Topic: BigMike's Big Summer Project: REVIVED!

[BigMike]

This thread is pointless. It's like 2 years of garbage with zero updates. It is my contention that this thread sucks monkey balls and I should probably just start a new one.

Got back from Rubithon, 2007. Well, back to the drawing board.

Broke my crossmember for the third time, which sent the engine forward enough for the water pump studs to contact my e-fan, which tore its electrical wires and caused my engine to run 90% of the gauge hot (the hottest the engine has ever gotten while in my possession) when I noticed it and promptly turned the motor off. I was pretty lucky I am used to checking all of my gauges like every second due to past MR2 paranoia.

So Marlin tried to repair the crossmember on the trail, which I refused to remove from the truck, and no more then 10 mins later his repair broke. So a more serious attempt at incorrectly bandaging something was enough to get my rig from Buck Island to the Dirty Dozens camp ground by about 10pm Friday night.

I really didn't want to do any work to my rig on Saturday, but I had no choice, and so we (blane525, Craftsman, and myself) pulled my crossmember out and Craftsman did the best stick welds I have ever seen in my life, welding some rhubarb atop and below the crossmember, repairs of which made the crossmember stronger than when I built it the first time!

So I am finished with this crossmember, and I will be making a new one.

I rarely break down on the trail, no knocking on wood needed, but when I do break, it's always been way serious: Cracked my frame in half and now the crossmember for the 3rd time, these breaks rendering the rig useless.

So I have decided on the following two things between now and the Round Up this fall:

1) Install the air compressor I've had for 2 yrs for On Board Air. I am sick and tired of using lil' electric pumps.

2) Create a list of any thing that is "questionable" on the truck, and either reinforce and over kill these things, or redesign and rebuild them entirely.

Pics to come later.

BigMike

[crawlerdan]

well tha sucks butt...but on a side note, you now have hood vents so it cant be that bad!! looks great

[MiniSimp]

Do you always have to try to be like me?
I break my crossmember, you break yours, I mean come on Mike, it's getting old.

[Cheesemaker]

Sounds like you need to get Mark (mammoth) to build ya a new frame, and cross members!  The master fabricator!! 

[854RUN]

It sounds like you need a 3/8" peace of plate steel with some holes drilled in it and then bolt it up to your fame and t/c (flat belly) and for get about it. 

[BigMike [OP]]

Sounds like you need to get Mark (mammoth) to build ya a new frame, and cross members!  The master fabricator!! 

The only problem with this is that I don't want a pink paint job or a key chain.


As for the crossmember, it was doomed the day I built it. I selected the incorrect tubing for the job. It is very thin walled DOM tubing that was actually recommended to me to use. I built it back in 2004; it was one of the first things I built. My fab skills, although sub-par yet, have improved immensely since 2004. The last two times it broke, I remember saying, "I will replace this pile of crap before I wheel again." And I said it again this time too

Here is how Andy did the one on our buggy, and this is what I will model from:










I really like Front Range's crossmember ring, and I think it is a GREAT product, but even if I just rebuild it to beefen it up, I actually have never liked supporting triple cases allllllll the way at the back of the last housing. Dual cases, sure, great idea, but I would just like to cradle the cases with something below them.

Here is the finished work that got me home. I know it doesn't look pretty, but these are by far the best Alternator stick welds I've ever seen

[BigMike [OP]]

The bolt was used for the trail repair near buck island that got me to the springs. Marlin wanted me to pull the crossmember out and fix it the right way, but I really wanted to wait until we got to the springs for that. So Marlin did his best at getting into the very! tight area around the e-brake pivot, only being able to weld about 1/4 of the broken cross section.

You can see where it has broken two times in the past, both of these repairs were also done on the trail.
<-- BigMike

[yotadork83]

whos the tough guy that welds with no gloves?

[MiniSimp]

Not bad for a trail repair!

At least it got you home.

[Cheesemaker]

So, when is MarlinCrawler gonna sell those cross-members?  Damn that is HOT!  I want a cross-member like that!  Talking about the one Andy built!     I agree with the FROR cross-member and triple cases.  That is a long stretch and alot of added weight for it!  Just get it done, and you won't have to worry about it again! 

It seems like your biggest trail repairs have always been the pivot blocks and your cross-member.

[854RUN]

ya there is definitely a pattern here  , how are the pivot block holding up. So you will build a new x-member and then a pivot block will snap = Mike =  = 
 
Good luck on the x-member that think kicks a$$ 

[MiniSimp]

how are the pivot block holding up.

