The Official PSA Duramax gets Built Ford Tough!

Chvyrkr · Jan 28, 2012

Hotrodtractor said:
Yeah, a little progress every night. LOL I finished stripping the front axle down and had Bryan burn on the new track bar bracket and coil over brackets on the axle, just waiting for a couple of tools to show up so I can set up the ring and pinion in the front (broke my dial indicator a while back, never replaced it, bought a Dana axle spreader). Last two brackets to weld onto the axle are for the hydro assist steering cylinder which hopefully is leaving PSC soon. I had to locate some fine thread 3/8 flanged nuts for the tcase which I have now, so I can install the 273 into the truck. I had to modify the skid plate for transmission pan clearances - I started plasma cutting out a chunk last night and cleaning it up with a grinder - just a little more clean up work to do to make myself happy with it - but before I finish I need to get it up under the truck and mounted so I can transfer drill the holes into the frame and make sure it all fits - then pull it back out and paint the skid.

I'm also going to need to build a new downpipe for the atmosphere charger because mine is going to have a major interference issue with the coil over shock tower - so I'm also looking at if I have enough room to upgrade to some aftermarket cast manifolds and up-pipes and still be able to install a down pipe that snakes around the coil over tower on the frame and the manifold.

Sounds about right for any major project...

Doh, downpipe don't fit now. Doh, need an adapter for brake lines. Etc...

Hotrodtractor · Jan 28, 2012

Chvyrkr said:
Sounds about right for any major project...

Doh, downpipe don't fit now. Doh, need an adapter for brake lines. Etc...

Yeah tell me about it! LOL

Cat_rebel · Jan 28, 2012

Hotrodtractor said:
(broke my dial indicator a while back, never replaced it).

Was it still working after I bumped it off your toolbox then you proceeded to knock if off the next day right after you said you never had any issues with it? :doh:

Hotrodtractor · Jan 29, 2012

Cat_rebel said:
Was it still working after I bumped it off your toolbox then you proceeded to knock if off the next day right after you said you never had any issues with it? :doh:

Not so much. It was junk the moment it hit the floor.

I have the skid plate mounted now on the bottom of the truck. I didnt have my phone or camera down there to get a pic of it yet - but tomorrow we drop the skid plate and start cleaning more of the frame, paint the skid plate, burn in some brackets, and hopfully get to the point of tacking in the shock towers, track bar, possibly figure out where the sway bar brackets go, etc.... just need to get the hydro assist from PSC to get the last two brackets needed to weld to the axle housing and that can get painted and reassembled.

Hotrodtractor · Jan 30, 2012

Skid Plate installed.... I think Toby could have made this item heavier.... LOL

Matt_P making my chit look good with some POR15 and a gloss top coat.

Bryan (01Dmax) burning in some nut plates for skid plate mounting

Front Axle

Here is a complete IFS "kit" ready for shipment if someone wants it. LOL

neverkickn · Jan 30, 2012

What a cute little pallet o partsLOL

MINK · Jan 30, 2012

Hotrodtractor said:
Skid Plate installed.... I think Toby could have made this item heavier.... LOL

Word.

Looking good boss

cfdeng7 · Jan 30, 2012

Jason is ur front end stuff sold yet. My buddy has a 2wd duramax he was talking about swapping to 4 wd. Pm if its not sold yet. Looks awsome btw man

MrTwstr · Jan 30, 2012

Lookin good Jason!!!

Dmstrucks02 · Jan 30, 2012

Looking good

juniort444e · Jan 30, 2012

How does the POR 15 hold up to salt. I want to redo my frame with it when i get time.

FrankTheTank · Jan 31, 2012

thats sweet how you intergrated the skid plate into the 4 link setup!!! great idea and should stiffen the frame up a lot too!!!!

SSpeeDEMONSS · Feb 3, 2012

juniort444e said:
How does the POR 15 hold up to salt. I want to redo my frame with it when i get time.

From what I have heard that is the stuff to use for frames. I've talked to guys in Wisconsin and they were happy with how it looked and is holding up.

Garrett

Probably getting paid at work to post this from my D1

Lowdown89 · Feb 3, 2012

juniort444e said:
How does the POR 15 hold up to salt. I want to redo my frame with it when i get time.

Also eastwood makes some nice products for rust treatment and coatings for frames that's arlund the same price that works nice from what I hear... I didn't use the rust treatment but I did use the ceramic black they offer on my old rangers frame and it held up awesome

MrTwstr · Feb 5, 2012

Done yet??? :thumbup:

Hotrodtractor · Feb 6, 2012

MrTwstr said:
Done yet??? :thumbup:

I successfully avoided the shop most of the weekend. LOL

A little update - we had some paint issues - and went back through and redid some of it - and what I've got now is going on the truck - after looking at how rusted the entire frame is - I'm already making plans to blow the truck into pieces next winter and build the motor - and completely strip and repaint the frame and associated parts. It never ends. LOL

I realized that my down pipe from the compound chargers were going to hit the passenger side shock tower - after looking at it and coming up with a game plan I decided I now would have enough room to install some aftermarket cast manifolds on the truck and it would be easier to install those before I welded on the shock towers. The new manifolds showed up Friday and look something like this:

Now this week I'll be back hard at this rig so maybe it can be driving out the shop this month. I also need to time this so when the parts arrive for my other built motor thread that I have time to work on that as that project actually has priority over my daily driver.

MINK · Feb 6, 2012

profabs are so nasty.....

Powerstroked162 · Feb 6, 2012

I like these

Hotrodtractor · Feb 6, 2012

Holy big picture Batman!

I had strongly thought about headers - but I kept coming back to that this is just a tow truck.... and I know that no matter who is behind the wheel the manifolds won't fail - the headers probably would have been fine, but its just a little bit of reliability that has been the whole thing surrounding this truck.

Powerstroked162 · Feb 6, 2012

Hotrodtractor said:
Holy big picture Batman!

I had strongly thought about headers - but I kept coming back to that this is just a tow truck.... and I know that no matter who is behind the wheel the manifolds won't fail - the headers probably would have been fine, but its just a little bit of reliability that has been the whole thing surrounding this truck.

I agree. Those headers were built by Rick of Profab back when he was at Midwest. I dunno how much i like the rear cylinder port runners on the cast manifolds...