Project: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

[BruiserOutdoors]

Will get you more in depth on friday. The same shifter as yours rad design getting a console made like yours just a lil different as My shifters are side by side

Great looking forward to it.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

Prepping parts for clear coat.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

cleared. I like contrast in color between the transmission and transfer cases. I almost painted the transfer case "cast blast" cast iron color, but glad I didn't. the clear coat darkened it up a bit.

My reasoning for going to this effort is for future cleanliness and maintenance. hoping these parts wipe down quick and easily after time on the trail. And to avoid corrosion. I have noticed on other rigs that zinc coated parts seem to corrode after a couple days on the sand. Hoping this helps keep a bright and smooth finish.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

Got my frame back from the sand blasters yesterday. Hoping to lay paint this weekend.

 

[svastano]

Looks great

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

I really didn't want any leftover sand inside the frame! Also built a make-shift rotisserie to help with painting the frame. it didnt rotate too great (got bound up).

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

epoxy primer. absolutely destroyed my shop with overspray.. The epoxy laid down pretty well. Eastwood product.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

2k ceramic chassis black. Wasn't too thrilled with the outcome. So I resprayed it (first go around had alot of overspray). Hoping the second try turns out better.

 

[sprdv1]

frame's looking sharp.. Nice work

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

frame's looking sharp.. Nice work

thanks. ended up respraying another coat since the last photos because I wasn't quite thrilled with the outcome.

It was painful putting that much effort into a frame with such ugly factory welds. I am surprised the abuse these bronco frames can take despite the ugly careless welding.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

Assembly started.

 

[svastano]

Great Progress!

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

installed the duff long arms. Initially before final torque, the radius arms touched the ground at the same time. as I torqued the head unit to the arm, it picked up the passenger side arm 0.25". I loosened things and had a helper put pressure on the arm, as I re-torqued everything. no change.

is 0.25" "good enough"? yes I know it will cause bronco lean if they don't touch but wasn't sure what the tolerance on this was. will I ever notice that 0.25"? I suppose 0.25" at the back of the arm is more like 1" + at the axle?

my only other idea (as I typed this out), is to cheat the drivers side arm on a 2x4", and put more pressure on the passenger arm as I retorque things down. open to thoughts and suggestions.

 

[sprdv1]

thanks. ended up respraying another coat since the last photos because I wasn't quite thrilled with the outcome.

It was painful putting that much effort into a frame with such ugly factory welds. I am surprised the abuse these bronco frames can take despite the ugly careless welding.

right how much time you reckon you got into the frame so far? IF I ever have enuf room, thought about doing that myself, ground up. Prob be a couple yrs tho

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

right how much time you reckon you got into the frame so far? IF I ever have enuf room, thought about doing that myself, ground up. Prob be a couple yrs tho

not really sure. here is a guess:

I probably have 1.5 hours filling extra holes. 3 hours transporting between fabricator, and sand blaster. Sand blaster was only $250, saved me a bunch of hassle getting the frame prepped. Fabricator was hired to add the steering box reinforcement and radius arm mounts, and remove a bunch of extra stuff the previous owner added. He spent 12 hours on it.

3 hours of paint prep including prep to setup my shop. 3 hours to paint primer. 8-12 hours for top coat layers.

 

[sprdv1]

not really sure. here is a guess:

I probably have 1.5 hours filling extra holes. 3 hours transporting between fabricator, and sand blaster. Sand blaster was only $250, saved me a bunch of hassle getting the frame prepped. Fabricator was hired to add the steering box reinforcement and radius arm mounts, and remove a bunch of extra stuff the previous owner added. He spent 12 hours on it.

3 hours of paint prep including prep to setup my shop. 3 hours to paint primer. 8-12 hours for top coat layers.

appreciate ya.. time, money and patience right

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

appreciate ya.. time, money and patience right

I will rattle can my next build and probably get a slightly better product and less mess.

 

[badkarma]

looking Great!! I was in El Paso on Border detail for 60 days so was out of the loop. I am finally feeling a little back to normal. Came back and drove wife down to Orlando for cheap trick show i have to say with the 4 link it actually takes off at 90 mph. highway is absolutely amazing 80 mph cruising at 2300 rpm. no drone from the 347 in higher RPM is a godsend.

 

[BruiserOutdoors]

So with the help of a buddy, we got the arms to touch the ground at the same time.

When we went to rotate the duff long arms into their mounts, the arms had to be forced apart, the arms were too narrow to slide into the mounts. Is this normal? @Monster Mike

 

[DirtDonk]

How much did you have to move them?

Got pics?