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Post by 96zjlarado on Mar 7, 2009 1:31:32 GMT -5
lookin good little buddy. glad to see you attacking it head on. I really didn't think you were ever going to do it. kinda thought it was gonna be another daytona. lol
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Post by 96zjlarado on Mar 7, 2009 1:33:24 GMT -5
oh, and i'm tellin des that you said she was just watching you and not helping. hahahahaha! j/k fella...... i wouldn't do that...... OR woooooould I? muahahahahahahahahahahaha.... muaaahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
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Post by blk01ram on Mar 7, 2009 9:19:40 GMT -5
Already told her I posted it, she just laughed and said it was the truth. Worked for 2 hours Thursday grinding rivets to remove the crossmember, only got 1 out of the 12 removed. Tomorrow I'm going to pick up a cutting torch, and it'll be quick and easy.
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Post by chevtech on Mar 7, 2009 11:16:35 GMT -5
Best and easiest way I found is to use a cutting wheel and cut an X in the rivet then just take a air chissel and the heads pop off, then put a pointed punch type bit in the air chissel and push the rivet out of the frame. Worked really good for me.
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Post by blk01ram on Mar 18, 2009 21:39:19 GMT -5
Finally got some more progress on the front end, and it even looks like I accomplished something . It's now officially past the point of no return. Still need to cut the two brackets off on the front cross-member, then hit as much of the frame I can with a flap wheel to get rid of the rust scale. Going to go to Airgas and pick up the same welder Popeye just got, going to start with just the fluxcore wire first, then after I get the hang of it pick up the tank for it. Still need to get some steel for the new cross-member then start measuring and cutting. On to the pic's... Stock 2wd cross-member with the upper and lower control arms still attached... Close-up of both upper and lower control arms... The now barren front frame section I now have a time frame to get it at least sitting on all fours again. We start our sabbitical (wife and I) in about 10 weeks. If it's going to make SummerBash, it needs to be a roller before we start it. Would like it to be all done, except for finishing touches, but we'll have to see what all I can get accomplished. We get 11 weeks off from work , but about 6 of those weeks we'll be on our cross-country trip, so it'll be a tight schedule.
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Post by popeye on Mar 18, 2009 22:20:20 GMT -5
looks like your tearing into pretty good, you will like the welder hooked it up to 220v sunday to weld my buddys axle and it burn hot enough that he has blisters on the back of his hand thru the gloves...its kick a$$
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Post by chevtech on Mar 18, 2009 23:11:46 GMT -5
I would splurge for the bottle and gas right away, flux core requires more clean up. No matter what way you decide, you will love having a nice welder of your own. Good progress on the ramcharger!
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Post by blk01ram on Apr 18, 2009 23:17:46 GMT -5
Nothing much to show yet, I did get my steel order Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday they called saying my welder was in. Picked that up Wednesday morning, I did get the bottle with it. Miller also has a deal with different models you either get money back or something free. With the 211 the freebie is a welding cart. Monday I'll mail in the form, who knows when it'll show up.
Only thing I did on the truck was tacked on the ends of the engine crossmember, and get the center section cut. I'll get it welded early next week. The welder works great...except for the 110v breaker for the garage circuit that keeps blowing. Shortly I'll make a 220v extension cord, and I should be fine then. I'll get some pictures maybe tomorrow of the welds.
I'm hoping by next weekend the engine/tranny/TC will be back in and I can start getting the suspension mocked up and my brackets ordered.
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Post by blk01ram on Apr 19, 2009 10:49:04 GMT -5
Gotta love new toys.... Don't look like much, but there's 80ft of metal there... Not too bad for my first weld with the new welder....and the first in about 12 years.
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Post by Brennerbadboy on Apr 19, 2009 21:04:31 GMT -5
plug it into mommas dryer outlet ,.................looking good.............welder how much$$$
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Post by blk01ram on Apr 20, 2009 4:04:46 GMT -5
That's the next thing I'm going to fab up...the 220v extension cord. Our dryer is in the center of the house, so it's going to have to be about 40-50ft long to reach the end of the garage. Need to find some cheap 8ga SO wire to make it first though. Out the door with the bottle was $1110. Mailing in the form today for the free welding cart. There is promotion going on and with this welder you either can get $75 back or the cart, I'd rather have the cart. I did deplete my tool savings fund to buy it but after that first weld I was all
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Post by blk01ram on Apr 24, 2009 18:51:36 GMT -5
Finished up the crossmember and bolted it in with some 1/2" grade8 bolts (there's 6 of them even though the picutures only show 4, didn't get enough the first time ). Bought some new motor mounts while the engine was out, the 20 year old ones were still fine but figured why not. Here's some pictures of the finished product. Looking at it from below the frame. Should be tucked up far enough out of the way. Have a birthday party to go to, otherwise I'd still be out working on it. Have the templates for the plates that will be welded to the inside of the frame from the body forward, for some added strength. Once that's done I can get the engine and tranny/TC back in. Called Leonards Offroad today to order my coils, but he hasn't called back yet, so looks like I'll have to wait till monday. Need to get the springs so I can find out the inner diameter so I can get my brackets ordered. Hoping by the end of next week the engine will be sitting back in the frame. One thing I was worried about was the bolts holding the manifolds on. Since they probably have never been off, 20 years of rust had me worried they'd break when I tried to remove them....but they all came loose with no issues.
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Post by Brennerbadboy on Apr 25, 2009 18:33:34 GMT -5
looking good, keep up the work
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Post by blk01ram on Apr 30, 2009 19:36:46 GMT -5
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Post by chevtech on May 1, 2009 0:15:13 GMT -5
Looking good Tim!
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