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700R4/Atlas 4 speed update

toddz69

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Moving along at a snail's pace on my conversion, but I did achieve a milestone this evening.

It turned out to be only slightly less svelte than your local Interstate highway bridge girder, but what I believe to be the final edition of my crossmember from Protofab was delivered tonight.

Very, very, very beefy. Welds are a little lumpier than I had hoped, but they aren't going to fail. Nice brackets that fit in the stock holes on the frame rails. Nice recessed caps on each end of the crossmember to keep any crap out. Crossmember goes OVER the front driveshaft. Recessed pocket mount to drill holes in for tranny mount. Mounting holes on crossmember wings have sleeves in them. Mimics stock-style crossmember mounting. Stout enough that I can tap/drill fine thread holes in the crossmember for future skidplate mounting if so desired.

Requires 2" body lift minimum for clearance. Hope to install this weekend.

Todd Z.
 

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70_Steve

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Very nice piece. Keith and Mike do some nice work.

Interesting to know, however, that Protofab did the fabrication on the crossmember. Is this a one-off, or something they will put into production? That's pretty much the design I had in mind for a new crossmember to replace the POS crossmember I got from Advance Adapters for my NV4500 conversion. Please post pics of the finished installation. I'd be especially interested in a shot looking forward from the rear differential. The thing I like the least about the Advance Adapters crossmember is that it's now the lowest piece under the Bronco.

How will the crossmember attach to the frame brackets?
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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70_Steve said:
Very nice piece. Keith and Mike do some nice work.

Interesting to know, however, that Protofab did the fabrication on the crossmember. Is this a one-off, or something they will put into production? That's pretty much the design I had in mind for a new crossmember to replace the POS crossmember I got from Advance Adapters for my NV4500 conversion. Please post pics of the finished installation. I'd be especially interested in a shot looking forward from the rear differential. The thing I like the least about the Advance Adapters crossmember is that it's now the lowest piece under the Bronco.

How will the crossmember attach to the frame brackets?

It's a one-off at this point, but it's like everything else they make for me, if there's interest, they can make the same thing for others. I will post pics as the installation proceeds. The crossmember will attach to the frame brackets via a single bolt (have to double check the size) similar to the stock concept. I will drill the holes in the frame brackets once I get everything finalized and into position - same story with the holes on the bottom side that will allow me to attach the tranny crossmember.

Todd Z.
 

Mark

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Nice looking piece!
"Stout" and "Protofab" seem to go together.
Todd, you decided against the Landcruiser crossmember?
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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Mark Troy said:
Nice looking piece!
"Stout" and "Protofab" seem to go together.
Todd, you decided against the Landcruiser crossmember?

Yeah, I did. I really wanted something that didn't hang quite as low all the way across the bottom of the truck and I wanted something that attached to the stock holes in the frame.

Todd Z.
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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Mark Troy said:
hmmmm, I'll be interested to see it mounted.

I'll post pics when I get it in - may be as early as this weekend if I'm lucky.

Todd Z.
 

Snafu

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Mark Troy said:
Nice looking piece!
"Stout" and "Protofab" seem to go together.
Todd, you decided against the Landcruiser crossmember?
Hey Mark, Could you post some pics of your Landcruiser crossmember. I ordered my 700R4 yesterday and I have to decide how I am going to install it.
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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toddz69 said:
I'll post pics when I get it in - may be as early as this weekend if I'm lucky.

Todd Z.

Despite the 116 deg. heat today, my buddy and I did the initial install of the new crossmember and frame brackets this morning. Took quite awhile to get everything lined up correctly and the holes drilled in the right spots, but we got it done to my satisfaction. I will have clearance the driver's side frame bracket ever-so-slightly with the grinder for double cardan clearance, but other than that, there are no fitment problems so far.

I've attached some updated pics below. Please pardon the crappy primer paint job!

Todd Z.
 

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70_Steve

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It's really looking good, Todd! Primer is one of my favorite colors!!

When you get the transfer case bolted in place, could you take a measurement for me. I'd like to know where the center of your output shaft yoke is in relation to the frame rails. If possible, the distance from passenger side frame rail to the center of the yoke, and from the top of the frame rails down to the center. The Advance Adapters crossmember shifted the tranny and transfer case, but I didn't take before measurements, so I don't know how far they moved.
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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Broncobowsher said:
What! Not powder coated?

Not yet! Seriously, the best this thing will ever have is a coat of paint on it.

Todd Z.
 

MikeM

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Looks good!
It sure is tucked up there, where's your exhaust going?
Another thing about tucking it up there is that I had to do a lot of grinding on the Atlas 1310 yoke to advoid it binding up on full droop.

Steve I'm with you on the Advance crossmember, should have built my own is about as nice as I can be.
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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MikeM said:
Looks good!
It sure is tucked up there, where's your exhaust going?
Another thing about tucking it up there is that I had to do a lot of grinding on the Atlas 1310 yoke to advoid it binding up on full droop.

Steve I'm with you on the Advance crossmember, should have built my own is about as nice as I can be.

Exhaust will go down the passenger side under the crossmember. I ran a Flowmaster turned up on end before and I don't anticipate any problems this time either.

I am still investigating several options on what I will do for the rear droop issue. Have to do some trig and figure out exactly what my rear d-shaft angle will be if I rotate the pinion up, etc.

Todd Z.
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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av8rds said:
bump for an update....

I'll try and post some more pics this weekend. The crossmember is painted and installed now along with the real trans. Had a problem getting the t-case to seat the last 1/4-3/8" against the trans so we stopped there a few weekends ago. I also have some stud shortening to do. I'm back from vacation now so we'll try to get some more progress in the next week or so.

Todd Z.
 

MikeM

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toddz69 said:
Exhaust will go down the passenger side under the crossmember. I ran a Flowmaster turned up on end before and I don't anticipate any problems this time either.

I am still investigating several options on what I will do for the rear droop issue. Have to do some trig and figure out exactly what my rear d-shaft angle will be if I rotate the pinion up, etc.

Todd Z.
Ah yes, missed that space you created by having the x-member bent like that. As long as we're talking space you might be thinking about a traction bar with all that gearing your adding.
I was actually referrring to the front yoke binding. But I missed something here too, with the added length of the 4sp you'll probably be fine up front. Out back it's a lot easier to get that pinion turned up or do what all the cool kids are doing and just move the whole thing back.
Looking forward to the updated pics
 
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toddz69

toddz69

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MikeM said:
Ah yes, missed that space you created by having the x-member bent like that. As long as we're talking space you might be thinking about a traction bar with all that gearing your adding.
I was actually referrring to the front yoke binding. But I missed something here too, with the added length of the 4sp you'll probably be fine up front. Out back it's a lot easier to get that pinion turned up or do what all the cool kids are doing and just move the whole thing back.
Looking forward to the updated pics

A traction is in the plans at some point, although I am far less of a pilgrim of the throttle compared to some folks. If needed, I'll go with the JayK/Sam's Offroad/Duff's mount.

Yeah, the front yoke's in a better situation now than it was before with the extra length of the t-case.

No extended wheelbase for this cowboy :), I'm too old school for that. I was considering the $$-solution of putting a Hi-9 in there, but there's more talk of breakage on them now so I'm looking at a simple pinion rotation instead.

Todd Z.
 

Mark

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toddz69 said:
I was considering the $$-solution of putting a Hi-9 in there, but there's more talk of breakage on them now ...
In my best terrible Gary Coleman imitation:

What choo talkin 'bout, Willis?
 
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