Axles and Springs back from media blaster

Slowly moving forward.  Now to start rebuilding the axles.  The frame should be ready to pick up in about a week.

Garage

No work today.  Just cleaned up the garage from all the metal cutting and filings.  Extra parts are now stored.  I ordered a small media blast cabinet that should arrive next week.  Then onto the small parts....lots of small parts!

Tie rod

After finally removing the tie rod ends (the castle nuts were rusted on), I placed the tie rod flat only to find there was a nice 1 1/2" bow to it!  Nothing that a sledge hammer and two blocks couldn't fix :)  Off to the media blaster and painter.

Stripper!

Brought the large pieces: axles, springs and tie rod to Specialty Stripping in North Hampton.  Some media blasting then PPG epoxy priming and acrylic black.

Back of Suburban....lots of room!

The stripper.

Rear axle drain plug and transfer case cross member rivets

Tapped new drainage plug for rear axle to 1/4"-18 TPI NPT.  Used brass plug.

Centered rear axle, originally without a drainage plug.  WWII expendable.

Tapping.

1/4" brass NPT plug.

 Used cut-off wheel to remove rivet heads from transfer case front cross-member on frame.  Six rivets each side.

Transfer case front cross-member.

4 1/2" angle grinder with 1/16" kerf cut-off wheel.

Now to drill and punch out the rivets.

Road Trip!

Was visiting friends in Lunenburg, VT this weekend.  Looked at the GPS and saw that "middle-of-nowhere," Vermont where my NP-205 transfer case, 2nd generation starter, flywheel and engine adapter were located was only 1.5 hours away.  Got up at 6AM and made a quick trip to get them in the pouring rain.  Lots of pretty fog in the valleys.  Got back to the log mansion just in time for pancakes and eggs :)  The parts look a bit dirty, but in good shape.  The seller was a character.  Quite a nice guy with 4 mastiffs.  They had a good time smelling the back of my truck where my dogs ride.

Front springs and rear axle

Picked up the WC centered rear axle from the welding shop.  The spring perches look good in their new location.  Also picked up the re-arched front springs and new front U-bolts, which look good.  Now to figure out if I should take them apart to media blast and prime everything.

Stopped by at Robbins Auto to talk about PPG paint.  Gotta figure out if it is more economical for the blaster to prime and paint them or for me to do them.

M37 spring perches move to the centered rear axle with correct distance and angle.

Spring perch.

Re-arched front springs with additional 2".  The rusty leafs are from the old rear springs.

New front U-bolts with added length.