Devastator's upgrade

[Devastator]

Tonight I decided to pull the side cover off of my T1 IRS and inspect the damage.

I seem to have lost some gear teeth somewhere.

Rebuild time.....again.

[CentralWAbaja]

Well....there's your problem right there.

[Devastator]

That's what prompted me to upgrade to an 091 from the beginning. I've got a guy that wants to buy this T1 trans, so my brother and I are going to rebuild and sell it. Hopefully I won't do the same thing to my 091.

[Devastator]

Not much progress lately. I just returned from a work related trip to Chicago, so I only had today to work on it. The upper shock mounts shown were fabbed up and tacked on last weekend. Today I sanded the out of roundness from my rear bearing housings. Then I packed and installed the inner and outer wheel bearings, and installed the stub axles.
So, for those of you reading this post, I have a question about asthetics. Should I enclose the gap between the 2 angled steel gussets on my upper shock mounts, or leave it open?

[Big Dave]

I don't think you'd gain any strength by enclosing it, and I'm not a fan of adding weight purely for aesthetic reasons. I think its better off left open so you can paint inside and it won't collect water.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I agree with Big Dave, if you don't really (feel you) need it, don't add it. Any sand you catch there will be easy to get out; the same if the sand gets wet. No place to start rust that way.

Lee

[CentralWAbaja]

I am all about making it look good

Nah...I agree with these guys.

[Leatherneck]

Do you have a larger pic? Great idea!

[Devastator]

Do you have a larger pic? Great idea!

No, I don't have a larger picture, but I could take one in a few days.
Thanks. I was trying to get a shot of the notches I cut in the plate to wrap around the roll bars. One is perpindicular to the plate and the other is at 25 degrees. I'm not going to finish weld them until I check the fit with a real shock instead of my cheesey mock up.
Any more votes as to whether or not to close it in?

[Leatherneck]

I vote for closing it in, yes only for looks won't add a thing to it. I am sure you will close it in so nothing can collect and rust is not going to be that big of a deal in your area. Weight wise doesn't have to be 1/4 inch stock. Hey I had to vote that way, gotta be different. Plus it will look cooler that is right I said cooler.

[Devastator]

I have some 18 ga sheet metal that I was considering enclosing it with. I know it won't lend any strength, and I have to enclose the opposite end so I won't get water, sand, or critters in there. My original justification, however, was to hide the upcoming welds I must do. See, I can weld the the bracket and the "left" side gusset with the MIG. I am probably going to have to weld the inside of the "right" side gusset with an arc welder so I can reach inside there. Then, I can weld the outside of that gusset with the MIG. So if I enclose it, the ugly arc welding can't be seen. I'm a descent arc welder, but those welds always come out uglier than the MIG.
So far, it's 3 to 1 in favor of leaving it open. So, does this mean that only 4 people have read this build thread?

[bajaherbie]

close it in... there, thats 5 readers.

[CentralWAbaja]

I changed my mind....given your reasoning for it looking better....I say yes close it in.

[fusername]

just fill it with bondo, only your stylist will know

[Qurtys Lyn]

I vote for closing it up. It will look better, and as long as you don't leave any openings, you wont have to worry about stuff getting in. That makes it easier to clean! (Marginally...)

just fill it with bondo, only your stylist will know

With that suggestion, I think you may be right, you are the evil twin.