bryy

Im checking out the instructions now and im getting hung up on one part, that I want to get cleared up before I start:

There is two plates, inner which the sleeves will fit thew
and the outer which the sleeves with NOT fit threw.

it says drill the holes for the sleeves and put them threw the frame, then tells you to take the outer plate and put it on the frame and weld the outer plate to the tubes. how can I get in there to weld those together when those tubes are the ones that do not go threw the plate?

Also with the rock defense frame reinforcement kit do you weld that on first or after the power steering box?

thanks, I did a lot of searching on this with a lot of good write ups just no step by steps.

rokblok

iTrader: (1)

What say you Wabbit?

Wabbit did mine and has done tons of them. Does an excellent job with all of his fab work.

bryy

Yeah I figure someone here has done it before that's why I came here out f all the fabrication I have done this one just seems like the one I want to get right the first time

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Fit up plates. Clamp them on. Test fit IFS box for clearance with pitman arm ON.
Mark on the frame the holes. Drill out. Insert tubes FLUSH with outer side of the frame. Tack in place on outside of frame. Weld out on outside of frame. Grind flush.

Put plates back on. Backside plate should now sit on the frame tubes that extend out. Weld out should now be obvious.

:wabbit2:

87 Deathtrap

I ended up welding the sleeves to the outer plate before installing it. Then put the sleeves through the frame and inner plate and welded them all together.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

If the sleeves don't fit through the outer plate and the bolts must go through the holes of the outer plate, there is no room to weld the sleeves to the outer plate except on the inside with a fillet weld and then your plate will not sit flush up against the frame. Weld the sleeves to the outer plate in the hole itself and the bolts will not fit. Not possible to do it like this unless you somehow modified the outer plate.

:wabbit2:

87 Deathtrap

I put the bolts through the outer plate and the sleeves for alignment, then tacked the sleeves to the plate from the inside. I then removed the bolts and fully welded the sleeves to the outer plate using a fillet weld. The holes on the outside of the frame did have to be ground out a little more to accommodate the welds, but it does sit flush. My kit did not have instructions and I didn't bother looking it up because it seemed pretty straight forward at the time, my reasoning being that both plates are tied together via the three sleeves and then fully welded to the frame. I'm not saying that this way should be doctrine, but it's working fine for me.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Yep. I've seen folks weld the plates on backwards too and I had to cut off the top piece and flip it around so the top holes would line up right.

:wabbit2: