Topic: BigMike's "Return of the Project" [Updated 7/11]

[John Doe]

I dont see any in the pic. I wonder how often they break and what can be done to prevent it.

[lownlinked85]

Hey man Bad Ace truck love it.  I have a question, did you make that transfer case mount? That is a really good idea.  Also do you have specs on that transfer case mount?  Let me know thank you.

[Slolyfe]

Do you have hydro assist?

Now I do. And havent had a prob

[Racer-X]

any updates for Mikes rig?

[Cheesemaker]

He has a ton of new updates, but because of school, work and home life, he just doesn't have time to post up all the "NEW" stuff he's done to his truck.   He spends a ton of time on the forum just keeping it running for us. 

[87pickup]

Not that its any of my business but what is Mike going to school for? It seems he has been going to school for ever? He switching degrees or getting a phd or something?

[88_Pathy]

Ha ha. But, he has been at school forever.  He is actually doing mechanical engineering I believe.  Just has had some set backs along the way. 

[BigMike [OP]]

Triple PHD, all in different fields of the History of Polka Dots


I will post up some updates after my wife leaves for Japan this week.

As for school, I will be gradumacating this fall with a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering. I only need 129 units to graduate and I have over 150 units now This is because I started off doing Computer Science then switched to Engineering. I also was working on a Japanese degree but stopped. I am 2 classes away from the Japanese degree, 2 classes away from a Math degree, 3 classes away from a Physics degree, and about 2 semesters away from a Computer Science degree.

So, ummmmmmmmmmm yeah.................. It's been a long & crazy road but it will all be over this fall

[MiniSimp]

Just do another year and get them all!

[Jordan7118]

As for school, I will be gradumacating this fall with a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering. I only need 129 units to graduate and I have over 150 units now This is because I started off doing Computer Science then switched to Engineering. I also was working on a Japanese degree but stopped. I am 2 classes away from the Japanese degree, 2 classes away from a Math degree, 3 classes away from a Physics degree, and about 2 semesters away from a Computer Science degree.

So, ummmmmmmmmmm yeah.................. It's been a long & crazy road but it will all be over this fall

Good for you, Mike! That's awesome!

So, you have a job lined up yet?   

[854RUN]

Thats it lol
Will any of the others be a miner at this point? or will it just be the bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering? Good luck on the rest of the year man  

[BigMike [OP]]

Good for you, Mike! That's awesome!

So, you have a job lined up yet?   

Thanks man! I am very fortunate and really appreciate my father and Marlin Crawler, words cannot express this enough. A few of my classmates graduated this semester and for the past couple of months they've been going to a ton of interviews; they were really stressed out! We all know the economy is down and this is true for Engineers. Some companies who offer 50 or 60 a year are now only offering 30 a year for the same exact position.

As for the minors, nah, I'm done

[Talon84x4]

That's what a friend of mine has been saying (mech engineer). He got lucky and got into Northrop right before jobs started dropping like a rock. So he's in the 70 range right now and moving up, while anyone new is much much lower unfortunately. I was a mechanical major as well at UCSD have since chosen to go with a more hands on approach, I love to fabricate but at those high paying engineering jobs they're lucky if they even get to touch the part, let alone put it together and don't even dream about getting to make it yourself haha.

Congratulations on getting through it though! I know that is one tough road to walk, so many props to you Mike.

Keep up the good work 

[BigMike [OP]]

So..... I was thinking about updating this thread sometime soon

[crazykooter]

I think your truck is pretty much a done deal bud.  Maybe pick up a LC eng header or something but ive read what you have done and well there isnt much left.

[BigMike [OP]]

^ lol

[crazykooter]

Got a bunch of questions on your other post.  I did think of something to do to your rig.  You dont have half doors which is wild. I dont mind wheeling with full doors my self but my left are gets a little sore from leaning out so much. 

[BigMike [OP]]

Regarding half doors..... As for me I've never liked them. The only kind I like is a half Toyota door, especially one done exceptionally well like Marlin's.

The issue I have with half doors is that there is still a door there. It's in the way. I don't care what type of latch you use, it's always in the way. Not having any doors is SO NICE in my opinion to just jump out, jump in, I can lean waay over and examine ground clearance under the truck, under the front & rear axles, all while keeping at least 1 hand on the steering wheel.

There is nothing wrong with half doors, many people like them, but they are definitely not for me.

BigMike

[Doof]

i agree with that... last time i wheeled i took my half door off and it was night and day difference. i will never wheel rocks again with doors

[BigMike [OP]]

Well.........





I don't have to explain the details, umm err do I? hehhh

Alright, so what happened was I installed the front Diamond axle in my garage at home with no internals. No third, no birfs, no axles, no gear oil; just the knuckles/brakes and that's it. When I got to the shop I installed everything including my High Pinion E-Locker and all axles, as shown in Reply #171 on Page 6, EXCLUDING the front driveline. I wanted to use my own synthetic gear oil and not use the shop's gear oil, so I decided to drive home without any gear oil at all.

Now this really isn't a problem. I've got the truck in 2WD and there is no front drive line. I remember double checking the hubs to make sure they were unlocked and away I went. I remember getting on the freeway, accelerating up to about 75 MPH, and while interchanging from Hwy168 onto Hwy180 I drove over the top of some huge piece of wood or something, I don't know what I hit but the entire truck bounced really hard in the front. It was dark and I quickly looked in my rear view but I couldn't see anything at all... So I just kept driving on home.

So.... Long story short, it turned out that I forgot to check the passengers side hub. I don't know how in the world that happened, but I just totally blew it. Mistakes happen. That big hit on the freeway was the load of both the axle shaft breaking and the spider gears in the E-Locker blowing up. When we pulled the diff later it was a mess. It was crazy that I was still able to engage 4WD and drive around without anything binding up or even breaking the R&P.

[BigMike [OP]]

June 10, 2008: Mounting RV2 Compressor

Moving on with some updates, here I am getting the RV2 mounted to the 3RZ. I used a spare 3RZ we had laying around to help get it mounted.

Building a template


The rough draft front mount


Trimmed and RV2 mounted


Temporary rear mount (don't worry, I improved this a lot later on)


Belt alignment is PERFECT for the middle A/C pulley


Here is the amount of movement to tension the belt

[BigMike [OP]]

July 24, 2008: Mounting the RV2 part 2

I took more than a month off and resumed working on the compressor. I don't remember why I stopped on the project, but I got back on it in late July

I opened up the crank case just to double check everything


Here she is mounted in her new home!!!


Shot from the bottom


Checking the clearance near the frame. OH NOES that is not good at all. Gonna have to figure out how to get a LOT more clearance in there...

[zippo]

Depending on how much, you might grind the pump smooth. Or put a C-nothch in the frame. Simple!

[BigMike [OP]]

July 24, 2008: Mounting the RV2 part 2

I took more than a month off and resumed working on the compressor. I don't remember why I stopped on the project, but I got back on it in late July

Ok, the next updates I have in my photo directory is from March of 2009. So I think I did some more work during June & early July there, plus I've got a lot of missing photos that I need to find. Once I figure it out I will resume the updates.

Mike

[BigMike [OP]]

Depending on how much, you might grind the pump smooth. Or put a C-nothch in the frame. Simple!

My fix for that was even simpler I gotta find all my photos

[TacoRunner]

I think your truck is pretty much a done deal bud.  Maybe pick up a LC eng header or something but ive read what you have done and well there isnt much left.

No way, he needs my Tri-Y Header and my link kits. Then he can be done.

[crazykooter]

I have a tri Y header which was nothing but a pain in the ars since it was soo tight against the block I couldnt ever get it from not ripping out my rear exhaust studs.  Tho I did love the low end it gave me.  Heck just some buggy springs and he would be flexing more then a 4 link.  Just having a pin to lock them into place and your road worthy again.   

[BigMike [OP]]

I wish I just had 4 individual exhaust pipes all the way out the back

Collectors are for girly men

[crazykooter]

Why not just tough truck style it.  Ya know have the pipes come out of the hood !! You would be the hot thing on the trail.  Maybe you can even put some sexy chrome sinners on it.  Oh and dont forget the fuzzy dice on rear view mirror.

[Jaysen]

Why don't Marlin make a bracket for a york to mount on Toyota motor?