Last I left off I was messing with the clutch stuff.

I had tried researching

swapping input shafts
rebuilding clutch discs
milling bellhousing and or trans

I was working on a flywheel spacer but that would create an additional problem of starter not engaging. For that I would need something else to grab the starter. I bought a flexplate from an auto, which bolts up of course, but it is dished out so much and the ring gear interference would mean I would have to run it along with a 1 inch flywheel spacer. Not sure if that would work. I still have left to try to 3.4 Camaro flywheel as it is .5" thicker.

I even went back and took more accurate measurements and confirmed my input shaft is only .5" engaged on the clutch disc.

So, I did what anyone else would have done..




I cut off a perfectly good front crossmember....





Reason being is that the bends it has would make it difficult for my front hanger which I don't want to drop very far down. I also realized my front body mount might get in the way of my toyota steering box. I sliced carefully along the inside edge so I can weld in a thick plate for the steering box mount. That will come later.



Front crossmember/hanger is 2x3 1/8" wall. With 3/16" tabs and 1/8" gussets. i just tacked it upside down to put in the tabs.



difference between wire speed 30 and 45 on my miller. Still getting used to how much is good.







I'm doing my front springs toyota style with frame sleeves I bought from trail-gear (basically the same as all the toyota vendors). They take Isuzu rear shackle bushings. Typically people cut the holes out with a holesaw but it is a tough cut because the frame is bending at this point. I tried doing it with plates pre-cut to the sleeve dimensions. Bit is angled to match the frame angle. This is either going to be the best idea or the worst idea ever.



I cut out holes in the frame, used torch on one side cut off wheels in teh other, torch was way too messy. Mounting like this will give me a few inches in all directions for messing with final position since I can tack in the plates. An typical spring hanger can only go forward and back to adjust.




The sleeves are 1.17" ID so I searched homedepot for tube with that dimension. Went through copper pipe, black pipe and finally found 1" EMT conduit is like within 1/100" of an inch perfect. So this is my jig.


[img]http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/19/11.jpg[/img]

I drew some lines on a big piece of cardboard to calculate shackle anlgle. I want minimal lift with shackle in rear and spring over. All at the same time seems difficult. These are isuzu pup rears and have a good arch to them. 47" compressed and about 40" or so under tension eye-to-eye. The smallest shackle that will stay around 90 during tension and let the spring extend during compression is 8", based on my calcs.


Tension
[img]http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/19/12.jpg[/img]

Copmpression
[img]http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/projectpup/19/13.jpg[/img]

The shackle hasn't bound up yet in that pic it is just hitting the cab mount. I think this mount position is pretty good and will probably stay with the 8" shackle. The only change I think I will make is to move the sleeve .5"-1" rearward.