Trent You're doing great it takes a lot of guts to take on complicated jobs under public scrutiny. Sure your loyal subscribers may with good intentions make comments that seem more critical than constructive, and there are trolls who enjoy being cruel. Bottom line you're a talented person who gets the job done in an entertaining way. Thanks
Trent, you are the all-around mans man! Build your own rock crawler, build your own garage, build your own house, can run multiple excavation vehicles not to mention Trent's mountain vehicle rescues, never take crap from anyone about anything you do because they might do 1 thing well but you do all these things well enough!
I am really concerned with the weight of the drivetrain and the front end on your tube chassis. I hope you are planning on a truss subframe meaning another tube under your current tubes with diagonal support. Your doing a heck of a job for not really knowing what your doing. But at this critical stage maybe it would be a good idea to bring in a pro engineer fabricator to give some advice. Your going to be putting that truck through some incredible forces off-roading it so more input is always best imho. wouldn't want a potential disaster later.
This is a really great project. Looks like you're doing a heck of a good job. I watch the fabrats and Matt's off road recovery channels build similar projects and even if they have more fabrication experience than most, their mantra is we'll fix whatever doesn't work, or whatever breaks. Don't fret over perfection! It's really a work in progress type of thing. The cool thing is you learn what works and what doesn't. Testing is the fun part!
5/8-18 (AKA fine thread) bolts are available at lots of places. Like Menard's, Amazon, Home Depot. They have them in Grade 8, which is what you want. Cut the head off, grind the cut end smooth, then run a few nuts over the cut end: Voila, you have just made a stud. Just make sure the bolt threads are long enough for the whole stud length. Or, get a piece of 5/8-18 all thread, and cut pieces to length. If you do that, make sure to put some nuts on each piece before you cut it so you can fix the cut thread. Did you just damage your mount inserts by tacking on the piece of pipe? I would have marked where the pipe goes with the inserts in place, and then taken it all apart to weld the pipes to the insert sleeves. Then reassembled it so you could tack the pipes to the frame rails. Then disassemble the engine ends, so you could weld the pipes to the frame rails. Then do the final assembly. That way your inserts get exposed to the least amount of heat.
My father was a mechanic but you've got told I've never seen. It's awesome to watch the progress you're making even if you got some bumps along the way.
I admire the care you are taking, you are doing something that I never attempted in the past and going far further with your project than I could never have attempted. Welding kit back then was only starting to allow the options that the market now takes for granted. I remember bleeding edge companies proudly showing off both their wares and the results. Now, they are common, daily issues, so are problems getting specific parts to do an exact job. Back then it was 'the book does not include them', now, 'the computer says no', or you have to buy half a car to get a screw, so, you just get screwed.
Trent I have seen those type engine mounts in many rigs, and as long as you have good welds, you'll not have any issues. Now, when or as you buld more to your chassis, If you see a way you can put any gussets on them, do so. From your plans for the engine, super charger and so on,I think you will be putting the entire build to the test!
Trent, they make very inexpensive thread guages and they would be helpful. However you are doing a great job on a difficult project that many of your commentators and supporters couldn't even get started. Also look for a thread guide template
Trent, I feel so bad that you keep getting parts that aren't right. So frustrating! But you'll get there. You always do. I think the engine is looking shiny and new!
You’re doing awesome. On the new parts getting welded on, I’d tack everything and weld it all up before painting once you’re 100% sure no further changes are needed. I had to cut so many fully welded parts off my rock crawler and now I know better. 😂 It was situations where I did not take into account room for other parts coming into the mix later in the build like steering, column, power steering pump and exhaust routing as examples. Same thing with the cage.
Trent, it is too complicated for me to understand, I am still fascinated by what you are doing and will follow you every step of the way. Good luck on your next step. From Mike. 👍
Trent, your doing a good job of looking at all the options before you actually start mounting that motor. I was wondering if your concerned about whether this motor runs or not, if your rebuild is good. I would be the guy that ran that motor to make sure it is in perfect running condition before I mounted everything and possibly have to take it all back out. I’m just saying! Your doing a great job!😊
Trent, I totally admire you for your uncanny amount of skill in so many different genres. You also have the anything is possible approach to things. That being said, I want to share a perspective with you. You have a lot in common with Henry Ford. He was not afraid to reinvent the wheel. He started from scratch doing exactly what you are doing. When GM came along, they finally come out with the V6 motor, and Fords sales fell through the floor. He spent a year, and a billion dollars insisting to his engineers that they needed to create a V-8. They kept telling him it was impossible. Finally, they created it, and of course immediately Ford was back on top of GM. A car company spends millions of dollars creating a new model, and then after they figure it all out, they use the mass production methods, and build cars at a cost that is only a fraction of that. The fact that you are taking on what really amounts to building a prototype you are doing just that. Trying to stretch yourself out to entertaining You Tube viewers while you are doing this is a challenge. I had a high-end body shop for 20 years and we became experts on how to "remanufacture cars to new specs making it indistinguishable from new. First you put the whole wreck on a bench, without taking anything apart first, because you use the bumper bar to pull with, which that will be disposed when you are done, and with 10- or 20-ton hydraulics make all of the frame/body/suspension points etc. all back to factory specs. Folded metal would be pulled back to alignment in the factory seams. Then we would use a panel cutter, and today even a plasma cutter to cut right along a factory seam, and then grind the tab that is left on the weld seam, then place a new panel perfectly on the factory seam, and weld so people would not know it was something other than factory. So you are mating a factory new piece to a freshly ground seam and welding it in. It's like poetry in motion. We could take a major wreck, and each mechanic would be able to turn out a finished project in a week. Getting the unibody/frame straightened on a bench would cost usually about $400 or more if you went to an expensive shop. You are tackling things that appear insurmountable, every nut and bolt, and dimension are all part of that multi-million dollar make up from the manufacturers on the original design. I'm still blown away by your welding skills and general know how, especially when it comes to construction.
