So I rented a 3 inch pipe cutter today. Started cutting....... and cutting....... and cutting. I finally stopped because I am getting nervous. How thick is the outer housing that I am supposed to cut. I must be like and eight of an inch down. I have seen no color changes etc. I got to thinking that I might not be able to see the change between the inner and outer.

How thick is the outer housing?
Will I see a definate change as I cut through it?

Thanks, Mike

At least an 1/8" thick. More like 3/16's to a 1/4... It does look really deep when you cut them with a pipe cutter. Mine made a popping noise when I made it al the way through. I also did see the difference between the outer and inner knuckle... It sounds liek you have to go a bit further..

I'm goin back in. I'll let you know how it turns out! Thanks for the help Jason!

I gave up on the pipe cutter. I think that I have a groove that will let me use a sawzall to finins it. I must be really close!Another question. The closest that I could get was about one inch from the lip of the outer weld because of the wheels on the cutter. Is that too far towards the center?

the slip fit is at least 3" in. So I do not think your 1" is an issue at all..

I have a knuckle right here on my desk. It only slides in 1.25 inches from the weld and the last .25" is a champher. I ground down the weld to get the pipe cutter closer but I didnt like how it was cutting so I finished it off with a cut-off wheel

........did you not take all of your hardware off from the knuckles out? If you had, you should be able to see how far the sleeve goes into the housing.......or are you trying to cut and turn with everything inplace?

Yes I know....I'm a newbie:flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

But look, I'm up to 29 posts!

Hey, when will my status change from newbie and what does it change to?

there's an old thread on this... I'm too lazy too look it up at the moment but IIRC the outer housng is 5/16" thick & if you cut it w/ an 1/8" grinder wheel you will see a deffinate line. Medusa destroyed a housing b/c he cut a little too deep (w/ a pipe cutter) & when he put pressure on the knuckle to turn it, it snapped off & killed the housing. the general consensus was a grinder is the better & only slightly slower way to go. 1" might be too far but on my fj60 the knckle sleeved about 2" in, so maybe various housings are different.

Originally posted by BigDave
[BHey, when will my status change from newbie and what does it change to? [/B]
when you hit 100 posts it changes to "wheeler"

I have all of the stuff off of the housing except the stock spring perches for a reference. I even had the thing hot tanked so it is spotless! I have not ground the old weld off where the knuckle attaches. Soooo, I put the cutter wheel right up agianst the weld. If I had a star I would post a picture. I also have taken all of the knuckle parts off. I can look inside and it looks like it will be about .75 to 1 inch past my cut. How much do I need past my cut?

As a side note I have been a switch hitter over this for a year. Not that kind of switch hitter!:rainbow: I decided to give it a go and now I am getting all wierd about the whole SOA again. I leave tomorrow for a week of fly fishing in Alaska so I will get over it and be lookin to go big when I get back.

Real world lift question. If I use my stock shackle arrangement and 2.5 inch springs how much am I lookin at? I know the drill, do a search.

.................1/4".................................................. .........

Jeff

enough said huh ol' mammoth???:question:
:flipoff2: :rasta:

FJ45mike... If you are going to the Anchorage area, look-up Mark Whatley. He has a Cruiser shop in Wasilla AK. Cruiser's Only. If you go to his shop bring a camera he has some really nice rigs there. I would give you his phone #, but I am in Mississippi for a couple weeks and don't have it on me. Enjoy the fishing!

I am not headed that far north. I am headed to Ketchikan and then on to Prince of Wales island. I do like those field trips to cruiser shops though. Thanks for the heads up!

1/4............................ That sounds like experience talking!

1/4............................ That sounds like experience talking!

Thats a fact Jack!

Jeff

hey mike::flipoff2: ! don't chicken out on us now.
that rig will look sweet SOA. :smokin: