Sprinter 4WD Conversion Idea, GMT-800 IFS.

luthj

Engineer In Residence
That looks suspiciously like a final design. Are you there yet?

Close enough. I have the DXFs for each part exported. I tried a couple free nesting programs, but they all report the DXFs as 55 times smaller than they should be... Probably just something dumb with freeware.

I got the trans mostly back together. Need to torque the bell bolts, and attach the Tcase.





When Accuntune tuned the shocks, they got the preload collar on sideways. It would not turn with the spring pushing on it. I used a spring compressor to compress the spring enough to reset the collar. No damage done, but my strut style compressor was about read to snap with that 700lb spring. Apparently there is over 1.5" of preload on the spring at full extension! That explains how they get decent ride height without a crazy stiff spring.

 
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When Accuntune tuned the shocks, they got the preload collar on sideways. It would not turn with the spring pushing on it. I used a spring compressor to compress the spring enough to reset the collar. No damage done, but my strut style compressor was about read to snap with that 700lb spring. Apparently there is over 1.5" of preload on the spring at full extension! That explains how they get decent ride height without a crazy stiff spring.



That looks SCARY!
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
That looks SCARY!
It wasn't going anywhere, plus the hose fitting would stop it regardless. Initially is was just off by 1 thread, thats 2-3 threads off in the photo, after I failed trying to straighten it with the spring still loaded.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
I got the dipstick figured out. I will just weld the end of the jeep one over top of the sprinter one.

It may be easier to make a bushing that slides over the sprinter dipstick though. I just don't want to wait for a local shop to make it.
 

shade

Well-known member
It wasn't going anywhere, plus the hose fitting would stop it regardless. Initially is was just off by 1 thread, thats 2-3 threads off in the photo, after I failed trying to straighten it with the spring still loaded.
That would tick me off. Good thing you straightened it out before damaging the threads.
 

Alloy

Well-known member
I got the dipstick figured out. I will just weld the end of the jeep one over top of the sprinter one.

It may be easier to make a bushing that slides over the sprinter dipstick though. I just don't want to wait for a local shop to make it.

I'd suggest brazing it together.
 

Alloy

Well-known member
I found some open source nesting software. Not fantastic, but does eventually output something useful.

View attachment 540328
I nest by hand starting with the large pieces. Before that I check and make sure the vectors are closed. I've had CAM software do strange things to open vectors.
Next the vectors are placed into layers OS CUT, IS CUT, MARKING then the vectors are grouped together as parts.
Check with the company doing the cutting to determine the min. distace between the parts. If some of the skeleton comes loose it may tilt up an damage the Laser.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Thanks for the info.

Updating some of the other clearance items I modeled the driveshaft with the semi-final pinion and trans placement. Clearance looks good. In 2D the shift cable and lever look like they will hit the driveshaft. But everything looks good. CV angle looks to be 17 degrees total, give or take a bit. There should be at least an inch between the front of the trans pan and the diff.

1569152561573.png

1569152589580.png
 

Mwilliamshs

Explorer
I got the dipstick figured out. I will just weld the end of the jeep one over top of the sprinter one.

It may be easier to make a bushing that slides over the sprinter dipstick though. I just don't want to wait for a local shop to make it.

I would want a single piece. If the joint ever let go you're up a creek. Vans have really long dipsticks. Might find one at the junkyard you could repurpose after shortening a bit. I've made a dipstick out of speedometer cable. They're just a long piece of metal, and again, if 2 made into 1 ever became 2 again, bad things.
 

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