Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

[MRKING]

I dont know if anybody has taken an 80e back out of a sy , but it didnt come out as easy as it went in . Since i was by myself , I couldnt pull both the trans and transfer case together . Getting the transfer case out with the trans in the way meant this had to go . :squint:

2 hours later the sy's 14 pounds lighter and working under the truck doesnt get any easier now with this biatch out of the way . Looking at the other frame supports and cross bracing , I feel I can leave this out for good . Does anyone see a problem with me not bolting this back in ??

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Nope, I'm leaving mine out for when the 80E goes in!

 

[MRKING]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Well have fun with the removal , my arms got tired after holding the air chisel up for as long as it took on each side . Ear plugs are a must ..

 

[JuStBlAzIN]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

What Mount is this?

 

[mattw]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

That the outer portion of the torsion bar cross member.

Have you guys ever noticed how flimsy our frame is and how much it likes to move around? I wouldn't take it out. I plan to fully box my frame and hopefully find some places to add additional cross-braces.


-Matt

 

[4C FED]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Need a tubular bolt in replacement.

 

[mattw]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Need a tubular bolt in replacement.

I agree this would be nice... One that facilitates installing/removing an 80e that can be used by those of us that have gone to coil-overs..


-Matt

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Need a tubular bolt in replacement.

Agreed.

 

[Black Knight]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Well have fun with the removal , my arms got tired after holding the air chisel up for as long as it took on each side . Ear plugs are a must ..

No it's already out, has been for a year plus, when I did the coilover conversion.

Yep, gotta love me some air hammering :rotf:

Not sure if you or anyone knows this or not, but it's easier to air hammer rivits off if you cut a slit right down the center of them with a cut-off wheel or something, then they come off way eaiser

 

[Loeryder]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Dustan used to sell a tubular replacement that accompanied his coilover kits.

He had a Sy frame stripped down and demonstrated the amount of flex between the rivet joints.
It had some MAJOR twist in it.

I think he welded in the main F & R crossmembers and replaced the torsion with a tubular that bolted in.
On his Sy he boxed and stiffened the frame quite a bit.

 

[mattw]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

It had some MAJOR twist in it.

Thats why I don't agree with removing any of these cross members. With them removed you are basically relying on the body to hold the frame in place. Not exactly the way things are supposed to work.

Also, with a stiffer frame, you can generally run softer springs/shocks and still achieve decent handling. Thats the key if you want a vehicle that handles pretty well and doesn't ride like a tank.


-Matt

 

[2kwik4u]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

When Jeff had his Ty frame on jackstands in the garage. A 180lb load (me) placed at one corner with a stabilizing load of 150lbs (Jeremy) placed at the opposite corner could easily create several inches of torsional twist on the frame. Even after a good deal of frame boxing, it still twisted awfully easily.

NOW....how that relates to your crossmember......I doubt you can notice a difference one way or the other.

 

[MRKING]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Maybe I'll put it back . Would it be worth the $$$ for a tubing replacement for the 6 or 7 pounds Id save is what Im trying to figure out .

Any one have a pic of dustans tubular crossmember ? I have one of his ladder bar afco coilover combos and I hope it stiffens up the rear like the qa1 coilovers did . Even on their softest setting , they feel 100X better than the old torsion bar setup .

 

[George Blake]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

You guys want a tubular replacement?
I feel it is MUCH safer pulling that piece.
If you've gone to the coil overs, that piece isn't needed necessarily.
I know it has a LOT of the catalytic converter stuff mounted to it.
If I did a tubular replacement, it wouldn't have any cat stuff on it. Just framerail to framerail.
Guys are already nickel and diming me on the kits. This adds more cost of the kit.
The supra kits cost amost $8K with a $1500 trans on it. Think about that.
If you guys will buy them I will have them done, but if 25 guys say "I'll just make my own", I'll be stuck with a bunch of stuff no one will buy.

 

[mattw]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

I feel it is MUCH safer pulling that piece.

Why do you say that? Do you mean that its safer to install/remove the 80e with this piece gone?


-Matt

 

[George Blake]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

The latter. It's safer to pull that piece OUT. Then install the trans, then the T-case. Then the trans crossmember, then put that piece back in. I will attest that it will flex alot with this out.
I personally tried the JSMan Crew method of pushing the trans/transfer case assembly up over that crossmember. NEVER EVER again. The trans slipped off the comealong strap and bounced on the garage floor. Absolutely UNSAFE method. My recommendation is to use 2x3 stock rectangular tubing and welded it to a simple 1/4" or 5/16" flange. Drill two holes and bolt it in place with grade 8 bolts.
I've been told by two different customers that they took a plasma cutter and just notched the crossmember down a bit so the transfer case could be installed separate.
It's tougher for Ty owners because you have the beefy transfer case. Whereas the Sy owners have the 27 spline output case with the little bitty tailhousing.

 

[George Blake]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

See that "clean" arch on the crossmember in the pic? That is the section that they notched out and then just welded a lip back in place to give the strength back.

 

[MRKING]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

I was so close to notching that section out . I marked what i thought would allow me to remove the case but didnt go that route . As far making a new frame member , what would you save 5 pounds ? If someone goes through the trouble of taking this out and a new one isnt priced right , they'd just bolt it back in .

Now if a chromoly tubing version could be had and -10 can be guaranteed (aka 4 lbs) for 250 I got my ears open .

 

[George Blake]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

Just notch it and put it back in. 10 guys aren't gonna buy into that. One guy would want the cat to bolt back up, another would want more clearance for 3" exhausts, another would want a straight shot with a driveshaft loop. Ain't no way that's happening. You marked it just about right. Just have someone cut that with a plasma cutter...not HotRodV6 and then weld a lip back in and it'll be just as strong as the original and all your hangers will be intact.

 

[MRKING]

Re: Lost 14 pounds , keep it off or put it back ?

I agree 10 might not sell , but I will look into something for my own truck . My wifes father is close to retiring from welding his whole life and if I could get some tubing with 4 identical flanges to him, I know he'd fab it up for me .

Where its positioned a drive shaft loop really couldnt be incorporated with it .No more than the bolt on version already being made anyways. It deff wouldnt need to be modified for a 3" exhaust since the bulky stock piece allows enough room already and the aftermarket exhausts for our trucks dont have provisions for the cat bracket and I doubt anyone thats doing the 80e has a stock exhaust still in place .

I'll worry about it after my truck is up and running , but for now i do know that the stock piece will not be returning . I just finished getting my garage ready for the teardown/inspection . Sunday it begins . :tup: