Thanks Jerry , I think that would be the easiest then , to use the 2.6 crossmember and just redrill some holes.It is from an auto as both had the auto trans in them.My other thought I had tonight was to make some brackets that bolt to the 2.6 frame , that match the 2.8 brackets then bolt the 2.8 crossmember on.I'll give that some more thought also and see what I come up with.I just don't want to waste a lot more time on something huge to get the other brackets off the 2.8 frame and transfer them over.

I do have the diff drop from Joe , just got it in the mail finaly <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> and thats just the front axle that it changes , which is the same on both frames.The only crossmember thats different was the trans/transfer case one.I'm just glad I noticed now when I can do something about it , and not after I put the engine on and mount the tranny and go and bolt in on and it not fit.Then I would not be a happy camper <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> At least this way I now know there is a problem , and that I can fix it while it is easy and accesible.

I think tomorow I will take advantage of the nice sunny day , and get the body off of the other truck so I can get the other parts I need off of it.Slowly but surely its coming along.I know its gonna be fun to flip the frame back over again <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" /> I figure by the time I get the crossmembers on that I want , it will be 300+ for sure.most of that is at the front end with the sterring box , bumper , and lower control arms.The back I can pick up with one hand.

Right now I am exhausted , its been work , work on the truck , at the girl friends place , little sleep , work , and so on and so on.I was falling asleep over there so came home and gonna try an dget a good night sleep as I don't have to get up at 2 am tonight <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Then a full day of work on the truck tomorow. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/sleeping.gif" alt="" />

Hi Jerry , I re-read what you had posted about the crossmember.You said the 2.6 and 2.8 auto are almost the same.Well , both vehicles I have were autos.So , should I flip the frame back over , and wait till I get closer to sticking the tranny in to make it easier to align everything?Or should I try and get the measurements done now and bolt the crossmember up while its upsdie down?

I didn't get too much done today , had a guy come and bought my 2.6 engine.I still have the tranny for it though.Other than that , I stripped all the front end stuff off the other truck , brakes , a-arms , ball joints , hubs , etc.So if it would be easier to flip the frame back over to do the crossmember , I will do that , then I can put all the front end back together , then swap the rear in and it will be sitting on the tires.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT I WOULD DO , ONCE YOU GET THE ENG AND TRANNY BOLTED TOGETHER AND SITTING ON THE FRT MTS, THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WILL BE A SNAP TO PUT IN PLACE AND BY THE WAY YOU WON,T NEED ALL SIX OF THE BOLTS ON THE CROSSMEMBER , 4 IS MORE THAN ENOUGH , YOU CAN USE A PIECE OF 1/4 IN ANGLE IRON BOLTED ON EITHER SIDE OR WELDED, AND THEN THE 2 LARGE BOLTS ON EITHER SIDE, IT ISN,T GOING ANYWHERE , ALSO I WOULD NOT WELD IN THE CAPTURED NUTS , USE NUTS AND BOLTS , 2 OF THE NO 7 BOLTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE FRAME ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH AND YOU CAN POSITION THEM TO USE THE ORIGINAL (THE GREEN ONE ) CROSSMEMBER . JERRY

Sounds good Jerry.I already flipped the frame back over today and was going to do the front suspension stuff.Ran into the problem of this frame being a pre June 89 , and the torision bars are for July 89 and up.Thats fine though , I got the stuff off of the 90 frame to make it work , I just need to figure out how to get the part off the llower control arm , or change the lower control arm so the bracket fits on the splined piece on the a-arm.I undid the nuts on both a-arms on the 89 frame , but can't figure out how to get the bolts out , or if that splined part is part of the arm or the bolt.I hammered on both , but they won't budge.Any ideas how they come off?I looked in the shop manual , and it doesn't really say anything about it , other than showing the exploded diagram , but the splined part isn't shown on the a-arm.

So , basicaly I took the parts off the 90 truck , put the carrier back on the axle and torqued it down , and thats about it.Not a lot done for my full day off , but I guess every little bit helps.Once I figure out how to get that splined part off the a-arm , I can make good progress again putting the front end together.

