bolt holes and this location on the diff cover is pretty damn close to center of the rear axle.

Made the tabs last night out of some 1/4" plate. Looks pretty cool from the side

Bolt is 5/8" grade 8. Final assembly will get a nylock nut so it can be loose enough to allow the sheave to roll but won't back off either.

Going to box in some gussets on both sides to make this thing SOLID! This is the bottom gusset template. There will be another one that meets this one along the hypotenuse and ties back into the diff cover to make a boxed diamond shape that still allows access to the cover bolts and lets the sheave bolt come out too.

 

[Evan Miller]

Ohhhh my god. You sir are an artist.

Love the hand welded rock rings love all your stuff.

 

[truck-oholic]

Passenger's side of sheave is gusseted and boxed

Still have access to all bolts

Welding game was so-so this afternoon during kids' naptime

 

[truck-oholic]

Ohhhh my god. You sir are an artist.

Love the hand welded rock rings love all your stuff.

Thanks man, appreciate you checking out my stuff. I am just a hobbyist but I am definitely getting better at this. I have seen some really nice fab work from several people on here that blows me away. Wish my technical ability (and equipment) matched my vision but sometimes it falls short. I am harder on myself than most so positive feedback is always nice.

 

[Evan Miller]

Man you are amazing . I just fabbed a bumper for my Cherokee and wish I had your skill and tools.

 

[stump_puller]

Very nice

 

[truck-oholic]

Fully gusseted and boxed. Ready to wire wheel the rest of the cover and repaint.

Had to do a slightly different design on the left side due to the way the cover is shaped

Pretty pleased with the overall result

Burned in pretty good but obviously that one diagonal didn't get as hot. Don't think it's going anywhere though, hahaha.

 

[Evan Miller]

Looks awesome, I'm sure that one weld will make it pull apart

 

[truck-oholic]

Looks awesome, I'm sure that one weld will make it pull apart

Hey, that diff cover is 3/8 thick and the sheave tabs and gussets are 1/4". My little 110 welder can only do so much . But seriously, really wish I had a 220 welder for this heavier stuff. Right now my welder is a big limitation. I believe with a different machine I could be putting out a lot better welds. Better not dog my welder too much though or it will decide to quit.

 

[Evan Miller]

Ohhhh shit man those are fantastic looking welds for 110. On that same not it's semi scarey I run a Hobart 180 at home and Lincoln 210 at home

 

[truck-oholic]

All stripped and ready for paint. Wish I could leave all the parts like this, I hate painting.

How I heat up the garage for painting in the winter. This heater was a much appreciated Christmas present from my wife's parents last year.

 

[Evan Miller]

Did you build the cover. I may have missed it but it looks like your welds on the hole thing.

Very baddass work you do.

 

[truck-oholic]

Did you build the cover. I may have missed it but it looks like your welds on the hole thing.

Very baddass work you do.

Wish I could claim the whole cover as my work but I bought it from Ruffstuff already welded for a couple reasons. First, when I bought this set of covers I didn't have a welder at the time as I was in between machines. Second, I have bought weld-it-yourself covers from Ruffstuff before back when I was just starting to get the hang of welding and they turned out OK but no where near as good as a "factory" welded unit from Ruffstuff and it is quite a bit of welding to do a cover since they are welded inside and out. Also, doing it at home you run into the problem that you can't easily do the fancy machine work of countersinking into the welds for the bolt heads like they do at the shop. Now that I am better at welding I could probably bang out a decent looking cover without a problem aside from the bolt head clearance issue but sometimes the time savings is worth the extra money and in this case you end up with a better product.

And yes, the welds on the sheave tabs and gussets do blend in pretty good with the existing welds, especially with paint on everything.

As far as welding technique goes I found that the motion I like best is an upside down (overhand) cursive "e". Normally you would make a cursive "e" with an underhand motion, just do it overhand instead and that is what I use 90% of the time and I almost always drag instead of push. When I first learned to weld I would push the puddle and typically use a backwards "c" motion right to left and that is a lot harder for me to keep consistent with. A buddy of mine suggested I try dragging the puddle which I had never even heard of before at that point (before youtube and little outside instruction) and then I watched a welding video years later that suggested the cursive "e" or overhand cursive "e" and that wound up being the ticket for me. I also tried an infinity symbol type motion as suggested by a friend and didn't like that as much.