Ok, it's finally starting. 95 Rodeo D44 SAS build

[Slim-Whitey]

Things.

Happened.

(And yes I know my shop is ghetto looking. Fuck off, it's a roof )



It's a good thing I bought perches to go spring over in the rear.

Overall, not actually as aggressive a lift as I thought it'd be. Bout 4 inches over stock, compared to my other Rodeo that doesn't have sacked out springs.



Not bad lines on skinny ass 9" wides. 12.50's will be a bit proud but still good.

Kinda chucked my spare drag link into the knuckle for a kinda sorta check on the length.
Was impressed.






Wasn't as impressed with this.


This might not work out.

On that, I think steering and brakes will be my next things to cross off.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

So, had a gander at the steering.

Think the best bet is to get a flat top passenger knuckle, and run crossover steering.

Because Isuzu uses a bastard spline on their pitman arm. Some coarse 40 spline thing that exactly no one uses.

And the length is. . . Short.

Sooooo, I'll get a knuckle, and have a steering arm machined for the balljoint center to drag link end center so it matches the pitman throw.

It'll move the drag link up past the pumpkin center too, so I might not need to worry about that.
So yeah, when I have 200 bucks lying around I'll get that.

Made this post to remind everyone that I'm now the coolest (and lamest) Canadian here, and I'm building an obsolete vehicle with no aftermarket support, with even more obsolete parts, using a suspension that is obsolete.
And fuck you if you don't like it. Fuck your links. Fuck your crawl boxes. Fuck your silver doublecab.

 

[4runner DOA]

So, had a gander at the steering.

Think the best bet is to get a flat top passenger knuckle, and run crossover steering.

Because Isuzu uses a bastard spline on their pitman arm. Some coarse 40 spline thing that exactly no one uses.

And the length is. . . Short.

Sooooo, I'll get a knuckle, and have a steering arm machined for the balljoint center to drag link end center so it matches the pitman throw.

It'll move the drag link up past the pumpkin center too, so I might not need to worry about that.
So yeah, when I have 200 bucks lying around I'll get that.

Made this post to remind everyone that I'm now the coolest (and lamest) Canadian here, and I'm building an obsolete vehicle with no aftermarket support, with even more obsolete parts, using a suspension that is obsolete.
And fuck you if you don't like it. Fuck your links. Fuck your crawl boxes. Fuck your silver doublecab.

 

[Notcrow-of-judgement]

are you going to link it?

 

[Duckbutter6]

are you going to link it?

is he gonna wheel it?

 

[Notcrow-of-judgement]

is he gonna wheel it?

Yea but run the tire pressure to low and bust beads

 

[Slim-Whitey]

is he gonna wheel it?

Yeah I'll climb all the rock ledges in Saskatchewan.
Gotta air down over gopher holes.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

It should be noted, the picture in the previous post contains a landscape that can be found 5 minutes from my house.

This type of landscape

Can be found 90 minutes from my house. So it's not as if there's no options to go rock crawling here.
I'm just not much for crawling up a rock slower than I can walk up it.

 

[Duckbutter6]

We just got fires and weed out here.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

As an aside, every other SAS I've seen with a rodeo/trooper has guys either dealing with the short throw of the IFS pitman, or, swapping the steering box.

And they're usually going to an axle with a crossover/high steer arm available.
Or they do some really sketchy and extend the pitman arm.

Why no one seems to figure they can use a blank arm milled to match the throw seems odd to me. Maybe I'll find out in a few weeks.

 

[AssBurns]

As an aside, every other SAS I've seen with a rodeo/trooper has guys either dealing with the short throw of the IFS pitman, or, swapping the steering box.

And they're usually going to an axle with a crossover/high steer arm available.
Or they do some really sketchy and extend the pitman arm.

Why no one seems to figure they can use a blank arm milled to match the throw seems odd to me. Maybe I'll find out in a few weeks.

What is sketchy about an extended pitman arm?

 

[Slim-Whitey]

Cutting, extending, and welding a pitman arm is suuuuuper sketchy unless you are a career metalworker.

Cast things like an axle C are metalurgically made to be welded.

Cast things like a pitman arm are made to be hard, and resistant to torsion moments. Welding on them without the right pre-heat and post-heat techniques can cause stress cracks and loss of strength.

No thanks. I'll just get my knuckle and bore out the steering arm.

 

[AssBurns]

Cutting, extending, and welding a pitman arm is suuuuuper sketchy unless you are a career metalworker.

Cast things like an axle C are metalurgically made to be welded.

