Chassis Swap - Progress Thread *56k warning

[drew303]

Disclaimer: Not sure how LEGAL this is but I'm not sure I CARE. This is just diary on my chassis swap. Ok so I WAS going to wait till I had the chassis swap done but I cant hold back the excitment. =) Background: 1987 toyota pickup 22R ... Previous owner was hit, bent chassis. Didnt know this when i bought the truck 2 1/2yrs ago. Truck was hit front passanger side by large SUV... Frame was twisted in and munched, truck sits lower front pass side and barely drives straight and impossible to align since the IFS brackets are bent (and cracked). That side torsion bar rubbed on the body before i did 2" body lift. Ok, spare me advice of fixing THIS frame. I'm already replacing it with a straight restored frame, the parts and labor are lined up. Can't wait to have a new truck! =) Here she is: If only you could see her darker side. hehe What all is happening this August to the truck: -Disc Brake swap, new master cylinder - DONE http://www.dojodesign.com/toyota/rea...brakelines.jpg *ignore arrows Writeup: http://www.yotatech.com/f116/rear-di.../#post50586263 -NEW passanger side CV axle (broke it a few months ago) -Reverting back to stock torsion bars (has rancho 26mm now) -5" shackles to replace current 6.5" shackles -New front Procomp ES9000 shocks -NEW CHASSIS Heres a shot showing how bad the frame is tweaked: Lower green bar is level with lower IFS crossmember, Dark green bar (center) is level with frame crossmember.. and upper green bar is for reference visual. Line A is exagerated distance between ifs crossmember and frame crossmember and same with line B ... to show the distances are DIFFERENT... In short its like paul bunion pinched my pass side front, LOL *Note, picture is LEVEL and so is driveway* It's no illusion. Heres the donor chassis: 1987 toyota single cab short bed 4x4 22r... EXACT frame match. I started in on restoring the frame on July 23rd: Jumping ahead to today [August 11th]. In the time between the above and the below picture I dismantled the front IFS completely. Took off the rear leaf springs. *note rear leaf hanger pins are a PAIN IN THE ARSE to get off. The metal bushing that rides in the rubber bushing was rusted to the hanger pin or maybe the bolt is pressed into it, regardless i had to cut the hanger pins and hammer the crap out of the springs to get them out. I expect to have the same FRUSTRATION when I tackle them on my truck sooooo I bought NEW 18mm bolts with long shoulders and nylock nuts to REPLACE the metal sleeves and wimpy hanger bolts completely. Essentially the metal sleeve IS the hangar bolt and slides and slips on the rubber bushing so theres no ill-effect of just using a fatter bolt in the STOCK eye bushing. FYI. You will have to drill out the hangars to fit the bigger bolt tho. $20 for new bolts. Theres the today updated pic.. backing up here.. I pressured washed the frame (3000psi) which cleaned out the internals of teh frame (Full of mud and debri) and removed 99% of the moss and mud that was on the frame. The rust I tackled with a Home Depot $14 sandblaster with some silica sand. I only have a 4gallon 125psi pancake compressor so this was a bit of a PITA to say the least. Im still pulling sand out of my hair. Anyways, it worked. I hit the surface rust and tried to retain as much FACTORY paint as possible. *gets sand out of ear as I type*... I also used whire wheels as well. So I hit the frame with the pressure washer again to clean it of sand residue and any other debri.. then rinsed it with the hose.. then hit it with the air hose and let 'er dry completely. NOW I decided to use Rustoleum over the POR-15 or the other options for undercoatings because the frame is really 95% rust free and has most of the factory paint still in great condition not to mention the EASE of touchup jobs with rustoleum and overall its simple to apply. The picture above shows the primer coat. We didnt cover the frame 100% we only used 2 cans and hit the important spots such as the exposed metal and areas of surface rust. (haha, no the whole frame wasnt exposed metal.. we just used what was left in the cans to cover as much of the frame as we could after hitting the critical spots) Not pictured, we then put a coat of Profressional grade rustoleum enamel flat black on. Which took 2 of those cans (they're bigger cans than average). We'll be hitting hte frame with a few more coats of that then a coat or two of clear to seal it all up. The SWAP begins Sunday the 12th. I'll have another update then or soon after.