Yep Trent we've all heard you say many times over the last couple yrs of building your home and garagmahal "THATS GOOD ENOUGH" LOL IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE PERFECT. I'm thinking your probably eventually going to get to that point with the transfer case adjusting. That's alot of trial & error and that gets old and frustrating at some point so I will be waiting for that moment when you say OK THATS GOOD IM TIRED OF MESSING WITH IT. And I will agree with you LOL Big-time kudos too Brandon for having such awesome patience to just stand there and video the whole thing for us to see you work your magic Trent. I have very little patience left at 62 yrs old for anything so I appreciate someone who does. It's not an easy life not having patience and my relationships have suffered from it even with my adult kids. It's a real curse I pray on daily for God to bring peace and patience to my life and mind. But Trent Brandon and Allie you all seem to do fine in the patience department and that's great.
On a different note... this is a good excuse to buy a Lathe!!! I own a Precision Matthews lathe and it is some of the best money I've spent!! It has allowed me to reproduce parts that are no longer available or design and manufacture you own. I'm sure Allie will agree after she sees all the stress you're experiencing with this project!!!
Bending pipe and making parts takes me back to the day I was on second shift working in a very large muffler factory. I love watching you make the parts. You can't be a Mom and work 6 days a week on second shift, so I bid on a day shift machine setup operator plus a manual pipe bender all this was for direct fit converters. Let me tell you I didn't have a clue I couldn't even read a tape measure all I know is I needed day shift. One machine I could not set that machine up to save my life it was a machine that either blow up one end or shrunk one end ID and OD but there were so many steps to that simple 2 inch piece of pipe. 7 steps. I gave up on that machine setup so I just made the parts on a 2 step prosses. My team leader came to me one day and said what are you doing that won't work I said why won't it the weld seam was flat that the tube mill welded the tubes together and the outlet ends fit just the same, and you know that prosses worked great and no more running that horrific machine ever again that had so many steps and took 20 min to setup for a normal setup person. I never ever got credit for that, LOL. Anyway, long long story short I finally learned to setup every machine I even figured out how to put 2 and 3 bends in a piece of pipe. I also learned how to read a tape. But then I was pregnant and left on maternity leave but when I came back shortly after, I went back to welding direct fit converters.
There's one thing about it Trent taking your time and doing things right you'll know the vehicle inside and you appreciate it a whole lot more out on the trails
You are going to do a truss style front frame member to replace the C channel front end frame you lopped off aren't you? I mean that one tube on each side isn't enough to support the truck's weight much less the dynamic loads it will see
I am not a mechanic but I know what you mean by getting everything spot on, You have made a great job with the motor mounts, even at my age I can understand what and why you are doing
again a great and clear explanation which is also striking how clean and tidy it is now really neat pity that those bolts do not fit I hope you can send them back in any case good luck with this Greetings from a very hot Netherlands Hans.
Just triangulate the crap out of every thing and it will be strong ☺️😂👍🏻👍🏻 Great job Trent and I’m always impressed with your consistency in the welds for some one who doesn’t do it for a living!! Great job!
Oh goodness Trent this whole project has been such a challenge for you, and I am so sorry for all of this stuff happening. You are so amazing at doing all of this stuff to your truck and I really hope that eventually it will get completed and then you will have this running and you can have so much fun with it. Thanks for sharing this great video and I hope that you have a beautiful week ahead, sending love and hugs, bye! 🤣🥰👍💪💜💜💜
I've mentions this a few times in past videos. Hopefully you will see my comment this time. You still have your engine hoist Load Leveler connected wrong. It should be connected in a straight line with the engine and transmission from front to rear. Its meant to be able to tilt the engine up and transmission down (or vice versa). Look up a quick video on how to use it.
the gear ratio to the front should be lower than the back for what your trying to do as your building a rock climber and you need the push from the rear until the front grabs ! front will most likely be off of the ground first , but an indepentant susspension will help ,you have to think about how many tires will touch the ground , maybe one and it depends on the terrain so a split front and rear drive would help get you out of sticky situations if you have enough clearance and air ride adjuststs automatically as my truck does ! Just a thought and I am a master mechanic !
