The Dirt Squirrel v. 2.0 -- Even Dirtier

the_white_shadow · Aug 9, 2016

sleepsontoilet said:
If you need me to go look at it, let me know. The problem with bigger than 25' is they're triple axle or dual tandem. I would worry breaking 10k with that weight capacity and no cdl. Just my luck, I'd catch a LEO on a bad day. I think I'm under, definitely gonna have to weigh it next time I'm loaded.

Ive seen plenty of single wheel, tandem 14k trailers out there that are longer than 25ft. The one i use now is 28ft.

sleepsontoilet · Aug 9, 2016

the_white_shadow said:
Ive seen plenty of single wheel, tandem 14k trailers out there that are longer than 25ft. The one i use now is 28ft.

I meant for sale on Craigslist, that's all I seemed to find. I'm aware they make others, it just took some looking to find one.

the_white_shadow · Aug 9, 2016

sleepsontoilet said:
I meant for sale on Craigslist, that's all I seemed to find. I'm aware they make others, it just took some looking to find one.

Ah makes more sense now. For sure. I can only find dual tandems and the single ones i find are stupid expensive. Ill keep looking. Not in a huge rush by any means.

the_white_shadow · Sep 6, 2016

Came home on Thursday from offshore and have been working on it the last couple days. 7 weeks in **** hole Venezuela was enough for me.

I took out 2.5" of the subframe depth and moved it back some once I got the axle lower brackets tacked on.

You can also see the sliders put on. They are 2x4, .188 wall and are frenched in to the rocker panels to keep the body as low as possible. Still debating on whether or not I'm going to bolt it on or weld it on.

You can also see the artec front truss tacked on. Still need to tack on the ram mount part of it. I started to tear down the Squirrel as well. It's a sad day but it was time. Once I get the drivetrain out I'll mock it up in the new chassis. Slowly but Shirley.

the_white_shadow · Sep 10, 2016

Put in some more work. Continued to disconnect and drain all fluids from the "donor" truck. Still need to disconnect the shifters and torque converter so i can take out the trans/t-case as one unit. Also mocked up the lowers up front with my old links. Should be plenty of room for a engine skid. I have more triangulation than i did previously so I hope my tires wont rub as they did before. They are tacked in so I move them if needed.

I hope to get the drivetrain out on Sunday and maybe mocked up.

the_white_shadow · Sep 13, 2016

Been working on tearing down the donor. Took out the trans and t-case yesterday. Note to self: Dont locktite the torque converter bolts to the flexplate. Anywho, after i got those out, it came out pretty easily.

Need to clean it up some and take the Atlas off so I can move the studs around to clock it flat-ish. On todays schedule is to take the motor out and swap on a new oil pan before i move it over into the new frame. Moving forward.

jordan7118 · Sep 14, 2016

Heck yeah! Nice work, Alex!!!

the_white_shadow · Sep 14, 2016

jordan7118 said:
Heck yeah! Nice work, Alex!!!

Thanks Jordan. Its coming along.

the_white_shadow · Sep 14, 2016

Engine is out of the old and in the new chassis. I swapped out the truck pan for a f-body pan. I bought an Improved Racing baffle system for it so it keeps the proper oil pressure. Currently the pan is just bolted up with 4 bolts, as the baffles aren't in yet.

And its out

New pan swapped on for mockup. Saved me a few inches over the truck pan.

I will need to lower the engine a few inches and move it back some.

As it sits the intake just barely clears the firewall. I made the frame rails a few inches wider than the toyota rails, so it fits very nice in there. Ill get the trans in this evening and move everything closer to its final resting place. If you notice it, I will have to swap to a Goat built, or similar PS pump relocation brackets, so i can squeeze in my uppers.

mcutler · Sep 14, 2016

Re:

Looking great. Welcome to my world of cab forward design, lol. Looks as if you have plenty of room to drop it down 3-4 more inches, that's a tall block under the oil pan. For that matter, you could run the truck oil pan which oils better anyway, and gives more room to run the exhaust around the front.

I'm liking this project!

Matt

the_white_shadow · Sep 14, 2016

Re:

mcutler said:
Looking great. Welcome to my world of cab forward design, lol. Looks as if you have plenty of room to drop it down 3-4 more inches, that's a tall block under the oil pan. For that matter, you could run the truck oil pan which oils better anyway, and gives more room to run the exhaust around the front.

I'm liking this project!

Matt

Thanks Matt. I was struggling to get it in this position so i grabbed the blocks just to get it off the engine hoist. I need to drop it down a few inches like you said to get it closer to level with the bottom of the subframe. I went with the f-body pan but have heard they can have oiling issues. After some research I bought this http://www.improvedracing.com/oil-pan-baffles/ls1-camaro-firebird-body-racing-oil-pan-baffle-p-30.html and have read good results. I was going to just buy a mast pan but already had this one so id thought i save a couple hundred dollars and use that elsewhere. (which looks like it will be on the goat built relocation brackets for the PS pump and alt.

mcutler · Sep 14, 2016

Re:

Always fun working by ourselves isn't it...

Matt

the_white_shadow · Sep 15, 2016

Re:

mcutler said:
Always fun working by ourselves isn't it...

Matt

So much fun. I dont mind it though. Its very therapeutic. However I sometimes wish i had an extra hand or three. for the heavy lifting.

the_white_shadow · Sep 15, 2016

Messed with the engine location and got the trans bolted up for mockup. Moved everything down and back several inches. I dont want to move it much more to the rear as its pretty much right even/under with where the dash will be. How close to the lower crossmembers are everyone getting? I have a 1x4 under the pan now to space it. Thats about 3/4". Should I lower it down more?

Here is a pic of close to full bump. My axle is approximately 7" up from where the lowers will be flat at ride height. Should I go make them a little negative at ride height? I can come up some more but upper link placement will come into play. I have about 8.5" of vertical separation at the axle and plan on running 42s so that should be close. I can always move the lower axle mounts up some as they are just tacked on.

Here is where i mocked up the upper. Its just a first attempt. I ordered a goat built PS pump relocation bracket so once it gets in ill begin to finalize its placement.

nealcj8 · Sep 15, 2016

The Improved racing baffle works good. I have one in my F-body pan.

the_white_shadow · Sep 18, 2016

I installed my goatbuilt PS relocation bracket and messed around with upper link placement. I lowered the axle some to right around 7" of up travel. I don't think it's possible to fit the link inside the frame rails so I mocked it up outside. The link is 30" at the moment. Top short? Lowers are at 40". Vertical separation is 9" at axle and would be 8" at frame.

Pics. Engine is where I want it to be. Don't want to move it back into the cab anymore. I will have about 1/4" of clearance to the PS pulley at full bump.

Side shot.

the_white_shadow · Sep 18, 2016

On another note, I have to give drew and the guys at goatbuilt some props. Very rarely does a part I order fit perfectly the first time. His brackets required zero modifcations and the instructions given were spot on. :smoke:

the_white_shadow · Sep 19, 2016

Any comments on the short(er) upper link? 30" is 75% if the lower (40"). I know that 70% was a good rule back in the day. Truck is going to be trail only. No bouncing, no real racing (not including burning up the fire roads on the way back to camp)

I may move the upper mount back a few inches. The 4-link calculator seems to like it longer. Any recommendations on how to input the CoG in the calculator? Belly will be around 19-20" with everything sitting low in the chassis. 7"up/down for my front travel. May try and squeeze in a 16" coilover for more down travel (7 up/9 down).

the_white_shadow · Sep 20, 2016

I dicked around with the upper link placement again last night. Been playing with the calculator and my AS values for the front end up in the 25-40% range depending how much i change the vertical separation at the frame side. I lengthened the upper a few inches and moved the mount back on the slider to accommodate.

The tabs will be centered more on the tube.

How far the mount hangs down off the tube. Anyone think ill have huge rotational forces on the tube the tabs are mounted too? I changed it out to .188 wall DOM and will brace it behind the tabs to the frame.