LMAO! Sometimes I am jealous of myself too, lol. Just wait until my 5.29 3rd members show up on Wednesday! This is one awesome piece! I am very excited. I've already got the motor mount spacers in and cannot wait to have the transfercase supported better than my stock crossmember with 2" tall 2x4's stuck in there. I am ready to drive the thing again! My wife IS going to kill me pretty soon.

Paint tonight! Install tomorrow night!

 

And this is what $42 worth of spray paint looks like, lol. 3 cans of primer and 6 cans of paint

 

I know all your stuff is flat black, but would it have been cheaper to powder coat it?

 

I am hoping that will cover my sliders also, it might not be enough but we will see. I like to use the spray paint because it is going to get beat up on the trail and I like being able to touch is up quickly. Also powder coating take a few days and I am not very patient.

 

Wow that is super nice can't wait to see it in the truck

 

Got the crossmember painted last night, it's ready to be installed today, only took 1 can of primer and 2 cans of paint so I have plenty left for the sliders. Got all new hardware to bolt it to the frame, I was missing 2 of the original bolts and the ones I did have all had damaged threads and where very tight going in and out. I chased all of the threaded holes with a 12 x 1.25 tap to clean them out and painted the section of frame where the crossmember mounts. I finally got a tracking number on the new rubber T-case mount I ordered, looks like it will be here on Friday. I will install the crossmember with the old mount for now.



Also while I was waiting for paint to dry between coats I finally got the motor mount spacers done. They have just been sitting there. I had a hell of a time getting everything to line up, Thank goodness that 4crawler makes the bolt holes so large for adjustablity. Talk about tight working space, what a PITA. I wish I would have measured from the oil pan to the ground before I installed them so I would knoe exactlly how much it lifted the motor. At this point I will just assume it is 2".

 

the drive train lift is pretty cool rob. It was one of the "todo" items on my old truck. It might be on the list for the new one as well. Make sure to report back if there are any extra vibrations with this as that was one of my concerns about the setup. I know small changes in the geometry of the drive train can sometimes cause issues and then again some times it doesn't. Looks good.

 

Thanks MM, I am expecting some vibrations but hope that adding some tappered shims under the leaf springs will help. I ordered a set of 4 deg. shims from Suspension connection and already have them on hand, I might go ahead and install them even before the first test drive.

 

Rob, is there any spots to wheel that you know of around the Dallas Fort Worth area. I will be spending a weekend or two there this summer. Old college buddy lives there and i go to visit once in a while.

 

Sure there are a few. These 2 off the top of my head. I highly recomend Barnwell over Bridgeport but it is a little bit furthure away, I guess it depends on where exactly you are coming from. Branwell is huge and there is alittle bit too much mud at Bridgeport for my liking. I am about 3 hours away from Dallas, but let me know when you are going to be there and maybe I'll come wheel with you for awhile.


Bridgeport OHV.
http://www.cityofbridgeport.net/index.aspx?nid=322

Barnwell mountian
http://www.barnwellmountainra.com/

 

thanks for the link and info. I'll be sure to give you a couple weeks heads up if i bring the rig down to wheel when i go.

 

Finally found and bought a 3 wire fuel level sending unit. Looking forward to having a working gas gauge.

 

Nothing like getting new parts and then getting them on. You got them looking great. Glad to see you are doing it right. It will pay off later on the trail.

I had to change mine and the tank has to come out to get to it. Is the float not raising? My old one was rusted up at the pivot point, probably could of gotten away with PB Blaster and a wire brush. These tanks get a lot of rust in them.

On several Toyotas I have driven, I can get roughly 100 mile for each of the 1/4 tank marks on the fuel guage, but the last quart mark I do good to get 25 miles before it hits empty. But still a fuel guage is nice. That guessing at the amount you have eventually catches up with you

 

Yahoo fuel gauge always nice to know when you will run out of fuel takes a little of the fun out of it but no more unexpected gas can trips any way can't wait to see it all done

 

I got my crossmember mostly installed last night, didn't bother bolting the mount down since I should have a new one showing up this Friday, or installing the skid since it will be in the way of me installing the new mount. It is pretty obvious that mine is sagging pretty bad.

Before measurement from the ground to the bottom of stock crossmember. 15"


Measurement after installing new Bud Built. 18-1/2"


Side view, I expect the new mount to raise the case another 1/2"




ALSO*****my 5.29 rear third member and front diff showed up today!! I wasn't expecting him to send the whole front diff but that will make it that much easier to install. I am going to get these cleaned up tonight and ready to go in this weekend.

 

Wow, that musta been a heavy package! And HEY, LOOK OUT, THAT FILTHY-DIRTY IMPOSTOR LOG IS LURKING BACK THERE! Yep, I see it! hahahah. JK, ...man, that looks GREAT, Rob! And very practical, as well, eh?

Can't wait to see you climing up trees with those gears and locker! hahaha.

I need one too, ...grrr, it's getting warm here and I'm not readyyyyy! lol.

 

Looks good on there!

 

Alright already, I'll paint the drive shaft!! lol. I am trying to be practical here, I think that the 3-1/2" of clearance I got with the DT lift and crossmember is well worth it.

I cannot wait to get the gears installed, it should improve the driveablity on the street and be better for crawling on the trail....win, win.

Thanks RE-RE. I am expecting the new mount to lift the case another 1/2" or so, my mounts is ripped and sagging badly. The lowest point on the case should sit higher than the lowest point on the crossmember for the skid to be able to fit. According to UPS my new mount will be here Friday but I checked the tracking status this afternoon and it was already in Houston so maybe I'll get it tomorrow? Would be nice to get a package early for once.

 

Oh man, ...I was just kidding, Rob, lol. You know I feel I don't have NEARLY enough Kudos to toss at ya!

Have a good one, can't wait for videos or something ,man!

 

roughly 100mi per 1/4 tht equals roughly 400miles per tank. what the heck are you drive and what size tank????????????