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[highway]

looks good be sure to post up plenty of pics on a side note have you ever used non-sandable primer ? I used it once on a boat trailer and it worked out great not having to sand all the little nooks and cranny's before spraying paint.

highway

[Belize Off Road Team]

looks GREAT, cant wait to see what happens

[MonsterMaxx]

Nothing illegal about it if you have titles to both.

Good luck with this swap, It'll be interesting for sure.

[drew303]

Originally Posted by MonsterMaxx

Nothing illegal about it if you have titles to both.

Good luck with this swap, It'll be interesting for sure.

ah, what a shame theres no numbers on the donor frame anymore, booo...

=D

[hmmwv15]

Will be watching this one!

[CoedNaked]

Before you put the body on the frame, go out and buy about 4 cans of Fluid film (after you clear coat it), and coat the entire frame as best you can on top of spraying it into all the holes generaously to coat the inside. This stuff will provide additional rust/metal protection for your frame and displace water very well. This stuff is the , seriously. Pressure wash your frame & undercarriage annually, and apply this stuff in the late summer/fall before winter rolls around and your frame will continue to look as good or better than new.

[drew303]

8 12 2007 update:

Day one of the chassis swap has finally arrived. I had the help of a friend and Tofer (from here) stopped by. Unfortuanetly his 81 22r carb is setup far different than any 22r I've ever seen, I couldnt help him to much get it running perfect. Need diagrams for that fusterfluck of vaccum lines! He was a big help as well tho getting this truck dismantled!

I decided since I'd need a cherry picker atleast for 2 days, if not 3... and the only place in town that loans them out is $30 a day...So I decided to just buy one $150 after tax from schucks... 2-ton things actually pretty damn nice. $20 rebate to mail in so all in all damn good deal and I know it will see many many many more engines =) My press has already paid for itself about 3 or 4 times over now!

Wheels chocked, ready to start the tear-down:


heh we drove the truck for some coffee and to pick up the cherry picker. Kinda funny feeling tearing a decent truck apart COMPLETELY, LOL. End of the day its hard to imagine you drove it that morning (see the pics below, you'll see what i mean LOL).

Ok so I drained all the fluids (except the differentials). So transmission, transfercase and engine all got emptied. Im putting synthetic back in the tran/tcase and my motor was timed so the fuel tank would be empty and it was time for its 3k oil change (planning for the win! lol).

Removed the rear driveline, disconnected the front at the front flange.. then pulled the transmission out:



Forgot the speedo cable so that made things frustrating till tofer found that and letting the tranny down it slipped on the jack head, I got a lil anxious and it slipped off right before the jack grounded so luck was on our side there no one got hurt and the transmission wasnt damaged. It was strapped to the head but the strap slipped.

Replaced shifter seat with new one.. or maybe its called a bushing, i forget, its the little plastic ring that fits in the gear shifter.. My OEM one was well worn and cracked in a few places, so I got a new one from marlin.. We'll see how big a difference it makes in a few days =)



Then I decided we'd get the bed off before taking out the engine



Man o man I wish I was flat bedding this baby now. ugh.... money, if only there was enough LOL not to mention putting my front axle under it!!! ..next August =)


Next came the engine:


Getting the engine out was really easy, I've only ever helped pull a V8 out of a fullsize Ford earlier this year so this was my second time getting a motor out and first time using a cherry picker (we had a shop and overhead hoist for the V8 ) ... Went real smooth.. I already know every hose on 'my' motor so it wasnt hard disconnecting everything, or getting the transmission out or any of the other stuff I've already replaced or taken off and reinstalled a dozen times.





Then came the biggest headache of the day, getting the cab separated from the chassis!!!! ... So after contemplating a hundred different ideas on how to go about lifting the cab and supporting it and ROLLING the chassis out (pushed out behind the cab). we were able to muster about 5 guys that came over on a whim and helped lift the cab to roll out the chassis, threw some tall jackstands under the rear of it and finalized todays goals. =)

backing up, i got kinda lucky since the these heavy duty metal yellow jackstands with a huge 4x6 beam across fit perfect just barely above the front frame crossmember... so we lifted the front, slid the beam between the frame and body then lowered the torsion bars all the way down to make the front of body rest on the beams that then rested on the saw horses so we got the front supported off the frame pretty easily.... We then just lifted the cab up, rolled the chassis out and threw stands under it.

hehe, we set up a roadblock of wood, jacks and tires at the end of the driveway(slope) to keep it from going into the road... it worked. LOL Soon as the cab was lifted the chassis rolled out on its own.



Rolled it up on the other side of the driveway where tomorrow I'll begin dismantling it and reinstalling it on the new frame.

---------------

Ok I didnt get a good shot of the 'bent' frame but heres the best way to 'see' how screwed up it is. When the frame was separated from the cab every was astonished at how messed up it was an how much easier it was to tell with the cab off, hehe.. "I TOLD YOU I WASNT JOKING. IT REALLY IS BENT!"



Ill try and snap a shot from a higher angle to show the mass curve in the torsion bar and how not straight it is.

but even with that bad angle there you can tell the difference by comparing it to the other side (unbent)



The torsion bar isnt the bent part, the frame right where the torsion goes into the splines on the upper A-arm is pinched right there. It rolls inwards a bit to and the lower A arm mount is pushed in as well. Its one big pinch. The truck WAS hit on the back of that pass side tire. The fender and door have been replaced and now seeing the evidence on the frame its pretty obvious what happened.

[drew303]

Some other shots of the cab.

[the_gunslinger]

nice!! gusset everything up so it won't happen again.

[hmmwv15]

Sweet! Glad to see good progress. How heavy was the cab?

[drew303]

cab was a pain.. it only took 2 guys on each side to lift it (pivoting on the front) so we could get the chassis out.

[drew303]

Update for 8 13 2007

Day 2! =)

So today I started in on dissmantling the old chassis and moving the suspension over to the new chassis.

It was a slow tedious process but things went REALLY well. Bolts that i expected to be rusted and not salvageable weren't siezed or rusted at all. Every part was salvageable and came apart with ease. Especially the rear hangar bolts and bushings ... the bolts came out like they were put in yesterday (not 21 yrs ago LOL)... The front cam bolts all slid out the same.

When I dismantled the donor chassis the front cam bolts were all unsalvageable and rusted up and just a mess same with the rear hanger bolts.. had to cut a lot of the bolts.

I think because my truck hasnt seen more than a few weeks of sitting in its 21yr old life most of these bolts didnt have time to sit and sieze together.... I have no idea how long this donor frame has been exposed to the weather next to the barn i got it from. (probably a long time hehe).

Today I was also working soley by myself so things went a bit slower

Ok so i took some more shots to show best I could the bent frame.

Ok so below note how the torsion bar sits when its untorqued (no tensioin) ... It should sit in the mount underneath the cab... the arrow points to that mount.. notice how the torsion bar isnt in the mount, LOL


Here i put both sides next to each other. Notice the adjusting bolts are gone... these bars are just chillen. They tell A LOT about a frame where they're sitting like this. THEY SHOULD SIT IDENTICAL!


...

Ok i guess this one shows it best ... The upper A-arm should make a straight line down to the torison bar adjusting mount. Unlike this:


The other side (and any straight vehicle) its a straight line between the upper a-arm and this mount... That red line should cross right through where that arrow points.

Anyone notice the Differential mount and my ghettofab 1" spacer? And the grinded out mount to clear the lower A-arm bracket? LOL






Ok enough of that, i think the point has made it across...


I pulled the gas-tank and all the hydraulic and gas lines off the old chassis and moved it all to the new one (minus the gas-tank, i need someone to help me install that) Oh i LOVE air-ratchets!

