

I was still missing some parts that needed to get mounted in
the front end so I didn't get to finish off the engine cage tube work this last
weekend. The last thing I was able to do was mock up the front coilover
mounting position.



The mounting brackets I made for the transmission cooler were
designed to mount to the radiator. The hoses will connect on the bottom
and run under the radiator and along the engine back to the transmission.


My computer and cleaned up wiring harness did arrive but until
the cab area is painted I am holding off on installing it The second
pictures shows the wires that will install on the cab, the rest of the wires
reside on the motor. As you can see Jim's Performance did a really nice
job, everything is labeled and all the power requirements have been whittled
down to a single 4 circuit fuse panel. Jim also re-programmed the PCM to
ignore some of the missing sensors that will not be present in my buggy and
setup the PCM to control the fans on the radiator.



One cool idea I came up with while working under the buggy was
a new way to mount my LED rock lights so they would be closer to the rocks, yet
still out of harms way. I drilled a sequence of holes in the boatsides
front and rear that match the led spacing. and will make a small tab to
retain the light module from the backside.



On Monday my rear driveshaft arrived from High Angle
Driveline. I went with a 1350 CV at the transfer case and a 1410 u-joint
on the differential end. I also bought a spare section of slip and 1410
u-joint to be carried as a trail spare.


I had painted the cab the previous day so I was able to
install the transfer case for the last time and then the new driveshaft.
It fit perfect.




I also had started painting some of the various parts I had
collected in my "to paint" pile. The exhaust parts and transmission
dipstick tube were painted with a high temperature paint I picked up from a
local auto parts store.

I should mention just before I installed the transfer case I
noticed a slight bend in the cross member that the lower links mounted to.
The bend starts just past the link mount bracing plate that runs along the top
of the cross member. I had to install the battery and transfer case before
deciding on how to brace it in a way that would still allow removal of those two
components.


My solution was to add a gusset in the corner that extends out
to the area behind the link mount. I also added a bracing tube that
extends from the link mount brace up to the rear if the chassis. I added a
gusset to each side of the front cross member as well but no vertical brace
since this cross member doesn't see as much loading as the rear one.

The last little item I did was add a brace to the upper
coilover mounting brackets in the rear. I had been meaning to do this for
a while but kept putting it off. The brace ties the mount into the
vertical tube on the inside of the chassis
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