Toywagon
12-11-2001, 03:20 PM
Ive got the engine finally in the zuk. I struggled for about a month trying to get this engine in the way I wanted it. With only 4 inches between the transfer case and transmission, I was trying to make a 1 u joint shaft work. Every driveline shop I visited with cautioned me on the fact that unless my alignments were dead on, I would have vibrations.
With my spoa, and cj springs, my rear axle is back 1 1/2 inches from stock, and the lift increased the gap between t case and rear axle. Even with spacers, the stock rear driveshaft was way to short. To run it as it is would mean building a longer rear shaft. So I ended up building new mounts, and moving my t case back 4 inches. I can now run a stock rear drive shaft without any spacers. I built new mounts to the frame, so I still have the factory t case arms. If I damage these arms wheeling, I can easily carry factory spares, or buy aftermarket and they are still bolt on. With my breeze shackles my drive shaft may still pull apart, but im going to have to do some flexing before I know for sure.
Moving the T case back allowed me to run an 8 inch shaft between my case and transmission. Since I had to build a new tranny crossmember for the toyota tranny anyway, and by moving the T case back, the factory crossmember was in the way of the front driveshaft more than ever, it was time to get out the fire wrench. While I was at it, I made my new crossmember bolt on. The tabs are welded, but the crossmember can be unbolted and removed completely making tranny removal much easier. My new crossmember bolts directly under the transmission mount, and now the entire crossmember passes over the driveline. No worries about contact at droop. I am going to check closer, but ive easily got 3 inches of compression between the shaft and crossmember before the driveshaft has any chance of coming up and making contact with the crossmember. That is at the rear of the driveshaft, so at the axle ive got significant more compression. After I get the exhaust installed, im going to add a few cross braces in the frame.
My first design of motor mounts incorporated the original engine mount pads on the frame. I tacked my mounts to them, and grabbed my Toyota header. Wont fit!!! Grabbed the factory toyota exhaust manifold,,, wont fit!!! Out comes the fire wrench again, and the factory pads are now on the floor!! Cleaned up the frame, and get out my cardboard and magic marker, and fab up 2 new mounts. Now I encounter my next problem. To get the exhaust low enough to clear the steering shaft going to the steering box, the oil pan is to close for comfort to my z link. I had built this z link when I first did my spoa, and now that I had my rear springs up front, and cjs in the back with expanding shackles, the increased lift had thrown off my z link. I had planned on building a new z link to run while I got the funds together for my cross over steering.
I pulled up a chair and sat and thought :: ie sulked :: for a bit, as I dont have the funds to buy parts this close to Christmas, and this engine swap has taken alot longer than I thought it was going to. I looked at the pitman arm again, and it hit me. Bolt on a dropped pitman arm. That clears the oilpan, removes the need to get a new arm to fab a new z link. I cant purchase the pitman arm yet, but I can continue with the construction of my engine mounts.
Luckily I hadnt welded in my transmission crossmember. The two tabs that are going to weld to the frame can be slid up and down the inside of the frame rails, so I just lowered the motor and tranny down 1 inch, and welded it all up. The engine and tranny FINALLY are on their own mounts, and the cherry picker is back in its spot in the corner of the shop. Oh, lastly, I removed the zuk clutch pedal, and installed the toyota hydraulic clutch pedal/master cyl.
Ive still got a long way to go, but im definatly way over the hump now!!
Jim
With my spoa, and cj springs, my rear axle is back 1 1/2 inches from stock, and the lift increased the gap between t case and rear axle. Even with spacers, the stock rear driveshaft was way to short. To run it as it is would mean building a longer rear shaft. So I ended up building new mounts, and moving my t case back 4 inches. I can now run a stock rear drive shaft without any spacers. I built new mounts to the frame, so I still have the factory t case arms. If I damage these arms wheeling, I can easily carry factory spares, or buy aftermarket and they are still bolt on. With my breeze shackles my drive shaft may still pull apart, but im going to have to do some flexing before I know for sure.
Moving the T case back allowed me to run an 8 inch shaft between my case and transmission. Since I had to build a new tranny crossmember for the toyota tranny anyway, and by moving the T case back, the factory crossmember was in the way of the front driveshaft more than ever, it was time to get out the fire wrench. While I was at it, I made my new crossmember bolt on. The tabs are welded, but the crossmember can be unbolted and removed completely making tranny removal much easier. My new crossmember bolts directly under the transmission mount, and now the entire crossmember passes over the driveline. No worries about contact at droop. I am going to check closer, but ive easily got 3 inches of compression between the shaft and crossmember before the driveshaft has any chance of coming up and making contact with the crossmember. That is at the rear of the driveshaft, so at the axle ive got significant more compression. After I get the exhaust installed, im going to add a few cross braces in the frame.
My first design of motor mounts incorporated the original engine mount pads on the frame. I tacked my mounts to them, and grabbed my Toyota header. Wont fit!!! Grabbed the factory toyota exhaust manifold,,, wont fit!!! Out comes the fire wrench again, and the factory pads are now on the floor!! Cleaned up the frame, and get out my cardboard and magic marker, and fab up 2 new mounts. Now I encounter my next problem. To get the exhaust low enough to clear the steering shaft going to the steering box, the oil pan is to close for comfort to my z link. I had built this z link when I first did my spoa, and now that I had my rear springs up front, and cjs in the back with expanding shackles, the increased lift had thrown off my z link. I had planned on building a new z link to run while I got the funds together for my cross over steering.
I pulled up a chair and sat and thought :: ie sulked :: for a bit, as I dont have the funds to buy parts this close to Christmas, and this engine swap has taken alot longer than I thought it was going to. I looked at the pitman arm again, and it hit me. Bolt on a dropped pitman arm. That clears the oilpan, removes the need to get a new arm to fab a new z link. I cant purchase the pitman arm yet, but I can continue with the construction of my engine mounts.
Luckily I hadnt welded in my transmission crossmember. The two tabs that are going to weld to the frame can be slid up and down the inside of the frame rails, so I just lowered the motor and tranny down 1 inch, and welded it all up. The engine and tranny FINALLY are on their own mounts, and the cherry picker is back in its spot in the corner of the shop. Oh, lastly, I removed the zuk clutch pedal, and installed the toyota hydraulic clutch pedal/master cyl.
Ive still got a long way to go, but im definatly way over the hump now!!
Jim