[RMP&O]

Hey Ian,

Recently I tore my ford shock towers right off the frame on my frontier. The towers and the welds didn't give way...the frame did. Might consider some gussets to the weld points to spread the load out. Just a thought. I shitcanned those in favor of some proper hoops this past summer.

I am going to do a shit load of plating to the frame. I got some RuffStuff 12" shock towers I had planned to use in another build that I could use on this truck. Bit overkill for just plain shocks and there is a drama with the steering column shaft but I may use them anyways.

I could have set this truck up with a 3-link front and 4-link rear. I have housings all set up for that and ready to rock. Just didn't want the expense and this truck will not need the flex. It only will have about a 55:1 crawl ratio so it is just not suited to serious rock duty. It will flex decent with the leaves though, enough for what I have in mind with this build. Got a RuffStuff traction bar set up awhile back to use in the build.

Only thing I really need to get or work out at this time is steering box. I have a 160 Patrol box in LHD I can use but not sure I want to. It is a little bit of a funky box. I am thinking 80 or 100 series Cruiser box.

Cheers

 

[RMP&O]

Cheers

 

[RMP&O]

Cheers

 

[onlyonedr]

Nissan always did like really long powertrains. Looks purdy!

 

[RMP&O]

4 months since I updated this. :shaking:

I plated the front of the frame, outside with 1/8" CR and inside with 3/16" CR. I also buffed up the front frame "horns" and notched them for recessing all my leaf/shackle hangers into the frame. I got a shit load on new small parts for the engine, everything from all new high pressure fuel lines, to sensors, to plumbing and much more. I got the rear PTO finalized, housing polished and all mounted up for good. I installed a new clutch slave. I got all new e-brake parts I just need to paint and mount. I got the drivetrain sitting in the frame, just about ready for mock up on engine & trans mounts. I been around and around in my head with engine mounts. I think I may have decided to use some 4BT ones or perhaps something liquid filled. The SD33T rattles a bit and this won't be a strictly off-road truck so I want it smooth. I think I may use a FJ60 Cruiser steering box in the build. The 160 Patrol one I have is kind of funky and no parts for it in the USA. I don't mind one Toyota part in this build.

Not much else going on, I am working on a bunch of other projects so not much if any time for the Ute right now. I know, I should upload some reliable pictures. I will, someday.

Cheers

 

[onlyonedr]

The important thing here is that you are still working on it!!!

 

[RMP&O]

Been awhile since an update. I have got the power train mounted up in the frame rails.

I used OEM motor mounts from my 83 MQ Patrol. Cut them out and welded them up in the Ute.

I fab'ed my own trans/t-case mounts

 

[RMP&O]

It is pretty funky how Nissan did the trans/t-case mounts on these trucks. Here is what the original mounts look like....

I have busted those mounts 2x in the past, one time they were brand new OEM mounts. I guess they work ok if you are not wheeling hard but I do wheel hard. So the stock set up was never going into this truck.

The new mounts are made from a Chevy vulcanized leaf spring bushing. Little piece of DOM machined up to match the bushing, fab'ed up the mounts and then pressed in the bushings. 9/16's grade 8 bolts too. Mounts on the frame rails are all mode from 1/4". I much prefer a LC or GM style mount with a bolt in cross member. I was going to fab one up but once I really started looking at it it would be far to low and way more complex than is needed. Before burning on the mounts I tested removal, 9/16s bolt pulled from the mount and then the 4 bolts on the t-case pulled and the mounts drop straight down. This I felt was very important to make sure it works and could be removed fairly easily from below, otherwise pulling the trans in the future would be a nightmare.


All in all happy with how powertrain placement worked out. Going to be very hard to fit a radiator with the stock mechanical fan but if I can't do it I will end up with electrics. Just could not get the engine any farther back without major work to the firewall. Since I will be running DC shafts front & rear I didn't care much about the angle of the dangle on the engine. It is all square, centered up good with plenty of room for the turbo dump, front drive shaft and front PTO shaft and exhaust. So I am happy.


Cheers

 

[RMP&O]

Cut this big nasty perch off the bottom of the front housing

Modified a RuffStuff FJ60 Land Cruiser SoA perch to suit this build

Set up....

Leaf springs for the front are a Jeep Rubicon Express 1444 for SoA applications. I don't want this truck to be to tall and proportions to be whacky. Right now it is looking like it will be tall but just have to see. I have a number of options to lower it including just doing SuA. I have the 35" tires for the project so will just have to play with it until I like how it sits.

In the back I think I might just go coil springs. I have two rear axles, one that is all built up I had planned to scavange for the bling parts and the other is a stock housing I have prepped for new leaves. The axle that is built up was running air shocks but is also a triangulated 4-link. I can modify it a little to mount some coil buckets on the housing and I am rocking. I already have the links, Johnny Joints, link mounts, coil buckets and some FJ80 coil springs. It will probably be a little more work than using leaves but I don't need to buy some 63" Chevies this way (I currently have some Deaver 63" long travel leaves that are to soft that I won't be using) and I think the rear end will perform better plus not have long ass leaves to drag over stuff. For load carrying, the Slee HDP springs will work awesome.

Any ways, just have to see how it all plays out, I am likely going to try a number of different combos until I am happy with ride height, proportions, stance and so forth.

Cheers

 

[RMP&O]

Cheers

 

[deadlew]

Any updates?

PaulC

 

[jpeet]

nice work