ChestonScout installs some Axletechs and reworks the Scout for the umpteenth time

[ChestonScout]

Thanks Steve!

Yup. The idea was to try to shed some weight on the chassis to make up a little bit for the added weight of the new axles. HA!


At any rate it should look better and a lot of the ghetto fab I did back there the last 10 years is now gone, even if it does weigh 9000 lbs now

 

[I Lean]

Where did that bending protractor come from? That looks pretty slick, and I think I want one.

Also, THANK YOU for actually making your tube junctions nodes! I see way too many builds with dead-end tubes. I don't understand why, other than it's probably quicker/easier. This way looks 100x better, and will be stronger anyway. :thumbs:

 

[Kevin B.]

Cheston, I'm going to hijack your thread and try and learn something, hope that's ok!

Where did that bending protractor come from? That looks pretty slick, and I think I want one.

Also, THANK YOU for actually making your tube junctions nodes! I see way too many builds with dead-end tubes. I don't understand why, other than it's probably quicker/easier. This way looks 100x better, and will be stronger anyway. :thumbs:

What do you mean "junction nodes"? Are you talking about the way he has a tube coming in parallel on one side matched by another on the other side? A cross instead of a tee?

 

[BlueWolfFab]

Carl those protractors are made by JDSquared. Or at least they make ones exactly like it.

http://jd2.com/p-110-bendicator-protractor.aspx

 

[ChestonScout]

Where did that bending protractor come from? That looks pretty slick, and I think I want one.

Also, THANK YOU for actually making your tube junctions nodes! I see way too many builds with dead-end tubes. I don't understand why, other than it's probably quicker/easier. This way looks 100x better, and will be stronger anyway. :thumbs:

Haha. I agree. Sometimes it isnt possible but I would say most the time it is

My protractor came from pro tools

JD2 is now making them as well. Cool thing about theirs is they make one for every die and bend radius imaginable. Im really liking having it.

 

[I Lean]

Yep, there are no tubes dead-ending in the middle of another, without having a matching tube on the other side.

I like those protractors, but I don't like the price. I'm gonna make one.

 

[bryson]

Yep, there are no tubes dead-ending in the middle of another, without having a matching tube on the other side.

I like those protractors, but I don't like the price. I'm gonna make one for myself, one for Bryson, and probably 10+ more for other RMEers because I'm just that cool.

Fixed.

 

[rholbrook]

Good thing you have another Scout so you can keep your name. How the hell am I going to fit in there with all the tubing keeping out of the front seat?

 

[Bart]

Love the new look.

 

[skippy]

Where did that bending protractor come from? That looks pretty slick, and I think I want one.

Also, THANK YOU for actually making your tube junctions nodes! I see way too many builds with dead-end tubes. I don't understand why, other than it's probably quicker/easier. This way looks 100x better, and will be stronger anyway. :thumbs:

This is my biggest pet peeve EVER!

 

[ChestonScout]

Not to much to update. Got the roof bars in and a few other tubes









And got some double bypass shocks for the rear

 

[thefirstzukman]

Looking Good!!

 

[mombobuggy]

It looks very Safe and Strong I like it a lot.

 

[Jesser04]

I'm loving the new cage!

 

[Bart]

Very sexy lines on the new cage. Nice work.

 

[ChestonScout]

Thanks everyone!

 

[gertsch]

Looks great!

 

[ChestonScout]

Dang.....Been awhile since an update. Good reason for that tho......I haven't done much!


But just as well get the thread up to date. Ive been a little concerned about my old Millermatic 175 not having enough juice to weld on the techs. Ive been wanting to upgrade it for awhile. I would have liked to get a big cased unit but for the limited welding I really do, I figured it was a waste. So I bought a new Millermatic 211. I went ahead and got a spool gun for it as well. Hopefully tinker with some aluminum soon.

But with a new machine sitting I figured I just as well break it in. So I went ahead and welded out the tube work. Im no pro but they should hold. Heres a couple examples







So far I am really liking the new machine. It has the auto set feature which is nice for an amateur welder like myself

 

[ChestonScout]

I hadn't welded up the brake and steering mounts yet with the anticipation of buying a new machine. So they were next on the docket. I tinkered with the idea of gusseting the threaded bosses that were installed for the caliper mounts. They are only roughly 1" tall so I didn't think a gusset was going to do much. But after looking at these little triangles on there I figured it was worth the time





The stock Axletech brake caliper mount being used here appears to be the same cast steel that the housings are made of. So preheat is required to get a good weld. I saw a trick once and thought it was brilliant so.......



Cooked one until the temp gun was reading higher than 250 degrees. Took about 20 min on high. So it worked out about right. After the first one was ready, I threw the next in and took the hot one to the bench and welded it out. By the time that was done, the next bracket was up to temp. After welding them up, I put them in a box and wrapped them with rags to let them cool a little slower. I was very surprised at how warm they still were a few hours later. Hopefully its all well





Probably should have cleaned the welds up before snappin my pics but to late for that now


So about this time, Skipped_Link asked me what my plan for my fuel cell mount was. I hadn't given it any thought besides bolting it to the floor with the mount straps I bought with it. Well he had bought the same cell and had made a slick mount for it. But for his rig is needed a little adjusting so he made a different one and asked if I could use it. Before he changed his mind, I hopped in the car and went and grabbed it. Really just a good excuse to go check out all his buggy upgrades. But anyways, Im really excited for this piece.



It just needed some tabs to use the mount straps with.



and here is how it will sit



this will be nice. Where I was just planning on mounting it to the floor, having it raised up will allow me to mount some of the things like fuel pump, return to center control box, etc. underneath the cell with will help give me more room in the back. Im hoping to mount the batteries in the back to help get some weight off the front. This may make it possible.

 

[ChestonScout]

So with the brake caliper brackets welded up I went ahead and put all the hubs back together.

Had a little help with this


He is 5 now and getting to where he can turn a bolt in pretty good. Pretty awesome. :smokin:

So Ive had a Chev 205 behind my Ford drivetrain. This was done since when it was on one tons, I had a Chev Dana 60. My plan has been to clock it down to center for the techs and as I have stated, I wasn't to excited what that did for my belly height. The Axletech is a center diff, but the pinion is off to the drivers side a few inches. Making my clocked t case even worse.

Well I have a buddy who runs a transmission shop. He asked me why I don't swap my 205 guts into a ford case. I said cuz I don't have a ford case. So he offered to do the swap for me! I saw nothing but positives and after getting the case back it looks like its going to work a lot better



I played around with different positions and decided to get it as high clocked up as the driveline will allow. Overall the t case is sitting 2" higher on the belly than the chev was going to. Doesn't sound like much but just from the eye gauge its huge. Everything is going to be tight. Go ahead and insert your jokes here

this will be full bump



Driveline to pan distance measures 7/16" I wont be able to put a larger diameter driveline on, but this one seems to be holding up fine so that's ok




And the side to side angle of the driveline



Acceptable in my book


So next up is building some sort of subframe to hook the lower links to. I have a couple ideas brewing but not happy with any of them yet. I cant wait to get the front axle attached and get the shocks mounted and sitting on its on again.


That pretty well catches the thread up. Work has not slowed down at all so Im still just putting in a hour here and 20 min there. But I try not to complain to loud about having work