Well, Barak, it just so happens that this weekend I removed two lower control arms from a '91 Trooper this weekend. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> I believe that you are speaking about the two large bolts that hold the lower control arm (LCA) to the frame. These are the bolts that the LCA hinges and pivots upon. I think that the forward bolt has a 22mm nut and I know that the rearward bolt has a 27mm nut. Both bolt ends have a conically tapered end. The rearward bolt, the one that you are speaking of has the splined head, the same size/shape as the forward end of the torsion bar, that you are having difficulty with.

You just need to hammer these bolts out. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> It's probably rust that you are having the difficulty with again. That larger bolt has a big surface area in pivot sleeve and it's probably rusted all around. It would help if you also first remove that splined sleeve flange (mounted with two bolts) on the rearward end of the LCA that mates that large bolt splined end to the torsion bar. A normal splined bolt end would just slide through this flange, but your's is likely rusted/bonded to this piece also. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

Oh, let me add that you need to leave this splined flange on the large splined bolt end to remove the 27mm nut. I bent my cheater bar loosening this nut. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> The LCA will move/pivot while you are trying to do this raising the difficulty. Your ratchet is now behaving like another torsion bar.

Maybe PB blaster in the pivot points and heat will help you knock/eject these bolts out? Good luck!

Jim

I have the small bracket with 2 bolts removed on both trucks , so no problem there.And I know how tight those nuts were , I broke a 29" cheater bar trying to loosen one <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> But I have both nuts off on both sides of the frame I am working on.I did use PB blaster and a hammer , so I guess I'll try some heat now.On the other truck I think I will have to remove the axle to get some room in there.It seems pretty tight to get the arms off with the axle.Although , I only need the bigger bolt with the splined end on it off each side and I'm golden.Thanks for the info , guess I just need to keep working on it till I get them off. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

HEY DAVE , I THINK JIM IS RIGHT ON THE REMOVEL OF THOSE PIVOT BOLTS YOU HAVE A RUSTED UP SETUP AND IT WILL TAKE SOME HEAT AND POUNDING TO GET EMM LOOSE , THEY CAN BE A BEAR , THEY SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE BOLT ON TBAR BRACKETS ON THE VEH ESP THE ONES IN THE SNOW AND SALT COUNTRY JERRY

Well , I was out there most of the day today.I got the one a-arm all unbolted and one pin out on the passenger side of the 90 , couldn't whack the other pin I need as I tried to do it with the axle still in <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> That doesn't work.Anyway , I got the axle almost out , just one big bolt on the driver side is really stiff , so its taking a while , and it started to rain hard so I stopped for the day.So , if its not as bad tomorow , I should get the axle off , then go to town on the other a-arm , and hopefully pound out the pins I need.I might just keep the whole a-arm off the 90 , then cut the other ones right off the 89 frame,Save me farting around with a hammer and heat.The one pin popped right out , so hopefully when I can whack the other one it should pop out easy also.The other frame had sat there for a while , probably why it seized up worse.

Well , almost 3 hours out in the mud puddles and wind and rain , but I got the a-arms off the 90 frame outside.# of the pics slid right out , the 4th one was seized in there so bad that the bushing was coming out also , spreading the arm apart and bending it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> So I cut that one off , and of course am now one pin short <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I went back into the shop and tried again on the a-arms in there.I pounded them with a 16oz hammer , heated them up , triued to loosen the one side that has a bolt head with a wrench and 20lb sledge , hammered on it with the 20lb sledge , burned out the bushings on one side , and still those suckers aren't budging.I will have to order one pin , and get some new bushings of course.I figure I'll have to cut these ones off , but the thing I fear with that is once the a-arm is off , what about the bolt parts and bushings in the setting?If a 20lb sledge wasn't moving it , how will I get them out to put the new ones in later? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Progress looks good ! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

It seems to me with my Trooper, night after night of cutting, grinding, drilling , and painting . I look back at whats been accomplished and think thats all I have done. I hope once all this ticky-tack work is done things will start falling together rather quickly.
At least thats what I keep telling myself. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

I was hoping you could help me out. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Since your working on your IFS. Can you give me a referance point and measurement for the IFS centerline? I did'nt mark mine before I disassembled it and I'm wanting to mock up the SAS on my Trooper.

Thanks a lot and keep up the good work ! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />