Sprinter 4WD Conversion Idea, GMT-800 IFS.

[Alloy]

My only complaint about acetone, is that it absorbs very quickly through skin, and it eats nitrile gloves. Butyl gloves handle it alright, but they are expensive and annoying to use.

95% isopropyl, followed by dry compressed air seems to work okay. If something is really dirty the caustic water based degreasers work. With Aluminum it will discolor it though, which may not be an issue depending.

I use both iso alchohol and acetone.

Nitrile works if the gloves are not soaked in acetone. When doing a big cleanup I switch to Marigolds with nitrile inside.

 

[shade]

I just personally use cheap rubber dish washing gloves.

If you can find them big enough, those are a great glove that's widely available.

Thanks for the link. I'm going to print that for the shop. I think that's smarter than guessing before melting a pair of gloves on my hands.

 

[Len.Barron]

less chemical and glove...more cutting, grinding, fitting please..

 

[luthj]

You rang?


Of all the components, the diff was the hardest to measure. Its heavy, there isn't a straight or square edge on it, etc. If I had to guess the parts which would need adjustment, the diff mounts were it.



It took a lot of fiddling, but I got the diff placed where I want it. I need to shim the PS diff mount about 3/16". I didn't include enough adjustment in the mount itself. Not a big deal though.

IMG_20191124_152832019 by J Luth, on Flickr

The rear mount is pretty good as far as placement. I needed to clearance one of the support webs on the diff casting. I also didn't make the bolt entry wide enough. A few other minor trims here and there as well.







The front DS mount is going to need some adjustment. Its bracket is .4" to far forward, and needs to come down about 0.3". Not sure if I will just order a fresh bracket, or spend some quality time with my saw and grinder.



The good news is the pinion angle looks correct. Adjustment is from +7 to 0 deg, which should be enough to get shaft aligned. Clearance at the CV flanges is good as well. And! The rack fits! Not as far back as I like, but close enough!

 

[Alloy]

Nitrile has poor resistance to acetone (and all ketones) and is not considered protective. By the time they've come apart the acetone has already permeated to your skin. But since acetone doesn't readily permeate our skin so it's not considered toxic rather just an irritant. Butyl and latex are good for acetone, neoprene is marginal. I just personally use cheap rubber dish washing gloves, too. Just a set oversized and pull them over whatever gloves I already have on.

Marigolds are cheap dish gloves

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[luthj]

Getting down to business on the top half. Most everything is lining up okay, plus minus a 1/32" or so.





I discovered I must have changed the slot-tab default radius at some point. A bunch of them are 1/32 instead of 1/64. Which means I need to file them to get a good fit. Prototypes!

 

[shade]

Getting down to business on the top half. Most everything is lining up okay, plus minus a 1/32" or so.





I discovered I must have changed the slot-tab default radius at some point. A bunch of them are 1/32 instead of 1/64. Which means I need to file them to get a good fit. Prototypes!

If you're getting precision good enough to differentiate the fit to that level, I don't think you have much to complain about.

Have you been updating your files to reflect your adjustments?

 

[luthj]

Have you been updating your files to reflect your adjustments?

Yes. Keeping notes of all the changes. Should be pretty minor changes thus far.

1/32 vs 1/64 may not need like a lot. But multiply by 2 for each joint, then stack a few joints up. Multiply by 2x for a difference left to right. It ends up being almost 1/8" in a few places.

 

[shade]

Yes. Keeping notes of all the changes. Should be pretty minor changes thus far.

1/32 vs 1/64 may not need like a lot. But multiply by 2 for each joint, then stack a few joints up. Multiply by 2x for a difference left to right. It ends up being almost 1/8" in a few places.

Wow, a whole 1/8"? lol

I'm messing with you. As I'm sure you know, many DIY projects require much more grinding and cursing than yours. It's like you had an engineer involved in the design process.

 

[luthj]

Yeah, I know 1/8 isn't much. Though 1/8" interference with the frame rails, is a problem.

I briefly considered hacking (and hack is the word) a subframe from tube steel, hand cut plate, and random bits from a suburban donor. Glad I nixed that plan early on.

 

[shade]

Yeah, I know 1/8 isn't much. Though 1/8" interference with the frame rails, is a problem.

I briefly considered hacking (and hack is the word) a subframe from tube steel, hand cut plate, and random bits from a suburban donor. Glad I nixed that plan early on.

Grinding 1/16" off a side isn't as easy as getting the design right in the first place. Down the road, I think at least one person is going to be very grateful when they do the conversion.

Going old school with cut/weld/grind/beat/curse/repeat on something as complicated as you're doing wouldn't be any fun at all.

 

[luthj]

Going old school with cut/weld/grind/beat/curse/repeat on something as complicated as you're doing wouldn't be any fun at all.

I would literally teach myself CAD instead of that!

I understand why solid axle swaps are so popular. The complexity is about the same. But the fabrication is much simpler. With a solid axle, you just work out springs, shocks, idler/pitman, and steering box. And pray you don't have the death wobble.

 

[Len.Barron]

With a solid axle, you just work out springs, shocks, idler/pitman, and steering box. And pray you don't have the death wobble.

exactly...and since you weren't really wanting any lift that really takes SAS off the table anyways, none of the vans are designed (like many trucks are) with a frame/unibody shape up front that allows the axle housing to move up into during compression...so all of that has to be built in with lift (or you live with like 2" of compression before bumping out).

 

[Mwilliamshs]

...none of the vans are designed (like many trucks are) with a frame/unibody shape up front that allows the axle housing to move up into during compression...

Go look under an Econoline. Only a crossmember is at odds with a solid front axle's differential. The twin i-beam front end needs frame clearance just like a solid axle.

 

[Len.Barron]

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SFoAAOSwR8haXpnG/s-l1600.jpg

https://blogmedia.dealerfire.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1029/2015/09/screenshot-pixlr.com-2015-09-29-10-54-45.png

I'm talking about the lack of a "horn" on the rails, all of the van frames are nearly flat in the front section (though the e-series are probably the easiest to work with)