Then pulled the rear-end:





heh, finally had a neighbor wander over and wonder what I was doing. Front yard resembles a junkyard:


Heh, not everyday you see someone tear a truck completely a part. =)

Got a shot of the cab and how I supported it.


Plan to just lift it up (rear) and slide the new chassis under same way we rolled the old one out. Pivoting on the front end. I was a lil nervous supporting the cab this way since the majority of the weight of the cab is in the center where the dash is and MOST of the weight is on those 2 center mounts... but its amazing just how rigid that whole thing really is.. I'd have to load it up with cinderblocks to make it tweak =)

Heres as far as I got tearing the old chassis down:


Will get the differential out tomorrow where I have a few more people.. we have to weld in a mount (driver side) for the dif on the new chassis since PO some reason cut it off .. anyway thats for tomorrow.




Heres where the new chassis sits tonight.


the IFS is all installed .. tomorrow ill adjust the cams to where I think will be the best starting point for a driveway alignment, BEFORE the differential goes in (makes turing those nuts so much easier when the dif, engine and body are gone) Then put the stock torsions on (ditching the rancho 26mm's), throw some front wheels on then we'll move the new chassis into the front yard and install the rear-end and then it'll be ready for the cab!..

so tomorrow we'll have a truck again =) Stay tuned.

[drew303]

I'm to tired to post a detailed update. This has been one helluva a project and im beat!

We got the new chassis fully assembled and the cab and bed back on and the engine back in.

tomorrow ill be on my own again but thats ok i can muster the tranny on my own and get the motor hooked up and the cab and bed properly torqued down.


So..Day 3 is done and was another total success and everything has worked out EXACTLY as planned amazingly.

Day 4 will mark the end of this giant project and the truck shall start its new life!

maybe if im not completely wiped out tomorrow ill feel more motivated to post up pictures

[Ringmaster]

Lot's of hard work but well worth the effort

I did that to a 71 Chevy 8-9 years back. Converted a 2wd into a 4wd.
Bought a 4wd frame, front axle, T-case, and swapped everything thing else over to the 4x4 frame.

Neighbors thought I was nut's too, especially when I finished up Sunday night, and cut up the old 4x2 frame with a torch after dark. Nothing like sparklers in October.

Keep up the good work.

[drew303]

well, threads not getting as much attention as I thought it might.. Maybe you have to not take a straight frame for granted to fully appreciate your vehicle =P

I tell ya what I don't take any straight or properly working component of my truck for granted. Thats for sure! hehe



Anyway, trucks back together and drives and rides 10x better than before. I did finalized my driveway alignment tonight only to get stupid and touch my pcv valve and break it. Doh...

What sucks is I have a 1/2hr window to get a new one in the morning.. wish there were 24hr auto part stores!





So in the end this was a TOTAL success and I'm thrilled with how it all turned out. Not to mention cutting my tail pipe off made a huge difference in the sound of the exhaust system, WAY BETTER!!!! you can actually tell theres a magnaflow back there now, sounds great!


oh and Mobil 1 synthetic 75w-90 gear oil in the tranny and tcase made a huge difference as well, thing shifts like a whole new beast now!



*** took 4 whole days to complete the chassis swap

[lr9788]

I have always wanted to attempt a swap like this but never had the balls. I have been reading your posts everyday and its given me alot of inspiration. Lets see some finished pictures. Great job

[04 Rocko Taco]

Drew, what are you doing with the Ranco TB's? i know you ditched em off your truck, butyou said they wer enot bent, correct? Let me know. Thanks...just shoot me a PM if you want to deal.

[Jay351]

more pictures

Congrats on the swap!

[jagger_snitt]

Thanks for sharing all the pics,your a brave,brave man.

[dlbrunner]

Nice work!

Ever think about a career in a chop shop?

[drew303]

Originally Posted by dlbrunner

Nice work!

Ever think about a career in a chop shop?

lol, thanks...

