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

[brute4c]

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

[Flingarrows]

Sounds like a good plan

[jeeper]

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

[jeeper]

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.








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.

[jeeper]

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.


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.


I set the box and cab on the frame today as well. I'll need to address firewall clearance.


Plenty of room on the left side.

[jeeper]

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.

[Flingarrows]

I hope that the engine mount move goes well

[jeeper]

Thanks George.

No real progress for the week. I'm back to work after the holidays so I don't have as much time as I'd like. I'm still not completely finished with my plumbing but I'm optimistic I can wrap it up in the morning

Today I took a drive to the middle of the state to pick up a rusty hard top and a windshield. I'm not sure I'll use either but figured I could decide once I had them home. Once the plumbing is done I hope to get the garage cleaned up enough to get the truck inside at last.

[Flingarrows]

I ordered my top from new life in feb. the lead time was July. I finally got it a week or two ago. Good work, just a long time

[jeeper]

I ended up getting mine ordered today from here. I think he said 2-3 weeks.