Trent I am enjoying your videos . Watching your install of your transfer case and notice a small safety concern. You should take your wedding ring off when working on your project . I had a ring on when a started fell and crushed my ring finger. It was very painful getting ring off my finger. Looking forward to seeing you with your new friends on the trails. Safety First always works best
LMAO Trent enjoy the build. You may not know some things that need to be done first :) But it is the fun finding out then fixing your mistakes to KNOW what to do when you do break it on the trail. Believe me it is very satisfying when you can fix a problem or helping another trail buddy and it works :)
IMO where you welded the tube frame into the box frame, I think you should have welded the tube in at the bottom so you can add a second tube for the shock towers. This would also give you more clearance for the transmission and transfer case. Make sure the tubes at the box frame are fully welded solid & add ladder supports forward of this new frame to old frame going forward to keep the tubes from twisting. As far as a subframe under the motor mounts, make it bolt on for future oil pan removal. Since my back surgery 10 days ago I have been receiving meals from Mom's Meals It is like Meals On Wheels but for cancer patience. I get a box of 14 meals twice per month. Medicare pays for my meals and even though they are tuned to my dietary needs, they are quite delicious. All meals are balanced and include breads, meat, vegies, jello, fruits, juice and even cookies. Note: when you have the studs made, make sure they heat treat them.
The down side of doing it the first time. Maddening is it not? You da man. Grandpa said, it takes less time to do it right the first time than explain why you did not. But some times its nice cause you do it twice ("Paul and Ben")
Trent's welding skills are very impressive. Reminds me of watching someone weld 45 years ago, while standing in the shadow of his welding hand. That night, it felt like someone had ground sand into my eyeballs. I was one of the most painful experiences of my life. That's why I never attempted to learn how to weld, ever again. Otherwise, I can do almost anything else that a 70 year old can do. I hope that Brandon is being very careful. Don't know how the camera's sensor is surviving.
3:12 The definition of always check if the tap matches the stud, hopefully, you will check that in the future, and even make a test hole on a scrap piece of metal.
There's a couple Lady and Margaret's ,he has vast experience with plasma cutting they are off grid also but he does wonders with his plasma cutter,just in case you want to see his videos, I'm a follower of years with you and Allie now with ❤Leo
You really need a set of Allen sockets for your socket wrench to make taking the Allen bolts on and off so much easier. There is no way I would se there with that little tool putting those on and off.
Since you have the cone washers to center the studs... you can just go buy threaded rod stock and cut the studs you want from the stock. You don't have to go to a machine shop to get it.
Trent, nice job! Just one word of advice, if there is any chance that what you're fabricating might change or have to be repositioned I would only tack weld the pieces in place until you're absolutely sure they won't change. Ask me how I know......... 😁
Trent why not go down to Sparks Motors and see Diesel Dave or heavy d to make those studs I know they'd be more than happy to I say that because I know you helped them out trying to get up the mountain all right this is Bob from Vero Beach Florida God bless stay safe and have a great week
Trent, I'm wondering if you could get a bolt that is the right size for the steering coupler and then get a machine shop guy to make four of them with the correct stud size and thread count and pitch. The only thing I can see is scheduling. How long is it going to take for these parts to be made.
Trent I got thinking after watching this video, to solve this issue l would probably inquire with nut & bolt supply in the city to see if they could set you up on what you need with studs and nuts, and I’m wondering if what they sent you was different thread on each end or not some times they are just wondering if that’s the case??
trent i feel for u man life is full of resistance and support and we never know which is ahead. Yet with all the preparedness their in the world that usually stiil get resistance. I my 63 I have just learned of resistence. but when the resistance presses us in these points of a project or just daily life. Taske a deapth breahte and know that when this resistance is over rewards may prevail. Stay sterong
Well that’s the fun of building something custom with parts from all different sources. You have to double, triple check all bolts, bolt sizes and thread pitches. You can’t assume anything unless you measured it yourself. Welcome to custom work
I am wondering if those two tubes have enough strength to hold the weight of that motor. especially for off-roading stresses. And I can't see where you could put gussets That's a lot of leverage on the perpendicular welds.
Trent are you going to fabricate custom skid plates for the Taco? I know with Jeeps that you can get something called a belly armor - essentially a panel of skid plates that cover the entire under body of it. Just wondering your thoughts on protecting the vital 'organs' as you Frankenstein Taco Crawler.
Great video. If you want to take this channel to the next level, get a remote mic. Audio would be soooo much better, and you won't have to yell to be heard. Carry on 😅
I would Mount front and rear suspensions and get him ready to go before you mount the engine you're probably going to have to move the engine up after you get the differentials in
We really learned all we need to know about what this channel was going to be about when Trent bought tires and wheels on the first episode or two. His garage was still a wreck, and flooding but buying stuff and starting a new channel. It least he's no longer presenting himself as an experienced expert like he started out. Next thing you know, he'll build a one bedroom house... oh wait.