Cast things like a pitman arm are made to be hard, and resistant to torsion moments. Welding on them without the right pre-heat and post-heat techniques can cause stress cracks and loss of strength.

No thanks. I'll just get my knuckle and bore out the steering arm.

Oh you mean extending a pitman arm instead of getting a longer one. Gotcha! I never thought about modifying a pitman arm for a longer throw, but are you sure it's cast steel, not forged?

 

[Slim-Whitey]

Oh you mean extending a pitman arm instead of getting a longer one. Gotcha! I never thought about modifying a pitman arm for a longer throw, but are you sure it's cast steel, not forged?

If it's forged, there are other issues.

Welding on forged steel changes the grain structure of it, and the more you heat and air cool forged steel, the harder and more brittle it becomes.

The general idea is that if it ain't mild steel, you can't just weld it.

Plus, modifying a steering component (modifying, not replacing with something demonstrably better) is crazy illegal.
Like, if I get into an accident, and have a modified pitman arm, I'll lose my insurance coverage.
Can literally make a suspension. No big deal. Get it welded by a welder or reputable shop.
Don't touch that fucking tie rod though.

 

[AssBurns]

If it's forged, there are other issues.

Welding on forged steel changes the grain structure of it, and the more you heat and air cool forged steel, the harder and more brittle it becomes.

The general idea is that if it ain't mild steel, you can't just weld it.

Plus, modifying a steering component (modifying, not replacing with something demonstrably better) is crazy illegal.
Like, if I get into an accident, and have a modified pitman arm, I'll lose my insurance coverage.
Can literally make a suspension. No big deal. Get it welded by a welder or reputable shop.
Don't touch that fucking tie rod though.

That's crazy that you can lose your insurance over something like that. I've never heard of anything like that around here.

Honestly it sounds like you should pick up a different steering box with a standard spline count so that you have more options available without having to do some weird shit. Not that new knuckles is a bad thing, but seems like a steering box might be cheaper and easier in the long run. Is the bolt pattern of the steering box at least something common to be able to drop in something from a jeep or different truck?

 

[Slim-Whitey]

That's crazy that you can lose your insurance over something like that. I've never heard of anything like that around here.

Honestly it sounds like you should pick up a different steering box with a standard spline count so that you have more options available without having to do some weird shit. Not that new knuckles is a bad thing, but seems like a steering box might be cheaper and easier in the long run. Is the bolt pattern of the steering box at least something common to be able to drop in something from a jeep or different truck?

If you actually look into insurance laws, those kinds of rules are common. If the part doesn't say DOT on it, fuck you, offroad only.
Cannot put road insurance on an offroad only vehicle.

Now.... Chance of that stuff being found?
Low.

Aaaaaanyhoozle....
Astro van is a commonly used box to swap, but involves it's own issues with lines and facement.

I can get factory pitman arms for the Isuzu, the box is stout enough to handle the bigger tires, and it means changing fewer major systems components.

Flat top knuckle and steering arm is 250CAD. Buying an Astro van box and making it work will cost more than that, and then I'll still have to get the drag link bent to clear the pumpkin.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

@rkntoy inspired me as I read about his half doors, so, since I can't work on my steering yet, I figured I'd hack up some doors from the donor Rodeo.

Started by getting legs on my worktable.
It could use a shelf inside the lower part of the legs to squareceverything, but for now, it's strong.


Door.



Keeping as many of these little fuckers as I can to relocate door lock controls and such.


The basic shape. Want to retain both door handles (will move the inside one) and the crash bar for both safety and legality.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

I would have gone further, but my worktable took the last of my wire. Kinda shitty.

 

[Slim-Whitey]

Can't weld my new skin on the inside.
My sheet metal is 18-20ga. That I can do with my current setup.

But I need a bottle and thinner wire to weld to the door skin.

I knew I shoulda cowboyed up for that spot welder.

Side note: @Dukestaco , will the 180 fit a large spool of wire in it? 10lb rolls are so much more economical.

 

[Dukestaco]

Can't weld my new skin on the inside.
My sheet metal is 18-20ga. That I can do with my current setup.

But I need a bottle and thinner wire to weld to the door skin.

I knew I shoulda cowboyed up for that spot welder.

Side note: @Dukestaco , will the 180 fit a large spool of wire in it? 10lb rolls are so much more economical.

Yes the but you need the adapter for the big spool. Or make one from your two pound spool.

https://www.instructables.com/id/10lb-Spool-Adapter-for-a-MIG-Welder/#step1