Pzuzu The Isuzu Build (RIP)

[Stomis]

Not a very good update. Still be doing a lot of side work in my free time.

I ordered a toyota driveshaft flange for my dana 44 and some spring hangers for the rear.

Im planning on getting my coil buckets done and retainers made tomorrow and then stripping the axle down and pulling it apart to weld it up.

 

[97flexy]

Nice build! Are you setting up radius arms front and rear? What kind of body is going custom frame?

 

[Stomis]

Nice build! Are you setting up radius arms front and rear? What kind of body is going custom frame?

Just front. Gonna be my Isuzu trooper.

Radius arms front, 63" chevy leafs rear, OM617 turbo diesel, 5 spd w56 toyota trans and tcase. Dana 44 front with lock rite, isuzu 12 bolt rear with an air locker and discs.

Like I said some pages back I would never recommend anyone use ford radius arms unless you are starting with an f150 or bronco axle that already has wedges.

 

[97flexy]

Do you have any updated pic of your rig sitting with its suspension, maybe on tires?

 

[Stomis]

Nope. Where you see the last pictures is where Im at with my build.

 

[Stomis]

Received my toyota flange, rear spring hangers, and my missing axle shaft U joint.

Hopefully by the end of the weekend there will be a fully built and assembled dana 44 under the front of this beotch welded and all!

I bought a stick welder to do the panhard bar brackets with a nickel rod. No one I knew has one and i figured Id add another tool to my arsenal sorta speak. That should be here friday. In the mean time Im going to pull the gears back out and weld up the mild steel **** at work on my axle. I never thought Id own a stick welder before a 220v Mig but necessity calls.

I also need to finish grinding my axle shaft ears down for full C clips, what a pain in the ass.

 

[Stomis]

Burnt the housing together. Co-worker with stick welding experience burnt together the cast to steel stuff with nickel rod. My new stick welder is great, messed around with it a little bit too.

Did it all by the book from what I could find to read. Pre heated to 500*, welded, maintained the 500* between welds, peened the welds, post heated, re-peened, allowed to cool slowly over about an hour and a half by keeping the torch on it lightly every 10 mins or so.

I broke the friggin mig welder at work so we're waiting for a new whip to get there. I have a couple beads left to run on the coil buckets and some of the mild parts of the panhard bracket and then its all done.

 

[Stomis]

Made some minor progress in the last few days. Got my diff 99% welded up at work. Took the axle back to the shop. Reinstalled new seals, plopped the gears back in and put the yota flange on.

Then I painted the housing. I love my jaw horse! That beast held the whole damn thing up. Only thing left to do now is cap the panhard bracket, cap the coil bucket brackets, cap the coil guide tubes, and brace the tabs for the lower coil retainers. Im trying to build all my brackets with not trapping mud and crap in them in mind.

Also yesterday I ground down my axle shafts for full snap rings and installed my U joint followed by paint.

Gonna give the paint a few days to dry. That rustoleum pro enamel doesnt even wipe off with good quality paint thinner when its fully cured. I was shocked.

Once the small items left to make and weld for the front axle are done Im going to fully assemble it and order two wheels I plan on using throw 2 of the old stock tires on them to roll the front end around. Should give me some motivation.

Despite planning to get the body off the old frame this or early next month it will unfortunately be going on hold since Im in the thick of looking for a house now. Priorities.......

 

[Stomis]

1 step forward two steps back tonight

Got the front and back of the vertical piece of my coil brackets capped so they dont catch ****. Threw some more paint on and proceeded to do some assembly.

Turns out Im a victim of Moogs mis-packaging of lower balljoints. The ball joints they sent out for a while had too long of a stud and too tall of a nut. I remember reading about someone on here having the same issue. So I pulled the nut off and ground the poly lock section off with a flap disc and whacked the extra threads off with the sawzall. Really didnt feel like pulling the knuckle off...

I was scared thinking my long tube was tweaked when that shaft wouldnt slide in

I also have to clearance the opening in the knuckle for the U joint to fit through since the ears on the chromoly wagoneer shaft are a little bit bigger than stockers.

 

[doonjumper]

Nice chit! Subscribed

 

[original balzer]

Chit! I thought this would be a simple low budget build..... Ill have to come back when I have time to read it all.

Thats a lot of love for a trooper..........

 

[Stomis]

Chit! I thought this would be a simple low budget build..... Ill have to come back when I have time to read it all.

Thats a lot of love for a trooper..........

You know what they say, one thing leads to another.