I've been checking my pivot blocks for any ovaling (sure sign it will tear) and haven't seen any after 3 hard runs. The new ones seem to be holding up, but I probably just jinxed my self.

[BigMike [OP]]

Cant.........

Get.........................

Motivated.....................................


Must ..... get.... help... here: http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=35892.0

[Willy Mammoth]

Do you have solid motor mounts? That crossmember is keeping your trans from turning, what about your motor mounts.

Also how much twist do you get out of your frame at full flex? I would recommend a Tcase mount that has a pivot and solid motor mounts.

Something has to give and you don't want it to be your cases.

[BigMike [OP]]

I'm running stock Toyota engine mounts and the huge FROR poly urethane mounts at the crossmember:



These red mounts are at least 3" in diameter and are very forgiving and offer plenty of movement, which is good since the long lever arms of the crossmember cover a lot of distance out at their extremes.

I doubt I will build another crossmember before the round up. I think I will take this one out, clean it up a bit, and throw it back in.

There is something extra special I would like to do before MCR6, so we'll have to see if I can get a project of such magnitude in motion

[Willy Mammoth]

There is something extra special I would like to do before MCR6, so we'll have to see if I can get a project of such magnitude in motion

Well get on with it. 

[BigMike [OP]]

When I say extra special I am really saying extra special

[MiniSimp]

When I say extra special I am really saying extra special

Well....it is summer...hmmm..

[Willy Mammoth]

You'r special alright, short bus special

[MiniSimp]

Mike, if it is what I think it is which it probably isn't but it would be really great if it was so if it is than you have to have it in before MCR6. (what are these little commas and dots used for on my keyboard?)

[BigMike [OP]]

If it doesn't blow, it sucks


What else could I do? Thanks for the memories.

[82rustbeast]

So, is it runnin and ready for MCR6 yet?

[BigMike [OP]]

So, is it runnin and ready for MCR6 yet?

Yes, I am 100% ready for MCR6. I thought I had a blown head gasket, but after retorquing the head, although it remains questionable, I do not think this is the case.

Regarding the "Extra Special" thing I wanted to do, it is not going to get done because college took up all of my funding resources. More info on this to come at a later date.

Although I am 100% ready, meaning that I could leave right now and run Rubicon, I would still, however, like to get my on board air system finished. I've got little under 2 wks

As for my 2 years of struggle and woes with the blower, the truck is much faster on the freeway with OUT the super charger. It pulls harder, cruises easier, and drives better.

And best of all, when I press the accelerator, get this, the truck accelerates!!! Something I have NOT experienced for quite some time...

[BigMike [OP]]

Thanks to my wacked oil pan configuration, my engine has enjoyed running at so steep an angle that it locked up and stoped. I was being winched out of a steep canyon and had zero oil pressure for a 3 minuet duration.

The oil pan - to - drag link interference issue is another optional fix that I would also like to tackle before the round up, although it is down on the priority list.

On the left: Cam as removed from head.
On the right: Cam after polished on the lathe by hand:

[BigMike [OP]]

Retorquing head bolts, one at a time. Thanks to the GODFATHER for the factory specs

I got 90 degrees or slightly more on all 10 bolts. This engine has somewhere around 170k miles on it.

[BigMike [OP]]

I checked all of my valves and found that every single one is 0.002" too tight on average, except for the #2 intake valve on cylinder #4, which is 0.004" too tight. Unfortunately we do not have the correct shims in stock, so I will have to adjust the valves later. At least the tight valve is on the intake side.

That's it for now

[CTENG in KS]

no special...snif nsif..I r not koming to MCR if no special.

[BigMike [OP]]

Just got home from another exciting night of work

But sorry, no pictures today

Amongst small negligible work, I replaced my spring bushings and installed our greaseable shackle/hanger bolts and greased 'em up. The truck rides MUCH smoother thanks to some modified Daystar bushings that my front springs required thanks to an ex-employee's very poor spring measurements.

Next work night will be Thursday. I plan to install some mud flaps to keep the smokies off my back.

Cya!

BigMike

[Ramrod]

did you really have that many problems with the charger?  what about all the raving you did about it when you first installed it?

[BigMike [OP]]

did you really have that many problems with the charger?  what about all the raving you did about it when you first installed it?

Yeah, whatever happened to all that excitement is what I want to know.

It would be GREAT for you since you have a Tacoma, not a T100.