[drew303]

Ok heres the last update... since i didnt post on the last 2 days of the swap since I was to freakn tired at the end of the night to care LOL

this consolidates day 3 and day 4 and day 5

The whole process was pretty much completed in 4 days. I finished wednesday night at 12am. I did some alignment adjustments the following night.

and infact im not taking this truck in to get aligned. After driveway aligning this truck for 2 1/2 yrs and seeing how the tires have worn over 30k miles I'm not to concerned with my ability to align the truck. Tires are at 0 camber and perfect toe and no abnormal wear and it drives straight im not concerned =)

Ok onto the last of the photos:

We got the new chassis ASSEMBLED completely on day 3 ... I had the help of my brother and a good friend and we got the body and engine back in on day 3 ... The engine was just sitting in with the nuts in place and a jack on the oil pan to help support it. The cab and bed were just chillin with the mounts in.. ... that was enough for day 3 ...

heres the new chassis assembled (that was A LOT OF WORK)



backing up... I had to cut the driver side front differential mount off the OLD chassis and WELD it onto the new one.. For some rediculous unknown reason this mount was cut off the new frame then half assidly welded back onto... so crappy a weld I broke that mount off with my hand the day we got the donor frame to my house last winter...

So I carefully cut the mount off my old frame and then welded it in place on the new one... I couldnt believe how well it lined up when we installed the differential.. Luck i think played a roll =P



I must say the new frame looked real sexy once it was assembled. People driving by habitually slowed down to take a better look at this whole project on day 3... neighbors started to get curious finally and stopped by to chit chat. heh

*Any hardcore yoter's notice the front axle on the side of shed in the background? huh huh? ha, i see your not hardcore enough to notice those details =P .... I swear that axle was cussing at me, it was very gealous it wasnt being swapped in this week! hehe


I tell ya what isnt sexy... Stock 6 spoke wheels on some tiny road tires up front and 31 mudrovers out back!






ok ok ok .. There are some minor details on this swap that most likely only I'll notice but when you're getting free help and under the pressure to complete it all in 4 days you just deal with some things =)

For example shackle bolts going opposite directions:


I mean we got one side in, my helpers did and we went to get the other shackle hooked up and i noticed this crossup... i mean... i really dont care. LOL its only asthetics.. .right? LMAO .... to funny ... definetly not worth the hassle of fixing =p



DAY 4

ok i was alone on the LAST day... I had the task of getting the transmission back in, drivelines back in .. motor mounted properly and hooked up and all the other minor stuff you all take for granted =p...

I started at 11am and only had a couple food breaks until i wrapped up around 1215am ( Thats 13 hours and 15 minutes later) and drove it to jack n the box for some dinner!!!

Now this was the 4th time I've put this transmission back into this truck BY MYSELF .... The three previous times were with a standard SMALL floor jack (a real sh|ttty one that you have to unscrew the screw to lower.. just crappy) ... This time i had a HUGE 4ton floor jack that i borrowed from a friend with a FAT head on it! Its only drawback was its enormous size and weight.. This is a HUGE floorjack!!!!




see i told you its a huge jack... And the huge handle on it made it impossible to really manuever below the truck.

After 3 or 4 hours of fighting this I ended up using two jacks and the cherry picker!




skipping to day 5 here she is, completed.. Probably wash and wax 'er sunday... with a shiny black frame and everything else shiny new it'll look like a bran new truck..something you dont see to often when you come across a 21 year old truck =)



This truck is one month older than I am!

Plan is to chop this frame up Monday and haul it respectively by this Toyota to the recylcer... Like a final pay of respect to the 21 years of service that frame offered hehe... I guess its sentimental! :

*I am not in any of the photos posted.. unfortuanetly im the only one who cared to take pictures!*

I'll post a glamour shot soon as I get this beast washed n wax'd =)

[ocdropzone]

Nice write up. I can understand being tired at the end of a project such as this. Definitely something to be proud of. Might consider a front end alignment just to make sure it tracks correctly.
Congrats on a job well done!

[the_gunslinger]

congrats, bro.

I couldn't help but notice your missing an LS1 (or 2)...