Third time's a charm...but it will be slow going

Yeah...i understand that...winter has definitely set in! Wish I could stop by and help get her in for you...

Merry Christmas. Time for an update.

After waffling over this project for a while I finally am starting to get the desire back to get this underway in earnest.

I have given a lot of thought on which direction I wanted to take this. I was considering the pros and cons between a frame swap or an axle swap. I have finally decided I would prefer to do the axle swap. I feel that for myself it is less "engineering". Even at the time I was test fitting the engine into the frame I was unsure if I was going to use the stock frame.

I also have looked at what axles I am attempting to use. I'm not really loving the front axle choice but so far I think the axles will work. I started off with a 2001 Dodge Cummins sport. I went to FCA's website and typed in the VIN for the truck and found it came with a Dana 70 rear and a Dana 60 front axle. According to the build sheet the rear is an "Anti-spin" which was verified when I lifted the back of the truck off the ground and both wheels turn the same direction when I turn either wheel. Both axles also have 4.10 gears.

Today I went out and tacked in some motor mounts and set the engine where I think it needs to be. Once I get it back on some axles I hope to test fit the cab to be sure it will fit. I'm struggling a bit to think through what order I need to assemble this. I'm also thinking I may assemble it before I go through the effort of restoring all the parts to make them durable/presentable.

I feel like I'm back in the saddle. I hope I don't fall off again. At least not until I get this thing finished...

I spent today getting the axle housings out of the Dodge frame. I hope to get the existing brackets off the axle tubes in the next couple days. No pictures of the axle removal but I plan to get some once the brackets are removed.

I got the brackets cut off the axles. I pulled the cover off the rear axle to inspect the gears. Everything looked good. Even the oil looked new.

I hope to have new spring perches here soon. I'd like to get the axles under the frame. My current thinking is to get the frame on axles so I can get it into the garage. I'll worry about cleaning them up and painting things when the weather here allows. We've had some very mild weather but it has been raining off and on.

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...8&d=1735430784

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...0&d=1735430792

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...9&d=1735430789

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...1&d=1735430794

Sounds like a good plan

The Dodge rear axle is under the frame. The front axle will be a bit more challenging.

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...2&d=1735606091

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...3&d=1735606106

The front axle is hanging but not bolted in. I don't have any ubolts to hold it in place yet. I went out this morning to buy some but the supplier I expected to have them was closed today. I tried a couple parts stores but no one local seems to have what I need.

The ubolts I need/want are possibly not standard sizes. I believe the supplier I went to can actually make them If they don't have them in stock. I'll try again on Thursday.

Anyway, I'm not really loving the perches but I didn't have any better ideas to get springs on this axle.

I ended up using a slightly narrow perch and welded a plate to it the same width as the spring. I did this because to get the spring close to where it needs to be on this axle it ends up slightly over the differential section on the left and slightly over the CAD (center axle disconnect) sleeve on the right. As it is, I couldn't get it perfectly centered under the frame. The location of the spring on the differential section would not allow it. The axle is offset about a half inch to the right side of the frame. I don't think it will be noticeable.

I didn't get any pictures of how tight the differential is to the oil pan yet either. I will definitely need bump stops. I don't currently have any rubber in the motor mounts so I can gain an inch or two of clearance there but I only have 2 or three inches currently with the motor sitting in place without the rubber idolaters. I'm pretty sure if I didn't have the engine offset already I'd need to have done it for differential clearance.

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...4&d=1735683868

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...5&d=1735683881

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...6&d=1735683893


I hope the caster is at around 4-5 degrees. I was shooting for that anyway. When I have a chance to get the frame sitting on it's own weight I hope to test it again. I was right at 4 degrees on one side and about 4.5 on the other. I don't think the stock axle was perfect to start with.

I have about an inch and a half clearance between the diff and the oil pan at the closet point. I never noticed before that a stock Duramax has clearance in the oil pan directly above my axle. It looks like it was intentional.
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...9&d=1735770255

The motor mounts are just tacked into place. I still need to install a rubber spacer. I'm thinking I will make it two inches tall to get a bit more clearance for the diff.
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...0&d=1735770272

I set the box and cab on the frame today as well. I'll need to address firewall clearance.
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...8&d=1735770245

Plenty of room on the left side.
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...7&d=1735770175

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...1&d=1735784899

No real progress today but I did get some axle ubolts for the front axle. I also started making some plates to use them with. I hope to get pics of this when I get a little farther along.

Progress will probably slow down again for a while because life is still happening around here. I need some new doors and windows in the house so I had someone out today to quote that for me. And when they left I noticed I have a plumbing leak in my upstairs bathroom. Now I not only have some plumbing to contend with but I have some drywall repair in my future.

I hope to be back at this soon.

I got frustrated doing my plumbing job and needed to step away for a while. I got the plates made and installed and got the frame sitting on it's new axles.

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...2&d=1735940659

But I discovered what I was concerned about from the start. I don't have the motor mounts up high enough. It shouldn't be too hard to move them but now that the engine is sitting on them my welding space is limited.

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/attachmen...3&d=1735940682

We have contact. With the weight of the engine on the springs the oil pan contacts the axle.