Ive made some minor progress but nothing really worth posting about. Started boxing the front clamp section of my control arms, bought a 16x8 wheel for mock up and still need to get another to get the front rolling, picked up weld washers from kurt.

Also bought two of these.

Im going to use them as a base for an adjustable shackle hanger so I can tune my shackle angle.


As Ive said a million times Ive been really held up by house hunting and saving money for that. Im making an effort to get the frame as a fully welded roller front and rear then I want to move on to pre-fabbing body mounts.

 

[Stomis]

So Ive been biting my nails worrying about tire clearance on my radius arms. I kinda forgot to consider that when working out my control arm mounts and angle.

So I bolted them up, thinking Im gonna have to run huge spacers or make major modifications to clear the 33s. Well I slapped my spare on the new 16x8 4in backspacing soft 8 I bought to test fit it must to my amazement I have boat loads of room! In fact I could run a 35 with almost no adjustment and 37s with maybe a 1in spacer. So Im super happy it didnt bite me in the ass...

Heres how the meats look on the new style wheel I'll be running. I remember complaining a while back about how ****ing hard these tires were to mount. Well it turns out its the hoop design of the isuzu wheels, not the tires them self. Once I got the spare dismounted it went on the new wheel like nothing

I plan on adding some rim stiffeners to these wheels and shooting them semi-gloss rather than the gloss powder coat.


So the axle is sitting with a wheel and tire on one side and leveled out. I cant believe the diff clearance with 33s...

Then I got home and there was a box by the door. Turns out my adjustable shackle brackets are here, aka drop hitch brackets. I basically plan on making a below the frame shackle hanger bolt into this "track" allowing me to move it back and forth to adjust shackle angle. I thought it was a good idea since I'll be setting the suspension up with no weight on it for quite some time.

Thats really it for now. Im STILL working on my control arms because I want them to look good and not hodge podged where I plate them so I have a **** load of grinding to do and them another pass on welding them and then another **** load of grinding. Hopefully Ill be getting that 7in dewalt grinder I wanted for my birthday friday

 

[Jester1]

Is it about 12"-14" to pumpkin bottom. Of course you'll lose some with weight.

Looking awsome. Cant wait till your housing situation is taken care of so you can pour the coals to this and drive it.

 

[original balzer]

So is the body going to fit right on this or will there be body mods as well to make it all work together?

Also, are there plans for at least a minimal cage and frame tie ins?
maybe I should go back and read lol

 

[Stomis]

So is the body going to fit right on this or will there be body mods as well to make it all work together?

Also, are there plans for at least a minimal cage and frame tie ins?
maybe I should go back and read lol

The frame is built to stock specs. I plan on building body mounts like stock, but from plate and using some generic jeep poly body mount bushings.

I dont have cage plans other than running over fender tubes/rub bars. Im sure that will turn into half if not a full exo though down the road.

 

[ashman]

Im sure that will turn into half if not a full exo though down the road.

Might As Well ™

 

[Stomis]

I thinks this thing might be getting a super ford 8.8 in the back with an E locker....


Im really not liking the corner Im putting my self into running an isuzu rear. Plus the ARB is like $1100 and an eaton E locker has no air line/pump routing and is only $700 for the axle.

 

[original balzer]

OH I remembered my other question!

You said you want to do the cool rear fender gaurds...
So why dont you throw the ladder on there, rather than putting a ladder on the rear bumper? Not that it makes any difference really. I was just thinking if you all ready had the bars on the side (basically the first 2 steps) why not just continue it up to the basket? Keep at least a bit of your rear vision and less to develop rattles.

Further thinking while I am at it I doubt your new frame will flex as much as the stock frame so movement shouldnt be too bad. At least nothing some rubber or urathane bushings at the basket attachment, wouldnt handle.

Sorry I know Im thinking far ahead of where your at now.....

 

[Stomis]

OH I remembered my other question!

You said you want to do the cool rear fender gaurds...
So why dont you throw the ladder on there, rather than putting a ladder on the rear bumper? Not that it makes any difference really. I was just thinking if you all ready had the bars on the side (basically the first 2 steps) why not just continue it up to the basket? Keep at least a bit of your rear vision and less to develop rattles.

Further thinking while I am at it I doubt your new frame will flex as much as the stock frame so movement shouldnt be too bad. At least nothing some rubber or urathane bushings at the basket attachment, wouldnt handle.

Sorry I know Im thinking far ahead of where your at now.....

When I was on the track of doing accessories I was basically thinking about doing the ladder over the small door in the back and using pins through two poly bushings.

I could definitely do it over the drives side rear window. I dont look out that **** really lol. But its surprising how much I really dont look out the small door window either.